Dec 10, 2018, 4:07 pm
Last edit by: FlyerTalker688786
Ambassador programme will change on 1st February 2019. This will start with Royal Ambassador's benefits. Then, all other Ambassador will have new benefits from 1st March 2019.
For Royal Ambassadors, the new benefits starts from 1st FEB 2019 will be:
For all other Ambassadors, the new benefit starts on 1st MARCH 2019:
• One complimentary breakfast every night you stay
• 15% discount on restaurants and bars
AMBASSADOR BENEFIT GURANTEE work as bellow:
For Royal Ambassadors, the new benefits starts from 1st FEB 2019 will be:
- EARLY CHECK-IN from 10AM (instead of 8AM)
- ONE COMPLIMENTARY BREAKFAST FOR EVERY NIGHT YOU STAY [
CONFIRMED AS IN GREATER CHINA REGION ONLY,On 1st March, it seems IHG quietly made a U-turn again, now this benefit only APPLIES TO IC HOTELS IN MAINLAND CHINA ONLY, Hong Kong IC hotels are excluded on the last minute U-turn.] - UP TO TWO COMPLIMENTARY FULL BREAKFASTS PER DAY IF THERE IS NO CLUB LOUNGE
- UPTO 50USD/200RMB/400HKD MINIBAR CREDIT PER DAY (200USD/800RMB/1600HKD PER STAY MAX)
- WAIVED DESTINATION/AMENITY FEES
- COMPLIMENTARY WEEKEND NIGHT CERTIFICATE WITH E-DELIVERY
- AMBASSADOR BENEFIT GUARANTEE (See below)
- [Officially Added Benefits] FREE NIGHTS AT AN IHG PROPERTY (capped at 70K points value)
- [Officially Added Benefits] HERTZ GOLD PLUS REWARDS PRESIDENTS' CIRCLE MEMBERSHIP
For all other Ambassadors, the new benefit starts on 1st MARCH 2019:
- GUARANTEED PLATINUM ELITE STATUS IN IHG REWARDS CLUB
- ONE COMPLIMENTARY BREAKFAST FOR EVERY NIGHT YOU STAY <== Only for Greater China Stays !
- COMPLIMENTARY WEEKEND NIGHT CERTIFICATE WITH E-DELIVERY
- WELCOME FRUIT PLATTER (instead of welcome fruits and gifts) <== Only for Greater China Stays !
- AMBASSADOR BENEFIT GUARANTEE
• One complimentary breakfast every night you stay
• 15% discount on restaurants and bars
AMBASSADOR BENEFIT GURANTEE work as bellow:
- Guaranteed Room Upgrade: Member must be given a food and beverage or Spa credit up to USD50, or 10,000 IHG Rewards Club points per stay, applies to InterContinental Ambassador and Royal Ambassador only;
- 16:00 (4p.m.) Late Check-out: Member must be given a food and beverage or Spa credit up to USD50, or 10,000 IHG Rewards Club points per stay, applies to InterContinental Ambassador and Royal Ambassador only;
- New Club InterContinental Lounge Access or alternative Club experience: Member must be given a food and beverage or Spa credit of USD100 per night, not exceeding the Club InterContinental upgrade supplement value, applies to Royal Ambassador only.
Changes to Ambassador from 1st March 2019 (now confirmed)
Dec 10, 2018, 3:40 pm
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: MAN and LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC LT Gold, HH Dia, MR LT Plat, IHG Diamond Amb, Amex Plat
Posts: 13,770
Seems consistent with what I heard earlier in the year, perhaps the final nail in the coffin for my relationship with IHG.
so instead of several hundred dollars per night in upgrade value a property can weasel out with a one off $50 credit rather than the current standard of a rate reduction to the room category 2 grades below.
so instead of several hundred dollars per night in upgrade value a property can weasel out with a one off $50 credit rather than the current standard of a rate reduction to the room category 2 grades below.
Dec 10, 2018, 3:47 pm
#17
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: London
Programs: Infinity Milage Lands Gold,Star Alliance Gold, IHG Diamond RA, Kimpton Inner Circle
Posts: 370
Internal training material sounds very plausible as everyone is reporting similar detail in bits and pieces just the op info is a little more structured than what people have been hearing in conversation on the ground.
Dec 10, 2018, 3:55 pm
#18
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Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,477
I have added more information and correction.
So based on my understanding the document:
Royal Ambassador's new benefit will start on 1st February 2019.
***Please be aware from 1st February 2019, Royal Ambassador will also be guaranteed ONE FREE BREAKFAST PER NIGHT only, and will only get TWO FREE BREAKFASTS PER NIGHT ONLY IF the hotel does not have Club Lounge. This means RA will have Club lounge breakfast, or ONE FREE breakfast in restaurant.
All other Ambassador's new benefit will start on 1st March 2019.
So based on my understanding the document:
Royal Ambassador's new benefit will start on 1st February 2019.
***Please be aware from 1st February 2019, Royal Ambassador will also be guaranteed ONE FREE BREAKFAST PER NIGHT only, and will only get TWO FREE BREAKFASTS PER NIGHT ONLY IF the hotel does not have Club Lounge. This means RA will have Club lounge breakfast, or ONE FREE breakfast in restaurant.
All other Ambassador's new benefit will start on 1st March 2019.
Dec 10, 2018, 4:25 pm
#20
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Denver, Colorado
Programs: IHG Spire, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Titanium, Mileage Plus Gold
Posts: 1,736
Yeah the free breakfast thing needs to change to TWO people to really be competitive. I Platinum Premier with Marriott, Gold with Hilton and currently Platinum Ambassador with IHG and I have to say, IHG has the worst breakfast policy.
Dec 10, 2018, 9:39 pm
#21
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Global Entry
Posts: 2,848
Main complaints of IHG rewards: no breakfast. No guarantees. IHG tries that and it's never good enough.
Until I hear an official statement, I would take these as a market test at best. Thanks for the update.
Until I hear an official statement, I would take these as a market test at best. Thanks for the update.
Dec 10, 2018, 11:08 pm
#22
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
Wow, I like the free breakfast for Ambassadors. BTW, it is not mentioned, but is the free pay-per-view movie still a thing? As for the RA breakfast issue, the way I am reading it is that if there are two guests in your room, you both have to eat your breakfast in the club lounge. If you want to eat in the restaurant instead, you will only receive one free breakfast there. And the only way you both would get free breakfast in the restaurant is if there is no club lounge, or you did not get access to the club lounge for your stay.
Dec 10, 2018, 11:46 pm
#23
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Korea, USA
Programs: IC Dia RA / Marriott LT Plat / WOH Globalist / Hilton Diamond / OZ Diamond Plus
Posts: 340
- For RAs, if no Club Lounge access available, the member will give be given a USD$100 credit for F&B and Spa treatment PER NIGHT
- Also for RAs, if no Club Lounge available, member will get TWO free full breakfasts daily in hotel restaurant, that is on top of the $100 daily credit
- Also for RAs, if no Club Lounge available, member will get TWO free full breakfasts daily in hotel restaurant, that is on top of the $100 daily credit
Where property don't have a club lounge, two breakfasts only would be given, I guess.
Dec 11, 2018, 2:39 am
#24
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,477
Wow, I like the free breakfast for Ambassadors. BTW, it is not mentioned, but is the free pay-per-view movie still a thing? As for the RA breakfast issue, the way I am reading it is that if there are two guests in your room, you both have to eat your breakfast in the club lounge. If you want to eat in the restaurant instead, you will only receive one free breakfast there. And the only way you both would get free breakfast in the restaurant is if there is no club lounge, or you did not get access to the club lounge for your stay.
Dec 11, 2018, 2:40 am
#25
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,477
As per wiki 100usd is a cap. In really you only get whatever the hotel Club lounge supplement is and capped at USD100.
Dec 11, 2018, 2:45 am
#26
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. No longer Palm Coast, FL though still exiled, again, from the Bay Area.
Programs: Only the good ones
Posts: 5,153
Dec 11, 2018, 3:17 am
#27
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: ORD (formerly SAN)
Programs: Hilton Diamond; IHG Platinum; Bonvoy Gold; AA Platinum Pro and United Premier Silver (DH = AA EXP)
Posts: 1,927
Sure they can. They can update the ToS at anytime. They just have to give you notice and the ability opt out or cancel somehow.
Dec 11, 2018, 6:52 am
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
I floated a selection of the wiki ideas by a friendly guest relationship manager. He said these things get discussed all the time, but he'd heard nothing about implementation of anything so major.
He's one who would love to get rid of minibars in their current form altogether, and thought the wiki proposal would make the things bigger headaches than they already are.