saaveraward

Where are the reports of all these non-elites getting suite upgrades on award stays?

I think I've seen one total recently in this thread?

I've held the opinion this hotel has a "we don't care if you stay here" air or superiority about it. Certainly not warm. I guess when the Qatari Royal Family rents out most the hotel, you don't need peons like me. I just like the location due to its proximity to Hyde Park.

I have an award stay coming up (spire amb) and my pre-arrival has gone from classic to superior. Woo hoo!

Cielito_

Well, if all rooms, that are not excluded from guaranteed AMB upgrades, at IC PL are booked and all RAs (number of them was reduced due to new criteria) have been already upgraded to excluded suites, they will prefer to upgrade Spire AMB (this is not "non-status") to suite than to upgrade Gold AMB or non-status.
On the other hand if RA books standard room, and non-status guest a Deluxe Suite, they will tend to upgrade non-status guest to palace suite than catapulting the RA.

turner32

But these are award night upgrades, therefore upgrades from Classic, to London Suite, etc

chrism20

turner32

Here's one:


Ali C
6823
Reviewed 1 week ago via mobile
Best Stay Ever!
I am an IHG platinum member and I used my annual free night certificate at the InterContinental London Park Lane. When my friend and I stopped by the hotel to drop off our bags at 1pm, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that our room was ready for us. We didn’t just have a room... we had an entire two floor suite! The London Suite is GORGEOUS. I really appreciate IHG and the generous staff for upgrading us to this fantastic suite. This experience will never be forgotten as I was traveling with friends to celebrate my graduation from my Graduate School program just a few days before arriving in London!

I have never seen more attentive staff in a hotel. They rushed to bring up our bags, bring us a beautiful welcome snack, and check on us throughout our stay. I look forward to returning to this hotel some day in the future, and I highly recommend this property to anyone looking for a top notch hotel in a fantastic location!! Thank you to everyone at the InterContinental London Park lane. You were 10 out of 10.

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chrism20

They mention their IHG status in the first sentence of the review.

turner32

Platinum is not a recognised status at Intercontinental hotels.

chrism20

Cielito_

This is not an award night. amb weekend rate qualifies for upgrade as good as best flexible rate. did he mention which room he had booked?

turner32

She says she's just Platinum, doesn't mention Ambassador, but mentions a free night certificate. My bet is this is the Chase Free night and Platinum status that comes with the credit card.
Looking at her other reviews, there is no other IHG review whatsoever on her account. Which would seem to support that idea.

turner32

It's not even up for debate. Ambassador is the status programme for Intercontinental, not IHG rewards. Some properties *may* choose to offer something, but they are not obliged to.

turner32

Another recent one. This time an Ambassador.

IC London Park Lane
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?​​​​​​​
Booked a Classic Room using 70,000 rewards points. Received a Palace Suite (not usually bookable online).

How are the rooms​​​​​​​​​​​​​​?
Rooms spacious and well kept. Great views and given the proximity to the road they are also quiet.

How is the exec. lounge?
Lounge was very good. Staff attentive and afternoon tea was a treat.

What was good and what was bad?
Whole stay excellent. Didn’t expect such a significant room upgrade - I was informed at check in it was to say thank you for my loyalty, but I don’t use this hotel particularly often! Was also given a GBP15 mini bar voucher on top of the usual Ambassador welcome amenity.

Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
Great value for points. I think the Palace Suites have a usual room rate of over GBP1000 per night so to get one on points is a result! Would definitely return.
​​​​​​​

chrism20

turner32

1) You're right, it's not up for debate. There are clear rules about this. Looking at the Intercontinental website there is no mention of benefits for anyone lower than Ambassador. These people are simply not recognised here, unless the hotel *chooses* to recognise them. The T + C's will substantiate this for you, if you care to read them. Be as obtuse as you like, though, and ignore the facts.

2) Absolutely, I'm annoyed about zero-status people receiving speciality suites as upgrades on award stays. Who wouldn't be? Do you find that unreasonable?

turner32

Comedy Gold from our resident hypocrite!!

Waldorf Astoria, London


"Yes it’s terrible isn’t it?

I mean what exactly are Hilton thinking treating guests whom they require 30 stays/60 nights/120k points better than those who they require 20 stays/40 nights/75k points?

Aside from that lets look at this. Gold members get lounge access if they are upgraded to an executive room. A twin room was booked. Again assuming these two beds are actually needed the only two bed rooms this hotel sells are twin guest, twin deluxe and two double guest so even if the upgrade had happened there would still have been no lounge access unless the hotel created a whole new category of room.

Even if a standard queen had been booked rather than the twin there are two room categories between queen and exec. As @wizla mentioned it’s not a given for a diamond to get bumped up numerous categories so the chances of gold getting getting bumped up to a room three categories higher are even less likely to happen."