IC Hong Kong Master Thread (closed for renovation until 2022)
 

What a great stay you had I am envious.
I expect welfare squatter treatment as one of those shabby RAs useing points :(
Can one get that rate of $250 HKD leaving from the front entrance of the hotel back to the airport?
Seems very reasonable to me.
Does anyone have the hotels email address?
Would like to pay for club access.Does anyone know the operating hours of the club.
PC Ambassador reservations say they have no information on the hotel and to call the hotel


Note from Modeator:
Older post prior to this post could be found in the archive thread of this property:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inter...01-2010-a.html

Thank you
FLYGVA

Indeed $250 HKD sounds really good for a transport from the airport.

Here's the info that was in the signature of one of the emails I received from guest relations.

INTERCONTINENTAL HONG KONG
18 Salisbury Road
Kowloon, Hong Kong

Hotel Tel: + 852 2721 1211
Hotel Fax: + 852 2739 4546
E-mail: [email protected]

Thanks for the post is a taxi typically more?

What to do
 

Hi all
Probably a no brainer for the short time I am there
I need some FT experts to help me make the final decision
Here are the choices for a one night layover I will be arriving at the HK airport at 6:00 PM

• Marriott Skyway Hotelb (very well rated/new)
Near to the airport where my flight takes off at 10:30 AM the next day
Total cost including taxes and executive club access 225.00 US dollars /Free airport shuttle/Earn MR points on stay
Skip access club lounge save approx 70 dollars

• InterContinental Hong Kong Kowloon
Award Stay arrive 8 PM?
Club access single or double occupancy 130 US dollars (why it isn’t less for one baffles me)
Round trip transportation costs to and from leave hotel 7:30 AM on return

• Grand Hyatt Hong Kong
Award Stay arrive approx 8 PM?
Free club access/free wireless
Round trip transportation costs to and from leave hotel 7:30 AM on return

Would the experience at either the IC or Hyatt be worth the added costs?
Thanks for the feedback

Why do you need club access for a 8pm arrival/7am departure? Seems like a waste. IC HK's main selling point (the view) doesn't apply to award stays (as there is a 95% chance that they'll give you a room with no view). I'd go with the Hyatt (good value on FFN or points).

Marriott or
Novotel Citygate http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-...te/index.shtml Next to airport express, with a big mall = food options and evening entertainment.
Doesn't make any sense to go to town, in my opinion, and even less to go to hong kong island. :)
Why club access for 8 pm arrival and 7.30 am departure?

Thanks that makes a lot of sense if the main deal is the view
Ok the IC is out now its down to the Marriott or the Hyatt

Thanks for making me realize its probably not the best option.I suppose the free nights were calling me at the IC and the Hyatt :)
Its nice to have complimentary beverages wifi in the lounge and breakfast when you are
rushing out to the airport in the AM and don't want to wait.
Perhaps it is best to grab some beverages outside the lounge and take breakfast downstairs in the AM
I did the Novotel the last time.Like it a lot.
However the Marriott looks great too and at least I would get a few points thrown my way
Grand Hyatt too is the one other possible consideration

The experience at these hotels would not be worth the effort. I would stay at an airport hotel and enjoy one of airport lounges assuming you have access. However, if you want to party all night in Hong Kong, then perhaps it would be worth the effort to go into the city.

However I would probably recommend a completely different hotel. Check out the Langham Place and book a Club room. It is a party scene in itself and the neighborhood is extremely vibrant. And it is a shorter taxi ride to the airport. The GH would be the longest ride.

Would that be the Langham next to Aqua? I had a really good meal there this weekend, and the view from the Bar is amazing!

No, I think that is the old Langham. I have never stayed there so I don't know if it is good or not. I was referring to the new hotel in the huge Langham Place mall in Mong Kok.

Thanks for the wake up call it was very helpful to know that GH is yet further from the airport
I will have more then a few long party time weeks in Sydney Melbourne and Auckland and in such a short time I have decided to play safe and overnight at the airport on my way to Tokyo and the Grand Hyatt next day.

The reasons I won't go to the IC is based on futher research here and elsewhere

Select Dated rooms that smell
Poor Royal Ambassador treatment on reward bookings
Overcharging on lounge access if one person

Personal Reasons: not worried about a view on a layover
Round trip transporation costs would need to make it a not to miss experience
This will be my first Marriott stay in years

When are you actually upgraded?
 

I'm completely new at this so please be kind!

I joined the AMB club a few months ago and last night made an online booking for a Superior Contemporary Harbour View room at the end of this month. In hindsight, I think I should have booked a deluxe room so I could use the voucher to upgrade to a Junior Suite.

I called Intercontinental reservations this morning to see if I could pay the extra for a Deluxe room and was told that "you've already been upgraded to a Deluxe because of your status" (I have no other status with IHG).

Does this mean that I don't have to use the voucher if I'm happy with the deluxe room (I realise I won't get the BOGOF) and, if I do use the voucher, will that now put me in a junior suite?

EDIT: I've now received an additional reservation confirmation e-mail showing that my room is a Deluxe at the same rate I selected for the Superior room. I'm confused!

I'd just email the hotel reservations to ask which room you'll need to book in order to get the junior suite. The ambassador program guarantees you a 1 level upgrade usually at check-in, but you can contact the hotel directly to find out what to expect.

May I ask what voucher you are talking about?

You can use the BOGO (so far) for all bookings (on weekends) except suite bookings. When you book a "room" and get upgraded to a suite, you can still use the BOGO.

Your Ambassador status will always give you a 1-level upgrade. In HKGs case, from superior to deluxe harbour view, or deluxe harbour view to (partial) harbour view junior suite, respectively.

I would stick to your original booking in your case. - Just my opinion :)

Many thanks - so the upgrade from Superior to Deluxe comes just because I am Ambassador and isn't connected to the BOGO?

I am very tempted to stick with what I have. I take it that I can still get the late check-out because I fly home at 0100 the next morning.

Just as the one level upgrade, late check-out (till 4 pm) is complimentary for all Ambassador members :)

The upgrade is not connected to BOGO at all. The latter is just a voucher for a free 2nd weekend night. You get one BOGO but unlimited upgrades ;) See also http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inter...ad-merged.html

Enjoy your stay!

Thanks again. Your help is greatly appreciated.^

According to Virtuoso there is a "promo" out there, which entitles you to a 2 cat upgrade at time of booking:

"Double Upgrade Double Commission

Enjoy a two-category room upgrade, with a maximum upgrade to a Junior Suite, at the time of booking

Daily buffet breakfast at Harbourside restaurant

Complimentary access to Club InterContinental for booking Contemporary Superior Harbour View category and above

20% Commission"

I am a RA and if I book this package do I then get a quatruple upgrade (2 cat upgrade at booking and 2 cat upgrade at check-in when providing my RA card)?

Am I able to input a Virtuoso booked stay into my IC profile (for a possible pre-upgrade)? Do I need to call the hotel for this? Do I get all RA amenities and IC points when booking the nights through Virtuoso?

If I would like to use my BOGO on that stay, do I then have to ask the hotel if they kindly accept it under the new BOGO rules (BOGO nights need to be booked under special link...)?

Many thanks in advance...

PS: I know that IC HKG officially only upgrades to jr. suites; but there are some reports out there saying they sometimes go over their limit as well :D

best regards,
flo

New room categories
 

Looks like the IC HK has created a new room category -- SUPERIOR JUNIOR SUITE. According to the descriptions, these rooms have the partial harbor view (xx01), while the full harbor view junior suites (xx16) are now called DELUXE JUNIOR SUITE (and they cost a few hundred HKD more). It'll be very interesting to see what this means for A/RA upgrades...

No doubt the new third sub category inferior jr suite ;)
They run a flat screen outside your window of the harbor :D

What rooms needs to be booked for an RA to get club access?

I was hoping to book a certain room that has club access and get upgraded to a suite.

No room includes club access. It can be purchased seperately for HKD800 (or 900) at check-in or by booking the "club experience" room rate.

Superior harbour view room will give you a junior suite.

So the hotel does not give club access for RAs?

Is the only way for an RA to get club access is to pay the 900 HKD?

Yes and yes - no club access for RAs, only way is to buy it. Cannot say whether it's worth it - I never take club in HKG. ;)

I presume you are talking about the IC Hong Kong not the GS (which gives club access, as others have reported).

I am talking about the IC not the GS.

Also, will they give me a jr suite with a view of the harbor?

I saw the Club IC rate and that is what I plan to book.

Well, they've reassigned the room categories. Although some people say that this is just a move to limit upgrades, there's indeed a thought behind it. The xx00 junior suites have partial harbour view, whilst the xx16 (is it?) have full harbour view.
They are very proactive in answering email requests, so if you really want a specific room, I'd simply drop them a message.

If the room rate doesn't really matter, booking any kind of junior suite will grant you a nice "full" suite upgrade (superior suite is a great suite!), although their official policy is no upgrades beyond junior suites...

My first IC/Ambassador experience
 

Booked a prepaid Harbour view superior room online and the confirmation showed I'd been upgraded to a Dlx harbour view.

On arrival, I was told I'd been upgraded to a Junior Suite and was taken up to room 1201. Nice room and upgrade but the purpose of my trip was to have the full view and this room only had the partial harbour view so I went back to reception to see what could be done. I was prepared to pay extra but they moved me to 716 without charge. I must say I was very happy with that.

Only negative is that I haven't yet received the promised refund for the BOGO second night. Will wait a couple more days on that and then get in touch if I haven't received it.

Sorry, if this has already been mentioned. IC Hong Kong, current special offer incl. food credit and intersting harbor view upgrade, rate code IKCTA

What is a 'good' rate for July'10?
 

Using the 'Friends & Family' promo I pull up these nightly rates rates for the first weekend of July:

1 KING BED CONTEMPORARY SUP HARBOR VIEW: HK$ 2,000.63
1 KING BED CONTEMPORARY DLX HARBOR VIEW: HK$ 2,206.88

How do these look to the people with some experience in the pricing at this facility?

Should I be jumping all over them? (They are pre-paid, non-ref, of course)


Any thoughts on the value of paying for a DLX over a SUP room?

Thanks.

HKD2000 is an excellent rate for a harbor view room. If you have status, make sure to contact them before booking to make sure they will honor benefits on the F&F rate (benefits are not supposed to be given on this rate, but many hotels do grant them anyway.)

Free club due to hotel resv error
 

This is the story.
While I was still Amb back to late April, I used BOGOF for weekend night stay.
Called hotel for ADV Reservation rate and book harbour view and upgrade to superior Jr. Suite.
A few hours later, an agent called me back and told me that I cannot use ADV rate for BOGO weekend cert.
I explained to her I was using old coupon and there is no such restriction.
Finally, to avoid all confusion, she asked me to accept her apology and will give me club access + USD 250 dining credit/stay if I can change to best flex rate (around HKD 200 more/night).
This is the only time I got club access and really a good club.

Stayed there in April on F&F rate AND used a BOGO with no problem.

HK IC Pricing
 

I am forward planning to Feb 2011, Looking at booking the HK IC (Not GS).
Looking at basic room rates there is nearly 1000HKD difference between booking a room in July 2010 and Feb 2011 (Feb being more expensive).
Does anyone know if the rates 'far' in advance reduce as date gets closer or is this a season thing? Can't believe HK is more expensive in feb than July, also rate increases nearly every month from now until Jan 2011.

Thanks

Can you say Kung Hei Fat Choi? (Happy New Year in Chinese which hits on Feb 3rd, 2011)

What up grade should I expect?
 

I am a gold ambassador and have booked a 6 night stay at the IC Grand Stanford. Booked a King Club Harbour View room. What type of room should I expect? When should the upgrade show on the reservation? Will it show on the reservation?

Thanks for the help.

maybe FEB increase is related to CNY holiday?

That is an excellent question :D I doubt they'll give you a harbour view suite. Maybe they'll try to give you a city view suite or rather lower your rate (e.g. comp club access)...

IC HK GS upgrades show on your account - at least for me (RA) - the next day.

Over the last years, the IC was only extraordinarily expensive on the day of the fireworks (Feb 3 2011 in this case), but the days before and after, rates were normal or even a bit cheaper. Hong Kong's pretty much deserted during the new year holiday week...
That being said, room rates in Hong Kong have steadily been rising over the last half year or so...

One last post :p: Both Hong Kong ICs are have now the IKA25 rate loaded, and both charge only bestflex.