Atacama40

Is true. The demise of the FOC Mini bar since what was it? three years back? and this new downgrade is disappointing. But the upgrades are still exceptional. And to be honest, I'm normally (not always) getting way above the minimum 2 level upgrade, as I know many of you are doing. Very frequently 3 or 4 levels higher ... sometimes more. Have had Presidential (or a level below) at ICDFC, IC Warsaw, ICRAK, Lyon and super other combinations at ICO2, Phuket, Bangkok and indeed at Kimptons and CP's this year. I say that not to crow, but to underline your comment about the upgrade value.

I've not seen the credits yet and like a fool forgot to choose my milestone rewards which have now evaporated according to email I got from IHG yesterday. But will be interesting to see how they work out.

I guess like Hades said, it means I have to socialise instead of raiding the MB and stumbling round half naked looking out at Hyde Park ..... in the room that is .... ahem.

shoven

Just got my email conformation for RA and inner circle the RA one states the credit replaces mini bar benifit.

Not sure how I feel about the change as I do like the idea of the credit but feel its maybe a little short based on the type of stays I have. I do think there is an element of using the mini bar for the sake of it but I do tend have longish stays that are all leisure so just the odd drink here and there over 14 nights+ tends to add up so will have to see how it goes.

Porch

As a non drinker my use of minibar over the years has been limited. So when they came up with a $ value and let us eat the candy i was NOT pleased because i then EAT it
Two level upgrade is a JOKE and reality can mean almost nothing. However clearly as an RA when we complain it actually means something.
However when people get a promo to Diamond for 8 stays it certainly diminishes the value for people who have 100 stays.

HadesNL

"Having $200 to spend at each IC hotel's minibar now being replaced by just yearly $500 F&B voucher across all IHG hotels"

This is indeed the first step to integrate RA(AMB) into IHG-1rewards...
Could be this is the first of many pilots ....

I sincerely hope the :
guarenteed early check in
guarenteed late checkout
cat+2 upgrade
will remain with the integration, otherwise a lot of high spenders will feel pi**ed off

AMB has lost its use for IHG,
as in the past it was used to drive those from HIX, HI, CP to IC
(Larger Lower/Mid supports smaller Upper)
but with now the positioning of Indigo / Voco,
acquisition of Kimpton, Regent, Six Senses
(Upper portfolio expanding does not need push from lower/mid,
the guarenteed AMB/RA has become more of a cost/liability)
there is evidence that the model of IHG-1rewards across all brands is the direction to pursue ....
IHG wishing to avoid the drama that is Marriott Bonvoy exclusion list ......


as in the LL comments' it is indeed a shame that the unique minibar aspect of RA gets the chop, minibar sets the difference versus Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Accor from a marketing perspective

Richelieu

While I agree that AMB could be a way to push the clients toward the higher standard hotel (and presumably, the more profitable, though it's not certain, 3-starred Michelin restaurants often have lower margin than a kebab joint), I am not certain that it has lost its use. While you point out that the upscale offering of IHG has increased, something I agree with, I'd reach the opposite conclusion. There is an increased offering of upscale hotels, in new destinations, so the effectiveness of having a system to push returning customers toward them should improve, shouldn't it? They'd need to strive to increase and harmonize AMB benefits to their whole luxury segment to achieve the same effect (also, I wouldn't put Indigo/Voco in the same segment as Kimpton and IC...)

I mean, I also think they'll move toward more integration of the systems, but not because of reduced ability of the AMB programme to drive customers toward the higher chain.

We don't really know who the AMB are and what their travel pattern is. I am not sure a lot of the HIX/HI/CP customers would say "mmm, I could get some benefits from IHG One by electing to stay at an IC instead of say a Hilton, but if I pay 200 USD more I can get more benefits..." For a single trip, like a vacation, it's not seem to be worth it (not everyone do the calculation we do on this board, I think we're not typical representative of the hotel stayers in general). I think the AMB programme is a draw for people that would like to secure benefits (and the instant Platinum thing was also something that could be worth it for people knowledgeable enough of the system to stand in for a status match... starting at platinum instead of starting as a nodody can be a draw if you intend to stay a lot in ICs). Since it pays over time it's more sensible for people to shell out the money if they are frequent upscale hotel guests already.

But I know nothing of how hotel marketing work, so I could (and I am) certainly missing a lot of things.

ffgap

I am not RA so I cannot confirm but that would indeed be a HUGE blow.

My guess is RA will get these F&B vouchers independent and on top of the Amb stay credit. Anything else seems difficult to align with the Amb program rules.

Pseudo Nim

Actually, RA has usually �superseded� Amb benefits, so I expect this will actually override the $20 per stay benefit. So if you stay a couple of times it�ll be better, but if you have a lot of individual stays, you�ll be better off with the Amb benefit.

perthite

I wonder if some of the reason for the change was the hotels seemingly being on the hook for the minibar benefit. I tend to think with the vouchers, there's at least some $$ goig from corporate to the hotels to fund it.

RA-wannabe

Corporate is on the hook for the mini bar benefit a bit at a discounted rate. When you check out, the items that you consume at the minibar is not cancelled but moved to corporate. it's probably too expensive for corporate to pay for this minibar benefit as RA stay extensively with IC. It's easier to just limit the damage to just 500USD per annum per RA. The bet is that RA will not care about this because RAs are sticky customers.

Urby38

Hi everybody, I was just staying at International Festival City and they told me with the vouchers will Start there at 01.february...anybody has some other experiences in other hotels?

For me this voucher Thing is stupid and brings in a lot of stress for the hotel and customer too...

What will happen if i check out and forgot to declare my minibar....will they charge me after for 1 coke and chokolade? I think thus will bever Happen in the hotels they know me for years and iam quote sure they will still not Charge the minibar if you do not take everything...

Also i think that will lead to that everybody takes the drinks from the club to the room...

And of course 500 USD/year is nothing....1.000 would be fair...what I also would have understood is if they would say the maximum per stay is 100 instead of 200...

I think we all royal ambassadors should write Emails and complain about that...only if we do thst all together we can change something....i will do so for sure the next days and can also post my email here ..

Regard from germany Mathias

nicolas75

Same here at Bordeaux, where I was surprised to receive a letter at check-in where I was informed that EUR45 discount for minibar was still valid.

The Mileage Millionaire

For stay Jan 1-4, was told 45 EUR per night for minibar. For stay Jan 4-5, guest relations manager told me the minibar changes are effective Feb 1. They even re-read the notice from corporate to confirm this fact.

The Mileage Millionaire

After some discussions with insiders, I will double down on the above prediction. The Ambassador program's days are numbered...

ffgap

Fine by me. I think running multiple overlapping loyalty programs for the most part adds clutter and reduces engagement of "normal" people (i.e., not enthusiasts on FT).

The tricky thing is going to be what you'll be doing with RA/Kimpton Inner Circle. If you don't give them a new top tier in IHG One Rewards, they might get the feeling they are being demoted als Diamond is less special than Diamand RA. If, instead, you do put in a new tier above Diamond, you satisfy your RA/Inner Circle clients but might dis-engage Diamonds for whom the new top tier is out of reach.

Two possible compromises. (i) Make the new top tier not that hard (at least initially). That way, you disappoint only a smaller share of non-RA Diamonds (the less valuable ones). But you might actually get more business from those non-RA Diamonds who can muster up the additional spend required by the new top tier of IHG One Rewards. (ii) Update/further develop the milestone programme so valuable, former RA/Inner Circle customers get recognition through that. That's a bit tricky, though, as currently milestones are solely based on night count.

The Mileage Millionaire

I have NO inside knowledge re: what would be done for existing RAs, but I am guessing a new status tier "Royal" would be added. Perhpas it would require 120 nights or $18k annual spend (roughly 50% more than Diamond status), similar to Marriott's Ambassador program, and perhaps come with some of the current RA benefits like destination/resort fee waiver, unlimited two-tier upgrades, 10 AM check-in and 4 PM checkout. If executed correctly, it would be an actual improvement to receive these benefits at Kimpton, Regent and Six Senses.