HadesNL

And as it seems the hotel has received and read my email,
Just like Nurse Nan (Montana/Milton Moorehead -soapdish-) whom took a nurses' oath,
the hotel seems to acknowledge my RA-status on the booking and has pre-emptively upgraded the room from Mayfair King 1 Bedroom Hyde Park Suite to cat+1 into Mayfair Prestige Suite Hyde Park

the surprise will be if it sticks, or is it going to be a surprise like there's a nurse in the restaurant?


ninjalad there can usually be only 1 captain on a ship
or in the case of RA ,only 1 in the centre spotlight à la Louis XIV in residence at an IC-hotel

ARR72

I’m checking in on Tuesday for two nights and have two reservations. I have a premium park view room for myself and a “cozy” for my nieces, which I booked with points. I believe this will be my fourth time at this hotel and have always been underwhelmed by the rooms I’ve been given. Should I be prepared for the cozy room to not receive an upgrade? Any thoughts on what the up sell could be to an outward facing room? I am not fond of the interior facing cubby holes.

HadesNL

I see that you are Diamond AMB,

Best to avoid all uncertainty is to email the hotel in advance, writing:
- you'd like to keep your personal premium park view room
- divert and apply your Diamond AMB upgrade on your nieces' award room
- you forgo and understand that your personal premium park view room will NOT be upgraded

* i do this often if travelling with my sons to get a better room for them and most hotels are accomodating if you word it nicely.

And what everone says is true, those atrium innercourt facing rooms are a pokey hole and quite dark AND you can see across to your neighbours.... hope they add 1-way look glazing during the renovations

Atacama40

Been called many things over the years but furniture indeed! ..... you probably right in fact. And there is a chance to be there. September is birthday month and not sure if it's ICPL or IC Barcelona for that one. In fairness I was rather blown away by service levels at ICBCN recently. Impressive.

Just a bit of an update for what it's worth. Last couple of stops have been much better on delivered rooms and upgrades and general RA ambience. Something I learned (and I have to confess did not know ... not so good at room categories as you guys) but aim for the x88 and x86 rooms. Actually I think these are the 1 BR Mayfair Suites ... the new ones. Well they not really new any more but you know what I mean.

These are in fact behind the lifts and you enter in on the LHS corner. In fact they also have another door to the RHS of the lift bank that comes out of the bathroom! Rather odd unless you running some sort of 'in through the out door' tryst Sounds an odd place and rooms by lifts are usually to be avoided but not so here.

Was a great room. Multiple view windows with projection. Really great. Have had a few times but I'm starting understand the categories a little better now. Guess I should do after all this time. And indeed having had some chats there, it really does support shoven's comment that it's a 'hotel within a hotel' .... there are (get this) 32 different room categories! But one of those is the difference between having a Bosch kettle and/or a Nespresso machine. So potentially one of those RA upgrade levels could be based on a Nespresso machine!!! Should be against the hotel law that.

All that said, room/suite was perfect and immaculately maintained by a very enthusiastic house keeping so should not complain. But x88 is the thing to aim at Hades. Ideally on 5.

Lounge service continues be solid ... in fact I'm getting used to Pommery having been less than so originally. Maybe it was the volume that impacts my assessment?

Breakfast service on 7 is as consistent and polished as ever. And although previously critical of the service in Theo's, this was also very solid and indeed I think my previous snipe at them was maybe a little loaded. It's a good menu and staff are engaging and fast moving.

Concierge and front door staff I'd match against any property in London .... genuinely motivated, fun and efficient and indeed take pleasure in helping. And that magic word, consistent. The comment in that review you linked Hades about Panny and the other front door guys I'd 100% agree.

Oh and the one night we ordered room service .... don't do that so often and less often (out of habit) at ICPL. And it was absolutely on the money. Very nice quality. Admittedly on run of the mill choices .... burger, French Onion Soup and suchlike but all the same, fresh, well presented and enjoyable. Or was that down to the excess of Pommery? Who knows?

And Nicholas75, I asked them for a bottle opener for you. I have one if you PM me your address and I'll send it. And now I know where the goodies cupboard is .... lots of No.1 fragranced candles, kids back packs (really quite nice ones with nice contents) and of course the Hamilton Bears Mind you they need keep up as the reed diffusers from ICBCN are good competition. Yes I know I'm a free loader ... you should see the kitchen cupboard full of Amsterdam City Center CP goodies I still have and use!

Atacama40

Precisely as Hades says. Have a word beforehand. Even if a modest uplift then it's worth it. I did just this on a couple of points stays for family. And they did indeed upgrade from cosy room a little. Nice enough .... not the Royal but nice enough. A view is harder to secure these days even for regulars.

As for the upsell, they will but depends on occupancy of course. It continues be busy as ever with GCC folks whose organisation buy thousands of nights at the beginning of each year, pretty much as we do at other IC locations in Europe and ME. So they get first shot at it. Is fair enough in a sense.

Atacama40

Agree that DonPedro .... ICBCN was first class.

Having been critical of their pre-opening comms ... or rather a lack of it, the on-site product and service was excellent. Especially lounge staff and management. Nothing was too much trouble. And the 626 (think it was 626) corner suites are very nice if a tad dark due to the higher level windows. Also the over bed lights were too strong. But otherwise very nice indeed. And like you, on our 'go back' list ... not just for work stuff but fun stuff.

And RA treatment there first class as well. Apols off topic as this the ICPL thread but agree your comment.

Atacama40

Also a bit off topic but maybe not given it's the nearest new competitor .... The Peninsular opens early April at last! How long have they been working on that? Answer ... a long time.

I drove round it the other day and once it's branded and logo'ed up it's going to be a formidable position and aspect.

t's not strictly competition for ICPL in sector terms but again given the operating budget of a certain guest demographic, it could lure some. Have to confess to being curious myself. I may put a couple of nights in just for the hell of it.


https://www.peninsula.com/en/london-underdevelopment

https://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Art...i-s-Brooklands

HadesNL

Atacama40 interesting information!

Thank you for the time and write up.....
Always good to hear the latest from you.

......, furniture : this seems nowadays the only word that can not be interpreted the wrong way,
you never know nowadays if one's panties gets in a twist...
-furniture-
more a badge of honour meriting one's keen observation skills of the workings of the hotel of one's tenure
ought to be the naming of new cat for FT: titles...

- interesting the hotel does have rooms with the secret passage, seems indeed you were right about trysts and the ability of discrete ordering of local crumpet
- 32 different room categories, yeesh how long is this milking of Mayfair floor going to last
- very happy you mention the Nespresso is part of the Mayfair USP: S/O is very happy, he can't live of love alone and needs his coffee fix early morning, now is a good time to show him the £ value of the reservation
- glad to hear all services you've encountered have improved,

* IC BCN : phewww.... gladDonPedro & nicolas75 & you gave your quality seal of approval....
was not swayed yet.... how can i put it: after a bus group tour pelgrimage from Amsterdam to Lourdes for Ascencion day (reason: giving thanks for health recovery)
i didn't fancy taking the bus back for a 18 hour drive so thought of flying from BCN back to AMS,
however travelling with elderly inlaws means i need to plan a comfy recovery BCN stop extra, before going to fly back home,
i got pushed towards the Kimpton but decided to IC BCN + club might be the best for them + their guests: a group of nuns
- i know, ...,my accumulated points balance is at least used for the sake of goodness
- the things one does to keep the inlaws happy !

stargold

I agree that it should be an interesting hotel opening and I may well join you in trying it out once it has opened and the operations have stabilised, but given that IC will likely be less than half of the rates at the Pen, I don't think the two hotels' target markets really overlap. It will be in competition with the Four Seasons and the Lanesborough, I'm sure with the rates to match. .

Atacama40

For sure, no I agree the IC demographic is not a precise fit. It's purely that for that particular IC they have a proportion of clientele that crosses that unique physical area and (to some extent) can stay at any of those addresses somewhat regardless of budget .... 4S, Hilton, JW, 45 Park Lane etc. For the rest of us, the lines are much clearer as you say.

Interested in the rates. Stayed at the HKK one but ages ago and I can't remember the cost. I imagine it was disproportionate. Nevertheless, I'm going to crow bar an April stay in purely for the interest factor.

Will also be interested to see who they rob staff and management wise from IC and neighbouring addresses.

Atacama40

What on earth is going on in the world .... entry level rooms at ICPL in July starting at £742 p/n! Without breakfast!!

Am I getting old or something? I'm not a price sensitive type of guy but this .... for the lowest level rooms in the hotel? The Fitzroy at the same time in just over £400 from memory.

Also, for those interested in the post code (technically different I know) the Peninsular opening is now May. I am now genuinely curious what their rate structure is given these numbers.

shoven

That's just crazy for the old rooms even for a Mayfair room entry level its a stretch without breakfast, love the location and the club but for a leisure stay think I will pass this summer at those rates.

HadesNL

I can confirm september 2023 yields the same £690 / > and more ....results for a normal BASIC room

Highest bookable suite [Mayfair 1 bedroom King Hyde Park View] via the app is hitting > £1300 p/n

The Pen can easily match or outdo in pricing,
Yet it depends if they are skipping any introductionary offers and go straight to high season summer prices ..

Aventine

Are your dates during Wimbledon? That could be one reason.

Atacama40

It is indeed Aventine. Good call. Stay a lot and it is a swine for event pricing. Remember Adele played last year. At the begining of the week there was a breakfast & parking inclusive offer and discounted price. Soon as someone presed the button in the Adele media department needless to say that offer disappeared and the price was not dissimilar to these being discussed. And within 3 hours the hotel was full ... even the outrageous options.

Thanks for the steer. At least knowing settles one part of the brain if not the wallet.