Originally Posted by
craigthemif
I think people get a bit disappointed or confused because they think "Ambassador" means something to the hotels in question. It doesn't... you pay $200 and you get some carefully-defined benefits.
And people hope that "Diamond" means something at IC hotels - it doesn't, because IC has its own VIP level which is Royal Ambassador. So even if an IC hotel is more generous than others, a Diamond is still way below an RA on the list of priority guests.
Combining the two just means that you are a Diamond who paid $200, but isn't important enough to have earned RA...
If that is really their mentality, I really hope IHG will change fast, else they will lose out in this competitive space. Diamond is by no means a free ride in the park. It takes 70 nights, equivalent to a Marriott titanium and Hilton diamond. And based on my experience with the latter 2, I have gotten suite upgrade much more regularly compared to IHG in general (not just IC).