Best place to use the Confirmable Suite Upgrade in Middle East / Asia

[Mr. AC]

I have a Suite Upgrade expiring in December and around a week of time to travel around Dec 23 – 30. I’ll be starting in Istanbul but can go further East, with no particular plan so far.

Are there any aspirational IHG hotels that anyone can think of that would get a great “back for buck” for the suite upgrade?

I’ll contribute one where I’ve been: IC Ras Al Khaimah. The entry-level suites are really massive and feel almost like a small-ish house. They’re all semi-detached.
However it’s a beach resort in the middle of nowhere which isn’t exactly what I’m feeling like.

I’m more interested in city hotels.
Any recommendations super welcome! Doesn’t have to be a “mainline” city like Dubai, can be something off the beaten path or really weird like Tashkent (apparently has an IC) or something over the top in Saudi Arabia.

[BJ]

The best place to use it anywhere is the place you want to stay.

[Mr. AC]

BJ wrote:

The best place to use it anywhere is the place you want to stay.

I’m open to something new! Can’t think of where I want to go in particular. Maybe Saudi Arabia since I haven’t been…

A good example of a hotel I’m thinking of (but too far East) is IC ANA Beppu – it’s an onsen (hot springs) hotel in the Japanese backwater, at least 7 hours away from Tokyo. But it’s a destination in and of itself – great rooms, fine dining restaurant, breathtaking views, Japanese hot spring onsite, pool, etc.

Ideas about something like that closer (Middles East, Central Asia e.g. the -stans, maybe as far as India) would be really appreciated.

[BJ]

Japan sounds great to me regardless of whether you can use the upgrade. I xurrenfly have two and am not losing any sleep over them, looks like one will not be used unless I can use it on a two night stay at Indigo Durham. I just perceive them as a potential bomus, nothing to shape travel plans.

[BBbetter]

Can you use it at Six senses?

The ICs in India are nothing to write about. Why not the Dubai ones? You said you like city hotels. Can’t imagine any of the options giving more ‘bang for buck’ than Maldives.

[John]

BJ wrote:

Japan sounds great to me regardless of whether you can use the upgrade. I xurrenfly have two and am not losing any sleep over them, looks like one will not be used unless I can use it on a two night stay at Indigo Durham. I just perceive them as a potential bomus, nothing to shape travel plans.

Well they are worth at least 5000 points or USD 40 of hotel food as that’s what you didn’t choose in order to get them (at 20 nights).

I also have one I am struggling to use as for the past year I wasn’t able to book anything as far as 2 weeks in advance – and two out of the four IHGs i stayed at which had suites gave me a suite for free anyway 🙂

[Mr. AC]

BBbetter wrote:

Can you use it at Six senses?
Why not the Dubai ones?.

Six Senses are excluded.

Yeah, if I can’t think of anything better the “default” choice for me will be Dubai, probably IC Festival city.

[aseftel]

I haven’t been, but Khao Yai is one of the more unique properties in the portfolio.

[where2travel]

Mr. AC wrote:

BBbetter wrote:

Can you use it at Six senses?
Why not the Dubai ones?.

Six Senses are excluded.

Yeah, if I can’t think of anything better the “default” choice for me will be Dubai, probably IC Festival city.

I’ve just had my latest CSU rejection trying to upgrade at the Dubai Festival City IC. I’m finding these hopeless. This one was due to expire but luckily IHG agreed to swap it out for F&B credits “as a one-off”. I’ve still got one more that expires later next year, so will battle with that one and see if I fare any better.

[Mr. AC]

What was the rationale? Suites not available?

[BJ]

@MR.AC there is a piece on LL today about 15% off new IHG properties so you might want to see if any if those are of interest and would combine with an upgrade.

@John? Indeed! I might have to rethink choice next year if the upgrades prove impossible to use where I actually want to stay.

[where2travel]

Mr. AC wrote:

What was the rationale? Suites not available?

There were and are plenty of different suite categories still available (although I assume it needs the entry level one, so various categories being available probably doesn’t make any difference).

The excuse was a bit vague (and didn’t mention suites), something along the lines that it’s not available to use due to the hotel’s availability, demand and inventory.

I’m left thinking they’re hard to use, it wastes too much time trying to use them and end up being rejected, and that hotels/IHG can make any excuse they wish to not allow their use.

[Mr. AC]

Update – tried to use the suite voucher for a booking in Tashkent, first at the Crowne Plaza and then at the Intercontinental. In both cases multiple suites were available for cash but nothing using the voucher after calling. The agent was apologetic but was unable to provide a list of hotels that actually accept the voucher. He did extend the expiry date by 1 year though (it was expiring next week), so I guess I’ll try again. Really not impressed with the voucher so far.

[RonnieB]

Is the suite voucher the best use of the milestone award? Or is a food and beverage voucher more value? Or the 5k bonus points?

Any views?

[Go197]

RonnieB wrote:

Is the suite voucher the best use of the milestone award? Or is a food and beverage voucher more value? Or the 5k bonus points?

Any views?

It’s very easy to use the F&B reward and very likely that you will find opportunity to use them.

The suite upgrade reward is rather awkward to use. Using it on award bookings has been stopped.

I will never again bother with the suite upgrade.

(Unless you have a specific trip in mind where you know you will likely be able to use it.)

I say rewards worth $15 that you do use are much better than a reward theoretically worth $x00 that you don’t use.

[RonnieB]

Go197 wrote:

RonnieB wrote:

Is the suite voucher the best use of the milestone award? Or is a food and beverage voucher more value? Or the 5k bonus points?

Any views?

It’s very easy to use the F&B reward and very likely that you will find opportunity to use them.

The suite upgrade reward is rather awkward to use. Using it on award bookings has been stopped.

I will never again bother with the suite upgrade.

That’s weird cos in my account it says:

Wallet
● You can now use Confirmable Suite Upgrades on Reward Night bookings. Your stays just got even more rewarding!

(Unless you have a specific trip in mind where you know you will likely be able to use it.)

I say rewards worth $15 that you do use are much better than a reward theoretically worth $x00 that you don’t use.

[RonnieB]

Sorry

Wallet
● You can now use Confirmable Suite Upgrades on Reward Night bookings. Your stays just got even more rewarding!

Is that not the case?

[Lynx]

It was definitely reported that it can now be used on reward bookings. I’ve used 3 this year with no problems, but they were for 2 or 3 nights at CP Brussels (airport), CP Dublin (airport) and IC Sofia.

[Mr. AC]

Lynx wrote:

CP Brussels (airport), CP Dublin (airport) and IC Sofia.

Ok, that’s good information! So they can be used somewhere 🙂
Does anyone know if there’s a list somewhere with people reporting success using these vouchers in particular hotels? (Flyertalk?)

[Go197]

Lynx wrote:

It was definitely reported that it can now be used on reward bookings. I’ve used 3 this year with no problems, but they were for 2 or 3 nights at CP Brussels (airport), CP Dublin (airport) and IC Sofia.

It’s more recently been reported (I probably saw it on FT) that using them on reward bookings has been suspended.