Oletjala

Im checking into IC Madrid tomorrow with my wife and son (going to see the Real Madrid vs Girona match) .

I have booked a classic room for points - and Today recived info via the app I have been upgraded to a 2 Twin Premium Club Castellana View. However I suspect lounge access is not included...Do any of you have any experience in how to handle this with the hotel?

BR Oletjala

nicolas75

Complimentary Upgrades to Club rooms, Club REGENT or Club InterContinental rooms / floors do not include Club Level amenities or services, e.g. Club Lounge access, free pressing, airport transportation, etc.

Source


To access to club lounge at InterContinental hotels,
you need either to:

• book a club room,
• be a Royal Ambassador member,
• have lounge access certificate.

nicolas75

What is your IHG One Rewards status?
Diamond Royal Ambassador Inner Circle

- Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes, just perfect as always.

- Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked cheapest flexible rate and was upgraded to a King Ambassador Club Terrace Suite.

- How are the rooms?
Around 45 sqm large
Classic and elegant design.

Separated living room with separated desk area.

Bedroom with large and very comfortable bed

Elegant marble bathroom with bathtub and separate walk-in shower/toilets. Byredo Bal d’Afrique amenities.

Nespresso coffee machine.

Massive flat screen television set, with good selection of international channels. ChromeCast.

Very quiet
View over the city.

Large terrace with table, chair and deck chair.

Usb sockets close to the bed
Free PressReader

- How is the exec. lounge?
Very good breakfast with quite large choice, à la carte menu and very professional service.

Canapés, pastries, served during the afternoon.

Hot meal, wines and spirits served in the evenings.

Elegant and quiet atmosphere.
Excellent service: staff is very attentive.

- What was good and what was bad?

GOOD

• Service was really excellent from all members of staff: it is always very pleasant to be welcomed by all the staff as a member of the family, from the Bell boy to the members of the Club lounge.
• Luxurious atmosphere.
• Location is very convenient from airport (metro station 80 meters from the hotel). The hotel is located within Salamenca, which is the most elegant district for luxury boutiques, quality restaurants, and full of museums and art foundations (Fundación Juan March, Mapfre Fundación, Museo Cerralbo, etc.).
• I liked it very much the sunny private terrace
• Well equipped fitness centre with sauna.
• I was offered a 15 minutes massage in the spa.
• The (great) General Manager came to greet me during check-in. We had a very interesting conversation about his vision of the hotel business and his plans for transforming the hotel.

BAD
Nothing.

- Value for $ or IHG One Rewards Points? Would you return?
Yes, for the warm welcome and pleasant location.
Service is really excellent at this property.

nicolas75

The (great) General Manager came to greet me during check-in.

We had an interesting conversation about his vision of the hotel business and his plans for transforming the hotel.

The hotel is in the process of undertaking an ambitious renovation programme, which will be on the same scale as at the Carlton (the GM of Madrid is the former GM of the Carlton).

The programme is currently in the consultation phase with international designers.

The renovation should reflect the InterContinental brand, but also be in keeping with the hotel's historic architecture.

There are plans to build a swimming pool on the hotel's roof. 👍👍

The works are scheduled for completion in 2025. The hotel will not close during this period (but one wing of the hotel will be closed for works during which the other wing will be open). Only during the period when the lobby is being renovated will the hotel be completely closed.

Mr. LAU

Any news about the planned renovations in Madrid?

We will be staying a few days at the end of August and hope to no be disturbed by renovation noise...

Edit: Found your post about it - https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/36031589-post244.html

Any idea when they will start and when the first part of the hotel will be finished?

Venezuela-Miami

Great Review! and as usual my like isn't registering so i'm leaving the Reply

Ron Cacique! Venezuela in da' house

HadesNL

I cannot like -like- either !

So all rawhide from the rodeo in Houston , yeehaw!

beachfan

Have need for a one night stay in Madrid (arrive MAD at 2pm, depart the next day at 4pm). Looking for a nice hotel. I wanted to use a free night cert, but they only offer a generic classic room, but cannot specify room type " When you arrive at the hotel we will do our best to meet your room type preference. This is subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed".

It's only 3k extra points on the flex award.

The description for the Classic room on the website is :Room Size: 22 sq. m. – 30 sq. m.

Beds: 1 Double Bed, 2 Twin Beds, 1 King Bed, or 1 Queen Bed.

I'm a restless sleeper, so my wife insists on King Bed or twin beds.

I imagine some folks might need twin beds and not getting them would be a deal breaker.

How do folks without high status deal with it? I'm just a platinum elite. I think I might be forced over to the indigo princessa just because I can choose bed type (in this case, two twins in a small room).

kodyandgracie

I really like this hotel. Last time I stayed there, they offered a buy up to a larger room. This happened in the Club Lounge but you likely could ask when you check in at reception. I suspect they will offer a cash offer for a larger room even if you are staying on points.

beachfan

Ambassador doesn’t get a larger room here? More likely to buy Ambassador than pay for the cash upgrade (though I do that from Time to time too)

HadesNL

Email the hotel :
- what your intention is on booking what room type
- with what instrument
- you insist on TWIN beds allocation (or for the Franco phone : lits Jumeaux or for the Yanks: double beds)
quote a reason: 50 years of marriage etc ... mumbling in sleep .... it's still magical but you do not need to poked with an elbow in the face = better sleep comfort
- what is the hotel policy in upgrade chain for plat / diamond (+AMB) and how does it affect the orginal booked TWIN bed configuration
- is there a TWIN bed type room above your orginal catagory or does the hotel only have KING and does it throw in an extra bed to compensate for the effect
- say you sympathise with room inventory management and as such also this is the time to write if you need latecheckout as AMB till 16.00H (you want them to code your keys properly)

Do commit first to emailing them, because writing says more and also will provide leverage in case things go wrong.



Not at this hotel but at IC ATH & IC AMS, i asked reservations to put in my internal frequent / returning guest stay profile, only TWIN beds if staying over with Mother.
Incase upgrades only to KING, than only proceed if stick permits adding a seperate extra bed.
Same at IC Bali Jimbaran where my guest stay profile adds explicit "no stairs please so no upgrade into duplex : reason Madeline Ashton stumble down staircase"
"if no upgrade than only preferred location with sea view or close to club pool"

If you frequent regularly any IHG-hotel (my experience at IC / Voco )
it should be possible to have reservations / reception / guest relations add your TWIN bed request + TWIN bed allocation as prime stay reason to their internal frequent / returning guest stay profile,
saving you the hassle of song & dance to email to keep requesting TWIN everytime you do a booking.
(this is something most Virtuoso TA seem to forget doing or lack discipline in enforcing = reason i never use Virtuoso TA



Rant alert:

example: at a certain Hyatt which remain unmentioned as not to upset any Hyatt fanboys,
i booked it with a virtuoso TA, with request TWIN bed configuration, an essential must.
at the hoteli winded up with an Virtuoso upgrade to a king bed suite with Mother,
losing the orginal TWIN bed room i booked.
after first asking if downgrade was possible back to orginal TWIN,
it was impossible due to full house, all TWIN rooms were already taken,
if i wanted to add an extra bed so we each could sleep seperate ,
it was possible at a only surcharge,
you can guess where I'm headed.......
me in a moment of weakness, "not to upset Mother, i agree'
the whole week's stay,
the hotel + services thought we were occupying the room with 3 persons,
no problems with housekeeping providing amenity like toiletries + towels + robes and slippers for 3 persons,
but i do have a problem if tourist / occupancy / amenity fee is suddenly taxed for 3 persons,
Eek!
I'm staying in a room with Mother as occupancy 2 persons,
but because of the paying privilege of adding an extra bed,
i suddenly get billed extra fees + taxes for an extra person as occupancy increased +1

At checkout i caused the only ruckus in my life,
hotel shielded itself by confirming Virtuoso TA booking is REQUEST ONLY for twin bed,
which means subject to availability and as i agreed to payable extra bed, it was confirm hotel T&C subject to local regulations.
Management wouldn't bulge so i just payed and shrugged it off as a place i'd never go to again.

After this revelation,
i promised myself to always request a TWIN bed configuration myself in advance directly at hotels per email.
No sense in using the middle man.
Get it reconfirmed by the hotel themselves but also ask for explaination if upgrades affect the TWIN into KING and what is the recourse how to handle it.
It has saved me much torment by having personally confirmed writing in hand at check in as official communication for reference.

Apologies about venting my rant,
But just like you, i feel very strongly about the art of beds : TWIN / Lits Jumeaux / Double

beachfan

Great advice as always! Thank you!

we actually prefer king, but as a restless sleeper and decades of me poking her in her sleep, she refuses a queen so it’s king or twins.

I'm used to requesting twins from the beginning and then communicating with the hotel. The not specifying at the beginning seems unique to IHG ( not however issues on bed type when upgrading or for me, preventing upgrade since fewer suites with twins).

hikouki

First time in Madrid.

Would this property be better than the other IHG hotels in MAD?

I am staying 4D/3N and would likely take one of the bus tours to the outskirts on one of the days.

One of my goals for this trip is to eat authentic paella. Maybe even cochinillo. LOL I want to experience tapas but I cannot metabolize alcohol!

nicolas75

InterContinental Madrid is a very pleasant property for quality of service, club lounge. Interior design is classic (with complete renovation planned next year). The hotel is located in the most selective district of the city.

The gastronomic scene in Spain, and in Madrid in particular, goes - thank goodness - far beyond paella.

Less than 15 minutes' walk from the hotel:

A'Barra

Ramón Freixa

Torcuato


Luzi Bombón

MO de Movimiento

One of the best places to eat paella: Restaurante & Arrocería Berlanga

pretzlaff

The hotel is better than any other IHG in the city by a very wide margin.