UASPG

That definitely help us making up our minds. Thanks again.

stargold

For the paid room, it was a free upgrade as Amb from Ocean Room to Ocean Terrace. For the room on points, I paid an additional USD50 per night. Definitely worth the money (if staying on points).

UASPG

I think that this upgrade (70 sqm to 80 sqm) is $100++/night - possibly negotiable. BTW, it is reward nights that we are considering upgrading.

No "Oceanview" indicated in the name of the Suite. Ocean view from the terrace only?

http://www.danang.intercontinental.c...-classic-rooms

http://www.danang.intercontinental.com/terrace-suite

markle

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Geoggy

So my stay is nearly here and the hotel have started emailing me. I booked the villa on a 241 for first 2 nights and 3 nights on points.

They started off by offering additional benefits on first 2 nights in lieu of an upgrade. So I emailed back and said would rather stay in same room for whole stay.

They came back and said great - that will be 800 usd per night plus tax.

Thats an absurd price given rates today are only a few hundred dollars difference between the basic room and the villa (well 500 usd but we should get an upgrade from basic room anyhow as Spire Ambassador).

Anyone any advice?

stargold

What kind of villa are we talking about? IIRC nothing above the Club Peninsula Suite is part of the Ambassador upgrade pool, so you don't get a further upgrade if you book above that.

You are also not entitled to any upgrade on the reward nights (which they enforce), so the comparison is indeed against the base category room.

They are open to a bit of to-ing and fro-ing over the upgrade fee, but they are quite religious about collecting room upgrade fees so don't expect anything beyond the published entitlement for free.

Geoggy

Hi sorry - I know there’s no upgrade due on the 1 Bedroom Villa by the beach - that’s what I meant by the fact that they offered additional benefits in lieu of an upgrade (items laundered free, discount on f&b etc).

Its the reward nights I am talking about. So they don’t upgrade points stays? Really?

The room I have for the first 2 nights is currently 1030 USD per night for my 3 points nights. The basic room
is 453 usd per night for those nights. So why not ask me for 577 usd per night?

regardless I won’t be paying that. What room should we go for that is better than the basic?

stargold

No, they do not provide any upgrade on reward nights, and that is very much within the T&Cs.

Personally I was not a fan of the base room layout, so I would recommend a minimum of the Terrace Suite.

The Club Peninsula Suite would be larger and better, but I found the Terrace Suite to be sufficient (although perhaps not, if you are coming from a villa!).

scubaccr

1. Because IHG Corporate for award night probably pay something like the top IC award rate of something like us$150/night , so difference to hotel is probably the $800 they asked you.

2. Agreed you'll need pay an upsell out of base room for your award nights here, they tend to be quite strict on that, though a 1-level upgrade is also given in low season, but I think you want a better room than 2nd cat room.

3. With IC Danang you'll likely have more joy negotiating a lower $$$ upsell at checkin, rather than via pre-arrival emails from backroom clerks who simply quote from a price menu. If at checkin the higher rooms are not sold, be polite, fair and firm and negotiate with the manager, not receptionist. I'd suggest offering 70% of the rate difference between your award night base room and the room and your target room is fair.

Geoggy

Very helpful replies thank you.

i will try to negotiate the Club Peninsula suite. That is 764 usd per night. So my target is 764 - 453 = 311 @ 70% which is 217 usd?

or did you mean 70% of the the difference between 150 usd and 764?

scubaccr

Yes, I'd go with the us$217 offer and po;itely explain how I arrived at the figure.., which would certainly be an offer that could well be accepted (or even offered) on a paid night at many IC's. Being an award night IC may hold out for a bigger upsell delta, but why shoud you be penalised for booking an award night, not your problem Ic hand over such small amounts to their hotels.

IC Danang would be asking for us$150 just as lounge upsell, so booking club-room is definitely way to go.

Geoggy

thanks for your guidance. Checked in today. After much negotiation with and an Assistant Manager and the GM I got them down to 450 usd per night from where they started, to keep the Villa which is not too far off the 70% you quoted. Happy with that. This is without doubt the best hotel room we’ve ever had.

scubaccr

Well done, that is a great win/win result, hotel gets us$1400++ for 3 unsold nights, and you get to keep same great room/villa for all 5x nights. 70% of room rate difference at checkin time seems to be an accepted upsell offer at all IC's I visit, I often upsell on this basis at checkin to the best IC rooms/suites. Of course even sweeter as you get lounge access that allows breakfast in the restaurant.

I loved my stays here at Da Nang, especially the Sunday champagne lunch

nb:- Only annoyance is that the room upsell $$$ delta on award nights does not earn guests points.

UASPG

Booked Penthouse to be told much later on that it could not be upgraded as per the Ambassador benefit. Was offered 20% discount on laundry and 20% of some F&B venues. What a deal!!!
When I replied that I would not use what was offered I was offered a discount of $80 per night.

One must be very careful with the rates at this property, especially if using an Ambassador wknd BOGO certificate. Compare all rates for all days carefully.

Geoggy

Just checked out. Had a great stay. Will try and write a bit of a mini review when we get home. In short we had a great stay. Villa was incredible and resort is very impressive.