Please post your Ambassador experiences (Archive Thread 2016)
Oct 19, 2016, 1:33 am
#136
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BA EC Gold, IHG Rewards Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 97
IC TLV
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked an executive room and received a club (refurbished) room
How are the rooms?
Great views over the sea - rooms and bathrooms are large and have been well-refurbished vs. exec rooms (they are supposedly next on the list
How is the exec. lounge?
The hotel has 2 lounges - I couldn't access the club lounge on 24th floor as I had been upgraded - instead had access to Exec lounge on 3rd floor. Great staff, lots of food all day incl. beer (+wine in the evenings). It's a self serve buffet until 8pm
What was good and what was bad?
good:
- club rooms are very nice
- breakfast is excellent
- good lounge and kids although not allowed access are given meals in lobby bar instead
- lovely staff throughout hotel (although service in some areas could be better)
- given $40 per room per stay F&B credit
bad:
- no Spire drinks coupon on check-in (had to ask for it)
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
Paid $405 for room (plus second room on points, which was upgraded to a club room too) which overall is great value despite current painful £/$ x-rate!
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked an executive room and received a club (refurbished) room
How are the rooms?
Great views over the sea - rooms and bathrooms are large and have been well-refurbished vs. exec rooms (they are supposedly next on the list
How is the exec. lounge?
The hotel has 2 lounges - I couldn't access the club lounge on 24th floor as I had been upgraded - instead had access to Exec lounge on 3rd floor. Great staff, lots of food all day incl. beer (+wine in the evenings). It's a self serve buffet until 8pm
What was good and what was bad?
good:
- club rooms are very nice
- breakfast is excellent
- good lounge and kids although not allowed access are given meals in lobby bar instead
- lovely staff throughout hotel (although service in some areas could be better)
- given $40 per room per stay F&B credit
bad:
- no Spire drinks coupon on check-in (had to ask for it)
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
Paid $405 for room (plus second room on points, which was upgraded to a club room too) which overall is great value despite current painful £/$ x-rate!
Oct 24, 2016, 10:50 am
#137
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: SJC
Programs: BAEC Bronze, AS MVP Gold 75K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 488
IC London- The o2
IC London- The o2
which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive
Booked a king superior room for £132. The app upgraded me to a King deluxe Canary Wharf view (so a two level upgrade). On check in was told I had been upgraded to a King deluxe river view room. Didn't query the difference with the app, in reality the only difference between the two rooms (view aside although you could just about see HSBC Tower) was the lack of a Bose iPod dock in the room I received.
How are the rooms
Excellent as you would expect for a brand new hotel. Noted that British and US plugs had been thoughtfully placed in the room. Bed exceptionally comfortable and very quiet.
Only minor issues were associated with the shower. The water was not that hot in the shower- I like very hot showers and the rainfall. shower already had lime scale issues. On turning the rainfall shower on water was spraying over the walls and door at odd angles rather than spraying downwards!
How is the exec. Lounge
We were offered access to the exec lounge for £75 for 24 hours per room. As we were staying one evening we purchased access. We arrived at the lounge at 4pm to find afternoon tea had just finished (which is early given that afternoon tea would typically be taken around 3-4.30) but the staff, without requesting, came out with a plate of afternoon tea cakes. Between 4pm full coffee and tea facilities plus soft drinks available as well as nuts and crisps.
At 5pm the evening canapé selection was brought out. Full selection of booze including prosseco, 5 white and 5 red wines, number of bottled beers and a large selection of spirits including Sipsmith Gin (which is a step above something like Bombay in the supermarkets). Canapés included hot food, chicken skewers, samosas, spring rolls, large king prawns, smoked salmon and various dips.
Breakfast was an excellent spread. Not as big as in the restaurant but that is to be expected. You can order whatever hot meal you like- for example I had poached eggs, bacon, sausage and toast which wasn't on the menu. The continental selection was very good- cheese selection in particular.
We never saw more than two other couples in the lounge and for the most part on the Sunday afternoon we were the only people using the facility.
What was good and bad
Good:
1. Staff- they were fantastic and amongst the best I have come across in other top end brand hotels (WA, FS, RC, Conrad).
2. Quality of food and drink in the club lounge. For example the king prawns were very large compared to the typical king prawn served in the UK.
3. Quietness of hotel
4. Signage to get to hotel from the o2 and tube station is now a lot clearer.
BAd:
1. Shower issue as mentioned above.
2. Whilst the location was not an issue for us at all, I can see it might be for those who aren't familiar with London.
Value for money, would I return
Yes. We got a good rate- not as good as some on here have reported- but very good for the quality of hotel. The lounge access also represented good value given that a hot breakfast in the restaurant would have been £25 each plus service charge. Taking that into account and the afternoon tea and canapé services it was good value.
We will definitely return, the staff really make this hotel.
which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive
Booked a king superior room for £132. The app upgraded me to a King deluxe Canary Wharf view (so a two level upgrade). On check in was told I had been upgraded to a King deluxe river view room. Didn't query the difference with the app, in reality the only difference between the two rooms (view aside although you could just about see HSBC Tower) was the lack of a Bose iPod dock in the room I received.
How are the rooms
Excellent as you would expect for a brand new hotel. Noted that British and US plugs had been thoughtfully placed in the room. Bed exceptionally comfortable and very quiet.
Only minor issues were associated with the shower. The water was not that hot in the shower- I like very hot showers and the rainfall. shower already had lime scale issues. On turning the rainfall shower on water was spraying over the walls and door at odd angles rather than spraying downwards!
How is the exec. Lounge
We were offered access to the exec lounge for £75 for 24 hours per room. As we were staying one evening we purchased access. We arrived at the lounge at 4pm to find afternoon tea had just finished (which is early given that afternoon tea would typically be taken around 3-4.30) but the staff, without requesting, came out with a plate of afternoon tea cakes. Between 4pm full coffee and tea facilities plus soft drinks available as well as nuts and crisps.
At 5pm the evening canapé selection was brought out. Full selection of booze including prosseco, 5 white and 5 red wines, number of bottled beers and a large selection of spirits including Sipsmith Gin (which is a step above something like Bombay in the supermarkets). Canapés included hot food, chicken skewers, samosas, spring rolls, large king prawns, smoked salmon and various dips.
Breakfast was an excellent spread. Not as big as in the restaurant but that is to be expected. You can order whatever hot meal you like- for example I had poached eggs, bacon, sausage and toast which wasn't on the menu. The continental selection was very good- cheese selection in particular.
We never saw more than two other couples in the lounge and for the most part on the Sunday afternoon we were the only people using the facility.
What was good and bad
Good:
1. Staff- they were fantastic and amongst the best I have come across in other top end brand hotels (WA, FS, RC, Conrad).
2. Quality of food and drink in the club lounge. For example the king prawns were very large compared to the typical king prawn served in the UK.
3. Quietness of hotel
4. Signage to get to hotel from the o2 and tube station is now a lot clearer.
BAd:
1. Shower issue as mentioned above.
2. Whilst the location was not an issue for us at all, I can see it might be for those who aren't familiar with London.
Value for money, would I return
Yes. We got a good rate- not as good as some on here have reported- but very good for the quality of hotel. The lounge access also represented good value given that a hot breakfast in the restaurant would have been £25 each plus service charge. Taking that into account and the afternoon tea and canapé services it was good value.
We will definitely return, the staff really make this hotel.
Nov 3, 2016, 3:37 pm
#138
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: Mucci, BAEC GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Stena Gold
Posts: 1,094
IC Madrid
IC Madrid
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked Club Room on a AMB weekend certificate, upgraded to a junior suite
How are the rooms?
The hotel is elegant, not modern, and the room reflects this. lovely bathroom, and good products provided
How is the exec. lounge?
Again understated elegance. Reasonable drinks (Cava, 2 reds, 1 white wine), two hot dishes, and various savoury snacks (nuts, crisps, cheese, olives, etc)
What was good and what was bad?
Excellent staff- they were all friendly and helpful. Only slight downside was the presence of children, including a couple of toddlers in the Club lounge in the evening- not seen this before
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
Good value with the AMB certificate, and would definitely stay there again when we return to the city.
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked Club Room on a AMB weekend certificate, upgraded to a junior suite
How are the rooms?
The hotel is elegant, not modern, and the room reflects this. lovely bathroom, and good products provided
How is the exec. lounge?
Again understated elegance. Reasonable drinks (Cava, 2 reds, 1 white wine), two hot dishes, and various savoury snacks (nuts, crisps, cheese, olives, etc)
What was good and what was bad?
Excellent staff- they were all friendly and helpful. Only slight downside was the presence of children, including a couple of toddlers in the Club lounge in the evening- not seen this before
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
Good value with the AMB certificate, and would definitely stay there again when we return to the city.
Nov 6, 2016, 10:08 am
#139
Join Date: May 2016
Programs: BAEC - Gold, IHG - Spire Ambassador
Posts: 579
IC Düsseldorf
IC Düsseldorf
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive? We booked the cheapest King bed superior room and received an upgrade to King bed deluxe on the day we arrived and then a further upgrade to a King bed executive suite at check in.
How are the rooms? The suite was huge. We had two separate rooms. The first was an entry hall and sitting area with a sofa, desk and TV. There was a Nespresso machine with six assorted capsules plus a kettle and teabags. The bedroom had a large bed with two duvets, arm chair with a second TV and dressing area. There was a balcony the width of the room with access from both the bedroom and sitting area. The bathroom was well appointed with a separate rain forest shower and L'Occitane amenities.
How is the exec. lounge? N/A
What was good and what was bad?
Bad - There was no access to the pool for under 18s. I booked the hotel for my little boy's birthday treat and he was bitterly disappointed. We received the suite upgrade as service recovery as the under 18 policy was not stated on the website.
Good - Breakfast was yum, €31 for the two of us. Lots of choice plus sparkling wine. Our welcome gift was a bottle of white wine for me and a birthday cake, fruit and nuts plus a smoothie and bag of snacks for my son and some kiddie bathroom treats (crocodile soap, a wash mitt, body wash and body milk). There were two bottles of water in the room plus we were offered a 6pm check out instead of the normal 4pm.
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return? We received a discount of €50 on the room rate for the lack of swimming. At €112 we will be back, no hesitation.
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive? We booked the cheapest King bed superior room and received an upgrade to King bed deluxe on the day we arrived and then a further upgrade to a King bed executive suite at check in.
How are the rooms? The suite was huge. We had two separate rooms. The first was an entry hall and sitting area with a sofa, desk and TV. There was a Nespresso machine with six assorted capsules plus a kettle and teabags. The bedroom had a large bed with two duvets, arm chair with a second TV and dressing area. There was a balcony the width of the room with access from both the bedroom and sitting area. The bathroom was well appointed with a separate rain forest shower and L'Occitane amenities.
How is the exec. lounge? N/A
What was good and what was bad?
Bad - There was no access to the pool for under 18s. I booked the hotel for my little boy's birthday treat and he was bitterly disappointed. We received the suite upgrade as service recovery as the under 18 policy was not stated on the website.
Good - Breakfast was yum, €31 for the two of us. Lots of choice plus sparkling wine. Our welcome gift was a bottle of white wine for me and a birthday cake, fruit and nuts plus a smoothie and bag of snacks for my son and some kiddie bathroom treats (crocodile soap, a wash mitt, body wash and body milk). There were two bottles of water in the room plus we were offered a 6pm check out instead of the normal 4pm.
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return? We received a discount of €50 on the room rate for the lack of swimming. At €112 we will be back, no hesitation.
Nov 7, 2016, 8:49 am
#140
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: PARIS (France)
Programs: AF/KLM Club 2000 | InterContinental Diamond RA |AMEX Plat | Visa Infinite |Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 10,966
How old is your son?
Nov 7, 2016, 2:42 pm
#141
Join Date: May 2016
Programs: BAEC - Gold, IHG - Spire Ambassador
Posts: 579
Nov 8, 2016, 5:27 am
#142
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: London
Programs: IHG Spire Amb, Accor Gold, HH Diamond, Krispy Kreme Brown with chocolate sprinkles
Posts: 507
InterContinental London - The O2
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked a standard room (reward night) and upgraded to a King Deluxe - Canary Wharf View on the 13th floor
How are the rooms?
Modern and reasonably spacious for a London hotel with great views over the river. This was especially nice as it was bonfire night so we could see lots of fireworks displays over London. The bed was very comfortable.
The bathroom was large (much larger that the IC PL) with a bath and walk-in rain shower.
As the hotel is <1 year old, I was surprised that the room was already showing signs of wear and poor maintenance on the carpets, soft furnishings and some of the bathroom fittings.
How is the exec. lounge?
As my wife and I are purely leisure travelers and mostly stay to relax and unwind without the kids, access to a good club lounge is especially important to us. We couldn't help but compare the lounge at the IC o2 to the IC PL lounge. We both agreed that the lounge at the IC PL is significantly better.
The o2 lounge is perfectly acceptable but lacks the attentive service and some of the little touches that makes the IC PL lounge so exceptional. The space itself is also not as nice as it lacks the IC PL's spacious feel with it's high ceilings and panoramic views. (Although the IC o2's 2nd floor view over the river was still quite nice)
The standard rate for lounge access for 2 people is £95. This is reduced to £75 for Ambassador members (almost exactly the same as the IC PL which is considerably better). I feel this is too much.
What was good and what was bad?
Good
- Location if visiting the o2
- Great views over the river
- Large and well equipped bathrooms
- Impressive public spaces
- Warm welcome and ambassador upgrade
Bad
- Access from the tube station. There are 2 main routes and one involves a short (5 min) walk across an unfinished (and in some places non-existent) pavement. The other route requires a longer and convoluted walk through the o2.
- Inexperienced staff. We experienced several minor issues, sometimes encountering an obvious language barrier, but the main example: At check-in I was advised that lounge access included breakfast in either the lounge or restaurant. As we had been told that breakfast in the lounge was a continental buffet with no à la carte option, we wanted to eat in the restaurant. In the morning, my wife phoned reception to ask in which restaurant breakfast was served only to be told by the lady that we did not have lounge access so could not eat breakfast anywhere in the hotel unless we paid. She would not back down so I had to get out of the shower to sort it out. Eventually she agreed that we did have lounge access but told me that we could only eat in the lounge. I thought this was incorrect so she said she would contact her manager and then she cut me off. She did in fact turn out to be incorrect and, after some more hassle, we were able to eat at the restaurant. Not a major issue, but a big faff for something we had already paid for.
- No à la carte options in the lounge for breakfast or the restaurant (or if there was, it was not pro-actively offered) - although lots of buffet options in the restaurant
- It was my birthday and I didn't get a cake. Not a major point but I always get one at the IC PL, Pullman and Conrad etc :-)
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
I paid 45k points which I feel was excellent value.
I would stay here again when the cash rate is low (sometimes it's only around £100 which is exceptional value). For reward nights, I would think twice about paying the extra 15k to stay at the IC PL for the polished service and better club lounge, albeit with a smaller room and often a mediocre view.
Booked a standard room (reward night) and upgraded to a King Deluxe - Canary Wharf View on the 13th floor
How are the rooms?
Modern and reasonably spacious for a London hotel with great views over the river. This was especially nice as it was bonfire night so we could see lots of fireworks displays over London. The bed was very comfortable.
The bathroom was large (much larger that the IC PL) with a bath and walk-in rain shower.
As the hotel is <1 year old, I was surprised that the room was already showing signs of wear and poor maintenance on the carpets, soft furnishings and some of the bathroom fittings.
How is the exec. lounge?
As my wife and I are purely leisure travelers and mostly stay to relax and unwind without the kids, access to a good club lounge is especially important to us. We couldn't help but compare the lounge at the IC o2 to the IC PL lounge. We both agreed that the lounge at the IC PL is significantly better.
The o2 lounge is perfectly acceptable but lacks the attentive service and some of the little touches that makes the IC PL lounge so exceptional. The space itself is also not as nice as it lacks the IC PL's spacious feel with it's high ceilings and panoramic views. (Although the IC o2's 2nd floor view over the river was still quite nice)
The standard rate for lounge access for 2 people is £95. This is reduced to £75 for Ambassador members (almost exactly the same as the IC PL which is considerably better). I feel this is too much.
What was good and what was bad?
Good
- Location if visiting the o2
- Great views over the river
- Large and well equipped bathrooms
- Impressive public spaces
- Warm welcome and ambassador upgrade
Bad
- Access from the tube station. There are 2 main routes and one involves a short (5 min) walk across an unfinished (and in some places non-existent) pavement. The other route requires a longer and convoluted walk through the o2.
- Inexperienced staff. We experienced several minor issues, sometimes encountering an obvious language barrier, but the main example: At check-in I was advised that lounge access included breakfast in either the lounge or restaurant. As we had been told that breakfast in the lounge was a continental buffet with no à la carte option, we wanted to eat in the restaurant. In the morning, my wife phoned reception to ask in which restaurant breakfast was served only to be told by the lady that we did not have lounge access so could not eat breakfast anywhere in the hotel unless we paid. She would not back down so I had to get out of the shower to sort it out. Eventually she agreed that we did have lounge access but told me that we could only eat in the lounge. I thought this was incorrect so she said she would contact her manager and then she cut me off. She did in fact turn out to be incorrect and, after some more hassle, we were able to eat at the restaurant. Not a major issue, but a big faff for something we had already paid for.
- No à la carte options in the lounge for breakfast or the restaurant (or if there was, it was not pro-actively offered) - although lots of buffet options in the restaurant
- It was my birthday and I didn't get a cake. Not a major point but I always get one at the IC PL, Pullman and Conrad etc :-)
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
I paid 45k points which I feel was excellent value.
I would stay here again when the cash rate is low (sometimes it's only around £100 which is exceptional value). For reward nights, I would think twice about paying the extra 15k to stay at the IC PL for the polished service and better club lounge, albeit with a smaller room and often a mediocre view.
Nov 27, 2016, 2:30 am
#143
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: SPG gold, Hilton gold, BA silver, Marriott silver, IHG platinum
Posts: 4
What is your IHG Rewards Club status?
Spire Ambassador
Were you happy with the hotel?
Exceeded expectations.
Which room did you book and what upgrade did you receive?
1st night double executive corner - received club corner room.
2nd & 3rd nights - club corner room - received corner suite.
How are the rooms?
Excellent.
How is the exec. lounge?
Spacious and well stocked! Free snacks and soft drinks throughout the day.
Breakfast limited but a la cart available which the other (main) restaurant doesn't have.
Afternoon tea served 2pm I think for 2 hrs
Happy hour (free drinks including cocktails for two hours and good selection of buffet style foods) from 5.30 until 7.30pm.
Complimentary iPads for use,
What was your welcome gift?
A traditional 'thong'
A silk elephant
Did you receive fruit and water in the room?
Yes.
What was good?
Happy hour.
Great location
Main restaurant buffet breakfast buffet. Great service. Staff spoke good English. Decent room size.
What was bad?
Despite making two separate bookings (one in wife's name) they merged which meant problems with making them track for the 'accelerate promo'.
Value for the money? Would you return?
OK value, maybe !
Spire Ambassador
Were you happy with the hotel?
Exceeded expectations.
Which room did you book and what upgrade did you receive?
1st night double executive corner - received club corner room.
2nd & 3rd nights - club corner room - received corner suite.
How are the rooms?
Excellent.
How is the exec. lounge?
Spacious and well stocked! Free snacks and soft drinks throughout the day.
Breakfast limited but a la cart available which the other (main) restaurant doesn't have.
Afternoon tea served 2pm I think for 2 hrs
Happy hour (free drinks including cocktails for two hours and good selection of buffet style foods) from 5.30 until 7.30pm.
Complimentary iPads for use,
What was your welcome gift?
A traditional 'thong'
A silk elephant
Did you receive fruit and water in the room?
Yes.
What was good?
Happy hour.
Great location
Main restaurant buffet breakfast buffet. Great service. Staff spoke good English. Decent room size.
What was bad?
Despite making two separate bookings (one in wife's name) they merged which meant problems with making them track for the 'accelerate promo'.
Value for the money? Would you return?
OK value, maybe !
Nov 27, 2016, 4:32 am
#144
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
Dec 4, 2016, 5:03 am
#145
Join Date: May 2016
Programs: BAEC - Gold, IHG - Spire Ambassador
Posts: 579
IC Madrid
IC Madrid
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive? We booked the cheapest room and were upgraded immediately to the next level, which was a King bed executive deluxe. When we arrived at the hotel, the TV would not work so we were upgraded again to a larger room.
How are the rooms? Room was huge with a view onto the Paseo de la Castellana. The bed was exceptionally comfortable and the furnishings elegant. Bathroom was great. There was a separate room containing bidet and lav. Bathroom had double sinks and a separate shower. There were gorgeous L'Occitane amenities.
How is the exec. lounge? NA
What was good and what was bad? Staff were great - I was with my son and he was spoiled rotten. He received his own personal room key with his name on it and after breakfast was given sweets. The gym was well equipped. Breakfast was yum.
Bad - welcome gift was a useless fan!
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return? Probably not, as there is no pool.
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive? We booked the cheapest room and were upgraded immediately to the next level, which was a King bed executive deluxe. When we arrived at the hotel, the TV would not work so we were upgraded again to a larger room.
How are the rooms? Room was huge with a view onto the Paseo de la Castellana. The bed was exceptionally comfortable and the furnishings elegant. Bathroom was great. There was a separate room containing bidet and lav. Bathroom had double sinks and a separate shower. There were gorgeous L'Occitane amenities.
How is the exec. lounge? NA
What was good and what was bad? Staff were great - I was with my son and he was spoiled rotten. He received his own personal room key with his name on it and after breakfast was given sweets. The gym was well equipped. Breakfast was yum.
Bad - welcome gift was a useless fan!
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return? Probably not, as there is no pool.
Dec 7, 2016, 7:16 pm
#146
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Programs: BAEC Silver, HHonors Gold, IHG Ambassador
Posts: 217
IC Singapore
IC Singapore
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Originally booked Club Heritage and were "upgraded" to Club Deluxe. After emailing the hotel I amended the booking to Club Deluxe and was upgraded to Premium Suite. Upon arrival they had sold out Premier Suites so they upgraded to Heritage Suite (old shophouse?) and told I was getting two category upgrade. Received room 0260 close to Lounge.
How are the rooms?
I think I might have been better served by that Premier Suite on the high floor. I am not fan of the Heritage Suite room layout or view to shopping mall. Also room remained slightly damp during whole three night stay although given the humidity this might be normal for Singapore hotels. Will see when moving to Conrad. The layout itself is pretty claustrophobic and I ended up not using the living room at all. I much prefer the more open layouts that give out the feeling of space. Door to the balcony to the shopping mall was locked.
How is the exec. lounge?
Pretty nice. Unlike some others, I received good service and food items and drinks were replenished quickly. There were not that many people during our visits though. Beer is available whole time and cocktails in evening were decent. This is not Hong Kong lounge though
What was good and what was bad?
Good:
Service at hotel in general
Breakfast at restaurant
Lounge
TV channel selection! (One of the best)
Bad:
Welcome fruits selection rather weak
Room (your preferences might be different)
Upgraded and the hassle with them
Location somewhere between. Overall decent I think.
Ambassador gift was TWG tea in shophouse tin can with IC Singapore text.
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
Not sure. At least I would have different room.
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Originally booked Club Heritage and were "upgraded" to Club Deluxe. After emailing the hotel I amended the booking to Club Deluxe and was upgraded to Premium Suite. Upon arrival they had sold out Premier Suites so they upgraded to Heritage Suite (old shophouse?) and told I was getting two category upgrade. Received room 0260 close to Lounge.
How are the rooms?
I think I might have been better served by that Premier Suite on the high floor. I am not fan of the Heritage Suite room layout or view to shopping mall. Also room remained slightly damp during whole three night stay although given the humidity this might be normal for Singapore hotels. Will see when moving to Conrad. The layout itself is pretty claustrophobic and I ended up not using the living room at all. I much prefer the more open layouts that give out the feeling of space. Door to the balcony to the shopping mall was locked.
How is the exec. lounge?
Pretty nice. Unlike some others, I received good service and food items and drinks were replenished quickly. There were not that many people during our visits though. Beer is available whole time and cocktails in evening were decent. This is not Hong Kong lounge though
What was good and what was bad?
Good:
Service at hotel in general
Breakfast at restaurant
Lounge
TV channel selection! (One of the best)
Bad:
Welcome fruits selection rather weak
Room (your preferences might be different)
Upgraded and the hassle with them
Location somewhere between. Overall decent I think.
Ambassador gift was TWG tea in shophouse tin can with IC Singapore text.
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
Not sure. At least I would have different room.
Dec 9, 2016, 1:14 am
#147
Join Date: Oct 2016
Programs: Qantas Gold / ROP Gold / RA Spire -IHG/ Diamond Hilton
Posts: 20
IC Tokyo bay
----
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked - Twin Queen Beds Executive Delux Bayview with Breakfast
Got upgraded to Sumida River Club Floor with Clud Access ( I did not get the corner room nor Bay view of Rainbow Bridge)
How are the rooms?
I found it is quite generous in comparison to other Japanese room.
Very nice furnitures and amazing BED!!!
How is the exec. lounge?
The lounge was great! Very nice and plenty of food - nothing outstanding though apart from the View!!!!!
What was good and what was bad?
Good - staff are amazing ! And the room , I can just stay in bed the trip!
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?[/QUOTE]
Definitely value for your money, I checked in mid December total of 3 nights for 78,000 yen!!!
----
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked - Twin Queen Beds Executive Delux Bayview with Breakfast
Got upgraded to Sumida River Club Floor with Clud Access ( I did not get the corner room nor Bay view of Rainbow Bridge)
How are the rooms?
I found it is quite generous in comparison to other Japanese room.
Very nice furnitures and amazing BED!!!
How is the exec. lounge?
The lounge was great! Very nice and plenty of food - nothing outstanding though apart from the View!!!!!
What was good and what was bad?
Good - staff are amazing ! And the room , I can just stay in bed the trip!
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?[/QUOTE]
Definitely value for your money, I checked in mid December total of 3 nights for 78,000 yen!!!
Dec 19, 2016, 2:31 am
#148
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: London
Posts: 517
IC Davos
I stayed here in summer with my family and was curious to see how it would compare in the ski season and on a date weekend away.
IC Davos
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked basic room; received deluxe room (1 cat upgrade).
How are the rooms?
Still a beautiful view. I was quite close to where I stayed in summer except a couple of floors higher and interesting to see how the scenery changes. Rooms seemed much more spacious in summer without the additional roll-away bed we had in summer.
How is the exec. lounge?
N/A
What was good and what was bad?
good:
Pretty much everything - this was a spot-on stay.
- free ski passes for 2 for each night's stay - worth the cost of the stay itself (with the AMB weekend voucher discount)
- Welcome gift was a fairly generous box of 6 chocolates, a small bottle of cherry schnapps and fruit platter
- free mini bar
- Really good and varied breakfast spread (I was bemused to find Chinese tea eggs, which were actually pretty darn authentic) - CHF35 pp
- (unexpected) shuttle service which ran not just to the ski lifts but to anywhere in Davos Dorf and Platz according to schedule or on demand
- Ski room service was spot on
- In/out pool and sauna
bad:
- The only thing the Boy could fault was having Swiss gipfeli in the breakfast buffet, not French croissants
- Barely worth mentioning, but service was a tiny bit slow in the bars
- Small misunderstanding about the shuttle left us in the cold for a bit longer than comfortable but this was as much a function of the other guests who drunkenly charged on ahead of us...
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
The flex AMB rate was CHF290 per night. Even without, this would have been a good deal for Switzerland and the level of service. When you throw in the ski passes (and good snow for the pre-season!), the Weekend voucher and the extensive shuttle service, this was exceptional.
IC Davos
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked basic room; received deluxe room (1 cat upgrade).
How are the rooms?
Still a beautiful view. I was quite close to where I stayed in summer except a couple of floors higher and interesting to see how the scenery changes. Rooms seemed much more spacious in summer without the additional roll-away bed we had in summer.
How is the exec. lounge?
N/A
What was good and what was bad?
good:
Pretty much everything - this was a spot-on stay.
- free ski passes for 2 for each night's stay - worth the cost of the stay itself (with the AMB weekend voucher discount)
- Welcome gift was a fairly generous box of 6 chocolates, a small bottle of cherry schnapps and fruit platter
- free mini bar
- Really good and varied breakfast spread (I was bemused to find Chinese tea eggs, which were actually pretty darn authentic) - CHF35 pp
- (unexpected) shuttle service which ran not just to the ski lifts but to anywhere in Davos Dorf and Platz according to schedule or on demand
- Ski room service was spot on
- In/out pool and sauna
bad:
- The only thing the Boy could fault was having Swiss gipfeli in the breakfast buffet, not French croissants
- Barely worth mentioning, but service was a tiny bit slow in the bars
- Small misunderstanding about the shuttle left us in the cold for a bit longer than comfortable but this was as much a function of the other guests who drunkenly charged on ahead of us...
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
The flex AMB rate was CHF290 per night. Even without, this would have been a good deal for Switzerland and the level of service. When you throw in the ski passes (and good snow for the pre-season!), the Weekend voucher and the extensive shuttle service, this was exceptional.
Dec 19, 2016, 10:52 am
#149
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: United PremPlat; M LT Gold, HH Diamond, IHG Spire A
Posts: 144
IC Chicago
What is your IHG Rewards Club status?
Spire Ambassador.
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Nice hotel, lovely location, magnificent pool but will move to another hotel next time. This was my fourth-fifth stay since 2015, but IC Chicago removed many small treats (e.g. voucher for a breakfast, drink vouchers at the bar). It is also mentioned here. I used to receive it on my previous stays. Time to explore the other possibilities. Also I'm no longer a RA, so no comp minibar access.
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked King Executive Tower (2 nights, $240/night, partially overlapping with a big convention, check out on Saturday) and received Executive Suite - but to be honest I contacted proactively the Director of Front Office, whom I knew already.
How are the rooms?
The suite was on 38th, top floor with very nice views. Interestingly you enter first in the sleeping room and the separate living room can be accessed from this room. The bathroom is really large.
How is the exec. lounge?
No exec lounge in IC Chicago.
Did you receive a welcome gift?
No. Also the fruit plate is very minimal - 2 apples and 1 orange. I called the CS previously, but I just didn't care this time.
How was the minibar?
Haven't looked.
What was good and what was bad?
-Good
Lap pool!!!
-Bad
Removed the small gifts for Ambassadors.
Value for $ or Priority Club Points?
For the same money you can get similar value or better at other hotels in downtown Chicago.
Would you return?[/QUOTE]
Not sure
Spire Ambassador.
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Nice hotel, lovely location, magnificent pool
but will move to another hotel next time. This was my fourth-fifth stay since 2015, but IC Chicago removed many small treats (e.g. voucher for a breakfast, drink vouchers at the bar). It is also mentioned here. I used to receive it on my previous stays. Time to explore the other possibilities. Also I'm no longer a RA, so no comp minibar access.Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked King Executive Tower (2 nights, $240/night, partially overlapping with a big convention, check out on Saturday) and received Executive Suite - but to be honest I contacted proactively the Director of Front Office, whom I knew already.
How are the rooms?
The suite was on 38th, top floor with very nice views. Interestingly you enter first in the sleeping room and the separate living room can be accessed from this room. The bathroom is really large.
How is the exec. lounge?
No exec lounge in IC Chicago.
Did you receive a welcome gift?
No. Also the fruit plate is very minimal - 2 apples and 1 orange. I called the CS previously, but I just didn't care this time.
How was the minibar?
Haven't looked.
What was good and what was bad?
-Good
Lap pool!!!
-Bad
Removed the small gifts for Ambassadors.
Value for $ or Priority Club Points?
For the same money you can get similar value or better at other hotels in downtown Chicago.
Would you return?[/QUOTE]
Not sure
Dec 19, 2016, 11:01 am
#150
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: United PremPlat; M LT Gold, HH Diamond, IHG Spire A
Posts: 144
Hello, I don't see queen beds on the website - it says 'single beds'. I'd like to go there next summer and want to go w/ family (2 adults, 2 kids).