antonius66

I cannot find anything in the RA T&C that states that you do not get benefits for these type of stays.

HCruiseMike

This was set up as a benefit to employees.
Not for general announcement,and especially for everyone all of a sudden to have a friend at the Crowne in Chandler AZ.
I know of 12 properties on the east coast that do call other IHG hotels to confirm employment of both recipients of employee rates and sponsors of F & F.
There have been people denied at check in based on information received from home hotels.

uk1

I know I'm going to get stick here, but I see a very clear ethical difference between much of what's posted and suggested generally on this board and the specific suggestion that FT'ers pose as a Family or Friend of an employee that they do not know. I'm not saying it's black and white, much of what is suggested on the board are degrees of greyness. I'm just suggesting that this feels to me like a degree of greyness too far.

The natural outcome of such an abuse is to damage the programme for IC employees and their families and friends and an across the board tightening of less grey areas for all.

Only an opinion.

antonius66

Well, I know in my case, the wife of one of my best friends works for a CP in Chicago....so I am going to call her and see what she knows about this promo and if I can take advantage.

That being said...are we all not a type of family here on FT?

SamsoniteBoy

I'm not 100% sure whether this is a genuine Employee benefit or a Marketing ploy.

My Employers run a very similar scheme which is indeed primarily to generate extra business - We are encouraged to send out the mail & voucher to as many people as possible (& they are then in turn encouraged to pass it on).

I've looked at the T&C & there doesn't look anything too obvious to me that indicates you have to provide clear proof that you have check-able links with the originator of the mail.

I'm thinking if they were that bothered about checking the details you would be asked to provide more information as part of the booking process.

I would also expect a big "I understand I need my Friends & Family status to be validated for this booking/rate to be honoured" check-box somewhere during the booking process.

SamsoniteBoy

Hi wonderbret - Are these your words or are they part of the original mail?

If they are part of the original mail - I would think it should be OK for everybody to book this rate.

Thanks

MrHalliday

-deleted-

Raffles

For clarity - this has also been posted on the official Ambassador forum by IC. It was officially stated that IC had no problem if this was passed on to anyone else outside the community (which theoretically includes posting here).

aquaguy

Hello

Just wondering, if ICHG sent this out by email to their employees, what are the chances that it would not pop up in a forum sooner or later.

While I also think, that it might be a bit strange, giving in a voucher at a hotel, with a name on, who one says, is a friend but doesn't really know the person.

Then again, one can put in any Concierge Name, saying that you got befriended during your last stay there.

I mean, what is the definition of "friend" anyway.

Just my 2 cents

Cheers
aquaguy

SamsoniteBoy

That's good enough for me!!^^

soitgoes

Did it include a different name than the OP's link?
Could you PM me the link or post it here?

lemieux66

Frankly: Every employee advantage program, which seriously wants to exclude Non-employee relatives uses clear restrictions for their programs.

Hey, a program called "family & friends" really does look more like a marketing idea to sell more rooms adressing price-sensitive swing-bookers.

Don´t forget, that hotel- and travel companies are facing a difficult year looking at the ecconomic crisis and travel-budget cuts nearly everywhere.

As mentioned before, where is the borderline for the definition "friend".
I know about half a dozen IC staff members by name through frequent visits at certain hotels and use to have personal small-talk to them, when being at these properties.
No, I wouldn´t call them friends, but I would prefer them óver some of my family members

MrHalliday

Do you mean the "Ambassador" website
accessible after I login to priorityclub.com?

I looked around and couldn't find any mention of the F&F opportunity.
Probably doesn't matter, this should be OK as is.

I looked at HI Chiang Mai; the F&F rate was 50%, i.e. $24/night.
And saves 30% on NR rate at IC Century City Chengdu where I will be.

Discounted rate quotes same both before and after May 31,
so I guess May 31 is just the booking deadline, not a limit on stay dates.

Advance purchase requirement is not obvious at first,
but rate quotes I tested in Thailand/Arizona both
showed 14 day advance purchase required.
Anybody able to book just a few days out?

This is looking good. Thanks Jill !

soitgoes

No. I assume Raffles was referring to the invitation-only official, private Ambassador forum for a subset of Ambassador members.

spunk_tokyo

Can anybody confirm that the same case happened on other IC stays?