Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Generally happy but with some lapses. Two x2 nights stays in November.

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked a King bed grande deluxe room with the aim of getting an upgrade to include club access. On both occasions this occurred though I don�t believe there was an actual room upgrade.

How are the rooms?
First stay was on the 19th Floor in a renovated room. These are stylishly done with good quality fixtures and fittings. Second stay was in a standard unrenovated room. They are showing their age and the renovation is definitely overdue.

How is the exec. lounge?
Here I think standards had declined a bit. The evening food I didn�t think was as good as previously nor was there as wide a selection. Breakfast was fine but service was below the previous standard. Long waits, even when the place was not busy, for orders for hot food to be taken and for coffee. At one point I was told that coffee, or tea would be 30 minutes because the machine was being serviced. Seemed a strange thing to do at 9.30am and, if it was broken, there was no alternative available.

What was good and what was bad?
Good: Room, at last the renovated one, and the club though not as good as previously.

Bad: Bill problems - being charged for the beverages from the mini-bar 24 hours after check-out and the hotel not responding to my emails for 17 days. It was only resolved after I involved the Ambassador desk and then with profuse apologies. As well, receiving a note at 1.00pm reminding me of the check out time and that I had overstayed it even though 4.00pm had been agreed. Lapses in service.

Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
Will stay again.

Pics are in the following album:
http://picasaweb.google.com/michaela...41stLegNov2007

Trip Report at:
http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/comm...mso-11384.html

Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
First stay here. Loved it. Two nights.

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked a Luxury Club Getaway in a King Bed Superior Harbor View and was upgraded the day before to a Junior suite, then on arrival to an Executive suite with full harbor view on the top floor. I used a Bogo for the second night without any issue. Given that the rate for the room was double what I was paying and I was getting 2 nights instead of one, I think I used that Bogo certificate very well.

How are the rooms?
It was as nice a room as I have stayed in. Very comfortable and spacious with a huge bed and the usual amenities. Plenty of fruit, a very well stocked mini bar and a welcome gift of chopsticks. The butler service worked well. Bathroom is good and a great shower.

How is the exec. lounge?
The lounge was fine though the evening snacks seemed in short supply. Service was good. The room though does not make the most of the location.

What was good and what was bad?
Good: Just about everything. I kept being welcomed back, on my first visit, so I must look like someone famous!

Bad: Criticism would be nit-picking.

Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
Will stay again.

Pics are in the following album:
http://picasaweb.google.com/michaela...41stLegNov2007

Trip Report at:
http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/trip-reports/dear-diary-turtlemichael-tmso-11384.html

Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Very happy. I had a nice stay there.

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked a standard room and got a large suite upgrade. The room is so nice and everything was new. They just opened the floor and I was the first guest in this suite. Everything smells new !!!


How are the rooms?
Big and bigger. Wow ! That is what a suite should like be. I was impressed of the bath tube.

How is the exec. lounge?
Not available.

What was good and what was bad?
Good: Stayed in a completely new suite.

Bad: The hotel is open for about a month and not floors are opened. No RA gift, but the mini bar was free (not the food items), but the whole alcohol.

Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
Yes, of course !!

From looking at the layouts on bali.intercontinental.com then the suite they gave me was a little larger than the Classic Suite - more like the layout of the Bali Suite. Executive Suite was the term used by the hotel itself, but doesn't appear on their website. It was renovated as well, so didn't appear particuarly dated (one of the other rooms I had at the same time was renovated, the other unrenovated, and the difference in appearance was quite noticable - all well maintained though, but unrenovated did look dated).

Keep in mind that the Christmas period is high season there, so it might impact on the level of upgrades available (especially if people actually pay for suites) - but they should still give you something nice I'm sure!

IC Nairobi


Were you happy with the hotel/stay?
Generally happy.

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?

Booked a Superior King, upgraded to Deluxe One Bedroom Suite.

How are the rooms?

Good space, but a little tired. Two mini-bars and two bathrooms (no walk in shower).

How is the exec. lounge?

Not offered access to Club without paying additional usd50 per night.

What was good and what was bad?

Good: brought straight to Ambassador/RA desk on right hand side of lobby as registration desk busy on arrival.

Arrived at 0800 and brought to suite.

Bad: Not offered Club access or upgraded to renovated suite. Have now stayed on several occasions over the last few weeks, and despite asking on several occasions - and offering to swop the suite for a Club room, this has been refused on each occasion, with various managers insisting I was entitled to a suite but not to a Club room;-(

I was offered a corporate rate for a Deluxe room, Superior Room and Club Room.

Having decided to pay for a Superior Room, I am disappointed that I am repeatedly being given a Deluxe Suite rather than a Club Room or Superior Suite. The Superior and Club rooms have been recently upgraded, and the deluxe rooms are all quite tired.


Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?

Based on the corporate rate I am paying, yes. But based on the rate offered on the PriorityClub website - probably no, even allowing for the suite upgrade.

But on my next stay in nairobi, I am going to try the Hilton and see what upgrade (if any) I receive by comparison as a HH Diamond.

IC Shanghai
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?Happy. 2 nights

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked a King Bed Deluxe room and upgraded to a club room with lounge access

How are the rooms?
The room decor was elegant, although not quite new. always got welcome chocolate box and water places at the table. The internet access if free, which is a huge value since the typical charge would be 138rmb ($18)

How is the exec. lounge?
Excellent. However, I only got to use in the morning for breakfast. The selection is not as ample as the bf downstairs, but I did enjoy the service and quietness in the lounge.

What was good and what was bad?
Good: Room, club and service. All above average. Good mini-bar too.

Bad: seems like their rate (contract) will increase this year...

Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
Good value for a similar class hotel in Shanghai. Since we have a good corporate rate, the points would be a good use..

IC Barclay - New York (Manhattan - Midtown)


Were you happy with the hotel/stay?
Generally happy.

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked the cheapest room ($589 queen w/ breakfast).

Received king suite, corner room 7th floor.

How are the rooms?

The place is showing its age. Could use some minor updates.

How is the exec. lounge?

N/A

What was good and what was bad?

Good: Efficient check-in (but no one at Ambassador desk), room upgrade guaranteed. Not charged for minibar drinks.

Bad: No welcome gift. Minibar was not replenished throughout stay. Check-out at Ambassador desk the woman was a bit rude. Room service coffee tasted nasty.

Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?

For New York, $589 is pretty standard for busy weekends. I would return, but it is still a bit pricey.

IC Cologne Köln
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Quite happy, two nights, using B0G0

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked Executive Room (which does not include Club access, but only breakfast in club lounge) and got Junior Suite, which was not yet available at check-in at 3 pm.

How are the rooms?
Junior Suite is nice, big for a "junior", bathroom is very small.

How is the exec. lounge?
Breakfast was ok. Lounge is small. Sometimes no staff but sign next to phone "Call for Staff"


What was good and what was bad?
Good: Room, Breakfast, location. Maulbeers Restaurant Champagne Brunch on Sundays is great.

Bad: Room not available at check-in. Minibar was not refilled. Upgrade could have been better

Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
Well, roomrate was 270 Euro - could be better value. Would go again, but not pay for Executive anymore.


----
Upcoming IC stays: Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Chengdu, Jiuzhaigou, Hongkong, Cairo Resort, Taba, Aqaba.

Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?Yes, fairly happy.

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked a 2 room Jnr Suite and was upgraded to a Senior Suite and also given club access; the duty manager (who checked me in) said I'd normally be given a much better room, but they were full up - damn pointbreaks!

How are the rooms?
I was in the new 'contemporary' part of the hotel, and to be honest it wasn't to my taste. The rooms were a pretty good size (70 sq m) and were certainly well thought out, but I much prefer a more traditional style with modern amenities - something more like the IC London or the Dorchester for example.
It wouldn't have felt quite so different had we not just come from a hotel which totally encapsulated what traditional meant, so don't be put off by what I've written.

How is the exec. lounge?
My partner and I visited the lounge a few times during our stay, and yes I can see why people find them alluring, but there's no way in hell I'd ever pay for access to one after seeing what they had there. The food selection was ok, but certainly nothing to fill up on, and the evening drinks selection was good for spirits but not too good for wine - all in all I think it's better suited to those who don't get a free minibar anyway.

What was good and what was bad?
Good: All staff I had any dealings with, cleanliness and decor of the hotel itself.
The food is out of this world. It is some of the cheapest good food I've ever come across, and blows away meals that I've paid three or four times that amount for; this is a hotel that surely must get a lot of non-resident business at the restaurant, so at busy times of the year I think booking will be a necessity.

Bad: Nothing to really complain about apart from the room not quite being to my taste - trivial in the grand scheme of things.

Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
165 EUR per night, excellent value! I would return, but would book a better room, or would ask to be in the other part of the hotel.

IC Lusaka

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Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Very happy - booked two rooms for two nights for 5k per night

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked two Junior Suites, upgraded to one suite and Club room with full club access.

How are the rooms?

One bedroom suite is very nice (large living room with dining table, guest bathroom, full bathroom - no walk in shower, and king sized bedroom), Club room not yet renovated.

How is the exec. lounge?

Good sized lounge, but liimited food during the day. Free tea/coffee all day, drinks and canapes between 1800 - 2000, good choice at breakfast.

Attendent in lounge at all times - friendly, helpful service.

What was good and what was bad?

Good: Room, Breakfast, service.

Bad: Hotel based in embassy district. 20 - 30 minutes walk from main business area.

Hotel currently being renovated. Renovated rooms sounds as if they will be very nice.

Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?

Excellent value for money. Staying again on a Rewards night just before New Year.

IC Century City Los Angeles


Were you happy with the hotel?

Yes, on a Govt. rate of around $170.


Which room did you book?

Booked a standard room, upgraded to a suite (bedroom behind French doors), sold as king deluxe. There are a lot of these suites, and it may only be a one-category upgrade. Twelfth floor, facing ocean per my request, balcony like most rooms. A same-day request for the highest possible floor did not result in my being moved any higher in this 18-storey hotel (though the very top floors are tapered and mostly penthouses).


How are the rooms?

Fine. Flat screen TVs, large sofa and easy chairs, coffee table, workdesk.


How is the Exec. lounge?

N/A


What was good / bad?

Good:

- King deluxe rooms are quite nice and spacious, comfy sofa and chairs, nice new LCD TVs
- good minibar, incl. one half bottle each of CA red and white wines, many spirit miniatures, Heinekens, 2 Red Bulls, high quality cranberry and orange juices and large bottle of V-8. (but only drinks are free here)
- friendly staff at the front desk
- Received 3 newspapers in the morning, per my request (LA Times, WSJ, Financial Times)
- great views
- pleasant although small infinity swimming pool


Bad:

- Bathroom fairly spacious but shower head is aging
- No underarm deodorant available from housekeeping
- Upgrade policy for RAs may be a bit chintzy (see above)
- Room coffee maker uses little cups of concentrated coffee and decaf. The decaf tasted bad.
- No free snacks from the minibar
- No Club Floors / Lounge
- No keepsake gift. Food amenity was 3 red delicious apples on a long tray, and a small box of Torn Ranch micro-chocolate chip cookies in foil wrap, from Novato, CA. They tasted decent.
- No letter from the General Manager, a violation of the stated RA amenity package
- Expensive parking (Parked on the street about 15 mins. walk away for return to car at 9:00 am Monday. Free street parking in closer neighborhoods is easy on weekends and until 8:00 am weekdays).
- A longish walk to retail at the Century City Shopping Center. The Hyatt Century Plaza is better sited in this respect.
- Food offerings downstairs seemed less interesting than when the hotel was a Park Hyatt, though I didn't try them


Value for money? Would you return?

I would consider it at the government rate on a clear winter's day, chiefly for the room balconies and wide views out both sides of the hotel. To the west is a fine view of Santa Catalina Island, Palos Verdes, the Ballona Lagoon, Santa Monica Bay, Westwood and the Santa Monica Mountains. To the east is a spectacular view of downtown, the Miracle Mile, Hollywood, and the entire Angeles Crest. During my stay, just after a storm, the view extended right to the snow-capped San Bernardinos and Mt. San Jacinto, a good 70 miles away. I wish I'd booked an east-facing view.

Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Very happy - booked for 4 nights on a 5k/night Point Break

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked a regular point break king bed, got that. No upgrade due to PB stay I was told.

How are the rooms?

Very nice for a regular room on the 33rd floor. Typical IC goodness.

How is the exec. lounge?

No lounge access

What was good and what was bad?

Good: Free mini bar, lots of water, towels, location. All RA benefits afforded except the room upgrade. Location is just outside the steps to the BTS Skytrain.

Bad: Hotel bar closes at 1pm (really not a biggie).

Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?

Excellent value for money. 5k/night, can't be beat here.

Other notes:
Meter Taxi charge is approx THB 315 (200 fare + highway toll 25 + highway toll 40 + airport surcharge).

Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes - very much so

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked King Bed, Main building on breakfast rate. ($179)
Upgrade to Junior Suite in Historic Tower (3804)

How are the rooms?
This the highest (location) suite that doesn't require the secondary elevator. Compared to other junior suites in the Historic Tower, this was fairly small (only one bathroom, one king bed + sofabed, one minibar). Very nicely decorated, two flat screen TVs, very large bathroom with separate shower and soaking tub. Room has views to the east and the south. Firm but comfortable bed and a couple of chairs in the bedroom, desk (including multifunctional printer) and sofa in the parlor. Minibar beverages only were free (1/2 bottle of red, several beers, 14 mini liquor bottles [including Maker's Mark, Bacardi, Belvedere, and Chivas].

Welcome gift: 3 pieces of fruit, 1 L Evian, 6 truffles

How is the exec. lounge?
N/A - there is none.

What was good and what was bad?

Good:
Excellent upgrade, view to south of Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower, Chase Tower, Trump Tower, and Sears Tower (in one shot).
Room was very spacious and pretty well-appointed (one of the best I've stayed in)
Breakfast included (according to Front Desk Manager) on both days.
Great location for finishing up Christmas shopping.
American breakfast (including bread pudding and omelets) quite good.

Bad:
Floris toiletries (I was hoping for at least the Crabtree and Evelyn)
Fog obscured view during the weekend (obviously not the hotel's fault)
Continental breakfast components weren't great, which I'd expect at a $20 price point for a continental breakfast.

Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
At the prevailing rate, even without a BOGO, it's excellent. You can imagine how it would be with a BOGO and 3/4 of the cost defrayed on the AMEX card. I'm looking forward to going back there, too, as I'm a big fan of Chicago.

Other notes:

Pictures can be found here. I'm still working on the quality of shots here, but at least you can see that it's a pretty nice spot.

Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes!

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?Booked King Main building and upgraded to an Exec Suite, Historic Tower (4100)

How are the rooms?As Gmax previously posted, this series of rooms (3900-4200) are one per floor, and require a second elevator ride to reach. The room was a full suite, with two full bathrooms, a formal dining area, flat screen TV, sofabed couch, and a hallway leading to the bedroom. The bedroom was so small there was barely enough room to get out of the side of the bed. However, the two windows gave an obstructed view (building facade) of the south and east, including the lake. Considering the overall charm, the small room was rather fun.

Welcome gift: 3 pieces of fruit, 1 L Evian, 6 truffles

How is the exec. lounge?N/A - there is none.

What was good and what was bad?
Good:
I was very pleased with the upgrade and the courtesy from all the staff. The location was great for Xmas shopping. The concierge gave some excellent restaurant recommendations, including one for breakfast (West Egg, right around the corner).

This property has a great swimming pool and a decent workout area. It is $12/day but waived for RA's. The hotel in itself has a lot of history and charm.

Bad:
Can't think of anything related to the hotel. As previously mentioned, it was foggy with an obstructed view. Also, I was really disappointed by the slow service on the "L" It takes a Blue/Red transfer from ORD. Even the train seemed plagued by congestion, with frequent slowing. It took well over an hour to reach the hotel from the airport. Again, this was no fault of the hotel.

Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?Absolutely! The favorable rates along with the strong RA benefits make this property a winner. Although no one ever "recognized me" as an RA, etc., the service spoke for itself.

Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked a club room, upgraded to a cluib suite.

How are the rooms?
The suite is very larte (living room, bathroom and king sized bedroom),

How is the exec. lounge?
It is closed on weekends, so you will only get a voucher for a drink. Breakfast will be served in the main restaurant.

What was good and what was bad?
Nothing special to mention.

Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
Yes.