Guaranteed Upgrade for Ambassador
 

I've already booked club room in IC Makkah, KSA using AMB weekend night certificate. The next room category would be 1 BR Deluxe Suite City View.

However, it is the first time for me that all of next room categories are sold out. On other IC that I've ever stayed, I always upgraded to next category either during reservation or upon check-in. I've asked the hotel regarding to this issue and they didn't reply even it's already a week. So, I guess that they are also confuse what to do. Any of other FTers here had similar experience? I guess that the T&C is clear, guaranteed upgrade when staying in IC on paid nights. So, what will happen if no upgrade during my check-in time? Is there any consequence or what the hotel obliged to do with the Ambassadors that were not upgraded ?

Thanks !

I've had this happen to me before at the InterContinental Toronto Yorkville. I received the room I booked, and was told that they'd make a note in my file to give me a double upgrade next time. I haven't been back since then, though.

Guaranteed upgrade has context, be realistic, eg you can't book second highest category suite ans expect upgrade to Presidential Suite. Yes a 1bed Deluxe would be in scope, but only if that room cateory is available either at checkin due to cancelation or due to upgraded from Deluxe Suite for someone, assuming higher room category is free, which you say are already sold out.

Guaranteed upgrade goes a bit out the window if you book a top suite. Hotels do not have to upgrade you to featutre suites like Presidential, Royal Suites even if non-sold, Then of course if a large number of Ambassador/RA book high end suite rooms, not all can be upgraded either.

If the IC can't (or won't) upgrade you to a deluxe-suite or feature suite at checkin, which non-upgrade may well be within Ambassador t+c's, all you can do, assuming hotel does not offer upfront (and some are fair autmatically do offer) a rate adjustment to the room type 1-level below booked, so in effect booked room becomes your 1-level upgrade.

Some hotels are not so fair, trying to offer you a discount on dining in house or something, always refuse, you don't want to be tied to a)eating in hotel b)spending 5x the room rate difference on food to break even

In KSA wealthy guests even book multiple top suites in hotel for stays, so again rooms are not available.

It could well be Presidential suite is unbooked, room type higher than you is book by an Ambassador/RA who gets upgraded, freeing up their booked room for your upgrade, an en-cascade upgrade, which frequently happens at lower entry lebel upto club-room bookings.

What are the chances of upgrade to a club floor? I'd pay the $200 if I had a good chance of upgrading to club on an award room.

I've had this happen to me only once, at the IC in Kuala Lumpur. I had booked the room category below a suite, expecting an upgrade to a suite. But I was informed at check-in that all of the suites had been booked by some governmental agency.

I think the official policy when this happens is that we are to be charged for the room category below the one that we get so it becomes essentially a one-level upgrade. At least, that's what happened in my case.

I'm in this boat for an upcoming stay, at the IC Miami. I booked the 2nd highest cat suite, just below their fancy version of a presidential suite. I was hoping for the upgrade, but understand it might not be available. Now, the hotel isn't selling any rooms for the nights I'm there, so I'm guessing the likelihood of my hoped-for upgrade is very small. My understanding from this thread, and another, is that what's supposed to happen is they should bump me down a price level to the next lower suite. The price difference when I booked was quite significant on a percentage basis (something like $450 for the cheaper suite, $650 for the one I picked), but of course I don't have a record of that. And now, no nights are showing up bc they're booked. I can test other nights, but that isn't really proof of what the rates were for my nights. I can see it coming that the top suite won't be available, and that they'll offer me $50 off instead of the $200 off I should be getting. Any advice in advance from the experts?

just checked into Ic Yorkville, got upgraded to a studio suite which is really nice (I booked king view). I feel like the pricing was a little shady though. Base king room was, $329. King room with view was $332 (funny thing is I'm pretty sure this hotel has, at most a view of the street).. And then next room above that was studio suite for $479 or something. I bet the $3 upcharge is kind of a scam for Ambassador members who usually book the cheapest room - "hey! There is your one category upgrade"

worked out well for me though. No complaints