floridatraveler90

I am currently staying at a Holiday Inn in Florida for 4 nights

The front desk told me they were instructed to no longer give out breakfast vouchers for diamond members and to give points instead.

I told them I didn't want the points and preferred the breakfast instead and it's a stated welcome amenity option as a diamond member. They then said that I would need to speak with the GM later in the day about it.

I spoke to the GM who reiterated - as of January 1 we are not giving out breakfast to diamond members. Only points.

I called the IHG diamond line about the issue. They apologized and called the hotel while I was on hold. They came back on and told me it would be straightened out by the hotel and they were transferring me to the front desk agent so they could tell me what to do to get my breakfast.

I speak with the same agent at the front desk who originally told me no. She said we're taking the charges for breakfast from this morning off and we're not giving you breakfast vouchers for the rest of your stay; we already transferred you the points so there's nothing you can do.

For reference they gave 5k points per night for a 4 night stay. So 20k points total. However, I haven't seen those hit my account yet. Decent amount of points but would still prefer breakfast.

Any suggestions on what to do next? I'm not sure if I should call the diamond line again and tell them that they still refused. Its pretty awkward considering we are still staying here for 3 more nights.

beltway

You didn’t start this; the hotel did by flagrantly violating the program rules. They need to be hit in the head with a 2x4–metaphorically, of course—and you’d be doing a favor to other guests as well as to yourself. Keep the Diamond Desk on top of them until they shape up.

Please name and shame the property. That’s not necessary for a good-faith mistake, but it’s important in cases of defiant wrongheadedness such as the GM is exhibiting here. (Name him/her, too.)

HadesNL

Every day contact the Diamond line if yes/no breakfast has been delivered, so they might grasp the earnest of the situation.
See if the breakfast room has a sign up and snap evidence photo:
no free breakfasts for Diamonds
or something like "no loyalty discount for breakfast"
or menu card shows any mention of whats inclusive or what isextra billable
or have a photo of your first billed breakfast invoice and vs price on menu card

Af checkout raise the issue again about no breakfasts ,
note the name / date / time of HI persons you spoke,
keep your printed invoice,
If no compensation from the hotel within a week ,
write a stern yet factual email to IHG...include evidence

Especially quote and link:
https://www.ihg.com/content/us/en/cu...lestonerewards

with:
Welcome Amenity:
The Welcome Amenity for Platinum Elite and Diamond Elite Members varies by brand and region.
In Greater China, Silver Elite and Gold Elite Members are also offered a choice of Welcome Amenity.

• The choice of amenity is only offered on Qualified Stays and is non-transferrable
• Diamond Elite Members’ Welcome Amenity choice also includes Free Breakfast at full-service and select-service brands (REGENT, InterContinental, Vignette, Hualuxe, Hotel Indigo, voco, Crowne Plaza, Even, Holiday Inn, and Kimpton)
  • Available for Member and one guest registered to the same room for each night of stay
  • Includes one main menu item with unlimited non-alcoholic beverages or full buffet with unlimited non-alcoholic beverages per person
    • Select Breakfast menu items may be excluded (such as specialty/local-themed items)
  • Alcoholic beverages and certain specialty drinks excluded
  • Not available for In-Room dining or at specialty restaurants

This ghastly behaviour should be eradicated,
There were some pre-acquisition Kimptons getting cocky using the excuses of having a third party operated / managed restaurant so no free breakfast for diamonds, just being fobbed off with nothing but after exposure on FT+corporate, they were forced to negotiate at least a monetary voucher system with their F&B supplier to offer some sort of breakfast.

Schnit

For all the inconvenience they should give you the 20k and the free breakfast! Nothing awkward about asking them to do what they are supposed to do. If housekeeping took away your pillow everyday, you wouldnt just sleep on a towel instead to save it from being awkward.

floridatraveler90

So I reached back out to the IHG customer support team, this time via email as a follow up to my case from earlier. Here is the response I received. I am pretty shocked by their stance.

beltway

Were I in this situation, I'd send a polite reply advising IHG that I would be booking future travel elsewhere--specifically, with hotel chains who take their customer commitments seriously instead of allowing properties to opt out of providing promised elite benefits. And then I'd follow that course of action.

Please do identify the property so other Diamond FTers know to avoid it. I mean, for [EXPLETIVE] sake, they have enough staff to serve breakfast because you've had it once already. It's inexplicable how there's a staffing issue that allows them to seat & feed you but not comp the meal as required. The "explanation" provided makes no sense whatsoever.

Had a somewhat similar experience last fall when an InterContinental FDC tried to tell me I couldn't take breakfast in their restaurant because I'd been granted access to the lounge (and thus to the much more meager lounge breakfast offering) & the hotel wasn't obliged to provide a second breakfast option. In that case, the Diamond Desk straightened them out for my five-night stay; had they failed to back me up, I'd have expressed my disappointment in extremely concrete terms.

COLINDAD

OP -

You have requested assistance in this matter, and various people have made helpful suggestions.....

However, I am truly baffled by your refusal -- despite being specifically asked to do so by someone upthread -- to name and shame the hotel.

The least that you can do is to give warning to others who might contemplate staying at this property since the Winter season in Florida is in full swing and will last for several more months.

floridatraveler90

I will name the property and put it in the thread title too. I will also be writing about the experience on several review websites for the hotel. I just prefer to wait until I'm no longer staying at the property to do so.

sethb

That sound you hear is thousands of people subscribing to this thread.

moolman

True, they will bust through the doors and break your legs if you talk bad about them.

floridatraveler90

With how stubborn hotel management has been acting on this, I wouldn't be surprised if they forced us to end our stay early. I'm with my family including young children. I'd rather not have to repack my room and have to try to find another hotel to stay in.

nicolas75

There are not so many Assistants General Managers named Barry at Holiday Inn, in Florida 😈

Are we talking about the Holiday Inn & Suites Orlando?

Modo

Ahem - the OP has requested discretion in identifying the property until after check out?

Jaenks

What a great answer from Barry!
Due to the recent change of thehotel managment, they have staffing challenges to provide free breakfast as per Welcome amenity.
Front desk says that you can only pay for it but not get one as the choice guaranteed by IHG t&c. Pay the fee plus "junk tip" etc.
Does the managment taking care the breakfast serving for those who selected it as Welcome amenity? A la carte type of personal service?
Family of four or more gets 10 points for four nights as apology for not providing what is guaranteed by t&c. That is the same level insult as the response of the assistant GM.

BearX220

Funny how management changes somehow result in a staff deficit ... and how if you pay money for breakfast, those "staffing challenges" suddenly disappear.