Money back in your pocket is just the best…
Forget about chasing elite hotel guest status by sleeping in random places to accumulate enough nights, why not just buy the good stuff instead? With zero grind, Intercontinental offers one of the most lucrative opportunities to guarantee an upgraded experience, every single time you stay at one of their hotels, while picking up elite status and a free night offer. If you’re a fan of luxury hotels, this might be the upgrade trick you’ve been looking for.
Intercontinental Ambassador is a set of perks anyone can purchase for $200 for the first year, and generally about $50 less after that. On offer: guaranteed room upgrade to next room class, 4PM late check out, welcome gift, mineral water, fruit and most importantly, a certificate for a free weekend night, when you book one weekend night. It’s basically a BOGO, and in case you don’t speak internet, that means “buy one get one”. There are so many Intercontinental hotels around the world where the complimentary weekend night would more than pay for the status, in just one go.
This is as simple as it gets. Redeem your free night for a room going for just a dollar more than $200, and you’ve already won. At the most desirable Intercontinental properties, such as the Intercontinental Sun Peninsula in Danang, Vietnam, you’re saving yourself $550 for a two night stay, and coming out over $300 ahead for the year. You’re turning a $1100 hotel bill into a $550 stay. You’ve already won from just one of the Ambassador benefits. You’re not even counting the guaranteed upgrades every time you stay at an Intercontinental Hotel, or the fact that you can enjoy your room until 4PM, or that you get complimentary elite status with IHG, which can easily add hundreds, if not thousands more in value. Hot tip: booking the highest room category below “club” can result in lounge access and free booze, with the guaranteed one category upgrade, just FYI.
The value of any status is entirely personal. If you spend more than two hotel nights a year at an Intercontinental property, then the answer is almost always yes. If you don’t, it’s of course a “no”. This status is ideal for people who want guaranteed benefits, who don’t spend the 50+ nights in IHG hotels required to earn the benefits each year, outright. Spending $200 for a complimentary second night at any Intercontinental in the world is very tough to argue with by itself, and if you can utilize that perk alone, it’s hard not to see value here. The more you can reap the guaranteed benefits of room upgrades, late check out and other perks, the more compelling Ambassador status becomes.
Have you taken advantage of Ambassador status?
Featured image courtesy of Intercontinental Sun Peninsula Danang, Vietnam.
does the upgrade reflect 24 hrs after booking or is it only on arrival?
@VK It depends on the hotel; most of them do process it before you arrive. Those that don’t drop them an email often gets them to review your reservation.
When it comes to saving on the weekend voucher – almost 1000 gbp saved on mine this year by staying at Bora Bora Thalasso with it… Its defiately worth it for the top tier hotels. It;s sometimes cheaper to book and pay for the room as you have to pay the flexible rate for what is likely a leisure trip…
Did they upgrade your bungalow?
Hi I am an IC Ambassador but I want to let you know that booking a room just below club does not guarantee club lounge access. In many cases, they will upgrade to a club room WITHOUT club lounge access and one has to pay more for club privileges.
This is reflected in the terms and conditions as club privileges are not an included perk.
Like you said, just FYI.