Priority Privilege Club fails with its promises

[AUSSIETRAVELLER]

I've been a member of the Priority Privilege Club for 7 years but their written terms and conditions regarding their certificates and card are worthless. According to their spokesperson I telephoned today, the hotels can change the rules at their whim as they did with me at Holiday Inn at Potts Point, Sydney.

According to this hotel the $50 voucher was not able to be used for food charged to our room as we had already claimed the 50% discount with our card at the restaurant. Despite the fact we had done this for the past 7 years they told us they had changed their policy. The $50 voucher was not able to help pay for the $87 parking fee either so it was virtually a useless piece of paper.

Also despite the fact that the PP promise of a 50% discount on food consumed by 2 people at the hotel's restaurant, we were only given a 25% discount when we bought a pizza and a salad to share. This was because their new policy requires us to order 2 main meals. In 7 years of membership I had never been treated like this.

It seems if you are willing to argue the point for 30 minutes at the front desk in front of other guests you can get them to bend the rules slightly as they reluctantly honored the $50 voucher but refused to give me the 50% discount on the pizza and salad a saving for them of $5.75.

So much for being a Platinum Member of a club run by a billion dollar hotel chain. I'm sure the $5.75 was more important than a loyal member who has spent thousands of dollars with them over the past 7 years.

Oh and by the way, I was told that it was all my fault for not entering discussions with the hotel before I booked in to negotiate all the terms and conditions promised when I joined. Next time I'll bring along my lawyer and several witnesses.

I've officially thanked Intercontinental for helping to spoil our 40th Wedding Anniversary celebrations with their misleading promises and disloyal treatment. Has anyone else experienced similar treatment from Intercontinental?

 

[Rick93]

By any chance, are you the same person with a 'beef' against Advantage Plus ( on another travel forum ) ??

 

[AUSSIETRAVELLER]

No, just a disappointed long term member of the Priority Privilege Club, who is concerned at the bending of the rules that most people consider rock solid terms and conditions.
When I complained to the PP spokesperson by phone I was immediately directed to paragraph 3 in the General terms and conditions that say that the t&c's can be changed at any time whenever they like without a reason. This totally nullifies PP from honouring any of the t&c's fullstop. They go out of their way to make it appear that the rules are rock solid but in actual fact they are not. That one paragraph gives the company total control and the customer zero. I was told that I have to negotiate with every hotel I visit to find out what their rules are. That it seems would be a lengthy process considering the number of t&c,s there are. But that makes a mockery of the original terms and conditions !!!! This disturbing new trend in bending the rules is what my main gripe is all about.

 

[Rick93]

To give you a non-patronising response ...

I would say, simply check with the hotel reception upon check-in, as to what you were expecting to do / use ( by way of vouchers etc. )

That way, you will know where you stand with that particular hotel property.

 

[anat0l]

I was done with Priority Privilege after they consistently tried to oversell the benefits to me at the time of resubscribing. Seems like I may have got an agent who was too bent on getting their sale commission. Either way, after that I knew that Priority Privilege could not be trusted.

I assume you're a Platinum member of IHG Rewards (or the old Priority Club). It's important to split the difference between the two programmes carefully. Priority Club, or IHG Rewards now, doesn't give you the 50% off dining, $50 voucher etc.. As an IHG Rewards Platinum, it gives you a room upgrade (subject to availability), free internet, 50% IHG Rewards points bonus and some other smaller things. One is a programme where you get "rewards" by annual subscription; the other is a programme where you get rewards by earning status (through enough stays or nights in a year). Although you can reap both kinds of rewards in the same stay, neither programme has a influencing effect on the other (e.g. being an IHG Platinum shouldn't enhance or otherwise effect - in most cases - how your Priority Privilege benefits can be used).

Supposedly Priority Privilege look after subscribers who have been with them for a while (one seems to be a free night at a hotel every now and then). Of course, as you've discovered, the actual understanding of Priority Privilege around the range of hotels covered by the programme (Australia, New Zealand and some Pacific Islands) seems to be quite varied. In fact, sometimes the "understanding" has been turned to the benefit of the customer (e.g. at the former Holiday Inn Brisbane, you used to get 25% off dining for 1 person at breakfast, when the general dining benefit was not supposed to be applicable for breakfast). But when it goes the other way it's painful, especially as it's changed over time. However, there should be a consistency at least applied at the face level of the description on the voucher or terms and conditions; yes, they can "change them any time" but just to change it for the sake of it, without notice and with detrimental effect is unconscionable. And I find it difficult to think that Priority Privilege would be the first to be very defensive about this when they know they can't keep their programme in good stead (and hence keep raking in commission dollars) without the cooperation of the properties.

 

[Austman]

Tricky. The $50 would only be good for drinks, room service or mini-bar. I just used mine at another HI and it was accepted without a problem. I might have had $50 in drinks however, in case they complained.

It's a bit the same with the Breakfast for Two Certificate. You will already get a 50% discount if you use the card, so it's only half as good as it sounds. I suppose some hotels would take the Breakfast for Two Certificate when breakfasting alone.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

The $50 would only be good for drinks, room service or mini-bar.

Used ours for parking!

 

[markis10]

No, just a disappointed long term member of the Priority Privilege Club, who is concerned at the bending of the rules that most people consider rock solid terms and conditions.
When I complained to the PP spokesperson by phone I was immediately directed to paragraph 3 in the General terms and conditions that say that the t&c's can be changed at any time whenever they like without a reason. This totally nullifies PP from honouring any of the t&c's fullstop. They go out of their way to make it appear that the rules are rock solid but in actual fact they are not. That one paragraph gives the company total control and the customer zero. I was told that I have to negotiate with every hotel I visit to find out what their rules are. That it seems would be a lengthy process considering the number of t&c,s there are. But that makes a mockery of the original terms and conditions !!!! This disturbing new trend in bending the rules is what my main gripe is all about.

An email might get better results:

[email protected] with a CC to [email protected]

 

[markis10]

Tricky. The $50 would only be good for drinks, room service or mini-bar. I just used mine at another HI and it was accepted without a problem. I might have had $50 in drinks however, in case they complained.

It's a bit the same with the Breakfast for Two Certificate. You will already get a 50% discount if you use the card, so it's only half as good as it sounds. I suppose some hotels would take the Breakfast for Two Certificate when breakfasting alone.

The $50 credit can be used for any food and beverage consumption including the restaurant so long as it's charged to the room.

 

[AUSSIETRAVELLER]

Thanks Markis10, I will try emailing the addresses you posted and see what happens!

 

[markis10]

Yes I knew that but the issue is the double dipping. And there it's not so clear.

For the Dining Discount, the T&Cs state:

"2. Priority Privilege Dining Discount can not be used in conjunction with any other dining discounts or offers, e.g. Kids Eat Free at Holiday Inn." Membership Benefits - Priority Privilege AUS NZ Fiji - Guaranteed savings on selected accommodation rates, along with exclusive dining discounts.

Food and beverage consumption paid for using the $50 food and beverage certificate could be considered an "other dining discount" which then would prohibit the regular dining discount.

It's a bit the same with the PP special offers (the 2-montly email). They often can't with used with the PP regular offers. In my experience some hotels allow the double dipping and some don't.

As its not a dining discount or offer (its an accomodation benefit) the terms of the dining offer are not compromised.

 

[Austman]

The $50 credit can be used for any food and beverage consumption including the restaurant so long as it's charged to the room.

Yes I knew that but the issue is the double dipping. And there it's not so clear.

For the Dining Discount, the T&Cs state:

"2. Priority Privilege Dining Discount can not be used in conjunction with any other dining discounts or offers, e.g. Kids Eat Free at Holiday Inn." Membership Benefits - Priority Privilege AUS NZ Fiji - Guaranteed savings on selected accommodation rates, along with exclusive dining discounts.

Food and beverage consumption paid for using the $50 food and beverage certificate could be considered an "other dining discount or offer" which then would prohibit the regular dining discount.

It's a bit the same with the PP special offers (the 2-montly email). They often can't with used with the PP regular offers.

In my experience some hotels allow the double dipping and some don't.

 

[Austman]

As its not a dining discount or offer (its an accomodation benefit) the terms of the dining offer are not compromised.

It can ONLY be used against "Food & Beverage consumption (restaurant, room service, bar, mini-bar)" and nothing else. Would seem to be a dining discount to me.

 

[markis10]

It can ONLY be used against "Food & Beverage consumption (restaurant, room service, bar, mini-bar)" and nothing else. Would seem to be a dining discount to me.

Its an accomodation benefit as per the photo I published from the Internal guide, after all using it for mini bar chips is hardly dining

 

[Austman]

Its an accomodation benefit as per the photo I published from the Internal guide, after all using it for mini bar chips is hardly dining

Yeah. And as per the same photo in post #9 it's only a F&B benefit too.

 

[markis10]

Yeah. And as per the same photo it's only a F&B benefit too.

See the photo I finally managed to stick, very clearly by their own categorisation an accomodation benefit, hence no double dipping end of story.

 

[Austman]

See the photo I finally managed to stick, very clearly by their own categorisation an accomodation benefit, hence no double dipping end of story.

Ok then take it!

But then the Dining Discount (as per post #12) does not apply! Because the $50 hotel credit is an "accommodation" offer that gives dining discounts. Unless it's not used againt the regular Dining Discount.

 

[markis10]

Ok then take it!

But then the Dining Discount (as per post #12) does not apply! Because the $50 hotel credit is an "accommodation" offer that gives dining discounts. Unless it's not used againt the regular Dining Discount.

"Dining discount cannot be used with any other dining discount or offer", as an accomodation offer is neither a dining discount or dining offer, its perfectly clear that both can be used, if it were in the dining offers then no, and as both the OP and I have repeatedly used it that way it seems to be the consensus, now if PP have changed their terms in writing, that point would be moot.

 

[Austman]

"Dining discount cannot be used with any other dining discount or offer", as an accomodation offer is neither a dining discount or dining offer, its perfectly clear that both can be used, if it were in the dining offers then no, and as both the OP and I have repeatedly used it that way it seems to be the consensus, now if PP have changed their terms in writing, that point would be moot.

I've used it too. But I've had a few conversations with PP where it was made very clear to me double dipping is not what they intend and was given a "it can be up to the hotel" type of response. And the actual PP T&Cs call it a "$50 hotel credit certificate" with no mention that it is an "accommodation offer" other than you must be staying at the hotel to receive the F&B benefit. Membership Benefits - Priority Privilege AUS NZ Fiji - Guaranteed savings on selected accommodation rates, along with exclusive dining discounts.

The whole area of double dipping with PP is very hit and miss. I've hit some and missed also!

 

[Austman]

Here's where some PP double dipping was discussed: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....b/how-do-priority-privilege-dining-31742.html

Of course, if during your stay you use a total of >= $50 of room service, bar, mini-bar or even beverages when dining (you can still use your Dining Discount on the food) and bill it to your room then those costs will be allowed with the $50 hotel credit certificate.