Club lounge upsell. Are charges elite-qualifying?
Nov 11, 2018, 11:49 pm
#1
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: M&S, Radisson
Posts: 758
Club lounge upsell. Are charges elite-qualifying?
I recently had an award night stay at an IC. Upon check-in, I was offered to pay for club lounge access which I did.
The points posted as non-qualifying accommodation expenses. I contacted the hotel about it and they gave me 3000 appreciation points. That doesn't really help me as those appreciation points are not elite-qualifying and I'm a few thousand points short of reaching spire.
So, once again, should the charges for an upsell to club lounge access count as elite-qualifying spending or not?
The points posted as non-qualifying accommodation expenses. I contacted the hotel about it and they gave me 3000 appreciation points. That doesn't really help me as those appreciation points are not elite-qualifying and I'm a few thousand points short of reaching spire.
So, once again, should the charges for an upsell to club lounge access count as elite-qualifying spending or not?
Nov 12, 2018, 1:15 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: IHG - spire amb, Marriot - tit, Radisson - plat, Hilton - gold, Accor -gold, GHA - plat
Posts: 282
According to t+c the stay is non-elite qualifying, so, I assume the spend (which is also non-accommodation related, but lounge access) would also be non-qualifying.
Nov 12, 2018, 9:00 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
I recently had an award night stay at an IC. Upon check-in, I was offered to pay for club lounge access which I did.
The points posted as non-qualifying accommodation expenses. I contacted the hotel about it and they gave me 3000 appreciation points. That doesn't really help me as those appreciation points are not elite-qualifying and I'm a few thousand points short of reaching spire.
So, once again, should the charges for an upsell to club lounge access count as elite-qualifying spending or not?
The points posted as non-qualifying accommodation expenses. I contacted the hotel about it and they gave me 3000 appreciation points. That doesn't really help me as those appreciation points are not elite-qualifying and I'm a few thousand points short of reaching spire.
So, once again, should the charges for an upsell to club lounge access count as elite-qualifying spending or not?
o On a paid stay this would increase your room rate by upsell and thus you earn points for lounge upsell
o On an Award night, being unpaid , no points are earned from the "room rate spend category"
o Any ancillary spend on award nights eg f+b should not in any case earn points, but on award night even if lucky to incorrectly get points for f+b, you still won't for lounge upsell or room cat upsell
Nov 13, 2018, 4:41 am
#7
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Thailand
Programs: Marriott LT Titanium; IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 1,150
o On a paid stay this would increase your room rate by upsell and thus you earn points for lounge upsell
o On an Award night, being unpaid , no points are earned from the "room rate spend category"
o Any ancillary spend on award nights eg f+b should not in any case earn points, but on award night even if lucky to incorrectly get points for f+b, you still won't for lounge upsell or room cat upsell
The hotel emailed someone and I got the points and they were elite qualifying.
Last edited by FLYGVA; Nov 18, 2018 at 3:30 am Reason: rrepaired quote
Nov 14, 2018, 1:33 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
It is something most of us RAs are aware of, as when booking premium rooms multiple cats above entry level rooms which then upgrades and results in one of that ICs best suites, if we tack on the odd free night(s), ie award, cert, we can expect be asked to contribute extra ie upsell, to keep that nice room, and we don't get points for our upsell $$$ amount. We are talking us$300/night upsell or more here.
Nov 14, 2018, 2:39 am
#9
In memoriam
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: MAN
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, IHG Spire, UA Silver, Dennis The Menace Fan Club
Posts: 1,457
F&B on award stays has always qualified for points in my experience which is over 100 redeemed nights around the UK, Europe, Canada and USA at Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Indigo and Intercontinental. As I understand and have experienced it any room rate charges on redemptions don’t qualify, so room type upgrades, suite upgrades and lounge access don’t, but ancillary charges signed to the room such as breakfast, alcohol and dinner do qualify.
Nov 16, 2018, 11:45 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Usually in SAN or Central Europe.
Programs: AA:EXP/1MM. Accor/Radisson:Silver; HH:Gold; ICH:Plt Amb.
Posts: 22,307
F&B on award stays has always qualified for points in my experience which is over 100 redeemed nights around the UK, Europe, Canada and USA at Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Indigo and Intercontinental. As I understand and have experienced it any room rate charges on redemptions don’t qualify, so room type upgrades, suite upgrades and lounge access don’t, but ancillary charges signed to the room such as breakfast, alcohol and dinner do qualify.
Nov 17, 2018, 12:52 pm
#11
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Amsterdam&Stuttgart& Edinburgh
Programs: IC Amb.,FB,Hertz,Sixt
Posts: 776
When I have had a mixed stay of award and paid nights and have either paid for room upgrade or club,depending what I had booked , the the charges have been mixed in with other spend and elite qualifying points awarded