The property e-mailed that they flat out do not upgrade IHG Plat on a points stay.

I see many Ambassadors posting in this thread, but does anyone who is IHG Plat have a positive check in experience with a surprise upgrade, and if so, to what category?

Thanks

Has anyone offered a paid upgrade at check-in? I wonder if they use difference in rack-rate for the difference or any other method?

ye all the time - its the difference between best flex, or advanced what ever you booked. Mines always been flex so the difference.

I completed my stay and this property has the most confusing upgrade structure I've ever seen.

Booked three nights on points, one with cash in to a classic.

IHG Platinum, no Ambassador

Property e-mailed they do not upgrade point stays regardless of status and sent me a price chart for upgrades.

I called London and asked about enrolling in Ambassador for an upgrade. They took my info but did not process the application. I said I'd do it on site as I don't like to e-mail scans of my passport and credit card which were required (I was trying to give the hotel credit for the sale even though I could have signed up online).

When I got to the hotel, I was upgraded anyway to a London Superior. "London" was described to me as different furnishing and NOT updated/refurbished.

If I had purchased Ambassador onsite, I was led to believe I would have had the same room. All room categories appeared to be available online for my entire stay.

Would I have liked a deluxe or larger? Sure. But I was very impressed with the Superior use of space and thought it was a great room.

Anyway, the hotel is fantastic and shows off London sophistication. Staff is great and concierge desk is well-staffed and knowledgeable. There was a snafu with one request that turned out not to be their fault, and they still reimbursed me for cab fare to a place that was closed. Top notch.

Much better than my executive room at the Hilton next door.

Overall rating 9/10

I am plat amb and I stayed here last week. Booked classic room with points and upgraded to london deluxe. The main difference between this and london superior (had this on previous stay) as far as I could tell was a higher floor and better view.

Really quiet (it seems) in the hotel this week...
Lobby quiet, bar quiet, club lounge very quiet.. even during happy hour.

ye it was on saturday... ramadan ;)

So if a Classic room is booked, should an upgrade be requested? I have a stay booked for October using my Into The Nights reward nights, and a Classic room was the only type offered for that. For two nights on a leisure stay do you think it an acceptable room, and if not, is the next level Superior? And what is the difference between the two?

The classic room is too damn small. Like a cruise ship basic cabin. No thanks. IHG really sucks for central London redemptions - think I'd pick CP The City over IC Park Lane. IC trades purely on its location, which to me is mostly enh. I'd rather be closer to Covent Garden & Soho than the west side of Mayfair snooseville.

SPG sucks as well for London redemptions. W rooms tiny, Le Meridien classic rooms sucks, Sheraton sucks generally.

Hilton's Trafalgar is my preferred redemption in London.

Classics are all internal facing and a bit smaller. I only once had one as a temporary 08:00 arrival room. Typically I get an upgrade to at least an Exec room which has external views and much more space. That is as a RA however.

I was looking for other options. Like you I prefer something more central, but nothing else was available for ITN redemption at the time I booked. So I had to choose IC.

Disappointing Award stay, my first points use here for quite some time I guess

Booked award on the day about 1000am and checked in circa 2pm so not early and by then most rooms are renewed by cleaners.

Was told I had double upgrade to a Deluxe ie classic-superior-deluxe (london versions don't count). I politely mentioned isn't usually minimum upgrade to Exec and immediate response was we don't have to upgrade at all on an Award stay and also it is summer season and we are very full.

Well all room types including Exec/J-Suites/Suites were available and remained available past midnight !
Question now is is this poor treatment policy or not and will paid night treatment also suffer. At this hotels premium rates I am not risking future treatment

ALSO not given welcome letter , no water, fruit, gift (the usual cookies box) at any time

Also told not possible to purchase Lounge as the hotel needs to keep exclusive and wants to limit number of guests with access

Well I voted with my wallet on incidentals , eating out night and breakfast as not impressed at all.

I only used points as booking at last minute on day is too high a rate and using some of my points made sense. Surely the IC must realise if I am unhappy on an award night stay I will look else where on paid nights too

A real shame but it could be symptomatic of a general management attitude change at thus hotel
(or reception staff are poor that day and can't recognise difference between RA and Ambassadors as Ambassadors usually get a Deluxe room which is what I ended up with)

I have cancelled my paid next bookings and will stay elsewhere instead.

Have any other RA's had less than an Exec Room on award nights recently when all room types available?

I wonder if the fact you booked same day is relevant?
The only stay here where I have not received the usual attention and things like the ambassador water/fruit/cookies is when i booked a last minute stay, arriving about an hour after booking.

I have always guessed that when advance bookings are upgraded, it is being done by a backroom reservations manager, who is familiar with the usual upgrades and whatnot... but a last minite booking (paid or points) is just processed by front desk staff, and that may be subject to some variation or inconsistency.

That sounds weird! I was there last sat on a points booking. Received exec without asking amenities etc offered lounge ( didn't require it), it sounds like you were treated as a Non RA to me..

Do you know who was checking you in? do they know you etc

Agree as a regular guest I typically get a suite on an award booking in addition to the rest of the normal benefits including minibar. I have booked stays at relatively short notice before but never only an hour in advance and this is where the issue may be.