IHG Hotels that recognise status

[Fifa]

Interesting, thinking of choosing between the kimpton and one of the ICs for a longer redemption stay in October, was keen for a bigger breakfast - what would you recommend?

I imagine the ICs would offer their buffet breakfasts which would be far superior.

The three hot choices included:
Zucchini fritters, smashed avo, tomato relish, or
Smoked salmon, ricotta, pickled zucchini, linseed bread, or
Bacon, fried eggs, grilled sourdough

We had the fritters and they were very small serves.

I suppose it will come down to which location is the most convenient for you.

 

[exceladdict]

I imagine the ICs would offer their buffet breakfasts which would be far superior.

The three hot choices included:
Zucchini fritters, smashed avo, tomato relish, or
Smoked salmon, ricotta, pickled zucchini, linseed bread, or
Bacon, fried eggs, grilled sourdough

We had the fritters and they were very small serves.

I suppose it will come down to which location is the most convenient for you.

Thank you. Will keep an eye on this thread. Not sure what we will be doing in Sydney, just a week off for a holiday so will probably uber around and not too fussed about location. Hopefully one of the newly advertised 'discounted redemptions for diamond members' will come around and we can rebook at a cheaper rate at one of the ICs.

 

[drron]

Thank you. Will keep an eye on this thread. Not sure what we will be doing in Sydney, just a week off for a holiday so will probably uber around and not too fussed about location. Hopefully one of the newly advertised 'discounted redemptions for diamond members' will come around and we can rebook at a cheaper rate at one of the ICs.

In Sydney try an find a Virtuoso agent as both ICs in Sydney are available as Virtuoso hotels. We usually stay at the IC Double Bay. The Virtuoso rate is ~ $75 a night higher than the direct rate but a quaranteed upgrade,brekkie in the restaurant + $US100 in F&B allowance. About $A150.
Plus once when no upgrade available got club access instead but usually a double upgrade-once for Virtuoso and once for status. you still get points etc and the IC $25 F&B allowance.

 

[exceladdict]

In Sydney try an find a Virtuoso agent as both ICs in Sydney are available as Virtuoso hotels. We usually stay at the IC Double Bay. The Virtuoso rate is ~ $75 a night higher than the direct rate but a quaranteed upgrade,brekkie in the restaurant + $US100 in F&B allowance. About $A150.
Plus once when no upgrade available got club access instead but usually a double upgrade-once for Virtuoso and once for status. you still get points etc and the IC $25 F&B allowance.

Thanks for the heads up! I was hoping to cash in a bunch of IHG points for the stay but will keep that in mind for the weekend as I don't have quite enough for all 7 nights. Other option on the cards is to buy ambassador and use the free weekend night. Stay not til october so will keep an eye on here to see what gets awarded under the new diamond breakfast benefit in the meantime.

 

[FishFood]

Hotel: Holiday Inn Express Adelaide
When: June
Status: Platinum Elite (with status match promo)
Rate: Advance Saver Member Exclusive
Booked: Queen Standard
Received: Queen Standard (no complimentary upgrade was available)
Status recognition: Requested welcome amenity and was offered points

Requested late checkout of 2 PM, and was offered 1 PM which I was happy with

Also copied @sqrt() almost exactly for my post

 

[Shinjetter]

Hotel: Intercontinental Double Bay
When: 03 - 04 July
Status: Diamond Elite Ambassador (status match challenge)
Rate: Chase Free Reward Night
Booked: King Classic
Received: King Classic with Balcony Village View
Status recognition: Received breakfast for 2, $25 F&B, Complimentary Water, Check-in at 12PM, Late check out at 4 PM

Quite happy with my free nights from Chase IHG Reward Credit Card that I signed up for bonus 125k Points and 1 Free Night.

 

[exceladdict]

Hotel: Intercontinental Double Bay
When: 03 - 04 July
Status: Diamond Elite Ambassador (status match challenge)
Rate: Chase Free Reward Night
Booked: King Classic
Received: King Classic with Balcony Village View
Status recognition: Received breakfast for 2, $25 F&B, Complimentary Water, Check-in at 12PM, Late check out at 4 PM

Quite happy with my free nights from Chase IHG Reward Credit Card that I signed up for bonus 125k Points and 1 Free Night.

How was the breakfast?

 

[Shinjetter]

They gave us breakfast buffet. Their breakfast buffet are mainly bacon, eggs, bread, cereal, and cold food. It seems to be standard with all intercontinental in Australia.

 

[bernardblack]

Hotel: Holiday Inn Express Sydney Airport
When: one night, early July
Status: Gold
Rate: reward night (19k points)
Booked: standard queen
Received: king with extra floor area

They didn't mention anything about upgrading me but it seems like the room was probably an upgrade? (I thought the bed was too hot, since they're doing the thing where there's only a duvet and no top sheet, and it was too cold with no cover at all, but I don't imagine that would have been different in any other room.)

 

[eric2011]

Hotel: Intercontinental Hotel, Sanctuary Cove
When: In house now
Status: Diamond Elite (IHG top tier) and IC Ambassador
Rate: 1 Night paid, 1 night ambassador BOGO
Booked: King classic garden view
Received: King classic Marina view (cannot see the marina even when standing on a chair)
Status recognition: Continually recognised as Diamond and as Ambassador. (Was getting embarrassing). Received welcome amenity of 600 points plus the new amenity of a hot breakfast for 2 each day, $25 food and beverage credit

This hotel has certainly suffered recently in the standard of rooms, there is no bathroom amenities ie shaving kits, combs, cotton buds etc, no individual soaps, shampoos, conditioners, hand lotions etc only the bulk containers on the wall etc, etc. Not even note paper or a pen on the side board. Luckily I had bought my own pen (thanks Hilton).

Not a 5* hotel IMO but now 4 - 4.5*.

 

[Anna]

cannot see the marina even when standing on a chair

That made me laugh

 

[Mattg]

Staying tonight at Holiday Inn Washington-Dulles Intl Airport on a reward night.

Was offered a choice of bonus points or a drink/snack voucher at check-in. I didn't want an alcoholic drink so they gave me $10 off an appetizer at the hotel bar/restaurant using the voucher.

 

[RooFlyer]

A bit OT, but related.

I recently took advantage of the IHG status challenge (I guess I'd call it) and am currently Plat, up from Gold. Have a booking at the Hobart Crowne Plaza next week. I've stayed there numerous times before.

Got a call from a number, not the CP Hobart number that I have on my phone. Young lady didn't identify herself, asked if she was speaking to <me>. I asked who's calling? '<name> from Crown-ee Plaza Hobart' I nearly hung up thinking its a scam or something call, but as I have a reservation for next week, I hung on.

She asked for my time of arrival, dietary requirements (I don't have any meal bookings), whether I'll need parking and a couple of other things.

Just wondering if a pre-arrival call is normal for Plat & above? In the end I didn't mind the call, but it was rather unprofessional (the 'Crown-ee Plaza' and no ID up-front ).

 

[eric2011]

A bit OT, but related.

I recently took advantage of the IHG status challenge (I guess I'd call it) and am currently Plat, up from Gold. Have a booking at the Hobart Crowne Plaza next week. I've stayed there numerous times before.

Got a call from a number, not the CP Hobart number that I have on my phone. Young lady didn't identify herself, asked if she was speaking to <me>. I asked who's calling? '<name> from Crown-ee Plaza Hobart' I nearly hung up thinking its a scam or something call, but as I have a reservation for next week, I hung on.

She asked for my time of arrival, dietary requirements (I don't have any meal bookings), whether I'll need parking and a couple of other things.

Just wondering if a pre-arrival call is normal for Plat & above? In the end I didn't mind the call, but it was rather unprofessional (the 'Crown-ee Plaza' and no ID up-front ).

I am diamond and previously Spire and I have never experienced it with IHG and especially strange for a mid-scale properties. If it is legit it is a nice touch but surely they should have a very experienced operator making the call

Did you happen to dial the number back to see where it was answered ??

 

[RooFlyer]

Did you happen to dial the number back to see where it was answered ??

I didn't, but just did. Its the main number for CP Hobart - menu options for reservations, restaurant etc. Turns out the number I have stored is for the concierge, to call to get valet parking retrieved.

Interesting - maybe its a Hobart thing, and/or someone recognised that I'm a semi-regular (I live in the bush out of Hobart but stay over every one or two months in autumn/winter when there's a late talk in town I want to attend).

 

[oz_mark]

A bit OT, but related.

I recently took advantage of the IHG status challenge (I guess I'd call it) and am currently Plat, up from Gold. Have a booking at the Hobart Crowne Plaza next week. I've stayed there numerous times before.

Got a call from a number, not the CP Hobart number that I have on my phone. Young lady didn't identify herself, asked if she was speaking to <me>. I asked who's calling? '<name> from Crown-ee Plaza Hobart' I nearly hung up thinking its a scam or something call, but as I have a reservation for next week, I hung on.

She asked for my time of arrival, dietary requirements (I don't have any meal bookings), whether I'll need parking and a couple of other things.

Just wondering if a pre-arrival call is normal for Plat & above? In the end I didn't mind the call, but it was rather unprofessional (the 'Crown-ee Plaza' and no ID up-front ).

I wouldn't say normal, but have certainly had phone calls, and emails, on the odd occassion

 

[drron]

I often get emails asking if there is anything I want. Can't remember a phone call. but as we know Hobart is the centre of the universe of phone operators.

 

[VPS]

A bit OT, but related.

I recently took advantage of the IHG status challenge (I guess I'd call it) and am currently Plat, up from Gold. Have a booking at the Hobart Crowne Plaza next week. I've stayed there numerous times before.

Got a call from a number, not the CP Hobart number that I have on my phone. Young lady didn't identify herself, asked if she was speaking to <me>. I asked who's calling? '<name> from Crown-ee Plaza Hobart' I nearly hung up thinking its a scam or something call, but as I have a reservation for next week, I hung on.

She asked for my time of arrival, dietary requirements (I don't have any meal bookings), whether I'll need parking and a couple of other things.

Just wondering if a pre-arrival call is normal for Plat & above? In the end I didn't mind the call, but it was rather unprofessional (the 'Crown-ee Plaza' and no ID up-front ).

I stayed there last year as a Plat and didn't get a phone call. I booked two rooms in my name. When checking in our rooms were next to each other and they asked what room I wanted and I said I didn't care. A few days later my friends were telling me about the chocolates and stuff in their room and they said there was an envelope but they didn't open it (I think it might have been my goodies)

 

[sqrt()]

I have a couple of stays at one of the ICs and the airport Crowne Plaza in Singapore.

Any experience on plat benefits in SIN?

 

[drron]

I got a suite upgrade and club entry at the Robertson Quay IC. however it was less than a week after Singapore dropped a lot of their requirements and the place wasn't busy.
Changi CP only a class upgrade after the first 3 or 4 visits. Plus they would have a room available for us just needing to swing by the concierge rather than check in.