Flying Lawyer

We had a wonderful week long stay at this property. Travelling with a child we could not use the Club lounge at happy hour. The hotel provided however more than adequate facilities in the lobby bar. Breakfast at the restaurant was fantastic, everything else as well known. Great place to stay at with a toddler. After we found out the accessible route to the skywalk through the neighboring tower (only) navigation around was quite easy.

Reservation was funny: We had originally booked the standard Grande Deluxe Room and had the naïve idea we could get an upgrade to a Corner Suite. No, clearly refused, just a 2 category upgrade to a club room. Upgrade to a Corner Suite for about 3000 THB ++ per night. I than cancelled the Grande Deluxe and booked an Executive Deluxe for less than 700 THB ++ per night extra. And all of a sudden: Yes Sir, certainly Sir, we give you a two category upgrade to a Club Corner Suite.....

BuddhaExplores

When we went (as an Plat Ambassador) - we booked the Suite and got the corner suite, to be honest, didn't really feel different - that said, I loved the hotel though and the addition of the club lounge made it that much better

Can see my review of the place here: https://buddhaexplores.com/2017/02/0...-suite-review/
And also the club lounge itself: https://buddhaexplores.com/2017/02/0...lounge-review/

BP3

Anyone else had the Club Corner Suite points booking downgraded to a Corner Suit with no Club? I'm Spire Ambassador and it's been downgraded with 2 weeks to go. I've emailed Ambassador customer care asking for it to be re-instated.

When IC Samui made all rooms available on points, I got a Pool Villa for 5 nights. That reservation got downgraded and Customer Care made the hotel honour the booking. I'm hoping the same applies here.

scubaccr

You knew it was an obvious mistake rate when booking (every IC BKK room was open on points ! ) and you rolled the dice and took your chance knowing that hotel can and may reset you to the correct entry level room.

No, the Amb desk can not force any IHG hotel to honour a mistake rate. Any honouring (partly / fully) is at the discretion of the hotel, could depend on many things, occupancy, if a peak date (eg Xmas, New year weeks), how many people booked mistake rate your night(s), if guest iss greedy and booked either booking one lengthy stay or multiple stays hotel is also less likely to be nice. about it versus a single booking for 1night.

I'd call keeping the corner suite without club-lounge a good result, and be thankful with that great result and not rock the boat. If you piss off IC Bangkok management they could react by completing your downgrade to correct points entry level room (Grande Deluxe), with zero upgrade even if an Ambassadoe elite.

Because the error was publicised in FT (and repeated by bloggers elsewhere) and open for almost 48houtrs, I suspect far too many nights were booked by too many guests for IC BKK to be able to swallow the revenue loss.
The IC has 31x corner suites (Corner suite / Club corner Suite) is essentially the same room size/layout, just club is on higher floors nearer clublounge floor, if IC Bangkok had only 1-5 such suites I suspect that you'd have not got a suite either.

IC Bangkok may even point to Amb t+c's that Ambs will not be given free club-lounge, IC Bngkokl may be looking at your points reservation as being a points booking in entry level Grande Deluxe with foc upgrade to corner suite room.

demue

+1. I fully agree, I wouldn't rock the boat on this either. Keeping the Corner Suite is pretty darn good. If you are keen on Club, ask for paid supplement and say thanks to the hotel that way. Or if Club is more.important to you offer downgrade to Club room with free access. Will get a much better reaction.

Yes they screwed up and you may even be able to wrestle them down on the Club access, but many times this can cause hotel management just to toughen up on strictly interpreting the IHG AMB / RA T&Cs.

stimpy

Starting right now through January 6th, the club now has an open buffet of nice hot dishes.

mpeterson78

I booked a Grand Deluxe room for 3 nights using points, checking in next week. Anyone have an idea what an upgrade price would be to get into a room with Club access?

stimpy

You can and should try negotiating at check in, but I can tell you the hotel is completely full now and the lounge is a bit busy. It's not to the point where there are no tables left, but it's close. So it is possible they may not even offer an upgrade for cash and if they do it might be just as expensive as booking a club room. YMMV.

BTW Bangkok is really busy now. Traffic is worse than normal and just about every BTS train I took this week has been jam packed. Still I would advise taking the airport train if you are arriving in the morning or afternoon. Otherwise it will likely take over an hour in a taxi.

greendx

It's been 2 years since my last stay. Do AMBs still get free breakfast at the restaurant? Looks like I've been upgraded to a King Club room but I prefer their restaurant breakfast over the lounge.

Also oddly, just received an email reminding me of my upcoming stay. It's giving me an estimated points earning for my stay that's nearly double what is being displayed in my reservation.

barracuda93

Do they provide Club benefits as Amb benefit?? Or are you RA?

greendx

I'm not RA. I'm assuming that getting the upgrade to a club room here will give me club benefits but this is not a normal upgrade from cheapest available room for an AMB.

barracuda93

It should NOT give Club benefits, though of course a hotel can decide to give that regardless of Amb T&C.

scubaccr

IC is not allowed to give non-RA Ambassadors free of charge Club Lounge experience. Ambassadors need to either book a room with club included or upsell (if allowed) at checkin. Amb's are meant to get 20% (or 15%) upseell discount though.

The Sep2016 rewrite of Amb t+c's changed (paraphrasing)
(FROM ) Club is not an Ambassador benefit
(TO) Club experience will not be given to Ambassadors..... as it is not an Ambassador benefit <== maybe too many Amb's were booking 1cat below club and being too agressive at checkin I guess

barracuda93

I have no idea if it ever happens in practice nowadays, but I assume ICs may – at least in theory – go extra mile and give Club benefits for free to Amb member, if they wish to. T&C had been rewritten just to make it clear Ambassador cannot demand Club access, unless Club level is booked. But unlikely it means hotels will be somehow punished by IHG in a case they still give Club for free, for whatever reason.

For a note, I have been provided complementary Club access in three SPG properties, being just Gold. I never demanded it though, of course; once it was offered from hotel side, in two other cases I have requested it nicely (asked for access limited to evening happy hour, for evaluation purposes having in mind to stay there again later on).

IAN-UK

Problem of terminology here I think. IC are not obliged to, indeed are discouraged from, offering free club access to non-RA guests: but there's nothing to stop them doing so. So "not allowed" is perhaps a little too strong. Why the hotel would want to make such a good-will gesture probably depends on how much they value the client's business, and how busy the lounge is. And the mood of the receptionist/duty manager on the day

The same thing seems to apply to CP and HI properties. They are not obliged to offer club facilities to Spires, but a number do not toe the line and continue to be generous. Others use the "IHG do not permit us to do this" excuse to deny access.

It's the same old IHG fudge.