HadesNL

I have to admit
- having an easy free breakfast in the HI in Bengaluru beats going out to look for a breakfast place and trying to cross the street, (i sear & melt like an ahi-tuna because of the tropical sun
- having an even easier free breakfast in IC AMS beats traversing the streets in my curlers in a rush to reach the nearest bakery
- having the most easiest free breakfast in the Voco The Hague when the grandparents can entertain the lads while i'm still passed out in bed

so yes... i like the free Diamond brekkies as it made life much easier!

lsquare

I'm so glad this offer came up as it was what convinced me to stay at the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport in Singapore. I'm here right now and have free breakfast as a result of my status. My room was also upgraded!

kevino

Before the bf option for Diamonds was started this year, I never had bf at the restaurant in this hotel in my 15+ stays there, though one time a few years ago I was upgraded to lounge access (I don't know why) and so had bf in the lounge.

If you don't need bf on the day you're checking out (bc you have airport lounge access or bc you will eat on the plane), you can for the last night select 2 free drinks in the bar instead. When I was there in June, the beer glasses were large, mb pint sized. They only wanted to give me one drink but I pushed for 2 since that was what I was always given in past years (pre-Covid), and they relented.

demue

I never claimed it was a good one . I was just clarifying that it is a free benefit for everyone at a HIX, Diamond or not. How healthy and wholesome it is is an entirely different story, but in general I'd agree that quality and selection is better in Europe & Asia vs. North America. Is it IC quality? Of course not.

The breakfast benefit for Diamond matters most to me on leisure stays at usually more aspirational / premium / luxe properties where it is actually of high quality and enjoyable and where it may not be included in the rate (can save $) or it is a points redemption.

I got three IC stays over the next few months (Osaka - paid, Beppu and Amsterdam - both reward) and breakfast there is great and pricey so I'm looking forward to it as Diamond benefit. Even if a breakfast is free, if it is crap, I agree that I'd also not eat it and rather go outside for better options. This is often true for coffee even at some ICs where I have the tea for breakfast and then a proper barista coffee in a nice cafe or so. YMMV.

scwam

Speaking of breakfast, this is Beppu this morning.I don't demand much. Usually, they give you two of these at properties, and you can't finish it because is so rich. This was the first time I actually wanted a second one. Probably the best eggs benedict I've had anywhere. Not salty and loaded with sauce overkill like other places. The mimosas were pricey
- about 4,800 Yen for two of them.

Beppu A la carte item

HadesNL

Congratulations on those that jumped on the Diamond (amazon/corporate offer) bandwagon and got on the runaway gravy train in first class....

now mass hysteria has subsided,
it seems LL posted that IHG will let everyone keep their newly minted Diamond for those who registered for this offer in time

source:
https://loyaltylobby.com/2022/10/18/...status-faster/
Quote:Conclusion

IHG managed to botch the instant Diamond with a fast track-offer and soon retired it, although let those who signed up on time keep it.

These Gold and Platinum offers are around a few times a year, and the Diamond, previously Spire Elite, ones are rarer but not extinct.

If you don’t have IHG One Rewards status and have PAID NIGHTS (award or points + cash won’t count) coming before the end of 2022, it makes sense to sign up.


especially for those that took/renewed their Ambassador membership,
to extend their acquired Diamond till end 2023 using the infamous trick to strech status
with the added bonus of bypassing the need to stay10 nights
( as per requirements of the aforementioned Diamond status offer in keeping it untill 2023)

+

using the new IHG Diamond as status match for Hilton and others...
(read that trick on OMAAT)

nothing more from me but:
"very well played" !
recap:
- confirmed free brekkie on revenue & award stays
- late check out subject to possibility on revenue & award stays
- room upgrade on revenue stays
(first in sequence and rank at Indigo, Voco, CP, HI, HIX, etc....)
(second in sequence and rank at IC & Kimpton)
* award stays are a mixed bag of experience depending on the hotel YMMV

meinnit

I'm not sure that Loyalty Lobby actually got confirmation from IHG on this? I interpret it as "they haven't rolled back so far so we must be safe"

HadesNL

LL is usually the best informed source about IHG on the interweb,
so i read it like: IHG thought it to much hassle this time to enforce,
(and as others in this thread said: it could turn out in a devastating PR-nightmare)
so everyone can keep Diamond as it seems there was so much public interest in this offer

* what actually means in normal persons language that after applying the AMB-trick,
extending Diamond to 2023,
their usual incompetent IT can't see the difference anymore
as that trick negates the 10 nights stay criteria to keep Diamond untill 2023 as per said offer terms
so registering it as normal Diamond status fulling standard criteria (70 nights / 120.000 EQP)
Read about the spire/amb trick in the other threads in the forum

scwam

That's exactly what I did. It was the best punt opportunity I've had in 15 years of this game. Hope to make good use of it for the next year. Next stop, Danang again.

Mister P.

Hi, could you clarify / point out to the threads that discuss how to extend Diamond through Ambassador membership? Would this still work if signing up for Ambassador before the end of the year? Thanks

HadesNL

i had never had the opportunity to use/need it though.....

Some would say google is your friend.....

Some would say don't ask don't tell...

Some might say the Mods may judge if this is appropiate...

All major blogs have discussed this and it floats freely on the interweb and is not some deep/dark web secret,
read at own leisure and own risk:

https://loyaltylobby.com/2022/06/26/...ended-diamond/
https://loyaltylobby.com/2022/06/17/...al-ambassador/
https://www.headforpoints.com/forums...iamond-status/
https://milepro.com/ihg-rewards-club-review/

its been around since Spire:
Extending Spire status by purchasing Ambassador?
https://insideflyer.co.uk/2019/09/a-...tus-challenge/
Extending Spire status by purchasing Ambassador?
https://insideflyer.co.uk/2019/07/re...tatus-for-160/
https://www.turningleftforless.com/w...o-do-part-one/
https://insideflyer.nl/forums/thread...maatschap.599/
https://loyaltylobby.com/2021/04/18/...al-ambassador/


to return back to the topic:
https://loyaltylobby.com/2022/10/18/...status-faster/
https://www.headforpoints.com/2022/1...t-five-nights/

UKtravelbear

Just read all of this thread for starters and then the threads about AMB status and you'll find plenty of examples!

JetAway

This "botched" promo is actually good news for IHG properties in that it will likely bring in additional year-end revenue at the cost of a cheap (for the hotel) breakfast.

HadesNL

a quick copy & paste from HfP comments today
source: https://www.headforpoints.com/2022/1...t-five-nights/

nineworldseries

Can confirm, got the Diamond fast track last week, today paid $200 for my first Ambassador membership ever, and I'm now Diamond through 12/31/23. It's not instantaneous, so I was worried; I got the "Welcome to Diamond" email but it took like 30 minutes for the new expiry date to update in my account.