sven60035

I got an executive suite for a bargain on very short notice (well at least I think it's a bargain, I'm sure UK1 disagrees with me) so I would not expect to get an upgrade to whatever is the next level.

Sure I'm disapointed with the recent watering down of the RA status and in recent weeks some IC have been a let down while some have been still excellent.

I agree that it might be an idea to change the T&C of the FF offer to clearly say that [ ] does not apply while [] will be given.

I'm not a savy RA as most other posters here, in fact the only reason I'm an RA is because my assistant is a savy travel booker so maybe I see it differently.

uk1

Well I don't know what you paid so how can you be sure I disagree? You are basically saying that you don't understand the RA programme and don't care. You say you have a savvy travel broker but you don't know what you're going to get by benefits. Fair enough. This forum basically is for people that want to understand the programmes and do care.

That what I said that you disagreed with wasn't it?

For the wider audience.

You cannot even trust IHG's own Ts&Cs to be consistant.

There entry page here has a link to the Ts and Cs here. On that page it says:

But the link on any of the specific employees pages eg here says:

So what chance does anyone have.

broadwayboy

How do we know the location of employees' office to put in the voucher? The referring link doesn't seem to indicate it.

MXM135

uk1, I agree that there is confusion, but IHG are masters at not being specific, however, you provided links from EMEA and compared it to the Americas T&C's. If you read the page from Steve Sickel's link, it clearly states that:

Rates are subject to availability. Most Friends and Family rates must be booked approximately 7 days in advance, although individual hotels and regions may vary.

The T&C's do not need to be the same in each region. Similar thinking is used in not offering global stay/points promotions for everything and having regional promotions for stays, points, etc.

mxm135

uk1

I'm not certain that's correct. This is entirely different from points promotions.

I'm not certain the properties know when a booking is made which continent the referrer (not reserver) started from. I don't think the employees referring page leaves a footprint on the reservation - hence you have to take with you a completed certificate.

At it's simplest I do not think that IC London are expecting to offer different cancellation periods to F&F bookings depending on whether they have been referred by an employee from the US as against one from Europe. I find it difficult to believe that they are capable of that level of sophistication.

Also the link page for what you describe as the EMEA version doesn't warn that if you take a link from a non-European employee then the Ts&Cs might or more accurately will be different. And why would most people read what they think are the same Ts&Cs twice - when most people don't even read them once?

uk1

............. what's puzzling about this is if you Google "As our Friends and Family, you can now enjoy special rates at over 4,100 " you only come up with a dozen or so employees participating.

WilcoRoger

Where would you want to put it?

Anyway a quick Google search seems to indicate Phoenix, AZ

uk1

You have to put the name and location on the certificate and hand it in when you check-in. If you forget to then you could be denied the rate - and lose the cash as it is non-cancellable. At least it might be. This might depend on the origin of the person that "gave you" the offer (but you don't know that as you haven't handed the form in with the name on!) or the hotel as in some geographics refundability might be at the hotel's discretion.




What would assist all IHG customers is a very simple definition of what a "promotion" is, as it does not have a meaning that is common.

For example Fully Flexible Rate could be the only rate that is not a promotion. But in fact it might be sometimes.

Arguably Advanced Purchase which is available when the hotel has capacity, could be considered a promotion as it isn't available in all hotels all of the time. In some hotels iit is added and removed as and when the loads make it profitable to do so. But Advanced Purchase can be combined with weekend certs. So to use IHG's logic - it cannot be a promotion.

I've said that a fully flexible rate might become a promotion. Arguably the moment you receive a bonus point offer which you take alongside Fully Flexible Rate that converts the FFR to a promotion. Or if they add a "free breakfast" it is a promotion. But we would all expect to be able to use a Weekend Certificate with such a promotion.

At the moment it is the impression that IHG fall back on the "promotion" excuse when they have either "c*cked it up" or when they simply want to avoid alllowing someone to do something they expected to do. The are enabled to do this by avoiding defining what a promotion is. This is not in anyone's long-term interest. The solution is simple. Either they should explain clearly and unambiguously what a promotion is or in every offer state where certain benefits eg weekend certs cannot be used.

That would do it and failure to do so will leave customers continuing to arrive at check-in desks belieivng that they have have bought something different from what IHG say that they offered. The impression will remain therefore that they prefer to leave open the option of misleading their best customers, when removing the problem is very easy.

MXM135

I decided to contact Ambassador Services with the question regarding Ambasaador/RA's using a BOGO certificate with the Friends and Family rate. Here is their response:

*************************
Dear Mr. MXM135,

Thank you for taking the time to contact the InterContinental Ambassador Service Center.

We would like to advise you that when staying under the Friends and Family rate, all Royal Ambassador privileges apply with the exception of room upgrades and the use of the Complimentary Weekend Night Certificate.

We hope to have assisted in clarifying your inquiry. Should you have further questions, kindly contact us directly.

Sincerely,

Ms. xxxxxx xxxxxx
Ambassador Services
Tel: +44 (0) 870 400 9099
+1 800 462 6686
Fax: +44 (0) 870 400 9010
E-mail: [email protected]

----------
From: MXM135
Sent: Wednesday, April 8, 2009 9:17 AM
To: +InterContinental Ambassador
Subject: Use of IC Weekend Certificate with Friends and Family Rate
Importance: High

I would like clarification on the following:

CAN the "Free Weekend Night Certificate" which comes with the Ambassador/Royal Ambassador membership kit be used with the IHG Friends and Family Rate which has been made available and promoted through IHG's Communispace forum.

Thank you,

xxxx

********************************************

It looks like we are not entitled to room upgrades as well.

mxm135

WilcoRoger

Search as I might, there is no "location" on the voucher that I have printed out - only "IHG employee" without any reference to location.

uk1

It should look like this. The seond field is employee's office or hotel location. Do you have something different?

WilcoRoger

I have the same. Call me blind but I see no second field. Looks like this

IHG Employee* _______________________________

Destination hotel ___________ Arrival date ________

Number of nights ___________ Number of rooms ____

Confirmation number ____________________________

Am I missing something here? (Even in the text parts I see no reference to location)

soitgoes

Uhhh....the link posted (and all the vouchers I've seen look like this:
Your Details:
IHG Employee*
IHG Employee’s* Office / Hotel Location
Destination Hotel Arrival Date
Number of Nights Number of Rooms
Confirmation Number

aquaguy

This rate is starting to stink more and more, no where in the T&C of this rate it is stated that priority, Amb or RA benefits are cut. Is it so unusual that a "friend" of an IHG employee could be an Amb???

Cheers
aquaguy

PS: We should open a thread like the "RA benefits on Award Stays" reading "RA benefits on F&F rates"

uk1

Perhaps we should use some of our energy sending a large number of e-mails to the Amb desk and named senior personnel making the simple demand that they are "straight" with their customers and publish clearly and honestly what the deal is.

I'm not certain a thread would be fruitful as many would be a bit wary of sharing info where they have had a deal the property themselves may have overlooked. I have several forward bookings where upgrades have already been confirmed and as I already have lounge access, the mini-bar is not something I'll raise in advance. I don't think the rules say anywhere that RA benefits don't happen on ANY type of stay.