Smythmeister

I'd take Mayfair Premium every time.

Mora

Short update - the hotel just decided to downgrade my confirmed King Junior Suite Mayfair Floor to King Premium Mayfair Floor without any info. Got the Diamond desk involved and they are on it now - let's see how that one turns out.
I find it very interesting that the hotel can just adjust a confirmed suite upgrade again at anytime they like which makes the CSU rather "unconfirmed".

NorthernLass

I've heard of this happening to a couple of people at different properties so now I'm wondering if there's some sort of genuine IT issue at IHG's end. What was your original room?

Mora

Cosy room on a rewards night. And I don't mind the King Premiere Mayfair room but I find the practice of downgrading without notice not very well handled by the hotel. It's the unreliability that I got issues with.

Because it also means that this IHG rewards benefit as a whole is completely unreliable for members using it. In this case they only downgraded me to a King Premiere Mayfair - but they could have also downgraded me to a non Mayfair room. In which case I would have had no intention of staying at the hotel at all. But based on the fact that I already had a confirmed Mayfair upgrade I have cancelled a reservation at another hotel which I also couldn't reinstate now with just a few days notice. That's what I find truly problematic.

HadesNL

This is very unfortunate, disappointing that the C in CSU is not confirmable....
if you have a screenshot of your confrimed Mf Jr. suite,
use this as a bargaining chip to your advantage,
- first ask why is your confimed suite demoted, quote: is this because of a ME harem take over ?
- second bargain to only settle for Mf floor and as you are already Diamond, they could throw in
* club lounge access
* F&B credit (easy to use for dinner at Theo)
* if sticking to demoted Mf room than at least 1 night of points worth back

Mora : i really feel for you, you were so much looking forward to Mf jr. suite and now you have to deal with these uncertainties
Good luck !

Mora

Thank you Hades!
I actually have got more than a screenshot of the Mayfair Junior Suite - I got a confirmation email confirming that upgrade.
And I don't actually think the downgrade is due to a ME harem taking over as the Mayfair Junior Suites are back on regular sale.
I will keep you all updated how this plays out. What I am really worried about is a change to a non-Mayfair Junior Suite - if that happens I will for once in my life cause a scene at check-in.

NorthernLass

I think IHG will sort this out if you re-contact them. If it is the hotels being naughty, a firm stance needs to be taken!

Mora

Okay this is getting worse by the day: Now they changed my reservation again to a dreaded unrenovated Junior Suite.
I called the Diamond Hotline again and they basically told me that although you got a confirmed suite upgrade its in the end up to the discretion of the hotel what room they put you in. If that is really the case than the CSUs are completely useless.
After a long discussion the Diamond Hotline was at least able to change my room back to a King Premium Mayfair. But it's really annoying that you have to watch your reservation like a hawk to see if the hotel changed it again.

NorthernLass

There must be some sort of contract formed once you are sent the confirmation email from IHG?

Mora

According to the Diamond Hotline - nope. They said they were sorry but the hotel can change the confirmed suite upgrades however they like.

jpdx

That is really shocking! If you have time, I think it would be useful if you could document your experience in the Milestone: Confirmed Suite Upgrade master thread for future reference and discussion. Thanks!

tvsfrank

This is very disturbing. I have an upcoming stay in March and was also planning on using a CSU. Even if they have the discretion to change the suite you're in (which is also BS), how can they justify putting you in a non-suite? Maybe they originally tried to downgrade you and were told that they at least need to put you in a suite. For as much money and time we've invested in IHG, I'm getting tired of all of the penny-pinching from some of these ICs (looking at you Barclay!)

daruda

Just checked in as diamond amb and got upgraded to premium mayfair room! Requested a nice upgrade to mayfair via mail as it is our 5th year in a row we return to IC Londen.

Very nice rooms! Bathrooms rather small.

PH2

Curious - did you end up not using your CSU? I'm Platinum Amb and have a CSU I'd like to use for my stay in May. I booked shortly after reservations opened up last summer and locked in 4 nights for a King Classic at the rate of 55K/night (with the 4th night free discount). Would I "waste" my CSU trying to apply it for this stay since I'm entitled to a one category upgrade? That doesn't mean it will be a suite, right? Seems like I should use the CSU in this case and forego the Amb benefit.

blueghostuk

No harm in phoning up to apply the CSU, if the room(s) they offer isn't any good for you, you can just decline it