Ambassador not getting an upgrade
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BA EC Gold, IHG Rewards Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 96
Ambassador not getting an upgrade
Looking for a bit of advice - for the first time ever as an Ambassador, I have been denied an upgrade (even though app had it on my booking listed as a suite before check-in)... the hotel is full and I guess they've prioritised cash bookings.
What is reasonable to expect in this scenario? As I am in the hotel now, I am not going to name it yet, but they've offered in effect $50 to spend on F&B... kinda useless to me as the lounge has a pretty decent spread...
What is reasonable to expect in this scenario? As I am in the hotel now, I am not going to name it yet, but they've offered in effect $50 to spend on F&B... kinda useless to me as the lounge has a pretty decent spread...
Last edited by Irons80; Sep 24, 2019 at 12:03 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 182
Is the suite in the exclusion list? If no, you are entitled to 50USD F&B / SPA credit or 10000 pt. for the entire stay. This is almost a joke if your stay is longer than 1 night. I would kindly ask to reduce the rate to a category lower and if this does not suit you I would walk out.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BA EC Gold, IHG Rewards Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 96
I booked a Club King on a 2 night stay - the next level up is a regular suite (it's not on the exclusion list and there are many types of suites) and I received this last time and it's what the app said I would be getting before I arrived.
I have asked the duty manager to reduce my room rate accordingly - I doubt they'll agree, but I will find out tomorrow and I cannot walk out as it's a pre-paid rate.
I have asked the duty manager to reduce my room rate accordingly - I doubt they'll agree, but I will find out tomorrow and I cannot walk out as it's a pre-paid rate.
#4
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 182
No problem at all. You can walk out and ask to get reimbursed due to not being given your guaranteed upgrade. If they say no, which was sometimes my case, I got my money refunded after forcing a chargeback procedure by the bank. The prerequisite for this is that you have paid by credit card.
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Capetown
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat, IHG and Hilton Diamond, LH SEN, BA Gold
Posts: 10,163
No problem at all. You can walk out and ask to get reimbursed due to not being given your guaranteed upgrade. If they say no, which was sometimes my case, I got my money refunded after forcing a chargeback procedure by the bank. The prerequisite for this is that you have paid by credit card.
#6
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 182
That may be, I'm not a lawyer. Nevertheless, I find it legally tricky to reduce the guaranteed upgrade - an essential part of the contract - with a mere reference to the terms and conditions. For me that is only an upgrade depending on availability on the day of arrival.
At least I was refunded the difference to the lower room category anyway and if even the standard room made no upgrade possible, I went somewhere else and had my money back on the account within a few weeks after calling the bank.
50 USD F&B credit for the whole stay for a guaranteed (double) upgrade... The specific hotel did not even bother to contradict the claim.
At least I was refunded the difference to the lower room category anyway and if even the standard room made no upgrade possible, I went somewhere else and had my money back on the account within a few weeks after calling the bank.
50 USD F&B credit for the whole stay for a guaranteed (double) upgrade... The specific hotel did not even bother to contradict the claim.
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Capetown
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat, IHG and Hilton Diamond, LH SEN, BA Gold
Posts: 10,163
That may be, I'm not a lawyer. Nevertheless, I find it legally tricky to reduce the guaranteed upgrade - an essential part of the contract - with a mere reference to the terms and conditions. For me that is only an upgrade depending on availability on the day of arrival.
At least I was refunded the difference to the lower room category anyway and if even the standard room made no upgrade possible, I went somewhere else and had my money back on the account within a few weeks after calling the bank.
50 USD F&B credit for the whole stay for a guaranteed (double) upgrade... The specific hotel did not even bother to contradict the claim.
At least I was refunded the difference to the lower room category anyway and if even the standard room made no upgrade possible, I went somewhere else and had my money back on the account within a few weeks after calling the bank.
50 USD F&B credit for the whole stay for a guaranteed (double) upgrade... The specific hotel did not even bother to contradict the claim.
I agree that serveral properties go the extra mile and agree to other benefits in case they csnnot deliver an upgrade. My about 90 nights this year, however, I only was confronted with that once as a property wanted to upgade me from my ocean facing room to a parking lot facing suite and I made very clear that I would not consider this as an upgrade. I kept my room for one night booked and got 10000 points, fully amicable,
By the law and by the book, you get 10000 points or 50 USD if the guarantee is not met. Your approach to call money back via the credit card issuer however, is certainly not legal, is a breach of contract from your end and the credit card issuer could well understand it as fraud from your end. You agreed to the rules, the rules were followed, no entitlement.
#8
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 182
Thats correct. Everything can be agreed in a contract. That just does not mean that everything is effective. Essential parts of the contract, which are only printed in the terms and conditions, may often be inadmissible in Germany.
Fortunately, it is very rare that something can not be offered and you can not agree otherwise. If a stay means a lot to me, I'll contact the hotel anyway and play it safe.
Fortunately, it is very rare that something can not be offered and you can not agree otherwise. If a stay means a lot to me, I'll contact the hotel anyway and play it safe.
#9
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
Alas new for this year 2019, regards lack of the Guaranteed 1cat Amb upgrade or 2cat RA upgrade (assuming better room is not an erxcluded suite) is a highly unsatisfactory 10k ihg points (insult if expect suite upgrade) compensation PER STAY.
In effect the Amb +1cat guaranteed upgrade has for 2019 onwards become in stead a "If Space available guaranteed upgrade" , and maybe not even that ifones upgrade is multiple nights to a suite that hotel hopes to still sell.
Since this 10k is now part of Amb t+c guaranteed ugrade spiel terms, if the IC won't reduce room rate by 1cat (or you booked base room) you the guest can no longer legally refuse the offered room, walk and get refunded, either voluntearily refunded by hotel or charge back as one could in previous years. Beware chargeing back falsely in this scenario can result in your CC provider cancelling your account/card
Pre 2019 was possible even to negotiate/force unwilling IC to reduce room rate by to the rate of 1cat below room given ... even then historically the usd70-150/night 1cat difference 30days out become less than usd10-75/night or even costs more during very high occupancy, as managers try use original earlier thus low booked rate versus full on the checkin day flex rate difference, ( unluckily for hotels i usually screenshot -1cat rate when i book purely for these rare ocasions).
This year although one can ask/suggest this solution, the IC can as per 2019s Amb t+c just give 10k points (worth usd60) and not agree to adjust rates.
SO..... I now for 2019 book separate nights for all my multinight hotel stays, so if not upgraded for full stay on arrival, I can walk away after 1night paying for 1night only and cancelling at checkin the remaining nights. A very powerful argument in guests favour and hopefully focuses hotel to play fair or lose out with vacant room for the net 2/3/4 nights. For 2019 I have yet to have missed out on my IC guaranteed upgrade, and have also to be fair had higher upgrades too.
(To be fair to all IC's I only needed to do this once , as Amb/RA at IC Melboune 9nights during AusTennis Open, after saying at checkin thats fine cancel nights 2-9, I can book a much better Marriott room (suite) and save still lots of $$$, I suddenly got my better rooms)
In effect the Amb +1cat guaranteed upgrade has for 2019 onwards become in stead a "If Space available guaranteed upgrade" , and maybe not even that ifones upgrade is multiple nights to a suite that hotel hopes to still sell.
Since this 10k is now part of Amb t+c guaranteed ugrade spiel terms, if the IC won't reduce room rate by 1cat (or you booked base room) you the guest can no longer legally refuse the offered room, walk and get refunded, either voluntearily refunded by hotel or charge back as one could in previous years. Beware chargeing back falsely in this scenario can result in your CC provider cancelling your account/card
Pre 2019 was possible even to negotiate/force unwilling IC to reduce room rate by to the rate of 1cat below room given ... even then historically the usd70-150/night 1cat difference 30days out become less than usd10-75/night or even costs more during very high occupancy, as managers try use original earlier thus low booked rate versus full on the checkin day flex rate difference, ( unluckily for hotels i usually screenshot -1cat rate when i book purely for these rare ocasions).
This year although one can ask/suggest this solution, the IC can as per 2019s Amb t+c just give 10k points (worth usd60) and not agree to adjust rates.
SO..... I now for 2019 book separate nights for all my multinight hotel stays, so if not upgraded for full stay on arrival, I can walk away after 1night paying for 1night only and cancelling at checkin the remaining nights. A very powerful argument in guests favour and hopefully focuses hotel to play fair or lose out with vacant room for the net 2/3/4 nights. For 2019 I have yet to have missed out on my IC guaranteed upgrade, and have also to be fair had higher upgrades too.
(To be fair to all IC's I only needed to do this once , as Amb/RA at IC Melboune 9nights during AusTennis Open, after saying at checkin thats fine cancel nights 2-9, I can book a much better Marriott room (suite) and save still lots of $$$, I suddenly got my better rooms)
Last edited by scubaccr; Sep 24, 2019 at 11:28 pm
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 207
Take the 10k points for sure. It's gonna annoy them perhaps a tiny bit. (I believe it's gonna be costlier for the hotel to pay for the points than to provide the F&B or spa credit.) And you don't seem to have good use of the F&B credit anyhow.
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BA EC Gold, IHG Rewards Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 96
But I have a LOT of points, so 10k isn't much use to me either...
I have asked for the difference back in the cost vs. lower category room... we shall see what they say.
Apparently the problem with the suites was a 'technical issue'... not sure what that means...
I have asked for the difference back in the cost vs. lower category room... we shall see what they say.
Apparently the problem with the suites was a 'technical issue'... not sure what that means...
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 207
But the actual value of $50 in F&B spend at an IC is like what, one-third of the nominal value? Especially considering you have club access.
Could mean anything. It's known to be used for actual issues as well as made-up excuses...
Apparently the problem with the suites was a 'technical issue'... not sure what that means...
#14
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: 13,758
I have on the occasions I have been booking a non upgradeable suite (due to the cap on the costs) typically agreed a significant F&B credit and discounts in addition to the 10k points. Of course its easier to resolve this on a flexible booking ahead of actually arriving.
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BA EC Gold, IHG Rewards Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 96
Well the hotel has stuck to T&Cs and refused to give me any cash back... just a double upgrade next time I stay (who knows when that will be?)
So I have accepted a spa treatment
So I have accepted a spa treatment