MSPeconomist

At most nonresort hotels, when using a rate that isn't prepaid and nonrefundable, you can check out early without penalty, although a few places might charge $20-50 if you tell them after check in that you're leaving early. OTOH, with separate reservations, each night would have a 48 hour or so cancellation deadline and one night penalty typically.

boekel

would be interesting to know which property that is. I found the hotels to follow more and more a cookie cutter approach and don't give more than they are required to, even for repeat guests

demue

+1. More and more of a dollar today vs. tomorrow attitude even at places I have had 20, 30, 50 stays / nights and hence I'm more and finding myself booking less based on program and much more toward location, standard & price. This also proves the old advice to maintain at least status in 2 main programs to be less tied in.

I also started to look at non chain properties with good ratings if they fit the bill and take advantage of earned credit like hotels.com or Agoda or so. Selectively only, but I wouldn't have done that years ago.

A property with such an approach goes off my stay list quickly these days, T&C's or not. I decide where I spend my $ next time around. YMMV.

TheWiseOne

I have a slightly odd situation coming up in a couple of weeks. I have booked a stay at an unnamed IC and I have two nights with the first being points and the second being paid (this is due to the first night being 3x higher than the second and I am getting the eqivilent of 1p per point.) Furthermore, I need a twin room as I am staying with a parent who has recently been unwell and needs me close by. I spoke with the manager before hand to ascertain what level I would need to book in order to get a suite upgrade and was told that the hotel only does twin rooms in its lowest class of room. As a result, will I be eligable for the 10k points or $50 credit or am I just going to have to accept that I am not likely to get anything as I need the two beds?

TIA for any help.

ARR72

That has also been my experience, I’ve only seen twin beds in non-suite rooms. Would a rollaway bed help your situation?

applejax

I like the way you think Demue:-) Go where you are treated best.

applejax

I am seriously starting to dread staying at IC as a Spire Ambassador.... All other brands in the IHG respect my loyalty and upgrade me without me having to ask but IC is a joke. They play a special little game where they will have a "Studio King" and then next category being "Deluxe Studio King" sounds impressive right? Deluxe makes you think, upgraded finishings, bigger room, more amenities etc. Right? WRONG! Deluxe is a word game they play where the hotel adds this "fake category of rooms into their inventory possibly gaining revenue as a idiot tax for those not savvy enough to actually read the dicription where the room is actually identical however it may be on a different floor or perhaps they add something like say 1 free piece of pressing.... Seriously deceitful and disrespectful to those who have been very loyal over the year (I typically stay between 75-150 nights per year earning my status the ol' fashioned way) I only book IC now if its the best deal or IHG is running a promotion, I usually spend my "high end" nights at Hyatt where they respect loyalty and never play category games with their loyalists. I really don't see why IC is so stingy with their loyal guests its really a slap in the face being the whole brand is named after them and they're offerings to loyalists are the worst of them all. I still like IHG for all their other brands just not IC.

Flying Lawyer

What has Ambassador to do with loyalty? This is just spending points or cash to buy minimum benefits. The loyalty status is Royal Ambassador and holding this status I cannot complain at all.

rdh0924

Interestingly enough, as a Spire Elite, I felt I received better treatment at ICs than since I ponied up to become a Spire Ambassador. My sense is they respect Royal Ambassadors because, well, they're RAs. But any other Ambassadors - Spire be damned - and they treat your status as simply paid for with $200. No matter that us Spire Ambassadors are still loyal enough to receive IHG's top status.

Just my two cents...

applejax

[QUOTE=Flying Lawyer;31815408]What has Ambassador to do with loyalty? /QUOTE]

Did you read my entire post? I said I spend between 75-150 nights per year with IHG. I understand I'm not a RA but regardless I am loyal to IHG and after all IHG stands for Intercontinental Hotel Group. If IC wants to be so elite and separate why don't they change their name and stop affiliating with the IHG program? Its like they want to advertise and sell to the IHG rewards members but they treat you like you bought your trip on Orbitz.

I will never become a RA because like I said I would rather be a Hyatt Globalist I spend my high end nights at Hyatt (They didn't treat me like scum off their shoe until I attained there highest status) I respect brands that respect me and quite frankly IC could learn a thing or two from Hyatt.

applejax

You're probably right. Actually they whole reason I bought AMB this year was because recently IHG exported their call center CS to Dominican & Jamaica and its dreadful! Apparently they were tired of paying Americans (cut their Utah call center) and also Dominicans and Jamaicans work for half the salary as the Philippines. However if you call the AMB line you almost always get the Philippines and they are pretty good CS.

boekel

seriously? you've purchased the ambassador status for being able to call the helpdesk in the Philippines rather than in the Dominican or Jamaica? I'm shocked.

applejax

Yes Seriously!