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No benefits on reward nights is absolutely ridiculous for RA.

Especially following the recent point devaluations.

At most InterContinentals it is simply uneconomical for an RA to spend a ton of points for an standard room, stripped from any benefits, versus the option of buying an entry level room, receiving at least club room, minibar, points, promotions, cashback...

And yes, someone below this post will repeat that IHG terms are clear, and rules say “no benefits on reward nights”, but that doesn’t change this fact.

In this regard I haven’t even touched on the point that during paid stays, more likely to be business oriented, there might not even be the opportunity to enjoy any of these benefits due to other obligations. For a reward stay, typically a leisure stay, during which the benefits would be more valuable, you risk getting the treatment as if you are a pariah.

Pseudo Nim

Yup, precisely my situation as well. On business stays where I have the full Monty, I rarely have time to do anything except empty the minibar into my suitcase - don't usually even have time for club cocktails and whatnot. On leisure stays, I end up paying since point stays give nothing (unless it's a property I'm good friends with and tacking on point stays onto a paid reservation gets the benefits extended, but that's purely YMMV of course).

The RA program has become a joke over the last few years. I don't even know why we try so hard anymore.

IAN-UK

I don't want to sound smug, but I've noticed no deterioration in the way I'm treated at ICs. Indeed, the club access changes have made things much more straightforward. Perhaps I'm just easy to please

CPs and HI, at least those outside Asia, are another story, and there's no longer much, if any, incentive to use them.

i'm just back from a long trip, part work part not-work, touching Asia, Middle East and Europe. Six of the hotel were ICs. Five of them gave me proper, two-room suites: I don't particularly value suites when travelling alone - but its a nice touch. KL was the only one to fail in suite provision, but it has been consistent in that over the years, and generally excels in all other respects.

All gave me club access, including over award nights. Some gave me odd-ball orange+apple "gifts", while others pushed the boat out (that'll be you, Bucharest).

The single note of discord was when one hotel put a couple of cokes from the minibar on my bill for a single night award stay following two paid nights. There ensued a deeply silly argument about when the paid stay finished and the award night began. The cokes were removed from the bill.

Minor annoyances are the (now common) requests to complete a rating form at check out; and the sly soliciting of positive Tripadvisor comments.


The gossip about minbar removal was just that, gossip. My contribution to that chit chat was to report a conversation with a manager who wanted to get rid of minibars altogether, rather than curtail RA's freedoms.

#1son

RA status is still a real value to me too, Mark Hopkins SF was a disappointment regarding the the rooms but they did give me RA benefits on reward night

TripAdvisor is a totally unreliable joke these days, most properties that push you to post would be disappointed when they were given a poor review

I also see certain IHG properties trying to tie you into their Facebook page when accessing their internet

ILS2

IC Barclay (on a 1-night reward stay):
Upgrade: Yes (two categories)
Club Lounge: Yes
Minibar: Unsure
Resort fee: Waived