htb

I've been travelling extensivly in China during the last 12 months and wanted to share my experiences.

In general, all HIs and CPs I've visited were perfectly fine and well above the comfort level you would expect from such hotels in the US. In particular, all CPs and HIs I've been to have an Executive or CLUB lounge.

Since I'm generally only interested in lounge access and the associated benefits like breakfast and evening snacks, I'm concentrating my post on the aspect what has to be booked in order to obtain an upgrade to a Executive or CLUB room as a Platinum IHG member.

Executive benefits usually also include some laundry allowance and sometimes a number of drinks from the mini bar.

Holiday Inn Downtown Beijing
Upgrade from Standard Business Flr to Executive Room including Executive benefits. I have never tried to book anything below that. Evening snacks in the lounge can be selected from a two-page menu, breakfast is served in the restaurant.

Holiday Inn Beijing Haidian
Upgrade from Business Room to Executive Room including Executive benefits. I have never tried to book anything below that. Limited evening snacks in the lounge, breakfast either in the lounge (very limited) or the main restaurant.

Crowne Plaza Beijing Zhonguancun
Upgrade from Superior to Deluxe or Suite, from Deluxe to CLUB, from CLUB to CLUB suite. Nice snacks in the evening and breakfast either in the lounge or the main restaurant.

Crowne Plaza Beijing Chaoyang U-Town
I haven't actually stayed at this hotel after inquiring about their upgrade policy: free upgrade to CLUB from a "Premier Room" (which seem to be their 50 m2 "Feature Rooms"). From a Superior and Deluxe Room you can buy CLUB access for 250 RMB + 15%. The upgrade from Deluxe is a Premier room.

Holiday Inn Shanghai
Upgrade from Deluxe to either an Executive room or a Suite (without Executive benefits). Both room types are priced exactly identically. They seem to be flexible about which upgrade they grant. I usually place a note in my reservation and the one time I've got an upgrade to a suite instead of an Executive room was when my choice of bedding was not available. When I confirmed during check-in that this won't be a problem, they were more than happy to give me an Executive room instead. Upgrade from an Executive room is an Executive Suite.
By the way, this hotel has two wings with two lobbies and two entrances. The executive rooms used to be in the Great Wall (GW) wing, but have moved to the Plaza (PL) wing around August, even though the room descriptions still mention GW for the executive rooms. The executive rooms are newly furbished.
Evening snacks in the lounge, breakfast either in the lounge or the restaurant. Made-to-order eggs in the lounge as well.

Holiday Inn Jasmine Suzhou
This is the nicer of the two HI properties in Suzhou. They even advertise Platinum upgrades to Executive floor on their homepage. Indeed, I got upgraded to the same Executive Business room (that's a corner room) from both a Superior room and Junior suite. Breakfast is served in the restaurant, a limited choice of evening snacks in the lounge on the top floor.

Holiday Inn Suzhou Youlian
Upgrade from Deluxe to Executive. Breakast is served in the main restaurant, evening snacks in the "lounge" behind the bar.
Overall I had the feeling that the staff is a bit disorganized here, but the price level ist lower than at the Jasmine.

Holiday Inn Wuhan Riverview
Upgrade from Premier Riverview to Executive Riverview. Nice lounge overlooking the river with evening snacks and breakfast, including eggs made to order.

Holiday Inn Guangzhou Shifu
Upgrade from Business to Executive. Large lounge with snacks in the evening and breakfast in the morning.

Crowne Plaza City Centre Changsha
This hotel doesn't upgrade from a non-Club room to a Club room. Upgrade from Deluxe to Suite. I've managed to change this to a Club room when checking in, only to find out that I haven't been given the Club benefits. I've managed to be allowed to use the lounge anyway, but then there was no breakfast because "it's not served in the lounge and they are not allowed to give away free breakfast". I won't stay at that hotel again because the upgrade policy does not fit my needs.

Crowne Plaza Nanjing Hotel & Suites
This hotel doesn't upgrade from a non-Club room to a Club room, but Platinum upgrade is "at least one category". They have a nice lounge with evening snacks and breakfast.

Crowne Plaza Hefei
Upgrade from Deluxe to Club. Nice lounge with evening snacks and breakfast selection.

Holiday Inn Downtown Hefei
Upgrade from Deluxe to Executive. Lounge with evening snacks. Breakfast is served in the restaurant, if I remember correctly.

Crowne Plaza Paragon Xiamen
I have received an upgrade from the entry level Superior room to a Club room including Club benefits. I hope this is not only the "first visit" bonus. The lounge serves evening snacks and breakfast in the morning.


I think that's about it. Please let me know if you have been upgraded to a Club from a lower type room (as a Platinum member), so I can update this post accordingly. Please let me know from which room types you were not upgraded to a Club room.

HTB.

qisu

IHG Plat. stayed at CP BEIJING ZHONGGUANCUN in sept. booked superior room, upgraded to a suite. asked if i could get free breakfast or lounge access, was declined.

htb

I once decided to book a Superior room with breakfast, which was exactly the same price as Deluxe without breakfast. I also got the suite. An upgrade to Club was categorically declined because I booked a Superior room. Had I booked a Deluxe room without breakfast, I would have received an upgrade to Club and breakfast and Club benefits. But no suite. I kind of like this policy because you can choose what's important to you.

HTB.

Alawyer

Thanks for sharing HTB - did you try to book any of the Intercontinental?

As Platinum Ambassador, I have also been upgraded to a "suite" at the HIX Shanghai Railway. HIX generally have only one class of rooms but they did give me a fruit plate

htb

I'm an Ambassador, so it's a one level upgrade at ICs. I've only stayed at two.

IC Dalian: book Delexe room, receive Executive room including Club benefits.

IC Chengdu Global Center: book Deluxe room, receive Club room but excluding Club benefits. I somehow managed to be allowed anyway and later had contact with the GM where I pleaded that this policy would disappoint many. Looking at the price differential between Delux and Club (about 50%) I don't think they have changed that, however.

HTB.

Alawyer

As ambassador here as well

IC Wuxi: booked deluxe room, receive Club room and no benefits. Had to pay RM250 each for me and my guest to enjoy the happy hour. We took revenge by drinking all of 3 bottles of their dry Sauvignion Blanc.

rbAA

Surprising, as the IC Wuxi is usually an easy UPG. Even the first time I stayed there as AMB received Club access. Simon, front desk manager, moved on and haven't stayed there since, so might have changed. During the last two Spring Festivals, I had booked a number of different rooms types, BOGO last year, and a Jr Suite on another, always got the 150 sq.m suite. As RA it was always easy to get both Club and room UPG.

HI Nantong has a decent Executive Lounge which is always offered, with choice of breakfast downstairs (great selection,) and occasional dinner coupons as well. Over 50% of the time have been given a suite as well.

HIX Zhabei always gives me a suite, though I haven't stayed there in awhile, as I prefer the IC Puxi (RA so Club+UPG though no suite,) on the south side of the North Rail Station.

CP Nanjing UPG'd us to a Jr. Suite plus breakfast.

Chinatrvl

There are confirmed benefits for plats
- One level upgrade
- Welcome drink
- Internet
- other things I don't care about

This means there shouldn't be much variation when staying in China properties. Of course, if more benefits are given, it is a very welcome surprise.

snowdoggieii

I was at HIX for 1 month got free breakfast.. the view was of the railyard.
The laundry was quite pricey, 25 rmb for a token for washer or dryer if I remembered correctly. But I did get a junior suite, internet but no fruits...

Shimon

All HIX come with free breakfast... Laundry tokens are 30rmb everywhere in China and the money is suppose to go to a children's charity.

mnredfox

HI Shanghai Nanpu will UG Plat's to their exec floor and give lounge access. Paid stay only though, they used to do award UG's but not anymore.

ludocdoc

Booked a King Premier room. Got "upgraded" to a club room but was denied club access. Given that some rooms look out on the Forbidden City, and mine looked into the atrium, this was a completely underwhelming "upgrade." As a platinum ambassador this is worst upgrade since the IC Times square (4 floors higher there. Thanks for nothing)

mackenzie77

IC Nanjing is often an easy upgrade IME.

htb

Details? (Room booked, room/benefits received, status (Ambassador, since it's an IC)?)

I found all upgrades to be "easy". They are just handed out, you don't have to complete any difficult or complicated tasks...

HTB.

thegrailer

Is this still accurate? I haven't been able to find a review the the HI Downtown PEK

Cheers