IC Melbourne The Rialto Master Thread [merged]
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 15
IC Melbourne The Rialto Master Thread [merged]
This hotel just opened last Dec 15. Would anyone know if it's any good? I have Ambassador status with IC and think that it ought to be a good alternative to the lackluster offerings the city has (Crown and Park Hyatt). What are your thoughts?
#2
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles, Luxury Hotels, TravelBuzz! and Italy
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 26,543
Welcome to Flyertalk, albertherrera
I am moving your thread to the Intercontinental Forum for discussion.
Please follow there: Miles & Points>Hotel Programs>Intercontinental
Obscure2k
Moderator
Luxury Hotels
I am moving your thread to the Intercontinental Forum for discussion.
Please follow there: Miles & Points>Hotel Programs>Intercontinental
Obscure2k
Moderator
Luxury Hotels
#4
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 10
Stayed there earlier this month.
There was a few teathing problems which i put down to having just opened. The main problems being phones and TV didn't work between 10PM-5AM which made it extrememly irratating ordering room service late at night!
Club lounge wasn't open yet when i was there and the main bar didn't have a liquor liscence yet but I imagine this would be sorted by now.
In terms of an upgrade I booked the King Deluxe room and recieved a Club Room without Club Access (they said even if it were open I wouldn't have recieved access). Fairly dissapointing upgrade as an RA.
The minibar is well stocked with Tattinger Champange and lots of beer and spirits which was taken full advantage of.
Overall it wasn't that bad and am going to stay there New Years Eve so hopefully some improvements have been made by then.
There was a few teathing problems which i put down to having just opened. The main problems being phones and TV didn't work between 10PM-5AM which made it extrememly irratating ordering room service late at night!
Club lounge wasn't open yet when i was there and the main bar didn't have a liquor liscence yet but I imagine this would be sorted by now.
In terms of an upgrade I booked the King Deluxe room and recieved a Club Room without Club Access (they said even if it were open I wouldn't have recieved access). Fairly dissapointing upgrade as an RA.
The minibar is well stocked with Tattinger Champange and lots of beer and spirits which was taken full advantage of.
Overall it wasn't that bad and am going to stay there New Years Eve so hopefully some improvements have been made by then.
#5
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: UK (LAS)
Programs: AA Ex Plat, ICH Plat RA, Hyatt Diamond, LAN Prem Silver
Posts: 544
I am staying there next month for 10 days on a Priority
Privilege deal which gives PP members unlimited BOGO's
until the end of January. This equates to A$147.5 a night
which is an absolute bargain.
I have booked the cheapest room & will be upgraded to
a Club Room. The bad news is that the club will not open
until mid January. It appears the licensing issues haven't
been resolved.
Yet more red tape from the World Champions of red tape
& regulations!
Privilege deal which gives PP members unlimited BOGO's
until the end of January. This equates to A$147.5 a night
which is an absolute bargain.
I have booked the cheapest room & will be upgraded to
a Club Room. The bad news is that the club will not open
until mid January. It appears the licensing issues haven't
been resolved.
Yet more red tape from the World Champions of red tape
& regulations!
#6
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: AMM
Programs: BA Gold, TK Plat, Marriott Ambassador (LP), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 199
I am staying there next month for 10 days on a Priority
Privilege deal which gives PP members unlimited BOGO's
until the end of January. This equates to A$147.5 a night
which is an absolute bargain.
I have booked the cheapest room & will be upgraded to
a Club Room. The bad news is that the club will not open
until mid January. It appears the licensing issues haven't
been resolved.
Yet more red tape from the World Champions of red tape
& regulations!
Privilege deal which gives PP members unlimited BOGO's
until the end of January. This equates to A$147.5 a night
which is an absolute bargain.
I have booked the cheapest room & will be upgraded to
a Club Room. The bad news is that the club will not open
until mid January. It appears the licensing issues haven't
been resolved.
Yet more red tape from the World Champions of red tape
& regulations!
#7
In Memoriam
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: A few
Posts: 635
I am staying there next month for 10 days on a Priority
Privilege deal which gives PP members unlimited BOGO's
until the end of January. This equates to A$147.5 a night
which is an absolute bargain.
I have booked the cheapest room & will be upgraded to
a Club Room. The bad news is that the club will not open
until mid January. It appears the licensing issues haven't
been resolved.
Yet more red tape from the World Champions of red tape
& regulations!
Privilege deal which gives PP members unlimited BOGO's
until the end of January. This equates to A$147.5 a night
which is an absolute bargain.
I have booked the cheapest room & will be upgraded to
a Club Room. The bad news is that the club will not open
until mid January. It appears the licensing issues haven't
been resolved.
Yet more red tape from the World Champions of red tape
& regulations!
Great PP BOGO deal, eh? Been using it in NZ.
#9
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: BNE
Programs: QF Gold, VA Gold, IHG Spire, Accor Plat, Marriot Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,281
Dont expect a bath in the standard rooms - some press here:
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/hotel-t...0109-7dh4.html
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/hotel-t...0109-7dh4.html
#10
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: UK (LAS)
Programs: AA Ex Plat, ICH Plat RA, Hyatt Diamond, LAN Prem Silver
Posts: 544
Not a good start.
I arrived last night expecting a Club room with access to their Club benefits.
(The lounge will not open until the license is obtained. Surely this could have been obtained before the hotel's opening. This could only happen in Australia!)
I originally rang the hotel's reservation dept to ask what room I needed to book in order to be upgraded to a Club Room with Club access or benefits.
Not only was I told I could book the cheapest room, the Rialto, but I was also booked into a Club Room for a 10 night stay taking advantage of their opening special through Priority Privilege.
Several days later I checked my PC acct and noticed the stay was only for 2 nights. I rang several times to have this rectified and finally the reservation was changed to a different room rate at a much higher price but for 10 nights.
During my next call the reservations manager tried to renege on the original offer but did eventually agree to honour the offer.
Of course when I arrived she had only honoured the part which included the club room with no club benefits. Clearly she felt reneging on a deal with one of the hotel's first RA's was the right way to proceed.
The duty manager (US Oscar winning documentary maker) was completely useless. Hard to fathom how he had been appointed to such a post.
Didnt appear to have any understanding of the RA system and made no concialiatory gestures/offers.
The gentleman who took over the matter has been far more professional.
He did outline the upgrade benefits for RA's (Ambassadors may receive identical upgrades) :
'Should you book a Rialto room or a Deluxe room, you would get an upgrade to a Premium room, which are our largest and coziest rooms
Should you book a Premium room, you would then get an upgrade to a Club room with Club benefits
Should you book a Club Room, you would then get a Premium Club room with Club benefits'
He also offered me the Club benefits ( a few drinks/canopes in the bar plus breakfast) for 5 of my 10 nights & has since offered me free internet.
I do hope the ICHG includes Club access for all RA's when they make changes to the program in February. This will at least put RA's on the same playing field as their elite counterparts at the other major upmarket hotel chains.
I will keep you updated on any developments.
LATEST UPDATE I have been offered Full Club benefits for the entire stay which is a satisfactory conclusion to the episode.
I arrived last night expecting a Club room with access to their Club benefits.
(The lounge will not open until the license is obtained. Surely this could have been obtained before the hotel's opening. This could only happen in Australia!)
I originally rang the hotel's reservation dept to ask what room I needed to book in order to be upgraded to a Club Room with Club access or benefits.
Not only was I told I could book the cheapest room, the Rialto, but I was also booked into a Club Room for a 10 night stay taking advantage of their opening special through Priority Privilege.
Several days later I checked my PC acct and noticed the stay was only for 2 nights. I rang several times to have this rectified and finally the reservation was changed to a different room rate at a much higher price but for 10 nights.
During my next call the reservations manager tried to renege on the original offer but did eventually agree to honour the offer.
Of course when I arrived she had only honoured the part which included the club room with no club benefits. Clearly she felt reneging on a deal with one of the hotel's first RA's was the right way to proceed.
The duty manager (US Oscar winning documentary maker) was completely useless. Hard to fathom how he had been appointed to such a post.
Didnt appear to have any understanding of the RA system and made no concialiatory gestures/offers.
The gentleman who took over the matter has been far more professional.
He did outline the upgrade benefits for RA's (Ambassadors may receive identical upgrades) :
'Should you book a Rialto room or a Deluxe room, you would get an upgrade to a Premium room, which are our largest and coziest rooms
Should you book a Premium room, you would then get an upgrade to a Club room with Club benefits
Should you book a Club Room, you would then get a Premium Club room with Club benefits'
He also offered me the Club benefits ( a few drinks/canopes in the bar plus breakfast) for 5 of my 10 nights & has since offered me free internet.
I do hope the ICHG includes Club access for all RA's when they make changes to the program in February. This will at least put RA's on the same playing field as their elite counterparts at the other major upmarket hotel chains.
I will keep you updated on any developments.
LATEST UPDATE I have been offered Full Club benefits for the entire stay which is a satisfactory conclusion to the episode.
Last edited by boar; Jan 12, 2009 at 4:47 pm
#12
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Citizen of the world
Programs: QF Plat./OW Emerald + Life Gold, IC Plat. Royal Ambassador, etc.
Posts: 2,891
Dont expect a bath in the standard rooms - some press here:
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/hotel-t...0109-7dh4.html
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/hotel-t...0109-7dh4.html
Other info. on this place most disappointing too. What a let down.
Won't be staying here then. Seeing as HI on Flinders always upgrade me to a suite, and it has a bath and is only just round the corner from the new IC, I'll be staying there instead.
#13
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Australia
Programs: QFF LTG , HHD
Posts: 1,207
Quite surprising. I guess they are not planning on capturing the bath loving Japanese business market either.
#15
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Mainland Europe somewhere
Posts: 60
Could someone tell me where the best website to book IC Melbourne would be that would still give me the Ambassador benefits?
I wouldn't mind trying this hotel but not at their rack rate, based on people's reviews, so I'm trying to do this as cheaply as possible.
I wouldn't mind trying this hotel but not at their rack rate, based on people's reviews, so I'm trying to do this as cheaply as possible.