QKL

IC Köln (Cologne, Germany)

I was 12min in the sauna and lost Euro 15,20. because the "holmes place" is not a IC-Company.

All right it's a third company, but in the same building with a special elevator from hotel to gym.

I never paid before in a 5 star hotel for sauna or using a little fitness area! Do you? (Yes "holmes place" is really big and nice, but 15,20 Euro only for a few minutes...)

next month i 'm again in Cologne, but in a other five star hotel... Please give me some ideas.

Thanks Q.KL

gregorygrady

They tell you beforehand that there is a charge when you sign the waiver when you enter. It was certainly nicer than any other hotel gym I've been in so I can understand why they would charge for access. Although I think 15 Euro is a bit expensive and I certainly wouldn't pay that to go in the gym. You'd think they could give you a discount where maybe IC subsidizes half and you pay half so it's only 7 Euro or something like that. I used the gym for about 15 mins and while nice, I would not have paid 15 Euro for it had I not gotton free access as an RA.

est-gratuite

The IC in Dusseldorf unfortunately has the same policy....want to go for a swim ? Pay up !

Flying Lawyer

So what? It is better to have it that way than to have the 15 Euro added to every room. Somebody has to pay for it and the market will find the right price.

RichLond

This is a pretty big change from 2 years ago when Any rate booked on an I/C website meant free access. Day passes to German gyms are outrageous in general so 15 Euros for a Holmes place is actually pretty good.

However if the I/C is not going to provide a basic gym then need to subsidize the Holmes Place entrance more.

rich

ps. While it is a nicely equipped gym it goes for more of the "spa" and cardio crowd. You will not find many heavy weights here.

mlpinto

Access to Holmes Place was free for Ambassadors, but chargeable to other guests when I last stayed at this hotel, but that was a couple of years back. Has this changed?

Chinatrvl

IC Dus and Cologne both have a Holmes Place. At the beginning, the Holmes Place in Cologne was free for hotel guests, at Dus, not. When I stayed there first, years ago ('06), I was informed that also IC Dus is negotiating with Holmes Place to waive the fee for hotel guests.
This never happened.
When I stayed at the IC Cologne last time, access to Holmes was not free (but free for RA) anymore. I asked the gm (who is a friend) he said the contract with Holmes expired and Holmes was not willing to negotiate a new one. Both ICs, Dus and Cologne, are not happy with the situation but currently unable to find a solution.

nicolas75

The fitness centre and the pool at IC Cologne are very nice (even if a bit over crowed)
But defintely would not pay EUR 15 to go there if I would not be RA

QKL

I stay at the IC Köln every six weeks since years, but never the hotel charged the holmes place amount. Every time the amount was deleted in the morning (if i look in the TV bill in the night there was 15,20 Euro, but at 06 a.m. it was cancel).

So i was very surprised.

And sorry, the 15,20 Euro price can i have with nearly every other hotel in Cologne, because this is the price for all hotels if the guest like to go to the holmes places. It's not a special price for IC (in the same house).

And in the end, a 5star without a little "free" fitness (and sauna) is not really 5star in my opinion.

For what i pay next? Restaurant, bar, housekeeping, air-condition.... (yes i know one hotel where the rooms with air-condition are 20 Euro higher)

Czech28

Well I stayed at both properties as RA - at the IC CGN the Holmes fee
was always removed from my bill (after complaining and referring to the
RA benefits which CLEARLY state that Health Club shall be complimentary).

At the IC DUS they, however, were reluctant to remove the charge.
I had to email twice Ambassador Desk - after this I got an email from
the Resident Manager of the IC DUS who 'exceptionally' promised to
refund the charge to my CC (did not happen yet).

I definitelly disagree that ANY fivestar hotel should make it's guest
(especialy elite-tier guests) pay for facilities as Health Club - IMO a wide range of facilities available for guests actually is that what makes a true fivestar hotel - not just the room. A fivestar hotel has an according price for it's room and I see any such charges as nickel-and-diming.

land31411

[QUOTE=Czech28;10494765]Well I stayed at both properties as RA - at the IC CGN the Holmes fee
was always removed from my bill (after complaining and referring to the
RA benefits which CLEARLY state that Health Club shall be complimentary).

At the IC DUS they, however, were reluctant to remove the charge.
I had to email twice Ambassador Desk - after this I got an email from
the Resident Manager of the IC DUS who 'exceptionally' promised to
refund the charge to my CC (did not happen yet).QUOTE]

We get so spoiled with RA benefits to the point we take them for granted. I sometimes forget that thanks to FT we are walking authorities on T&C. If only some of the IC properties would take a little time to learn them.

QKL

Sorry you sign only "Nutzungsbedingungen + Haftung". No Information about a price on this DIN A5 paper.

@Czech28: "IMO a wide range of facilities available for guests actually is that what makes a true fivestar hotel - not just the room"^
Thanks, i think the same
Q.KL

nicolas75

It is always curious to hear that an IC manager writes that he exceptionally accepts to respect the terms and conditions for RA!
Use of health club facilities (where available) shall be complimentary for Royal Ambassadors.