TemboOne

Here's hoping someone can help with some info that's got us perplexed.

We are long time Priority Club members in Canada who love travelling, to Japan in particular. We use the IC hotels in the Tokyo and Yokohama area a lot, and the Holiday Inn and Indigo Hotels in Toronto and Edmonton.

Planning a trip in the Fall and want to stop several days in Nagasaki and Shin-Kobe. The only IC Hotel Group member in these areas are Crowne Plazas.

When we checked pricing and rooms available we were shocked to find that double rooms only allow for one adult

In fact at Nagasaki the second adult has to pay 4,200 Yen extra on top of the room charge. That's almost $50 extra for the second person!

Is this a common problem across the Crowne Plazas?

We've never encountered this before in any other IC Group Hotel anywhere.

This means that little CP hotels will end up costing more than 4* IC Hotels!

Don't know if Priority Club or age (we're 69 & 73) would make any difference.

Any ideas?


Moderators please: although the properties in question are in Japan we've placed the question here to get some chain-wide feedback. Thanks.

King Chung Huang

I encountered this recently in Japan, too. It seems to be a Japanese thing. The InterContinentals in Japan also charge for a second adult. But, they waive it if you have Ambassador status.

For me, I found my corporate rate also waived the second adult fee at non-IC properties in Japan. Maybe there's a senior rate or some other rate you can use that waives the fee?

TemboOne

Thanks, but the senior discounts, AAA/CAA don't seem to work outside NA for IHG Group or Marriotts.

Last time in Japan we stayed a week at the ICH Yokohama Grand and they upgraded us from King Deluxe Seaview to Club Floor rather than hitting us with an xp surcharge. Superb hotel with great food. Going back for a week this Fall!

Really ticked off at the Crowne Plazas in Japan though, especially Nagasaki. It's the only NA chain there and they seem to know it.

Just noticed that the scam is even worse than we thought.

When the booking form shows the room rates there's a box for breakfast for 2,000Yen for two persons.

However, in addition to charging the 2,000 they ALSO add 2,000 to the second adult price making it 6,200 Yen for the XP with breakfast.

So a 10,240 Yen room becomes 18,440 when occupied by two adults who eat breakfast.

It's not the money as much as the deceptive way this is done that we object to.

alewal

Does an Ambassador get the 2nd person free only at IC or at other IHG property too?

swy

It is definitely a Japanese thing. They charge per person for karaoke rooms too, even though only 1 or 2 people can sing at any one time.

I think if you book using a 3rd party site (e.g., hotels.com) they won't charge you more for the second person. You won't get the IHG points but depends on the property you might still get elite benefits.

King Chung Huang

Only at IC.

Flying Lawyer

Why is that a scram or a deceptive way? It is simply a pricing model different from North America. From my perspective paying per person per night is the model I am familiar with since I was a child. Paying per room per night was the model I became familiar with in North America. For me, taxes, service charges and all these extras (including mandatory tipping) are unfamiliar. I do not call them scam as I respect other cultures.

SQ319

It's a very very common pricing model in the Japan hotel industry, not just in IHG, but also in other chains as well. If it's their culture/way of doing business, then we just have to work with it (rather than think that they are out to cheat people).

In larger cities, things may be a little more "westernised" and hotels may charge by per room instead, however in smaller cities, they still do business the Japanese way. Not to mention that many of these hotels may be franchises, hence IHG do not have any control over how they run their business or price their rooms.

You will see in their rate sheet that there is a price for 1 person and another price for 2 persons for the same room category.

Ambassador benefits are only valid at IC-branded hotels, not at other IHG brands.

NomadPerkins

Crowne Plaza Singapore airport charges for the 2nd person on most rates.
Strangely though, 2 people are included on an award stay.

BRAISKI

This is a very common practice in Europe too very annoying! When I first traveled to EU years ago I was ..., we don't do this in US/Canada. Then my EU friend traveling with me told me that its normal in EU.

scubaccr

Hmmn, which way do you look at this ... glass half full or half empty? eg
a)A discount for single occupancy in a 2person room
b)Extra charge for second person in a 2person room

Definitely true in Italy. Specifying 1adult at booking time leads to a cheaper rate, and amending booking via hotel changes rates. Happens even if breakfast is not included.
In Italy all staying guests must show passport to checkin, I wonder just how many rooms are booked as single adults and the second adult tries sneaking in.

Extra person fee not seem to apply to UK, NL or BE countries. Not sure about FR as only stayed at IC and as an RA any 2nd person charge is waived.

Maybe test some bookings as 1 and 2 Adults to show which countries do this.

LapLap

Any chance of booking with points for those stays? In so far as I understand, reward nights cost the same regardless of how many people stay (so long as it's within maximum capacity). Downside is that breakfast isn't included.