Dazedwards

Rooms above the Blue Boar Steak House - Facing out on Tothill Street



Blue Boar Steakhouse from Tothill Street on corner with Dean Farrar Street



Main Entrance - Under Cover - Exit



Main Entrance



Notice the nice shops to the left and the feathers pub to the right.



Notice how close it is to the entrance to ST James PArk Tube Station.



Added by moderator on Dec. 03, 2013
The older posts of the discussion before the (soft) opening of the hotel could be found here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inter...ad-merged.html

FLYGVA
co-moderator IHG Forum

Errata

The hotel is accepting bookings for tonight on the IHG website, despite a message reading "Book for Dec-07-2012 Arrivals".

Is it now open?

ag51

Seems to be - I had a reward night at the other IC for next Wednesday, but I've been able to swap to this one (I'm not going to pay £359 but worth 50k points to give it a go)

Edited to add: the restaurant opened last night, apparently, so assume the hotel opened yesterday

Errata

How bizarre. I could've sworn it said "no rooms available" last night; yet this morning there is full availability in advance of the billed opening date.

Let us know how it goes. Interested in a reward night redemption myself.

davidw70

I walked past the hotel yesterday and it is most definitely open, but seemed very quiet (not surprisingly given the lack of availability). Everything looked very nice through the window.

Managed to book a reward night for next week so will report back.

Goonerfish

Had a call from the hotel today regarding my card expiry date. Anyway, while I was chatting to the lady I asked what the upgrade policy for RA's is and she said Executive Rooms with no lounge access. RA's get a 50% lounge discount which works out at £57 inc vat IIRC. Seems that they are only offering the bare minimum to RA's. Quite silly really as IC Park Lane almost always gives me a suite, so guess which one will be getting my business!

Oh..and she confirmed hotel officially opened today.

scubaccr

So IC Westminster opened now, bookable on IHG/PC websites, BUT only Flex Rate, no Advance Rate, despite no possibility of buying room with Adv rate for the first 10 or so nights as rooms only just released for this earlier opening ! I always look to buy at the Adv rate where ever I stay.

I don't think Management had thought things through about booking initial days on flex rate only and without the free club !

PLUS ... on a 10day advance booking , Westminster gives one both advance rate ++ free Lounge for first 3months of opening ... Another £60 hit on top of flex rate .. or £120 if not an RA for Lounge!

This RA for one will not be buying a night on flex for the earlier opening 10days or so along with £60 lounge fee required ...

I might do some Adv rate with free club first 3months, then it looks like CP St James still the only local hotel for me !
Even in first 3months CP-SJ wins hands down on price, £150 night saving will pay for any meals/drinks I need.

777 global mile hound

Checking in today on a bogo as a RA
Approx 144 per night VAT included or 289 for both nights depending how one chooses to view it all
Was suppose to fly out today but extended my stay in London due to a cold
Here at Hyatt Churchill and thought of extending here however the new IC hotel seems amazing in comparison to where I am staying
I did stay at Andaz Amsterdam which was excellent
Now to see how the new IC fares
Report to follow
Cheers

tangey

I see they aren't slow in putting the boot in on the amb certs.

Jan 11-13 next year is quoted @ £179 a night for cheapest room. Using the BOGO its £239 a night (2nd night free). So instead of paying £378 its £239, a 37% saving instead of the notional 50%.

Mind you park lane is even worse. Quoting £175 a night for the same dates, but with Bogo, quoting £249. So in total £350 without BOGO, £249 with, a measely 28% saving as opposed to the notional 50% saving.

uk1

It's great of you to have posted those calcs as they are of real use and interest. I wondered but was too lazy to investigate. Thanks.

We have moved from a situation where the weekend cert was worth 50% saving on any rate you chose to a 28% saving off rack rate. It explains why I find myself not having used a weekend cert for a long time and why I seem to be giving them away. So notionally 50% off say a 50% saving ie a 75% saving off of rack rate to the current 28%.

With the general trend towards room reclassification to obfuscate genuine upgrades, some properties abandoning benefits they don't fancy, one is beginning to feel that the urine is being extracted.

tangey

Indeed, I was examining the possiblity of using a bogo for a trip in Jan, and came across the descrepancy.

Focusing on the IC westminister to keep the thread more on-topic, the cheapest I can do 2 nights for my dates is £267. F&F total is £304. Quidco gives 12% at the moment, final cost = £267.

Assuming I can quidco all the rates, the comparision works out on a classic room for 2 nights from Jan-11-2013 at:

£267 cash (f&f rate doesn't get access to the introductory free lounge rate)
£210 + bogo (bogo webpage similarly doesn't give free lounge rate)
£315 straight AP rate (same with or without lounge access)

So if lounge access is a must, and assuming they are not providing bogo rate bookers complimentary access to the lounge during the opening period, then the best option is to book the AP rate. However if lounge isn't a must, then for me the bogo is giving me a saving of £57 on a £267 rate, or 21%. (it will be worth a lot more on higher end rooms).

uk1

I forward booked several of the discounted points offers here .... but as currently a vanilla Ambassador then in the end I'm finding myself wandering more and more to other brands.

It looks like it is easy for an Amb or RA to secure value for basic rooms using many routes - so for us it's single nights or 2 at most as we don't do cramped well - but entry to a suite and/or lounge is going to be too expensive. As an ex-Londoner (born and bred!) I don't need the club!

777 global mile hound

I'm here and the room standard is tops based on any London Hotel or global standard
It's of my opinion the website even with its limited photos clearly demonstrate that
I won't write a report till after checkout but happy to take any simple questions from our community I am able to answer
Not saying our community would ever ask any complicated questions
Cheers

heer84

Hi,

I am booked in for arrival tomorrow on a PCR Reward night. Even though you booked on a BOGOF voucher could you tell us what room you booked and what you received....also the quality of the minibar :-)

777 global mile hound

My pleasure to assist however please keep in mind it will take weeks if not months before our Global group of All Ambassadors can make the assessment if this is a property of choice based on elite recognition
I am already convinced that this will be one of the most desirable properties in the city based on room standard alone for those willing to pay for it no upgrade expectations

If I were on points I might have some concerns and will be anxious to hear your experience
There is a skimpy near empty mini bar shy of a few cokes
Waters and a few beers.
The smallest emptiest mini bar I have ever seen in an InterContinental
I dont drink so new issue there
Of course I inquired on behalf of all members and Amabassadors and was told that their alcohol mini bar items will be unavailable till further notice till the shipment comes in
However to their credit they would bring anything I requested from the bar should I want it in the way of alcohol.I took that to mean complimentary in my own perception
In my case they have a great guest as I don't drink
They did bring me all the sparkling water I could drink so no complaints here

Booked the lowest room category
I was very disappointed at check in that in a non sold out hotel
they offered me a one category room upgrade at check in to a king size guest room and no club access.
After some gentle pleading I was able to gain some sympathy as a lowly Royal Ambassador and get an upgrade as I would have normally expected without asking into a studio suite. They said it would be an exception because the Executive Club won't be opening right away for paid access
I will push for the official answer if RAs will be admitted

However early perception and I hope I'm wrong
is that the property is playing close to the terms and conditions
I dont see them as hostile like the IC Sydney at all which is a do not go for my taste

My question if a RA gets a one category room upgrade with no club access what are the mere Ambassadors going to receive a drink coupon or water and the room they booked? On the upside here the studio suite is gorgeous blows the Times Square New York City property out of the water
The quality here is what I would have expected New York Times Square IC to be but never was
The rainforest large circumference shower head is world class
the tv is the most beautifully framed LG TV Floor to ceiling in wood with a glass frame.
Know this may sound odd but I have never seen a nicer tv in any hotel!
Brilliant!

The beds look sensational can't wait to try it out tonight!