soitgoes

You need the actual certificate. You might be able to work out a deal with the hotel that you send it in to them after you return to the US, but in general the cert itself is required.

Jasper2009

Sorry if these questiona have been raised before, but I found contradictory answers in this thread with regards to how a BOGO cert can be used:

1) Can I book any rate (TA, BAR, B&B, Virtuoso) and present the BOGO at check-in to be applied?
2) Can BOGOs be applied towards any room category (incl. suites) or only a standard room?
3) BOGOs can only be used at ICs, but not at CPs, HIX etc., right?

Thank´s in advance!

soitgoes

The answer to 3) is yes, only IC.

The answer to 1) and 2) varies based on when the cert was issued. Certs issued in February 2010 and prior allow the booking of any publicly available rate (interpretations vary as to what that means, but anything bookable on the IC website should be okay). Certs issued prior to 2009 (should all be expired now) allowed suites, since then the latest two versions do not allow the booking of suites (though upgrades to suites may be given).

Certs issued March 2010 and later require the booking of a special rate code, the price of which is equivalent to Best Flex.

MXM135

Just to add to the comments made by soitgoes, there is one additional conditon not mentioned. Rooms using the Ambassador Certificate Rate are now subject to availability, meaning the number of rooms available are limited.

mxm135

soitgoes

This is potentially a big downside, but as of now the Ambassador Certificate rate is Best Flex and has the same availability as Best Flex.

djjaguar64

Dumb question: How do you determine if your cert was issued prior to Feb 2010

MXM135

The new T&C's for use are written on the new certificates and their expiry dates should probably be March 2011 and beyond. In addition, your Ambassador or RA renewal would have been March 1, 2010 and later.

mxm135

MXM135

According to IHG, the availability of rooms using the Ambassador Certificate Rate is limited and not equal to the number of rooms available under the Best Flexible Rate.

mxm135

soitgoes

If that's from the service center reps, we all know that they just make stuff up. IHG reserves the right to restrict availability, but right now Ambassador Certificate is simply mirroring Best Flex.

Jasper2009

Thank´s for all your replies!

Given the devaluation of BOGOs / new restrictions I guess I won´t be bothered with buying Ambassador status. Now if I could book a suite through a Virtuoso agent (free breakfast etc.) and just turn up at the hotel and get the 50% discount, I´d consider staying at more ICs.

MXM135

I agree with what you say, but the hotels are not required to provide unlimited access to rooms using the certificate. The information came from a conversation I had with a senior person in Salt Lake City and not the Ambassador Service Centre.

mxm135

MXM135

There is still good value and benefits from being an Ambassador member, despite the changes to the Weekend Certificate, as long as you plan to stay at IC hotels.

mxm135

nub2travel

EARN 25,000 BONUS POINTS WHEN YOU STAY FOR ANY TWO NIGHTS

Planning a trip between 1June until 30 September? Get the most of your stay.

Available exclusively to Ambassador members from 1 May, earn 25,000 Priority Club bonus points when you stay for a minimum of two consecutive nights any day of the week between 1 June and 30 September.

Valid at participating hotels only, Simply click on the participating hotel below to book your stay to take advantage of this offer.



Participating Hotels

NORTH AMERICA

UNITED STATES
InterContinental Atlanta Buckhead
InterContinental Boston
InterContinental Cleveland
InterContinental Cleveland Suites
InterContinental Century City Los Angeles
InterContinental Miami
InterContinental New Orleans
Willard InterContinental Washington
MEXICO
Presidente InterContinental Puerto Vallarta

CARIBBEAN

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
InterContinental V Centenario Santo Domingo
SOUTH AMERICA

ARGENTINA
InterContinental Buenos Aires
BRAZIL
InterContinental Rio
COSTA RICA
Real InterContinental Hotel & Club Tower
VENEZUELA
InterContinental Tacarigua Valencia

EUROPE

ENGLAND
InterContinental London Park Lane
FRANCE
InterContinental Paris - Avenue Marceau
GERMANY
InterContinental Cologne
GREECE
Atheneaum InterContinental Athens
TURKEY
Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul

MIDDLE EAST

EGYPT
InterContinental Cairo CityStars
Semiramis InterContinental Cairo
LEBANON
InterContinental Mzaar Lebanon Mountain Resort & Spa

ASIA PACIFIC

PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
InterContinental Beijing Beichen
InterContinental Dalian
InterContinental Hong Kong
InterContinental Shanghai Pudong
InterContinental Shanghai Puxi

AUSTRALIA & OCEANIA

FIJI
InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa


Terms & Conditions
Must be an InterContinental® Ambassador member to qualify. Offer only available when booked online on rate category IKA25 for stays 1 June - 30 September 2010. Points only awarded when member stays for a minimum of two consecutive nights, any day of the week. Members can 'win' up to three times during the promotional period, earning a maximum of 75,000 bonus points in total.Offer can be booked from 1 May - 30 September. Ambassador membership card must also be presented on check-in to qualify for this offer. Offer subject to availability and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

mister__big

Terms & Conditions
Offer only available when booked online on rate category IKA25 for stays 1 June - 30 September 2010.

If you book using IKA25 rate and use the BOGO upon check in, I don't see why you wouldn't get the bonus. The only problem you may have is that the hotel might not allow you to use the BOGO if you're not booking at the specified BOGO rate (as discussed in the BOGO thread).

Raffles

Not a problem for those with the old-wording BOGO's, though, which is pretty much everyone still.

THe real problem is whether is posts as 2 nights or 1. You defintiely WON'T get the bonus if it posts as 1 night because that is how PC will see your stay - 1 night.