nicolas75

Considering the recent changes in RAs qualification rules, getting some update and clear information from people having been recently qualified RA (renewal or not) would be precious.

>> To check your last year's operations, visit this link


___________________________________
You have been qualified RA recently but were NOT RA last year:
___________________________________

* How many qualifying nights have you stayed the 365 days before your RA qualification?

IC nights:
CP nights:
others:

* Most qualifying nights were paid at discounted corporate rate: Y/N

* Most qualifying nights were at week-ends rates: Y/N

* Country where your Priority Club account is registered:

____________________________
You have been qualified RA and were RA last year:
____________________________

Renewal date
* What was your previous renewal date :

* How many qualifying nights have you stayed between the previous renewal date and last renewal date?

IC nights:
CP nights:
others:


Expiration date
* What was your previous RA expiration date :

* How many qualifying nights have you stayed between the previous expiration date and last expiration date?

IC nights:
CP nights:
others:

* Most qualifying nights were paid at discounted corporate rate: Y/N

* Most qualifying nights were at week-ends rates: Y/N

* Country where your Priority Club account is registered:

MXM135

I may be in the minority here, but I see no purpose for starting this thread and requesting the kind of information you seek or the relevant importance to the number of IC and CP stays versus other properties.

When I joined the Six Continents Club (SCC) and then was moved over to the Ambassador program in January 2004 as an RA, I accepted the fact that my RA status was by invitation only at the discretion of IHG. I have been an RA in each year of the program and was renewed again. I do not believe that I have an entitlement to this status and am happy when it is renewed.

mxm135

iamthehpt

I, for one, would greatly appreciate the information.

NYCbustravelguy

I am not sure of the importance of this informtion either. RA status is by invitation only. I was gifted status 3 years ago and each year have been denied renewal at btw 15-35 stays all at IC at full rack or corp rates. Each year I buy renewal staus on Ebay. This year the price on ebay went up, and my stays went down or I used govt and other deep discounted rates. I decided to either trade in CC for a renewal cert or focus all my attention on SPG. To my surprise last week my status was renewed, after only 12 nights at IC only. ALthough I did complain directly to the IHG Chairman and received personal handling of my complaint by a senior IHG officer in Atlanta. Not sure if that helped my case or not. Additionally, my kit came with a referral cert which has no expiration date on it and was sent Fed Ex, very strange.

In any event, RA status is at the chain's discretion and thus I dont see why the information the OP is requesting is relevant or useful, but I assume this thread will grow to several pages.

gregorygrady

Did your complaint have anything to do with not requalifying for RA, or was it completely unrelated. Well done by getting renewed with just 12 IC nights. Certainly would be nice if they gave us a number to aim for though.

Frequent_Flyer1

Wow, congratulations! Well done for that low number of nights. Makes me even more curious about my case...

WonderDude

I think it is good to share basic info to help us understand the range of the current RA qualification characteristics.

IMHO, however, the info requested is a bit too much.

lemieux66

____________________________[/SIZE]
You have been qualified RA and were RA last year:
____________________________

Renewal date Today !!!
* What was your previous renewal date : I guess it was August 08

* How many qualifying nights have you stayed between the previous renewal date and last renewal date? 58

IC nights: 28
CP nights: 8
others: 22


Expiration date SEP 2010
* What was your previous RA expiration date : SEP 2009

* Most qualifying nights were paid at discounted corporate rate: N

* Most qualifying nights were at week-ends rates: N

* Country where your Priority Club account is registered: Germany

nicolas75

requalified on 4th July^^ (was Independence Day, is now free minibar day)

____________________________
You have been qualified RA and were RA last year:
____________________________

Renewal date 4th July
* What was your previous renewal date : 5th July 2009

* How many qualifying nights have you stayed between the previous renewal date and last renewal date? 56

IC nights: 22
CP nights: 11
others: 23


Expiration date SEP 2010
* What was your previous RA expiration date : SEP 2009

* Most qualifying nights were paid at discounted corporate rate: N

* Most qualifying nights were at week-ends rates: Y

* Country where your Priority Club account is registered: France

dgwright99

requalified on 4th July

____________________________
You have been qualified RA and were RA last year:
____________________________

Renewal date 4th July
* What was your previous renewal date : September 2009

* How many qualifying nights have you stayed between the previous renewal date and last renewal date? 57

IC nights: 7
CP Nights: 15
HI/HIX: 35


Expiration date SEP 2010
* What was your previous RA expiration date : SEP 2009

* Most qualifying nights were paid at discounted corporate rate: ~30%

* Most qualifying nights were at week-ends rates: N

* Country where your Priority Club account is registered: USA

Shareholder

While the democrat in me says it would be nice to have some empirical evidence of what the stay/nights criteria are for RA renewal, the elitist in me has a fondness for the concept of a private club where members are admitted on unknown criteria at the discretion of the management. Remember, ICH is a British company with those sorts of British traditions. The Ambassador/RA program even back in the 6CC days was always a bit of a gentleman's club whereby there were upper echelons but we mere mortal members were not always privy to them. When the changes were made a few years ago, RA became a more distinctive tier and membership opened up a bit more. However, ICH does not have to abide by American civil rights laws which would not permit such criteria in a commercial operation. (This is the reason US airline clubs are not a benefit of elite tier but must be paid for, and why on domestic F or C flights admission is not automatically granted. But that's a long story.)

So I kinda come down on the side of elitism here, and say, let it be a privilege and something ICH determines, not a hard and fast entitlement to be earned after a certain number of nights. In the end it generally comes down to a similar criteria, but the "by invitation" offers ICH the ability to keep some mystique around the whole affair. Quaint, and sometimes this world needs a bit more Quaint.

jimthehorsegod

Yes I'd go along with that for the most part - but the problem comes when (like me) you're borderline RA-worthy and basically have a choice to make: Hilton (or other chain) stays all year, knowing you'll get a set level of recognition and benefit, or ICHG and hope for the best - otherwise for 50+ nights and a few ICs I'm still at the same level as I am now, and even that I paid for after all!

So yes, it's nice to have the 'top' tier as an elusive club you feel privileged to have been 'selected' for (I supposed a little like Amex Centurion in that regard) but on the other hand, customers on the fringe are weighing up potential-of-IC-recognition vs Concrete benefits elsewhere, which is a tricky choice for some. (Not me I might add as the PCR/Amb scheme works perfectly for me even without daring to hope for RA some day)

paulmoscow

Here in Russia you need to hint the bank you want Centurion, after that you will get an "invitation". It costs $3K per year and available virtually for everybody.

We all perfectly know where to find RA referral certs, if somebody REALLY wants to get the status

lemieux66

No, actually I now realized renewal date also was 4th of July.

It seems, that ICHG was celebrating the Independence Day, passing out so many renewals :-)

Shareholder

I concur. Amex Centurian is strictly a financial matter. If you can afford it, you can get it. You can buy your way in, it has little to do with being invited