IC Dubai Festival City (Master Thread)
Sep 6, 2010, 11:14 am
#31
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: wirral
Programs: IC RA
Posts: 231
I think one of the suites has been re categorised from deluxe suite to king club suite creek view
I had been upgraded to deluxe suite from a standard room some time ago, today it has been changed to a king club suite creek view, I take it though that club access will not be included, my stay though is for 5 days and about 5 months ago they stated I could have free club access for the final 2 days, after much debate they have finally honoured this.
BTW, the suite now is listed as 82 sq metres, the deluxe was listed as 90 sq metres
I had been upgraded to deluxe suite from a standard room some time ago, today it has been changed to a king club suite creek view, I take it though that club access will not be included, my stay though is for 5 days and about 5 months ago they stated I could have free club access for the final 2 days, after much debate they have finally honoured this.
BTW, the suite now is listed as 82 sq metres, the deluxe was listed as 90 sq metres
Sep 11, 2010, 1:19 pm
#32
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 14
I just booked this hotel for a stay in January as a Plat Ambassador with points, and was given a 'superior room' instead of a 'standard room'. Dunno if there is much difference there.
One question - I don't have a GSM phone, and Dubai is part of a multi-week, multi-stop trip for us. I was planning on just using a softphone application on my laptop and use my VOIP phone account that I use at home instead of paying a billion dollars in roaming fees/local sim cards/gsm phones, etc. However, it looks like VOIP is very restricted in Dubai. Does anyone know if the internet access in this hotel will work with VOIP services?
One question - I don't have a GSM phone, and Dubai is part of a multi-week, multi-stop trip for us. I was planning on just using a softphone application on my laptop and use my VOIP phone account that I use at home instead of paying a billion dollars in roaming fees/local sim cards/gsm phones, etc. However, it looks like VOIP is very restricted in Dubai. Does anyone know if the internet access in this hotel will work with VOIP services?
Last edited by sethdallob; Sep 11, 2010 at 4:41 pm
Sep 14, 2010, 9:40 am
#33
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: UK
Programs: PC RA, Flying Club Gold, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 96
It worked fine when I was there not so long back though Skype is illegal in the UAE for some reason. But they don't have Skype police in the hotel corridors! They've also stopped the complimentary internet access for AMB and RA
Nov 29, 2010, 11:18 pm
#35
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Sun & beach destinations
Programs: UA-lifetime Platinum (2MM), IHG-Amb, HH-Diamond, Hertz-PC, Marriott-Gold, CX-AM
Posts: 1,427
which days BOGO cert. can be used?
Does anyone know if BOGO cert can be used Thur-Sat or Fri-Sun at IC Festival City?
Nov 30, 2010, 1:34 am
#37
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
Worth noting that on my recent stay at the Crowne Plaza (which is actually the same hotel, different wing) I was upgraded to a huge suite from a standard room on a heavily discounted corporate rate, due to my Plat Amb status. Since the CP is in better condition than 90% of the IC's in the system, you should not dismiss it - especially as you're likely to get more PC points!
Nov 30, 2010, 3:07 am
#38
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MEL
Programs: QF OWE, HH D, HGP D, Starriott Plat, AA/LM/SQ/VA/QF/AS/BA
Posts: 251
I stayed at IC Dubai 3 months ago and found them to be very stingey. They refused to honour my BOGO cert, and then after the Reservations Mgr spoke to me he offered to refund the second night on a rate for a much lower room. It was only after much insistence and standing my ground for what I knew I was entitled to that he very reluctantly agreed to refund the second night. He argued that Advance Purchase was not a 'publicly available rate' and that it had to be a Best Flex rate to honour the BOGO cert. I bet you that if I'd pulled out the BOGO cert prior to receiving my suite upgrade (IC Amb perk) they wouldn't have given me a suite nor honoured at all!
I've since raised this issue with the Ambassador desk and while they tried to contact the hotel, they are seemingly powerless to do anything. If this is the attitude and customer service they show an IC Ambassador, I dare to think how others must fare.
My advice? Avoid this hotel. They will take every penny from you and then some, especially if you are not aware of your entitlements. Although the hotel itself is nice, the location and views are awful.
I've since raised this issue with the Ambassador desk and while they tried to contact the hotel, they are seemingly powerless to do anything. If this is the attitude and customer service they show an IC Ambassador, I dare to think how others must fare.
My advice? Avoid this hotel. They will take every penny from you and then some, especially if you are not aware of your entitlements. Although the hotel itself is nice, the location and views are awful.
Last edited by Gold_Member; Nov 30, 2010 at 3:17 am
Nov 30, 2010, 3:14 am
#39
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
This was presumably an old-style BOGO cert? He was probably confused with the new BOGO certs which DO require a Best Flex rate.
Your comment about hating the location is odd. This is, fundamentally, an 'airport convenient' hotel like the Park Hyatt. It is somewhere you go when you are arriving at midnight or leaving at 7am and want a short hop to/from the airport for 1 night. This is especially true if you do not want to pay $1,000 for another night in your beachfront hotel when you are leaving at the crack of dawn or arriving past midnight.
Given it is attached to a big shopping complex and is brand-spanking-new, there are far worse non-beach properties in Dubai.
Your comment about hating the location is odd. This is, fundamentally, an 'airport convenient' hotel like the Park Hyatt. It is somewhere you go when you are arriving at midnight or leaving at 7am and want a short hop to/from the airport for 1 night. This is especially true if you do not want to pay $1,000 for another night in your beachfront hotel when you are leaving at the crack of dawn or arriving past midnight.
Given it is attached to a big shopping complex and is brand-spanking-new, there are far worse non-beach properties in Dubai.
Nov 30, 2010, 3:16 am
#40
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MEL
Programs: QF OWE, HH D, HGP D, Starriott Plat, AA/LM/SQ/VA/QF/AS/BA
Posts: 251
Yes it was old style BOGO cert, however I made this very clear to both agents upon redemption. This was not a matter of confusion about BOGO conditions, this was attempted fraud on legitimate customers.
Mar 31, 2011, 8:02 am
#41
Formerly known as fsa_ea
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Up in the Air
Programs: UA GS/1MM,AS 75k,NK GLD,AA 2MM,DL 2MM,LH FT,AY PLT,IC RA,FMT LT PLT,HYT GLB,HLT DIA,MRT GLD,HRTZ PC
Posts: 2,229
Any more recent experiences here? I was thinking of booking a reward night here and wondered if we have any hope of any RA benefits being honored.
Apr 4, 2011, 2:23 pm
#43
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: SE USA
Programs: DL DM/MM , IHG Plat, MR Titanium, HH Gold, EK Frequent Kettle, UA Silver, AA Hater
Posts: 2,020
Stayed there last week - amazing hotel, upgraded to suite, great staff, nice lounge, great pool area. Highly recommend.
Good location near the airport and mall restaurants.
^
Good location near the airport and mall restaurants.
^
Jun 6, 2011, 5:26 am
#44
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,641
50% off Spa Treatments at Festival City this June:
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http://production.promediaadvt.com/n...ercon_web.html
Jun 6, 2011, 11:49 am
#45
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,625
Stayed there last thursday ; arrived at 06:30 after arriving in from Sydney and was able to check in and was asked ( as a royal ambassador member) whether I would prefer a club room or a suite without club
Was very happy with the hotel
Was very happy with the hotel