Comments on: InterContinental raising elite qualifiction requirements in a recession?

By: Greg Picur

Greg Picur — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 19:13:30 +0000

I am a Royal Ambassador and I received a letter from IC Hotels two weeks ago stating that I did not qualify for Royal Amb for the 2010 year. I found the timing of this letter to be odd as the qualification period runs until November 1 and I have 15 nights with 10 or so scheduled before 11/1. They concluded that I was being given a complimentary Royal Amb membership for 2010.

By: Gene

Gene — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:11:42 +0000

My RA was renewed on Saturday!

By: tommy777

tommy777 — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:20:17 +0000

@lucky. If you stay at IC hotels, yes. Since there are only a handful of them, it’s not worth it unless you actually stay 25+ nights at actual IC

By: lucky

lucky — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:25:32 +0000

Of the hundreds of reports I’ve heard of people making RA, that’s the first I’ve heard of anyone making it with less than 50 nights. What were your stay patterns?

By: Chinois Man

Chinois Man — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:08:37 +0000

Not true, I made RA with far fewer than 30 nights.

By: lucky

lucky — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:41:02 +0000

Sorry first, but no chance. You need at least 50 nights to have a shot at RA.

By: first

first — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:47:53 +0000

Lucky,
I’m a plat ambassador with 15 qualifying nights (5 IC nights) so far and already qualify plat status for
2011 with 60k points instead of nights.
Do you think I might have a shot on Royal amb?

Thanks.

By: lucky

lucky — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:09:47 +0000

@ Sam — Could be, but I have a feeling it’s not exactly the top 1%, but that they just say that to make it sound exclusive. For the past few years it took exactly 50 nights, so I doubt that’s a coincidence.

@ Gene — Hope you make it!

@ Tommy777 — I’ll assume the smilie means you’re kidding. RA is probably the best top tier status of any hotel program.

@ Scholar — Yeah, cause the luxury hotel market is really doing so well in a recession….

@ Ric — Well said.

By: Ric Garrido

Ric Garrido — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:48:14 +0000

Rather than an indication that the chain is doing well I would propose the rationale is another cost-cutting measure in a time of decreasing profits across hotel chains and the industry.

The luxury segment of lodging has been hit hard this year. I know the new 2008 InterContinental Monterey had hoped to be pulling minimum rates of $400 per night in 2009 when I interviewed a manager in May 2008.

Rates fell to under $120 per night this past winter and are just pushing over $200 for summer 2009.

By: Scholar in Training

Scholar in Training — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:03:06 +0000

An indication the chain is doing well?