kabroui

I just did the same thing. I let my ambassador lapse a few years back since it didn't seem to be worth keeping it being stuck in USA due to covid restrictions. With an upcoming trip to Asia and too many points in my account anyway, I figured I'd burn a few on AMB primarily just to get upgraded on my upcoming stays. My diamond expiration date was immediately pushed forward from 12/22 to 12/23.

I'm not sure if going forward this will be a way to maintain Diamond or if at some point we will actually have to stay the 70 nights. I will make 40 this year for lounge access, and then I guess we shall see in 2023 if IHG's program is worth the effort.

scwam

I'm about to test this elite status for what it's worth in 48 hours at one of their showcase resorts - ANA InterContinental Beppu. It's our second stay in 2 years there, and one of our favorite 4 resorts throughout Japan.
They upgraded us last time at least 3 room levels above our booking on platinum level - but that was during the first year of Covid, when all hotels were ghost towns here. I'm not expecting much other than a great resort, given I've added ambassador after the diamond upgrade. Finally, after 14 years of visiting these properties in various countries, I have a status worth evaluating critically.

saecotech

Simple enough IHG will downgrade you to Platinum for this and next year. Enjoy your breakfast-less stays, lmao

demue

Interested to hear your experience regarding upgrade and breakfast at IC Beppu maybe in the hotel thread if you get a chance (assuming your Diamond Fastrack sticks). We are planned to be there late Dec and I'm Diamond Ambassador as well (though not from the Fastrack offer). Of course around Christmas period competition for rooms / upgrades and all may be an entirely different story, but always helps to get some actual experiences as guide.

scwam

Mr. 🤡 worksboy - lol. Do you really think that would pester me? The breakfasts are free anyhow here at certain properties in Asia no matter status. I ain't no thang'! I'll holla @ you @ da' top!
I ain't tryin' kick it LOL.

scwam

Yes, fast-track. We went there exactly 2 years ago on platinum. Breakfast was very good. Most of these 5* hotels in Japan will have superb food. Cocktails were good. Breakfast = free this time (covid) no matter status. There are only 4 properties in Japan that I've been to which are comparable - Hyatt Hanazono, Roku Kyoto (Hilton), Hyatt Serakgaki, and Intercontinental Pier 8 Yokohama,,, maybe Hotel Nikko Alivila and Indigo Kyukaruizawa. The thing is, local hotels in Japan are dated, depressing and ugly af. So unless you appreciate the local early 70's look then you'd better look for such hotels.

Super Mario

The doom and gloom of breakfast culture never ceases to amaze me. Suddenly, this offer is going to overwhelm hotels. Legions of people are going to storm into breakfast because they are now Diamond. Previously, no one had ever eaten hotel breakfast.

IHG also knew exactly what they were doing by creating Diamond status. (But their IT in this offer is poor as usual). People will stay 70 nights, ignoring cheaper rates at other brands, in hopes of a free breakfast. In the grand scheme of travel, the flights, other transportation, hotels, entertainment, drinks, dining, etc it's amazing how much revenue can be captured by the desire for an included breakfast.

Radiation Station

Great comment! I’m top tier elite with Marriott, Hilton and IHG, and I don’t really care about breakfast - I usually sleep through it unless I’m at a W 😂. I care about improved customer experience, upgrades and late checkout. I can afford my own breakfast and there’s often a better one to be found outside my hotel.

:D!

Guilty

I won't stay 70 nights though, unless I was going to anyway - 40 is more achievable and I guess this will get some sort of lounge breakfast. Prior to being diamond I did book HIX over other brands because of free breakfast, even though only 20% of the breakfast in the UK is edible (well it's better in the rest of Europe and Asia etc).

If Hilton ever introduces their credit thing outside the US I will be done with Hilton (unless it fully covers breakfast every day - none of that ends at midnight nonsense).

FlyerBeek

Fantastic property. Love the onsen and views. I stayed there late last year just before the Diamond rollout. Please consider posting an updated review to the IC Beppu master thread.

-FlyerBeek

PES_B1

​​​​​​IHG have way lower priced Hotel compared to Marriott, Hyatt and Hilton. I knew many people in China working in companies that can only cover hotel up to HIX price ranges. hence they are more or less the most enthusiastic loyalist of IHG program as they don't really have another choice except for IHG.

GUWonder

India has some IHG properties that go for around $35-55 per night before taxes and whatever else they toss onto the folio.

The Ambassador renewal may be the cheaper gamble to try to extend the Diamond status, but it also requires outlaying money up-front for that potential extension (which may or may not stick).

scwam

How did you get here last year? We were blocking foreign visitors for the past 18 months. Were you on business? I remember going to Europe in late April this year on Saturday evening and Haneda airport was a complete ghost town. Today, it was packed to the brim.
Anyway.....
First night here and the ambassador + diamond hasn't really given much more than a one level upgrade despite coming here exactly 2 years ago on our first visit for 5 nights on platinum. We literally spent 2 hours looking at 5 different rooms including a first floor suite. The initial signature card had listed the same room I originally booked. It wasn't until I brought up the topic that an upgrade was not shown on the check-in card that we began those discussions. Bar is closed Monday to Thursday. Restaurants stop service at 8:45pm. Good news is the "Go to" travel campaign shaved off 90,000 Yen from our total room charge for 6 nights -
approx. a 25% savings. Plus, they gave us an additional 54,000 Yen in vouchers to use anywhere for anything (even outside the hotel). That's 144,000 Yen. All in all, after those vouchers, this hotel is running me 50,000 Yen/day inclusive of breakfast. I expect to spend $160 - $200 on dinner and drinks for a family of 3 each night with the favourable conversion.

Definitely love the boiled-egg beer fireworks 🎆 fart odour outside here.

scwam

it's somewhat different in China. My experience living there was that IHG had a longer foothold there. During that time Hilton and Hyatt were building new, and much more modernized properties. But there was only one Intercontinental in the city I lived in.

PES_B1

The problem now is: why should people get a diamond if they can't stay for 40 nights and unlock the first lounge pass choice? I knew plenty of people who spend less than 20 nights a year, with a majority of them being at HIX properties and having Spire status which will grant them lounge access in Crowne Plaza and Hualuxe properties.