mnredfox

Hate opening up another thread, but wasn't quite sure which one to add to. So wanted to get all of your thoughts. Here's my situation.

Missed the RA requal probably by 5-10 stays. Real bummer, but I get it as I didn't even hit 55 (53 IHG nights, 32 IC nights). IHG is kind enough to give me AMB for a year, but even more doubtful I'll hit the required to get RA back in the next year.

The real jist of it is that my hotel stay pattern is decreasing (which is a good thing in life). I want to retain at least 1 other real top level (as much as I hate Hilton, I think keeping Hilton Diamond is worth it for the guaranteed breakfast and coverage of HH properties). But I don't think I can hit the 30 for Hilton AND meet the ~60 or so anymore.

That being said, what I decided to do is maintain another top tier, so Hyatt it is. I'm pretty sure by end of the year I can hit Hyatt and Hilton.

What drove me away? Nothing really, I LOVE IC's. IMO the upgrades for RA are way better than Hilton/Hyatt (even when I get suites there) but the RA program was starting to go downhill with loss of club access at so many properties and the continued struggle not getting any valuable benefits on award stays (I hated fighting for free internet).

But I AM missing the amazing PC promos right now and the $50 weekend promo, so decided to do my 1 IC stay to see how it felt (and at least get those 1 time welcome back bonuses). I was surprisingly UG'd to suite in Chicago IC (Ohare) and love the treatment. But, in reality I didn't use a lot of the RA benefits (8am check in was awesome, but I never saw a movie nor really drank from the minibar).

Is what I'm doing practical? Hit Diamond for Hyatt and Hilton, then rack up promos for IC? Getting free nights isn't as big of a deal for me anymore, as between Hilton and PC I have a ton of points (no I'm not giving any away ). I will keep the PC card cause I love it, and after doing my 28 with Hyatt and 30 with Hilton probably spend the rest of my time at IHG's to rack up points.

Would love some feedback.

uk1

In terms of IC stays - are they basically the same properties all the time with which you have strong personal contacts at the property?

If so, then as you have said that mini-bar and 8 am checkins aren't required you may be able to negotiate the level of upgrade you would like on future stays directly with the hotel making it clear the benefits you are not seeking.

On some of my regular ICs, when I dropped from RA I was able to still get the same upgrades as when I was RA. The real difference RA this year is making is at the hotels with which I have no long term relationship and therefore someone specific who are handling my reservation and in our case the highly prized mini-bar.

A key question is how much of what you had can you continue to have? Also, your dilemma prompts a further question. Should you invest a touch more time making friends with specific staff at each of the ICs you regularly plan to use? I am allowed extraordinary latitudes by some of the properties just because of the long term relationships built.

Lack

I didn't make the cut to RA this year and moved to SPG. Took three days to get a response from AMB services if "royal ambasador requalification" means what it means.
Took less then three hours for SPG to register for a Platinum challenge.

There aren't enough ICs for me to take advantage of the status, and there really isn't any incentive to stay at other properites from the group, with benefits as opaque as RA qualification itself.

olegator

Just stay 7+ nights in cheap chinese Hiex or do the mattress run and voila you will be RA again*


*probably

nicolas75

The InterContinental chain operates over 180 hotels and resorts in major destinations around the world, in more than 60 nations. Which is perfectly fine for me.

Most of these properties are very good, and Royal Ambassador is still the umbeatable loyalty program.

At other IHG properties, the policy is less than opaque to me: 100% upgrades and excellent welcome at most properties.

Definitely not the time for me to leave IHG.

WilcoRoger

I was happy with IC as an AMB. Then they made me RA. RA for two years - very happy. Now I'm totally spoiled and have NOT qualified for RA, so back to vanilla AMB.

What I'm afraid of that the same AMB treatment I was happy with 3 years ago won't feel the same... especially the 8 am checkin and nearly universal free club access* will be missed.

(I still have 6 months of RA staying under my wife's RA but that's the most I can still wring out of it)

* at least at the places I frequent.

ag51

I dropped down to Amb for a few months three years ago, and was disappointed by my stays during that time (the upgrades I had were mostly to 'Ambassador' floors where the rooms were the same as booked).

Although I requalified for RA this year, I'm unlikely to do so again due to changes in my work stay patterns - I could probably hit 20+ IC nights from personal spend in the next year but will struggle now to do 60 IHG nights overall. I'll do my best to get good value from my existing RA in the next 12 months though but as others have said the reports about removal of lounge access at some hotels make things less interesting.

In the UK, the choices for other schemes are fairly limited - realistically just Hilton unless you do a decent amount of international travel. I've been impressed by my recent treatment at HIs/CPs as a Plat, so will definitely hang on to that, and may try for Hilton status as well but Hyatt/Marriott/SPG don't really work for my stay pattern.

Lack

I have no complaints about the quality of IC's (heck, I even enjoyed San Juan), but the 180 hotel count is still a pretty small number - especially on the resort side in Europe. Still, that's better coverage then Hyatt for example.

Can you point me to some official terms making it less opaque? The only ones I could find are the 50% points bonus (so you can get a room quicker with no official benefits), rest if very much YMMV.

antonius66

I loved RA when I had it, but prefer Hyatt Diamond MUCH more. I find the benefits more consistent, and I don't have to deal with IHGs mystery qualification requirements. I DO miss the footprint though of hotels.

Wan1dap

I've been RA for many years; this year decide to branch out and go for Hyatt Diamond as well. Looking forward to having both in 2014. 95% of my stays are at GH Singapore so coverage isn't an issue.

IflyfromABE

If I were the OP, I'd wait for the announcement of the changes to the loyalty program before I decided to more.

For what is worth, it is hard to beat the IHG redemption levels, which is part of the reason I defected from Hhonors. Comparing Hhonors Diamondb to IHG PC Platinum, the later gave me more consistent benefits and much better upgrades, including free breakfast in several places...

TheTourVan

Without a doubt true. Its the reason I am thinking about moving from Marriott to Hyatt, rather than IHG to Hyatt.

Looking forward to the IHG change and what it may bring, because their promotions have been outstanding.

bmttokyo

I've experienced the same extensions of graciousness from the properties we frequent the most. In fact, except for the mini bar benefit (which we never really use), we've received most of the other benefits & we've received even better upgrades in some places.

SimpleManToo

I've tried all the Frequent guest programs but began with Priority club back when you only needed 50 nights for two plane tickets and 7 nights at any property in the world way back when. That was an awesome offer way back when.

May I suggest that you first take a look first at what IHG is going to offer? I left Hilton also because the point requirements got absurd vs. what you could earn and the promotions stunk the place up. At one time that was a good program but now I think HI is better for earning and a worldwide footprint.

Competition in this industry is good and with everyone devaluing, there is a lot of frequent guests who are trying new programs and once again we will see them get competitive because people are jumping ship from one progam to another. (this is not to say that some chains do not have better properties than another because certain ones do).

Lets see how competitive IHG makes this arena. The promotions right now are good at priority club because you can stack them and a lot of new hotels are opening giving them an even larger footprint. Stay tuned.

mnredfox

Sadly no. My IC stays were very sporadic and it was simply business trips that allowed me to hit so many IC properties. My best IC contacts were at 1 IC in China, and I would go there at most 1x/year now if that.

Well, first sadly I'm not in China anymore. But great suggestion, though that would take time. Second, the problem is in the fact as you say, there is no true qualification. If I hit 60 IHG nights I would have expected to get it, but with only 53 I don't.

Well, my issue with RA over time has been that more and more places do not give you club for sure. The list of club or UG has increased and the list of UG only has increased even more.

It's sad, because I know I can get club/lounge at Hilton's and Hyatt's, but the IC lounges were the best.

Yes, IC coverage is better than Hyatt and IC's I have been nothing but impressed with the quality of hotel, rooms, service etc. The big stickler for me seems to be the 60+ night stay requirement to requalify, Much more difficult than say 28 at Hyatt or 30 at Hilton.

I guess I wasn't one of those that had like 90 or 75 nights and didn't get it, but we'll see if 1 year as AMB changes my mind.

Great suggestion, thanks.