Old Jun 18, 2016, 4:39 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: HadesNL
Update 2023:
- it seems no new RA have been invited by IHG
- criteria for RA requalification are still unknown
- geographical location of member / country account registration seems of some impact due of covid19(restrictions/availability)
- RA is processed in weekly batches starting december 2022
- proof by nicolas75 shows RA qualification for 2024 seems to be strictly based on IC hotels only (not Regent, Kimpton, SixSenses anymore)

As per Tim O'Brien's post about IHG-corporate explaining RA criteria:

As you are aware,
Royal Ambassador is our invitation only tier with the number of members invited each year
limited to ensure our hotels are able to consistently deliver on the benefits promise,
elevating your stay experience at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts.

Although we do not currently have a published criteria for Royal Ambassador,
consideration is determined by variable activities within a members account such as
- qualified paid room nights & spend across our luxury brands (, 2023 EDIT: Post-Pandemic from 2024 InterContinental only : Pre-Pandemic also Kimpton & Regent ) ,
- member region,
- primary hotels,
- category (of the hotel class / $ price levels compared to currency rates / competition / city / region / country / continent )
- tenure (repeat custom / average spend at hotel)
Accompanying or adjoining reservations,
such as the additional rooms of your family etc are not included for Royal Ambassador consideration
but are included in determining Spire Elite status within IHG Rewards Club
.


* FT:IHG forum community group consensus / empirical evidence shows
- that members must have stayed at different unique hotels per city / country / region / continent
the amount of uniques needed for RA qualification is unknown but generally extended long stays at just 1 hotel do not qualify
- IHG-corporate showing keen interest in how much guests are spending $ at hotel's own operated F&B / Spa / transport / extra services / other venues
atacama40 has given us insights that extra spend at the hotel charged to the hotelfolio generates EQP but also flags the database as high valued spending guest
- one must have AMB to get considered for RA invitation by IHG as they seem to evaluate over a longer period the length of one's tenure / devotion / spend / undisclosed criteria at stayed IC-hotels

2024
Royal Ambassador 2024 (Re)Qualification - statistics

Thank you everyone who graciously shared their status and statistics. I took the liberty to compose an overview.
The common factor that is instantly recognisable is:
  • everyone has a valid AMB membership
  • everyone has spent a good amount in $
Shoven
IC: 69 N - 4 unique IC - $17400 - 2 unique country

AndyMick
IC: 96 N - 10 unique IC - 7 unique country - 164778 EQP

Ithink
IC: 78 N - 10 unique IC - 27000

Richelieu
~

ProjectSunburst
15 unique IC (USA) - $35000
Kimpton spend: $11000

Milleage Millionaire
IC: 100 N : 58 revenue & 42 award - 166514 EQP

Raynyan
~

Nicolas75
~

ILS2
$20000

HadesNL
IC: 41 N - 8 unique IC (2x USA, 1x UK, 3x EU, 1x Indonesia) 250458 EQP

Marlin1978
IC: 40 N - 9 unique IC (USA + EU) - $13000

HClee01
IC: 30 N - 6 unique IC - $8700
2x Kimpton / 1x Regent : 22 N - $7400

VAbeachgirl
IC: 88 N - 14 unique IC - 8 countries
2x Kimpton : 7 N
total $20000 (IC + Kimpton)

PremexecSNA
IHG : 85 N - 147000 EQP of which
90% revenue stay
85 % IC + Kimpton
10 unique IC
15 unique Kimpton

Darby1970
IC 100 N : 59 revenue of which
37 N : 11 unique IC (USA)& 4 (non-USA)
187682 EQP

Atacama40
IC + Kimpton : 40 N : UK, ME, Asia
Roomrate > 1000

EmeraldLady
11 unique IC : 4 continents
IHG: 87 N
$20000

Dmac1418
IC: 3 N - 2 unjque (IC Houston MC & IC San Diego)
6S Fiji $22000 (room: $10000 + spend $12000)

Smythmeister
~

Additional statistics can be found in the comments of LL
https://loyaltylobby.com/2023/12/03/...4-share-yours/
The only other place on the whole interweb that has an interest in Royal Ambassador.
============================

2023
Below our FT-members from the IHG forum with RA status
some of whom have graciously shared their statistics to shed some light
-----------------------
Mileage millionaire: 155359 EQP - IC nights 58 - total nights 108 - unique IC 15
Shoven : $16000 - IC nights 49 - Kimpton nights 8 - total nights 57 - unique IC 5 - unique Kimpton 2 - [unique countries UK/Thailand]
Stimpy: overall stats higher than Shoven
Nicholas75 : 230236 EQP - 93 EQN
Raynyan : 190000 EQP - IC/Kimpton nights 90 - unique IC/Kimpton 10
Vsevolod4 : $24000 - IC nights 67 - total nights 87
Vabeachgirl : $17500 - IC nights 75 - Kimpton nights 4 - total nights 79 - unique properties 13 [unique countries 7]
Hclee01: >$12600 - >156K EQP - 54 EQN - unique IC 3 - unique Kimpton 1 - unique Regent 2 [unique countries Singapore/Thailand/Taiwan/Japan]
Chinatrvl :
Ithink : 220.000 EQP - 47 EQN
Ninjalad : 150000 EQP - IC nights 34
Andymick : 145000 EQP - IC nights 100
Gentleman adventurer :
Marlin1978 :
Pseudo nim :
Hadesnl : 250000 EQP - Kimpton/IC nights 30 - 44 EQN - unique IC 3 - unique Kimpton 2 [unique countries UK/NL/FRA/Indonesia]
Itadakimasu : 120000 EQP - IC nights 12 - 51 EQN
Atacama40 : >25000 - IC nights 60 - unique IC 8 - unique Kimpton 1
Eein : corporate rates global & local
Raynyan's friends : RA extension because their account is Japanese registered
Tim O'Brien: after own friendly persuasion effort : $8,500 - IC nights 79 of which 49 at pres.suite - unique IC 4 [unique countries US/AUS/CAN]


----------------
The only other place on the internet that has an interest in RA (re)qualification statistics is at the comments at Loyaltylobby,
more 2023 RA datapoints can be found there:
https://loyaltylobby.com/2022/12/09/...re-your-stats/
https://loyaltylobby.com/2023/01/18/...re-your-stats/



==============================================

Update 2020 / 2021:
RA status was extended due to the global pandemic of covid19


================================================== =======

Update 2019: The RA status granted at the start of the calendar year 2017 and 2018 has been based on IC revenue. As from 2019 criteria again have become vague. RA is not achieved through IC spend only. Other, unknown elements are taken into account as well. (Fact: Some users with very high +25k IC spend were not renewed in 2019.)

Update December 2018: it looks like some accounts are proactively being renewed in December 2018, well ahead of the stated expiration of Jan 31, 2019. It is currently unknown what criteria were used, but previous years appeared to indicate around $10K++ in IC spend only.

As before, please Divide EQPs by 10 to get $$$ Spend
================================================== =====
December 2019 / January 2020 Link to RA Renewals & Upgrades
================================================== =====
================================================== =====

JANUARY 2019 RA RENEWAL STATS [put total IHG vs. IC if you can]
================================================== =====
NAME.... IHG total (paid)/IC/EQP, break out IC spend if you can
Pseudo Nim 73 IC nights, $14.6K IC spend ($17.7K total),
Shoven 70 (50) IC nights, $17.3K IC spend ($17.3K total),
Unterwegs 52 IC nights, approx $12K net IC spend. No other brands this year! No more mediocre HIs to make status.
Kaix 63 IC nights, $14.4K IC spend ($15.1K total)
Tim O'Brien 26 IC Paid Nights as at Dec 27, when notified of RA renewal, 140,171 EQP, IC Net Spend 14, 017.
Vsevolod4 IHG total 132, IHG total paid 101, IC nights 85, IC Qualified Spend $16.5K, total EQP 398,800, Kimpton nights: 3, RA Ambassador Kit renewed Dec 27, RA renewal (again) and Kimpton Inner Circle upgrade Jan 4.
kaka(mom) 34 nights 1 country (all IC), IC spend:23k USD
Lewis42 / 81 Total (unknown IC) / $16k IC / $2k Kimpton / 4 Continents
81 nights total
$18k Kimpton / IC (about $2k kimpton)
stays in 4 continents

been Ra for ~3-4 years

ID;Name;Confirm;Kit msg; Revenue ;Nights;Challenge?;Additional Info

40;stimpy;+;none; $9,000.00 ;50;?;RA since 2001 - exceptional renewal
38;turner32;-;none; $9,000.00 ;?;?;8/9 years as RA
49;hannes08;+;01/16/2019; $9,990.00 ;52;2000;renewal probably because of challenge
17;Lewis42;+;12/27/2018; $10,000.00 ;?;2000;renewal probably because of challenge
27;scienm;+;none; $10,032.00 ;32;?;8 years RA
25;hclee01;+;none; $10,142.16 ;37;?;current RA since 2014 - manual renewal
18;annihilation;-;none; $10,605.00 ;39;?;
51;crosskonaftw;?;none; $10,700.00 ;35;?;not yet RA
30;Land-of-Miles;+;none; $10,999.00 ;19;?;
16;Kimsbrand;-;none; $11,297.88 ;5;?;not RA yet. 13,532.92 USD total?
48;Urby38;+;12/27/2018; $11,300.00 ;47;?;Royal since 2012
42;SAWorldVoyager;?;12/21/2018; $11,391.52 ;?;?;
14;Cielito_;+;none; $11,511.00 ;62;no;77/62/8 with 12042 USD after batch
45;whimike;+;none; $11,700.00 ;?;?;RA for about 7 years
10;Unterwegs;+;12/27/2018; $12,000.00 ;52;yes;
44;serendipity1211;+;01/16/2019; $12,300.00 ;45;no;first-time RA
28;cazane;+;12/27/2018; $12,600.00 ;61;no;4 prepaid nights not posted until 27th 11890 -> 12600
11;VaBeachGirl;+;12/27/2018; $12,750.00 ;68;no;
50;lukah;?;none; $12,800.00 ;80;?;3 years RA
15;336;-;none; $12,900.00 ;16;2000;NOT completed challenge / Lots of adjusted stays
1;DonPedro;+;12/21/2018; $12,971.00 ;49;no;
47;SD2019;+;none; $13,000.00 ;35;no;stays erroneously adjusted or marked as overlapping
36;BRUSS;+;01/16/2019; $13,001.00 ;?;?;
13;Tim O'Brien;+;12/27/2018; $14,017.00 ;26;?; Kimpton;
33;marlin1978;?;12/27/2018; $14,182.00 ;46;no;
26;Kaix;?;12/27/2018; $14,400.00 ;63;?;
9;Pseudo Nim;+;12/27/2018; $14,600.00 ;73;?;
41;PMMMDL;?;?; $15,000.00 ;50;?;
23;nicolas75;?;12/27/2018; $15,000.00 ;81;?;
5;sharps1337;+;12/21/2018; $15,200.00 ;79;no;
3;Raynyan (friend2);?;12/21/2018; $15,500.00 ;69;no;
22;pantanal;+;12/27/2018; $16,000.00 ;?;?;
24;vsevolod4;+;12/27/2018; $16,319.00 ;84;no;
34;boekel;?;12/27/2018; $16,950.00 ;60;no;
21;ILS2;+;none; $17,000.00 ;40;?;
8;skaya (2x);+;12/27/2018; $17,000.00 ;?;?;
7;shoven;+;12/27/2018; $17,304.00 ;50;?;
51;EmeraldLady;+;12/27/2018; $18,000.00 ;47;?;
32;Mr. Chan;?;12/21/2018; $19,582.00 ;45;yes;completed challenge
46;kaka;+;12/21/2018; $20,001.00 ;34;no;
31;christenlabelle;?;none; $22,000.00 ;51;1k + Kimpton;
39;marcel.baden;?;12/27/2018; $22,000.00 ;77;?;
35;Flying Lawyer;?;12/27/2018; $22,135.00 ;70;?;
37;Roey007;?;none; $25,000.00 ;42;?;9 years RA - 9k adjustment: no kit message with 11k before
12;IThink;+;12/27/2018; $25,000.00 ;85;no;
19;HadesNL;+;12/27/2018; $28,273.90 ;52;?;
4;Raynyan (friend3);?;12/21/2018; $30,000.00 ;73;no;
29;btravers33;?;12/27/2018; $30,000.00 ;98;?;
2;Raynyan (friend1);?;12/21/2018; $32,000.00 ;75;no;
20;Raynyan;+;12/27/2018; ? ;70;?;~30 nights not counted somehow
6;samjnz;?;12/21/2018; ? ;?;2000;


04 JAN 2018 RA RENEWAL STATS [put total IHG vs. IC if you can]
================================================== =====
NAME.... IHG total (paid)/IC/EQP, break out IC spend if you can
Pseudo Nim 139 (116)/85/192K, of which $18K in IC
Boekel 85 (70)55/170K, of which $15K in IC
Tim O'Brien 29 IC Nights 2 Non IC IHG nights, 341,976 EQP
scubaccr 55 paid IC Nights , us$13,000++ / 4paid non-IC nights us$900++ (plus 8x IC reward nights, 20x non-IC reward nights) <== Sorry.. forgot to cop exact EQP values before 1/1/2018 acct zeroing
Cielito_ 81/77/5 - $7,353 F&B + $11,656 Room = $19,009 IC net spend - EQP 468,000 (First Time RA)
hclee01 50 IC us$13k++
Land-of-Miles ?? IC us$10.5k++
cazane 60 IC us$11.8k++
VaBeachGirl 54 IC us$13k++
PiffPaffPuff 60IC us$25k++
??????? 35 IC us$10.2k++ <== first time RA ref PiffPaffPuff colleague
Spitcool 40 IC us$15k++
Eltham 40 IC us$12k++
shoven 43 IC us$15k++ <== first time RA
skaya (partner) ?? IC us$10.2k++ <== renewed
darby1970 62 IC us$13k++
The Mileage Millionaire 102 paid IHG nights / 100 paid IC nights / 229k EQP / $22.7k++ IC spend
Orion_1 8 nights at IC, spent at 2 properties - USD 10,200 in total at ICs (honeymoon...)
HadesNL Elite qualifying points: 239,095, Qualifying nights: 39
Aussielori 50 IC us$8k++ 9.2k overall renewed on 16 jan

04 JAN 2018 RA LOSS STATS [put total IHG vs. IC if you can]
================================================== =====

tarek.h ?? IC us$9.1k++

sharps1337 IC us$9.9k++ (and 129 non-IC us$17k++ )

04 JAN 2017 RA RENEWAL STATS (Please include 2016 y/end EQP count)
================================================== =====
NAME.... IHG/IC/IC's EQP $$$$s
SCUBACCR 80/56/13 EQP=14,979 (Split $12864 + $2115)
HANNES08 76/46/10 EQP=11,200
OZ_CATALYST 75/63/8 EQP=14,700 (first Time RA) ($12414 at ICs)
TAREK.H 46/37/4 EQP=14.500 ($10,917 IC Spend)
TravelTheWorld66 147/33/11 EQP=27.972 ($8500 IC Spend)
HCLEE01 67/50/6 EQP=14880
ATACAMA40 82/56/10 EQP=??,???
VaBeachGirl 84/42/12 EQP=15,000
Land-of-Miles 87/73/10 EQP=40,000
SSH4POOH 132/99/28 EQP=50,000
???????? 75/35/8 EQP=??,??? (First Time RA, ref SSH4POOH)
iThink 82/36/11 EQP = 18,200
aussielori 75/45/5 EQP =15,100
1010101 50/48/4 = 12,500
MYSTERY7 63/45/? EQP=25,000 (First Time RA)
EmeraldLady 68/42/10 EQP=15,500
NKU 86/80/5 EQP=20,000
Petrus 110/40/3 EQP=20,000 ($8500 IC Spend)
JOHHENRIK 74/65/10 EQP=16,800
SyLance 76/76/4 EQP=17,500 (RA again after 3years missed)
Pseudo Nim 90/58/15 IC spend $9,500, $17K across chain (175K EQP)
Tim O'Brien 58 nights, EQP 474,576 , July 31, 2017 Year End, renewed to Dec 29, 2017
HadesNL 22/20/7 and us$20,000 ref two posts.
PROTEOME 53/36/? $25,000 (Plus further 30x IC Non-qual nights and 18 IC Award nights) <== nb Maybe/Maybe-Not the IC Non-qual $$'s count as about half EQPs spend, probably > 10k IC qual spend
Chinatrvl 88 nights (in all brands, but c. 75 in ICs), 300,000 EQP, ADR c. 115 USD as I stayed mostly on a locally negotiated rate (spend c. 10k USD)
Unterwegs 78(my count 86)/63/10/285.000 (according to email, I would have expected less. my spending estimate is 15-20K$)
Lewis42 77/39/10 EQP=16010
Whimike 88/35/12 EQP=14220

04 JAN 2017 RA Demotion to xxx Ambassador stats (if > 75/30/3)
==================================================
NAME IHG/IC/IC's EQP $$$$s

[Archived - no longer valid] New (Royal) Ambassador Criteria

A document was unintentionally available in the internet about changes to the (Royal) Ambassador Qualifying and Re-Qualifying criteria.
The document is available on

http://viewfromthewing.img.boardinga...Ambassador.pdf

Older discussion
There was an ongoing discussion about the criteria for some time. This thread is now closed.

update from Executive Liaison Sept, 2023,
spend at other IHG luxury brands does count for RA, and Renewal.
Brands weren't stated, but reasonable to assume Six Senses, Regent, and Kimpton.

















Print Wikipost

New RA qualifying criteria based on IC Revenue

Old Jan 17, 2019, 1:01 pm
  #3136  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: IC RA
Posts: 9
Originally Posted by 336
If I recall correctly Bruss also mentioned that he was renewed.
correct, yesterday I was renewed and also got the RA kit msg
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Old Jan 17, 2019, 1:02 pm
  #3137  
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: EU
Programs: IHG Diamond / RA / IC | LH FTL + United Gold
Posts: 59
Originally Posted by BRUSS


correct, yesterday I was renewed and also got the RA kit msg
ok, have fixed it in the message above
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Old Jan 17, 2019, 2:22 pm
  #3138  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 24
Originally Posted by Tim O'Brien
congratulations serendipity1211, well done.
Thanks! Your comments are always encouraging


Just a note of my thought...
As 2018 was my first year that I stayed at ICs many times, these bitter days of being tantalized have also been the first experience for me.
To me IHG's approach to the highest tier is okay, but I do feel that the fact that everything is in the black box hurts some customers' feelings very badly.
I think it is better for IHG to try to articulate their definition of "loyalty"; some information about the elements of their customers taken into consideration in examining the qualification of RAs.
Obviously, they do not need to, and maybe should not, disclose details, but I believe it does not hurt their business to try to answer the question as to by what standards they are assessing "loyal" customers.
By knowing their understandings of good customers, maybe we can be better customers
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Old Jan 17, 2019, 2:38 pm
  #3139  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 24
Originally Posted by sharps1337


And here as csv format for copying purposes:
Spoiler
 
What a great work... really informative. Thank you

Just a piece of info...
In my case the "kit" message appeared later on the same day that my status was changed to Royal & "Royal Ambassador Status" message appeared, on Jan. 16.
I think BRUSS is saying the same as to the "kit" message.

Order of messages/e-mail is a kind of mystery...
In all the cases e-mail communication is delayed after the status change and/or activity lines appeared (thus upgrade or renewal is confirmed).
It is a bit funny if what they are doing is just reviewing the stay counts & number of countries described in the e-mail, although the information included in it is wrong for some (or all?)
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Old Jan 17, 2019, 8:28 pm
  #3140  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,685
Originally Posted by Pseudo Nim
Some hotels will merge, annoyingly. ANA Tokyo often does. You're right, though, in THEORY they should post as separate stays. I'm just not sure if they'd get picky if you're trying to circumvent the $200 limit.
let's hope the hotels that have been generous to RA's in past continue in the same spirit, and not pay too much attention to the fine print, and continue to get the repeat business from their RA guests, and the word of mouth benefit.

whilst the tight properties get less and less RA's over the years, and get the negative word of mouth.....

Last edited by Tim O'Brien; Jan 17, 2019 at 9:06 pm
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Old Jan 17, 2019, 8:40 pm
  #3141  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,685
Originally Posted by scubaccr
Already covered in IHG t+c's, a stay is contiguous nights, independent of checkout/checkin on separate reservations.

Any RA booking eg 12nighter as 4+4+4 using three separate reservations is still limited to usd200 minibar credit , from 1st Feb
that's been written in the T&C for years.

if you sign off on your final bill on a confirmation number, when the credit card get's it's final adjustment/payment, it is simultaneously submitted to IHG to generate the stay/points etc

a few years back i tried to argue the continuous stay as it ran from Dec 23 to Jan 3 at the Willard, and i wanted the nights, and points to accrue to the new year, this was when nights counted, pre 2017, it was several confirmation numbers, and IHG wouldn't allow it, and i demonstrated in my account from the previous two years (but those years it was one confirmation number) and i argued their term and conditions, no matter how many check in check out, considered one continuous stay, they wouldn't accept their own T&C.

i've never had a problem utilising different confirmation numbers for continuous stay for all types of reasons, utilizing credit card free nights, points redemption night, BOGO's etc.
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Old Jan 17, 2019, 8:48 pm
  #3142  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,685
Originally Posted by stimpy
European hotels less so.

But I wonder perhaps if the hotels that complained were the ones that served large bottles of Vodka, etc. in the mini-bar. Like the IC Boston and Chicago. Maybe Bangkok. I have no idea what the cost of those large bottles is, because why would I? But I imagine that taking a large bottle after Feb 1st would come close to passing the limit. I very much wish that they would simply exclude large bottles from the free minibar and let us keep the rest.
the Ketel One vodka in Boston is 375ml, the largest spirit, cheaper than whisky.......at least at my most recent stays in Oct, and Nov
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Old Jan 17, 2019, 8:57 pm
  #3143  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,685
Originally Posted by sharps1337


And here as csv format for copying purposes:
Spoiler
 

Good job Sharps1337,

i've cut, and pasted/dumped in the Wiki.

anyone else feel like cleaning up the formatting for easier reading

Last edited by Tim O'Brien; Jan 17, 2019 at 9:10 pm
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Old Jan 18, 2019, 12:46 am
  #3144  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 11
You also can ad me now in the list...
Kit at 27.12
Royal Status 17.01
spend 11.3 ++
Royal ambassador since 2012.

Iam really happy now after the long waiting Time...
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Old Jan 18, 2019, 12:50 am
  #3145  
336
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,443
Congrats. How many nights at InterContinentals?
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Old Jan 18, 2019, 1:04 am
  #3146  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 11
47 nights at 10 different interconti hotels...

But iam not sure how they count nights over new years eve...for example 1 had a stay at los angeles from 28.12.17 - 01.01.18....the points and the activity was shown at 03.01.18, but for the Royal Ambassador calkulation it should be in 2017....
so for my counting i have not includet it...
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Old Jan 18, 2019, 3:10 am
  #3147  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Programs: IHG Royal Ambassador
Posts: 813
One week after the renewal information mail, my Activity, digital card, and expire date of status have been finally updated. But no Inner Circle coming yet. I had 2 nights at Kimpton in last year. It’s quite not fair...





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Last edited by Raynyan; Jan 18, 2019 at 3:17 am
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Old Jan 18, 2019, 8:27 am
  #3148  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: AT
Programs: *G at A3,TK;M&M,LM; IHG RA, AB Plat.
Posts: 105
Datapoint:
close to 100k EQP from IC, 52 paid nights in 10++ IC hotels
some tracking problems (pts, stays, rates....)
2k Challenge, completed (but some stays posted in Jan 19)
Info status&kit posted on Jan, 16
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Old Jan 18, 2019, 9:12 am
  #3149  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: IHG RA, IHG IC, HH DM, MPC GM
Posts: 64
Originally Posted by Luxuryloyalty
The invitations are not yet complete and continue in batches with the final communication reaching members before the expiry of 2018 Royal status on 31 January.
The reviews have been completed and members accounts continue to be amended over the coming weeks to reflect Royal Ambassador status for 2019. Invitations are reviewed and invited throughout the year based on revenue and behaviours by market. The number of invited members varies to ensure those members invited into Royal Ambassador receive recognition and the guaranteed benefits at InterContinental.
Royal Ambassadors who are downgraded receive complimentary Spire Ambassador and those members who decide to continue with Ambassador the following year retain Spire Ambassador for the life of their Ambassador membership. IHG Rewards Club Spire Elite is the top tier for stays across the IHG portfolio, whilst at InterContinental only Ambassador guarantees upgrades and 4pm check-out for an annual membership fee.
Unfortunately, some changes occur due to benefit abuse from a few that impact benefits for others. Was the complimentary minibar benefit designed to take home 70 miniature spirits and 7 bottles of champagne for a casual drink in your room during a 7-night stay or the 8 x 750ml spirit bottles from a premium suite in just 2 days?
The suite probably cost a lot too to have that many in the mini bar. The $2000 a night suites at Hong Kong IC does not even have champagne for you to drink. The hotel should have new policy instead of pressure IHG to remove complementary mini beverage benefit for RA. Shenzhen IC separates mini bar (that could be complementary) with labeled drinks in the room that is not covered by the RA benefit. The Champagne should need a label that indicate it is not complementary for RA at that hotel. Its about being stress free and not having to do the math after a long day from work and I have already missed the Club Lounge. Happy Hour in China IC properties close around 7pm. $10 miniature spirits is not a lot if per night. I ordered 5 Vodka Soda at Intercontinental Double Bay Sydney and was charged 10 drinks by the bar manager. They consider each Vodka Soda should be charged for Double Shot which is like two miniature Spirits per drink! I drank more than that at the bar but what I meant was the member did not drink all 70 in one night.

Maybe it is abuse but maybe not. The limit is drop to 200RMB per day for RA and the water alone cost $88 RMB (15% price increase for 2019) in Shenzhen IC. I could just drink two bottles of water from the room per day. China IC prices is no cheaper than Euro or US IC prices for Mini bar!
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Old Jan 18, 2019, 9:16 am
  #3150  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: IHG RA, IHG IC, HH DM, MPC GM
Posts: 64
Originally Posted by Raynyan
One week after the renewal information mail, my Activity, digital card, and expire date of status have been finally updated. But no Inner Circle coming yet. I had 2 nights at Kimpton in last year. Its quite not fair...





I totally agree it is not fair. IHG website marketing told Asian members the only Kimpton in Asia open in Winter 2018 and the Reservations Supervisor said they change to 2019 without IHG website being informed and I did not manager to have my "lots and lots" of Kimpton Stays. RA for me but no IC like others who did not even sign up for Karma. I mean RA needs at least Ambassador to happen and no one gets auto signup for Ambassador.
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