hannes08

That makes the simple AMB nearly useless. Exept you book a Junior Suite.
It seems, good times have gone in the IC Berlin

Football Fan

Bye bye IC Berlin.

najrob

Any concrete idea what these changes mean? Will there be wine and champagne after 8pm? What's included in the afternoon tea?

Kasupke

No. Wine, beer and any other alcoholic beverages only between 5pm - 8pm.

scubaccr

Could well be IC's where RAs are in habit of getting lounge access via upsell during checkins, and such income/guest-numbers are a significant portion of lounge guests/lounge-income .... those IC's may react by dumbing down (reducing) lounge offerings due to lost income by having to give RAs free access from 1st Feb 2017

Not going to be possible issue in Asia, as even before 1st Sep 2016 t+c update I always got foc lounge as RA at Asia IC's, eg
IC-HK, IC-GS, IC-SIN, IC-BKK, IC-KUL, IC-HCMC, IC-Danang, IC-Hanoi

rapidex

I think that is exactly what will happen.Which makes it less likely for non-status guests to pay,or even stay at the hotel

Cutting off their noses to spite their faces.

turner32

I agree. I mean, a hotel like IC Berlin which makes it's money on it's huge weekly conferences, spits dummy out over having to give club to RA. About 5 years ago it used to give out Club anyhow. Now, it can't afford to/doesn't want to?
What is the true cost of some soup, a couple of sandwiches, some eggs and bacon and a few alcoholic beverages?

ninjalad

Beer has been the only alcohol available during the day for the last ten years, has that changed too ?
Is the exclusion of Club suites from upgrades new ?

IAN-UK

More than either of us would believe after management accountants have been at the job ...

htb

Exactly. You start with the price of the drinks, add the labor cost for placing the orders and receiving the shipments (round up to a half-day job), add the cost for the lounge attendants (as a full time job even though they do lots of non-lounge-related things to support other departments), then you add the lost revenue you could make if you rented the lounge out for events and conferences, then add the cost for cleaning the lounge (never mind that you would have to clean it as well if you rented it out for events). I may have forgotten a few items (costs for electricity, toilet use etc.), but whatever you end up with, you divide by the number of drinks and dishes served. That then is the cost per serving including overhead. Astronomical! Each drink or dish not served earns the hotel a fortune!

HTB.

turner32

[QUOTE=htb;27736642]Exactly. You start with the price of the drinks, add the labor cost for placing the orders and receiving the shipments (round up to a half-day job), add the cost for the lounge attendants (as a full time job even though they do lots of non-lounge-related things to support other departments), then you add the lost revenue you could make if you rented the lounge out for events and conferences, then add the cost for cleaning the lounge (never mind that you would have to clean it as well if you rented it out for events). I may have forgotten a few items (costs for electricity, toilet use etc.), but whatever you end up with, you divide by the
number of drinks and dishes served. That then is the cost per serving including overhead. Astronomical! Each drink or dish not served earns the hotel a fortune!


But, since the lounge is already staffed, these are all everyday costs. They already exist. They're only losing the nett cost of the items they're serving, plus whatever fee RA pays (used to pay) for lounge access.

From the hotel's point of view, with the cull of RA numbers, they no longer have to upgrade as many members, plus fewer mini-bars. So, it's swings and roundabouts in terms of margin. I'd argue that the changes offer an improvement in terms for the hotel.

ringbahn

Relax,beer was on offer on 5th of January at 4pm and -in addition to some cokies- sandwiches (Vollkornbrot!) with cheese,fish and something else that I don`t remember.When we asked the manager,why they`ve "destroyed" Berlins` best lounge (my personal feeling),he answered -surprise surprise-that he only got great reviews from other guests.Next evening, I heard the guy at the table next to me asking for the manager and he complained about the evening snacks.

ninjalad

I can't ever remember drinking beer there during the day, I just need coffee and something to eat as I don't go to breakfast. I rarely spend much time there in the evenings as the atmosphere is a bit hectic.
I stay on the club floor as I like the junior and senior suites on the 8th floor but if upgrades no longer work to them then I am happy in a senior suite in the Westwing. I just wish that they would improve the daytime service in Marlene bar !

Flying Lawyer

No beverages at all after 8 pm. Club is dead (two guests at 830 pm today). Staff was cleaning the tables and preparing breakfast. Officially open until 1030 pm to watch TV or read newspapers. I was always a big fan of the IC Berlin and went with them through difficult times Buch these developments are nothing but a disgrace. This is a perfect way of reducing my he number of Royal Ambassadors: try to play games with your best customers.

turner32

Did you explain this to them?