Jcea

I've stayed about 70-80 nights per year at IHC properties every year for the last five years. Not once at an IC.

I'm a Platinum PC.

Mrs JCea and I are planning a trip to Italy next spring and I would like to earn RA before we arrive for an award stay at the IC Rome to get the beenies.

I can easily catch 3 or 4 stays at ICs in the next 6 months or so.

The question is......Do I buy the Amabassador now and then stay at a few IC's to qualify, or do I stay at the IC's and THEN buy the Ambassador?



Sorry if this has been covered. I've been through these threads and searched but can not find the info. I have learned however that calling the Ambassador line will be no help what so ever.

gregorygrady

Yep, just about!!!
They are just asking for the same info that's requested on the RA referral cert. Luckily I would never refer somebody without making sure they become an Amb first so they can get the Amb kit AND the RA kit. ^
Yeah, that is what I requested, but they pretend like it is impossible to do. What joke. I'm sure it's real hard to send out an RA referral cert to somebody who earned it.

gregorygrady

Buy the Amb status now and then stay at 3 different ICs. Plus that way you will get Amb perks during your 3 IC stays. ^ Although don't get your hopes too too high for getting all the RA bennies at IC Rome. According to the T&Cs they are not REQUIRED to give you elite bennies on an award stay.

Jcea

First IC stay is in Chicago next month.

EdV

Yes, I must admit there was heavy plagiarizing there but hopefully won't have to do so in the future.

mti

Did anyone see the Times the other day? There was a small piece on Intercontinental, and a few quotes about how they are now wanting to cut costs; they're trying to trim tens of millions off of their operating costs - both across the board and in the franchised hotels.

Found it online:
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle6792652.ece

paulmoscow

Do you mean a person needs to have 30 IC stays per year to requalify?

dgwright99

For $6k spend, 60 HI/HIX nights plus the occasional IC stay seems a more likely requal RA at or near that spend.

berlinflyer

A little update: I received a call last week and was informed that my RA package will not arrive until another 6 weeks, but that my RA status had been extended until AUG2010. I got the same information from the agent that I spoke with late July when I inquired about the renewal process. Still a nice touch by IHG ^

I aksed the agent if only my past stays played a roll in the renewal or if future stays (that are already booked) are being taken into consideration as well. He said that they only look at past stays (don't know if that is 100% true, but he was very convincing) and he confirmed that the new rule is that one has to be in the top 1% of Intercontindental customers (on a per-night base, not a total revenue base), so 3 nights by itself plus 50 night in other IHG properties are definitly not enough anymore. He mentioned I made the cut by 3 nights (though he wouldn't want to tell me what the cut was).

So it is certainly more difficult to get the status and also to maintain it. I don't know if I will be able to do it again next year....will see.

gregorygrady

Then can you please tell us what the exact cut is?

You can check the exact date that they upgraded/renewed your RA status in your PC acct. Can you count back for the trailing 365 days and report back exactly how many IHG nights you had during that period (paid as well as reward if you can break it down would be helpful)? And then we can subtract 3 to figure out the exact number hopefully. ^

My thinking is it's somewhere between 55-60 now.

The Mileage Millionaire

Ditto here!

antonius66

Well, I do not know if revenue would make a difference or nights, or qualifying nights, or what would do it. I mean, I will have spent about 4500-5000 USD on ICH properties this year (most of it in ICs), but will only have 18 qualifying nights (7 nights in IC madrid on FnF got me no points or qualifying nights even though they are offering the same nightly rate I paid right now as a normal advance rate, and 6 nights at IC Tahiti on FnF will likely get me no points or nights also.) There is no way I will requal, even though all my stays, including the FnF ones (which should count as stays even if you don't get points considering the rates are not all that much better most times than what they offer at times) are going to total about 32 (all but 4 in an IC). I mean, 30 nights would equal 60k points from stays without promos and bonuses, but I don't see that putting me anywhere close, nor do I see spending 5k putting me anywhere close. Pity my pointbreak nights or buy 2 get a free night promo stays do not count as stays, since that would put me at 45 or so.

Shareholder

Back in the days when the Six Continents Club created its own tiers, to be an Ambassador (the then top tier) one had to have a spend of $25K or 50 nights at three different ICs. Becoming an Executive (no longer in existence) required a $15K spend, or 30 nights. (This was before HIs and CPs joined the hotel group, so one could only stay at ICs or Forum hotels to earn this status, much more expensive and limiting than today.) So your $4K is rather puny by comparison.

The FnF rate was clearly defined as one you would not earn most elements of the PC program. One had to make a trade-off in long term considerations. Had you paid the advance bkg rate, you'd have earned night credits that qualified for the 15 nt 20K IC bonus, likely worth the few extra bucks a night.

Let's face it, you want your cake and eat it too, and that's just not in the cards. Many of us to 40-60 nights a year, paid at qualifying rates, and we earn pts, bonuses and high tier status in both programs. Most do this on the company's tab, but a few of us are paying our own way.

MP (Miles+Points)

Please read all comments and threads relating to RA qualifying rules, before you make a comment like this.

The story we just been told proved the current qualifying level for RA is 70 nights in any IHG hotels, including stays in at least 3 IC. The 1% line is higher than last year.

paulmoscow

It was sarcasm. What the point of Intercontinental RA if this status is achieved through HIX stays?