Ambassador Renewal
 

I was at the Royal Ambassador level June 2011-2013 but was downgraded to Plantimum last June.

My platinum status expires on June 2013 as I have not been doing as much travel. I have a notice to renew for $150 or 24,000 points. I was thinking of using the points since I have quite a bit but was wondering if I will be renewed as Platinum or as a Gold?

Anyone have an idea?

Im pretty sure you will be renewed as Gold, unless you have qualified for Platinum. But since you say you haven't done as much travelling, I assume you haven't qualified.

Ambassadors buying part way through a year , are given Gold minimum, or Platinum if Platinum at time amb is purchased.

Then
a)If during year you reflag from Gold->Plat you get upgraded to Plat Amb
b)If Plat Amb, and you do not requal by nights/points by 31Decyyyy then you luckily keep Plat until Amb status runs out

In fact it is worthwhile for an IHG Plat who knows they will not requalify as Platinum, without multiple mattress run nights, instead buying Ambassador mid December as they then get 12 1/2 months Platinum (Ambassador) for 150/200 USD instead of losing plat 2weeks later on Jan 1st. And is way cheaper than 4+ MR nights.

I got an email on April 30 stating I'd get a bonus of 5,000 points if I renew my Ambassador membership this summer. Email did state that all renewals would get bonus, I'd call them to confirm if you are eligible.

I contact them about this offer, "Summer promotion", but they said it's only for the 150$ renewal.

Thought to provide my own data point:

- I renew my Ambassador with the 10% rebate options + 10K points voucher (a $200 renew fee) for the last 2 years
- I did qualify for Plat status for 2013 (have enough points and stays in 2012)
- But in 2013, I only have 5 paid stays and a 20+ nights rewards stay that started in Dec with check-out in Jan, so definitely not qualify for Plat at all
- So I expect I will be Gold Ambassador this year (2014), but I am still a Plat Ambassador as of today

Is this certain?

I was thinking of not renewing Ambassador, but if it means I will keep plat past Dec 31 2014, I'll do it for sure.

Trick only works for existing earned Platinums, as the Gold/Plat status associated with a new ambassador year is related to your earned IHG @Rewards status for the Jan-Dec period in which you actually purchase Ambassador status.

As such if you are qualified Platinum for Jan-Dec and buy/renew Ambassador, you currently get Plat Ambassador, for 12months, and keep Platinum Status even if your stays history would not renew non-Ambassador IHG @Rewards Platinum Status come the next January. As such can be useful for existing Plats who will drop status in January, to buy Ambassador in December and sneak Platnum status for 12months extra for the next Jan-Dec year,even if they will stay in HI/HIW/CP etc but IC branded hotels.

If you are an expiring Plat Amb, whose IHG status would be Gold (or lower) for current IHG Jan-Dec2014 year based on 2013 stay history, renewing Ambassador would drop you to Gold ambassador.

This would seem to be perfect for me.

My Amb expires at the end of June. I will struggle to make plat this year. So if I renew now, I will keep plat in 2015?

Sorry to labour the point, but I don't want to renew Amb if I have this wrong.

Sadly I'm going to let my Amb status expire.

I did renew with points but it says Gold Amabassador reneweal pending.

May I ask why? Seems like a reasonable deal just for the points and rebates, never mind the AMB benefits

The IHG Club is a totally uncompetitive program. I was going to drop my Ambassador status too, but finally decided to renew it for 19K points.

Usually I stay at IHG hotels for occasional reward nights (e.g. in New York during New Year's eve) or using a BOGO (which quite often is not cost-efficient now.)

Why would I want to spend money at this hotel chain which provides almost zero benefits for its "elites?"

Well, I am upgraded on every stay at IHG hotels in China. This includes being given club access and suites from time to time.

I couldn't care less about China. Platinum treatment in the States and Europe is quite often pathetic. Actually IME, thanks to a "standardisation" the situation has worsened during the last year.

As for Ambassador status, it gives us exactly a one-level upgrade and 4pm check-out. I've stopped chasing RA long ago because of their opaque requirements.