midnight

Re:Kalboz Any new updates on benefits for lowly Platinum? Ambassador? for an award stay.

Currently lying on the pool deck of a King Premier Suite on a paid stay.

Both my wife and I missed RA re qualification this year but we extended this stay with points prior to our status dropping (this meant booking months in advance).

The Director of Guest Services at the time upgraded our point stay to a Pool Access room (not Suite) and included Club access. He has since moved to an IC in Vietnam.

The hotel were reluctant to honour the upgrade but did after reading his email.

Upgrades are hard to find 16-19 January due to the IC co-sponsored King's Cup Golf in Hua Hin. In fact the hotel expect a sell out.

Good luck with your upgrade, but your best chance is to book a better paid room prior to your point stay.

Kalboz

Thank you for the prompt response midnight

We are booking for after the Thai new year (Songkran) in April. Availability shows for 25K points per night. We are booking two rooms for 3 nights each & hoping the Platinum Ambassador status will get us at least lounge access ...

acysb87

Would consider this property for a 4 night stay, November 2014. Busy time?
Options to connect from BKK by plane are minimal. Is a taxi better? Would the IC provide their own transportation?
Will be RA, and will wait for this to clear before booking.

olegator

Taxi from ~2000 Baht, Hotel limo was 5000 baht

midnight

November is a good time to visit due to low, if any rain fall and moderate (by Thai standards) temperature.

The hotel have an air conditioned mini van and BMW 7 series. My guess is they would charge in the region of 5000 to 5500 THB for a one way transfer or approximately 160 US.

Taxis from the airport would be around half that cost.

Personally I like to hire a car at the airport and drive, but I know the route well and don't mind driving. Use of a hire car is a great benefit in Hua Hin

RA privileges are good here. Even after I lost my RA they still granted Club access during my visit in January 2014.

Breakfast here is something to look forward to.

demue

Lounge access with Plat Amb? Is there any experience with that by other posters in similar circumstances with an award booking? Knowing the property and the management I highly doubt you would get that, but good luck nonetheless. On an award stay as per AMB T&Cs there is very little they have to do and even a one category upgrade is a nice gesture by the hotel and not manadated.

perthite

My own experience at this hotel on an award was a one category upgrade on the room (actually on two rooms, as I booked two). No lounge access was granted - I guess I could have paid for it.

I did pay the discounted breakfast offer at check-in, and I did enjoy the breakfast!!

demue

Yes that sounds like what has been given to us too when on award booking as AMB.

BBxCoreb

i am a plat amb and whilst on award booking, was quoted THB4120nett per night for club upgrade. The club room are on a different building with full pool view and partial sea view. The sound of the waves is still breathtaking. I will still incline to pay for a club room on my future return trips

I am willing to share my driver details via PM. The last quote i receive (Jan14) was 3800 Baht 2 ways. Toyota Camry 2 ways

Kalboz

Booked 3 rooms for 3 nights on points for a total 225K IHG points - thank you Big Win promo! Staying during Songkran as our plans changed and will be requesting an upgrade for at least one room. If that does not work, will then request to buy up an upgrade using points (have 94K left in my account).

My question is: has anyone had a chance buying up to a better accommodations or club lounge access using points? As indicated above, I am Platinum Ambassador which it doesn't seem to make any difference with this property/program!!!


Thank you

scubaccr

IHG awards is only for basic rooms.

Sorry for you, but unlike hilton there is no option of either
a)use points to upgrade booked room
b)use more points at reservation time to reserve a higher room type.

You may b able to upsell with cash from your allocated room at checkin to a higher room type. Some hotels are generos, with offer others not, eg
i)Generous/Fair ... Hotel asks for $ difference from booked basic to second category room and then applies your Ambassador upgrade (if any on a points night)
ii)Non-Generous/Unfair... Hotel upgrades based on booked room, then asks for $$$'s difference between that upgraded room and next level room.

For me the base room upgrade say Classic to superior may be just us$30-50, whilst say Exec to J/suite may be us$150 so method (i) is always better, eg like IC Kiev do it.

Kalboz

Thank you for the great suggestion. But, unfortunately, this ICH property is of the (ii) type - and as you state "Non-Generous/Unfair".

Property review is coming up ... enjoy the photos in the meantime: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kalboz...57644026505125


Photo taken from Deluxe room 1505

ozon78

I have a choice of booking a club room (which means breakfast, lounge access, 'happy hour' etc.) or, alternatively, going for a travel agent option of booking the cheapest category room (Grande Deluxe?) but with 'full board' which seems to include breakfast, lunch and dinner at the hotel restaurant. The 'full board' option is not available with any other room category.

The price of the 'full board package' is actually a bit cheaper than the rate for a Club Room. I am a 'standard' pay-for-membership Ambassador, so would probably only get one level up upgrade if I book Club.

Any advice, thoughts? Food (and a relief from making any choices in terns of what and where to eat since one is forced into a 'full board' offering) or (potentially) elevated levels of comfort?:-)

FLYGVA

I have deleted a few posts which hat nothing to do with the hotel

FLYGVA
co-moderator IHG Forum

Kalboz

Sorry to have to tell you that the Grande Deluxe is not the cheapest room in this property. The standard room is the entry level for the cheapest booking followed by the premier-type of room, and then comes the Tower Deluxe room accommodation. They also have pool terrace rooms, deluxe and premier suites. Most likely, for the cheapest rate, you will get the standard room and then upgraded to the premier room.

You have to buy into any additional upgrades and the Club upgrade rate is around $90 all in per day, an incredible amount IMO. The club rate includes breakfast buffet at the restaurant or ala carte at the lounge, afternoon tea time with food and beverages, and happy hour evening cocktails from 5:30-7:30 PM. Tea, coffee and other beverages are served through out the day in the very tiny private lounge (club) located next to the hotel's lobby. The food is good but they do have some shortcomings and need to improve on certain items.




On the other hand, the food in town, be it at the night market, the shopping malls, the street-side stalls/carts, or the many seafront seafood restaurants offer delicious and authentic experience. While we were "stuck" at the property for breakfast, my wife's family enjoyed breakfast, lunch, and dinner outside for fractions of what we paid for club access. Gotta admit though, some of the stuff is somewhat pungent!


Having giant prawns with a fellow FTer at a Seafront Seafood restaurant!