Surgee

Anyone notice the ambassador website FAQ (which formerly read any rate/any room) has changed (sometime in the past 2 weeks--I have a screen shot from JAN 21 showing old verbage) and now all BOGOs must be booked via a new special website at a new special "ambassador weekend" rate.

Also mentions no suite bookings per the new BOGO, which it didn't before.

http://www.intercontinental.com/inte.../amb/faq#week2

I was worried that when I clicked through it would give me some skyrocket rate, but this "ambassador weekend rate" looks like the best flex rate. Still, you can apparently no longer book advance rates, AAA rates, or packages with a BOGO.

Strangely, you can book suites, and at one point there is a screen that shows you the suite is valid for the rate you've selected (specifically AMB BOGO Rate), but on the last page it says no suites firmly.

Still, I don't believe they can hold anyone to this required rate until the T&Cs on the actual certs change to match. I certainly will continue to use my BOGOs per the Certificate's T&Cs.

Is this a significant devaluation to BOGOs and AMB Status?

Probably not. It is extremely frustrating, as the advance rate can often be 25% less than the best flex.

Moreover, if we continue to see cutbacks on AMB and RA as we've seen in the past year, for instance:

-No BOGO for suites
-BOGO on AMB WKND rate only
-No RA referral cert with welcome kit when referred
-Fewer IC's on Point Breaks

It seems the benefits of AMB (less so RA) could be declining.

For business travel, IC/AMB/RA remains great and they could keep my loyalty, but for personal travel its starting to hurt. With the inability to leverage the benefits gained from IC/RA onto personal travel, it does affect questions of loyalty.

soitgoes

Very interesting.
Rate code is IBAMB.

Even if the rate is Best Flex rate, this is still bad in that it leaves the door open for capacity controls, blackout dates, and hotels providing sub-par treatment in advance to BOGO bookings.

That's how they handled the last change (no suites), so I think that should be okay.
I just received a renewal BOGO yesterday--it does not have these new terms.
The official T&C of the program have also not been changed:
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/.../0/en/ptc.html

I suspect that will come, with time.

Jaimito Cartero

Some of the things given in the past I think were a mistake. Such as the endless RA certs given out. If that had continued, then every single guest would be an RA.

I just got my RA package last week, and there are certainly no conditions like the ones mentioned, on my BOGO cert. I find the RA program one of the best out there. The amount of free nights you can earn, as well as free minibar, suite upgrades and benefits even on award stays will keep me coming back.

torcross

luckily, for my stay in Dubai later on in the year booked on F&F I have all the e mails from the hotel stating that they will honour a suite booking on a F&F with a 'free weekend night' voucher..........

Just hope I dont have any problems at check in

Surgee

At the end of the day, it still is up to whether the hotel will honor it. Depending on how desperate they are for business (read: DUBAI)..

Giving away 2 nights in a suite at the discounted price of 1 is still always better than 2 nights of empty.

...I would sure as heck bring those e-mails just in case.

cdp88

I just checked at Sydney IC and they have all rates available - advance, best flex, best flex + bf and business sense.

Perhaps if they are offering package rates they are more likely to honour the package benefits on the free night. Although, i know the T&C On the voucher say that it is valid for accommodation only.

FLYGVA

For your Information:
I have moved the discussion about the new BOGO rules to a new thread, so it gets more attention.

FLYGVA
co-moderator IHG Forum

turtlemichael

Thanks to the OP for the investigation.

I think it is an open question at this point whether the paid night or the following free night will attract usual A/RA benefits. eg upgrade, mini bar etc It doesn't say they won't and it doesn't say they will on my reading. There is also the opportunity to push up the rate on BOGO bookings in order make them unattractive at peak times. All up, not a good thing. I'll be watching it with interest.

joannacdhanaraj

hmm, this is interesting, how they snuck in a change like that. I just booked a weekend stay at ic miami and intend on using a bogo using the avdvance purchase rate. If they don't honor the bogo because I didn't use the new "amb weekend" link that would downright suck! I shall be watching this thread with anticipation...

studio253

The page now comes up dead

"We're sorry but the page you requested might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable."

jason8612

Very interesting, as I just used my bogo last weekend with no issues.
Only thing I can think of that this might put a stop on better upgrades if the hotel knows that you are going to be using a bogo

Chinatrvl

That doesn't bring any good for us:
- Although cdp88 reported that adv purchase rates are available, i could only find best flex rates at several hotels.
- Since I use the BOGO for private stays only, I would prefer using it with adv purchse rates, to save a couple of €. This seems to be not possible anymore
- Using the BOGO "spontaneously" on adv purchase might not be possible anymore
- It gets complicated when using the BOGO for stays longer than a weekend, for instance I would need to make three (!) bookings for a week long stay: one tue - fri, then the IBAMB rate fri - sun, then another booking mon - tue....
- Hotels now see that I will use my BOGO, and any surprise techniques in regards to upgrades (IC Hong Kong ) become futile: Less upgrades on BOGO stays?
- Aforementioned capacity controls due to new rate code?
- No more free breakfast on the BOGO night (which was arguably only goodwill by some (a lot?!) hotels) when booking Adv breakfast or best flex breakfast rate. This would be particularily annoying in a week long stay where breakfast etc is included in the other two bookings (two nights without breakfast, instead of just the BOGO night!).
- "Noticable", when a single Amb / RA uses more than one within a year...
- ...

Not really welcome changes for the customer, I think. It might be a simplification for back offices of hotels and IHG, though. The inital idea seems to be yet another attempt to standardize and regulate things that have been running without flaws and much problems so far. Why regulate it? Oh, wait, we just love to do this in the UK

MXM135

I spoke with the Ambassador Services Desk regarding this issue. According to the Agent, the "old" certificates issued last year are not subject to the new rules. I was advised to book a room as usual using any available rate and the hotel will honour the BOGO. However, they advised that when I receive my new certificate, I must book the room using the new link and rooms/rates are subject to availability.

Being a Priority Privilege member for AUS/NZ, I have become accustomed to restrictions on room availability with BOGO certificates. IMO, this is not an improvement. I also suspect that they will now be able to track the BOGO usage more easily and monitor the bartering and transfer of certificates.

mxm135

cdp88

I hope they won't be able to. I was hoping to use 2 this year by getting my partner to sign up for ambassador as well.

mister__big

Wow IHG, way to neuter the BOGO by forcing ambs to book at one rate only. Just when I thought IHG was making strides with the HHonors losers program, they take two steps back with this move.

Luckily both of the BOGOs I have on hand are the old versions so I will continue to book advanced rate for these.