IC Ambassador worth it?

[jordanva]

Hey guys,
I have been a IHG Platinum member for while now, I like the program and stay a lot at either Holiday Inn's or Crowne Plaza.
This year I am looking at most of my stays at Intercontinental Hotels and was wondering if becoming a IC Ambassador or Royal Ambassador is worth it even though I am a Platinum IHG member.
IHG Platinum benefits include room upgrades when available, so is it really worth becoming a Ambassador or RA member if my IHG benefits should cover most of that programs benefits other than I get a nice shiny luggage tag to add to the collection?

 

[Kieran2274]

Hey guys,
I have been a IHG Platinum member for while now, I like the program and stay a lot at either Holiday Inn's or Crowne Plaza.
This year I am looking at most of my stays at Intercontinental Hotels and was wondering if becoming a IC Ambassador or Royal Ambassador is worth it even though I am a Platinum IHG member.
IHG Platinum benefits include room upgrades when available, so is it really worth becoming a Ambassador or RA member if my IHG benefits should cover most of that programs benefits other than I get a nice shiny luggage tag to add to the collection?

If have have a chance to earn Royal Ambassador status (60 total nights within the last 365 days wherein 20 nights must be made at 3 different InterContinental Hotels) then I say certainly yes (Royal Ambassador is real red carpet). If not, then it depends on you really - as Platinum you already get a fair few of the Ambassador benefits.

 

[bass_ke]

Rewards club status will get you nothing at IC's. Ambassador and Rewards Club are kind of two different programs whilst being the same, it's odd to me but how it works

 

[bass_ke]

If you're saying a few nights in IC's the free weekend night cert should pay off the membership as well

There is a big discussion in this topic below, I just can't link to the thread from the app!

 

[Kieran2274]

Rewards club status will get you nothing at IC's. Ambassador and Rewards Club are kind of two different programs whilst being the same, it's odd to me but how it works

I understood it to be the other way around - Ambassador only provides benefits at ICs and IC Resorts.

 

[bass_ke]

I understood it to be the other way around - Ambassador only provides benefits at ICs and IC Resorts.

Tis both, AMB and RA for IC properties and Rewards club for the rest of the IHG brands.

We only get 2000 points per stay for IC's in Aus

 

[Austman]

Royal Ambassador is not that great. I've been one for many years. Probably the most useful benefit is the 8.00 am check-in. But, as I've discovered, not all ICs handle this so well when you turn up at 8:05! Free mini-bar? Well that depends on the IC's normal mini-bar - some are not much. And most of the other RA benefits are given to Ambassadors too. I'm not RA now and to be honest, I don't miss it!

Ambassador, on the other hand IS worth it! The 4pm check-out, the guaranteed room upgrade and the weekend BOGO are all good IMO.

It's also cheaper to renew Ambassador than to buy it initally.

 

[Austman]

Hey guys,
I have been a IHG Platinum member for while now, I like the program and stay a lot at either Holiday Inn's or Crowne Plaza.
This year I am looking at most of my stays at Intercontinental Hotels and was wondering if becoming a IC Ambassador or Royal Ambassador is worth it even though I am a Platinum IHG member.
IHG Platinum benefits include room upgrades when available, so is it really worth becoming a Ambassador or RA member if my IHG benefits should cover most of that programs benefits other than I get a nice shiny luggage tag to add to the collection?

If staying at ICs, Ambassador and Royal Ambassador have guaranteed benefits of room upgrades, late check-outs and more. That's different to IHG Platinum where these types of benefits are subject to availability. You can get Ambassador (and the benefits) immediately by buying it and if you stay enough you'll get to be Royal Ambassador for free. When I dropped back from Royal Ambassador, they gave me a year's Ambassador membership for free too - although that's an unpublished benefit.

 

[Coathanger]

We only get 2000 points per stay for IC's in Aus

Whilst the Ambassador program pretty much pays for itself providing you redeem the weekend night certificate wisely, it is this miserly earn rate on hotels outside the US, Canada, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean that detracts from the overall return on longer stays at an IC.

 

[markis10]

Whilst the Ambassador program pretty much pays for itself providing you redeem the weekend night certificate wisely, it is this miserly earn rate on hotels outside the US, Canada, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean that detracts from the overall return on longer stays at an IC.

The earn rate for crediting to VA or QF for Australian stays is the same as other brands, yet your nights still count towards the Ambassador Accelerator, very handy.

 

[jordanva]

Cool, thanks for the advice! I think I will become an Ambassador member as I should qualify for RA within the year...(the 8am check-in is going to become very handy!)
Thankfully a lot of my stays with IC will be in the US this year so hopefully points are coming my way!
One other questions for all IHG members out there who are a Velocity member. Where do you pool your points to? VA or keep them at IHG?
I originally pooled them to my velocity account for more points but its only a measly 600points per stay for pooling to VA where you get say 2000+ for a stay if you keep those points with IHG.
I now keep them with IHG for rewards nights...anyone have any thoughts on this? or other ways I can maximise points for my VA account?

 

[markis10]

You can change points accrual at any time, I look at each stay and work out whats best, more often its rewards club points as you need to be earning these to trigger the bonus points, but sometimes I switch across to airlines, like when staying at ICs down under where its 3 points per AUD spend rather than 2000 Rewards Club points.

 

[dairyfloss]

Hi y'all - I just cashed in some inventory of IHG Rewards Club points to purchase the IC Ambassador membership to go with my IHG Platinum status. As many say, the weekend night certificate in itself is enough to justify it, if you have plans which can incorporate it at some stage... particularly in higher cost locations... which I do.

My question - I signed up about this time yesterday (24 hrs ago), and the account still just shows me as a Platinum Member. Does anyone who has signed up recall how long it took to update? I have an IC stay next weekend and would like to ensure that the status and benefits are reflected, even if the kit is not yet sent. I got a confirmation e-mail, and it showed "IC Ambassador until: Pending".

Cheers.

 

[markis10]

I think it takes a few days from memory.

 

[TonyHancock]

Hi y'all - I just cashed in some inventory of IHG Rewards Club points to purchase the IC Ambassador membership to go with my IHG Platinum status. As many say, the weekend night certificate in itself is enough to justify it, if you have plans which can incorporate it at some stage... particularly in higher cost locations... which I do.

My question - I signed up about this time yesterday (24 hrs ago), and the account still just shows me as a Platinum Member. Does anyone who has signed up recall how long it took to update? I have an IC stay next weekend and would like to ensure that the status and benefits are reflected, even if the kit is not yet sent. I got a confirmation e-mail, and it showed "IC Ambassador until: Pending".

Cheers.

I signed up back in September 2013 and received two emails. the first was one entitled "Thank you for joining the Intercontinental Ambassador Programme" which I filed away. The second which finished up in spam had a reference number followed by Re: Enroll: (My IHG No) in the title. It came from [email protected]. I had to respond to this email confirming my enrolment before it was processed.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Access to IC Lounges restricted to Ambassador Members is that correct? Like a lowly Platinum Elite like myself technically should not get Lounge access?

 

[dairyfloss]

I signed up back in September 2013 and received two emails. the first was one entitled "Thank you for joining the Intercontinental Ambassador Programme" which I filed away. The second which finished up in spam had a reference number followed by Re: Enroll: (My IHG No) in the title. It came from [email protected]. I had to respond to this email confirming my enrolment before it was processed.

Aha! I did get something at the same time as e-mail No.1 that you reference, but it was just like a 'mailer daemon' error message, and didn't have anything I could do with it... I bet that's it! Might need to contact the dreaded IC Ambassador service center. It's pobably wrong that I'm dreading them before I've even enrolled [successfully], but I've heard bad things about how slow they are to react to anything. IHG in general have never been real quick.

Cheers!

 

[dairyfloss]

Aha! I did get something at the same time as e-mail No.1 that you reference, but it was just like a 'mailer daemon' error message, and didn't have anything I could do with it... I bet that's it! Might need to contact the dreaded IC Ambassador service center. It's pobably wrong that I'm dreading them before I've even enrolled [successfully], but I've heard bad things about how slow they are to react to anything. IHG in general have never been real quick.

Cheers!

Ok... I managed to recover the deleted error e-mail, and was able to determine from it that there was an issue with the e-mail address in my IHG profile (it works, but only for receiving and not to send mail). I corrected that to one that can do both, and re-applied using points (balance was still unadjusted). Straight away got both e-mails, the "Enroll: <IHG No.>" one shows that a request has been made to IHG. Feeling more comfortable now, and will follow up early next week if status has not changed.

Cheers.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Access to IC Lounges restricted to Ambassador Members is that correct? Like a lowly Platinum Elite like myself technically should not get Lounge access?

Advice please guys - I am still confused re this matter.

Will be staying at IC in Nanjing next week - previously staff have told me as Platinum Elite I am still not entitled to Lounge access and that I need to be Ambassador Member to enjoy same - I spoke to Manager at time and he said no problem go ahead and use lounge so have done ever since - I just waltz in and make myself at home.

But checking Ambassador privileges I note this:



This is way to confusing for a simpleton like me - any of you good people can clarify?

 

[markis10]

Advice please guys - I am still confused re this matter.

Will be staying at IC in Nanjing next week - previously staff have told me as Platinum Elite I am still not entitled to Lounge access and that I need to be Ambassador Member to enjoy same - I spoke to Manager at time and he said no problem go ahead and use lounge so have done ever since - I just waltz in and make myself at home.

But checking Ambassador privileges I note this:

View attachment 24739

This is way to confusing for a simpleton like me - any of you good people can clarify?

Its up to the Hotel basically, keep in mind in China status has extra benefits:

Gold Member:
-Welcome drink
-15% off difference in room rates to upgrade to Club Floor or suites (Club Lounge access when upgrading to Club Floor)


Platinum Member:
-Welcome drink
-Free upgrade to next room category
-30% off difference in room rates to upgrade to Club Floor or suites (Club Lounge access when upgrading to Club Floor)
-In-room amenity
-