sultanbinaber

yep, always works and is a much nicer experience compared to the trainee-checkin at the front desk.
And I see you were really lucky with the highest upgrade you could get


One more note of club improvement here: Apart from Corona they now also offer Guiness during evening spread.

youhavebeenupgraded

Stayed in a corner junior suite (RA upgrade). Here some pictures:
http://youhavebeenupgraded.boardinga...ntal-warschau/

Viks

Very dissatisfied how a newly minted Ambassador was treated here!

Made reservation for deluxe room counting on 1 category upgrade to club. Was given jr suite on check in (couldn't care less about room size, deluxe is fine for me, but I find club useful), so asked if I still get club access. Nope, but I could get club access for "special Ambassador price of 60 EUR". (Keep in mind that price difference between deluxe and club room is only 30 EUR, so Ambassadors pay twice as much as anyone else!).

Fine, I don't need a jr suite, just give me 1 category upgrade to club room as per T&C. Was told I'll have to pay 60 EUR for club access anyway, even if upgraded to club room. Asked for supervisor, still won't bulge, citing some "changed rules".

Can they really do this, even reading T&C most formally? Should I complain to IHG /Priority club, will there be any result or such "rogue" properties can do what they want at IHG?

scubaccr

Ambassador is guaranteed a 1-level upgrade. Nothing in terms abouts giving you club for free.

If you are saying you book 1-level below club, so your 1-level upgrade puts you in a club room, the hotel does not have to give lounge access.

Lounge access is not even an entitlement for an RA, although quite a few hotels do give lounge on paid stays, a a smaller number on points/award nights.

The only t+c mentioning lounge to be given is for RA's who must be given one of room types Club, Executive, Suite. This rule recently clarified in t+c to add if RA receives Club Room then Lounge access must be given too.

So an RA booking basic room, upgraded to Junior Suite also does not get Lounge access without paying for it.

sultanbinaber

The negative comments on your blog refer to hotel guests only. Though sometimes unfortunate for others, a hotel does generally not have the option of selecting its guest as part of the business model.
Of course situations like this are annoying but can happen all over the world. I had a similar issue during my recent stay at IC Budapest, a group of eight drunk persons yelling on the floor where my room was located. Also thinking about Thailand, especially Bangkok, you see 'strange' people quite often...even though they are not necessarily drunk

And by the way, the lounge at the IC (though it has to be paid for) is by far nicer in every aspect compared to the Westin. Actually I also prefer it over the one at the Hyatt for the nice view and better snack options during the day.

Viks

Yes, deluxe room I booked is one level below club room.

So this is how IHG "logic" works? Although club access is integral part of club room (you can't book club room without club access, actually there's no difference between club and deluxe rooms except club access), upon upgrading club room and access magically become unbundled? That's just petty and absurd.

So following this logic next time if they upgrade me to a suite they can tell I can use bedroom but not the other room, which is 200 EUR extra ("special Ambassador price, my friend"). Because T&C don't say an upgrade to a suite should include all rooms in it!

sultanbinaber

Take a closer look: IC Warsaw - per definition - does not sell club rooms any longer:

"1 KING BED STANDARD ROOM "
vs.
"1 KING BED CLUB LOUNGE ACCESS " (i.e. Classic King + Access)

Not a straighforward and customer friendly policy, but that's how it is
There are actually a couple of IC properties that do not have specific club rooms (Budapest come into my mind, Vienna as well if I remember correctly).

Viks

I'm very sorry you have to invent things to prove your invalid point. No, it does not say Classic King + Access. That's your unfounded invention.

Room types are listed within each rate type. Standard, Deluxe, Club, Accessible, Suite etc. If club lounge access was a separate item (like breakfast), there would be a a rate called "Best Flexible with Club Access" listing all room types. There isn't such.

sultanbinaber

There is no need for me to 'invent' things since I'm not a marketing guy for IHG I just tried to explain you some specific aspects of the IHG-world that you might not be too familiar with at the moment (referring to your own description of being a "newly minted Ambassador").

As opposed to other chains (e.g. Hilton) each IC property defines room categories on its own leading to different descriptions. Some have specific club rooms. If this is the case, as per T&C it can be insisted on club access. If a room is standard/deluxe/whatever room plus club access the handling is different in regards to upgrades. Club access will most likely not be part of any upgrade in this case, unfortunately even for RA (but again, different hotels have their own policy).

At some properties club access is actually advertised in elevators etc. and sold as an add-on (just like breakfast) at the front desk, but this is not wanted to the extent that the exclusivity of the 'Club Intercontinental' concept is endangered - therefore there are no 'club-rates' listed on the website.

scubaccr

It is a bit more complex than that. The tower high rise type of IC's (rather than old 3-5 storey height buildings) tended to designate a small number of floors as "Club Floor"
Sometimes with just club rooms, sometimes a mix of rooms, including eg Executive, J/Suite, Full Suite
Similarly the Club rooms can be standard rooms, but on club floor with only difference being club room access.

In your instance the Warsaw hotel could argue that Deluxe -> Club Floor room is upgrade for several reasons ..... eg as Club rooms have better types of eg Sheets, Tolietries, Bigger TV Screen, whilst room otherwise remains identical. Hotel can also argue same room on high floor where clubrooms are usually located is an upgrade too.

Yes there will be the odd IC, whose Club Room is identical in size, contents, and without dedicated floor, and only inherrent benefit of word "CLUB" would be lounge access.

Basically, Ambassadors, the same as Royal Ambassador's must book a Club Room to ensure Lounge access on a stay.
You may be offered the chance to buy Lounge at checkin, and usually Ambassadors, RA's are offered a discount to the normal lounge purchase cost. In most IC hotel's it is cheaper to buy Lounge Access than a 1-level room upgrade.

youhavebeenupgraded

thx for that information, I didnt know that, sorry my mistake, but it was my first stay at a five star hotel; I always thought that they are selecting their guests

WilcoRoger

1/ 60 € is the rack rate for Club, so they were hoodwinking you about the "special price" Just Thursday I paid 35€ "special price"

2/ If they put you in a club room, per T&C access is included (there's a thread on this, look it up)

I didn't push, because the T&C specifically exclude Prez Suites, so I would have been on unsure ground there and 35€ was a good deal on Club.

WilcoRoger

Going by the letter of the T&C you are correct. Luckily there are still a number of ICs that give room upg + club even on the lowest room type, some of them even on reward stays (lately for me: VIE, BUD, TYO Bay, Yokohama, MCT, AMM, BKK and possibly TYO ANA. Last time in SIN as well, though it was late 2011) - this being RA

flyingfkb

Can anyone tell me how the wine selection in the restaurants, bars are? What wine do the serve?

sultanbinaber

Full wine list for the fine dining restaurant can be found here.

In the club lounge there is only one choice (per red and white), lower average quality.
RA gift (if applicable) is a 'not too bad' cab. sauv. from Argentina.


There are nice wine bars in the city as well.