Diamond Status (with lounge Access)

[JPJOULE]

I have STAYS booked at InterContinentals in Edinburgh and Malta on points. Can I expect access to club lounges? Breakfasts are free? please advise.

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

Access to club lounges only via a club room rate or having chosen it as a milestone benefit.

Yes breakfast as long as you chose it as your Diamond welcome amenity.

[NorthernLass]

There’s no lounge at The George anyway!

[AnotherUser]

Depending how long your stays are, you could consider paying for Ambassador status. You still wouldn’t get lounge access, but would hopefully get room upgrades, late checkout, etc

[NorthernLass]

You get breakfast and upgrade with Diamond, it’s only worth buying Ambassador if you’re going to make good use of the other benefits.

[danimal]

It’s worth buying Ambassador as it will extend your Diamond by a year.

[Cx]

Other than the breakfast amenity, is there any value for holding diamond status notwithstanding the bonus points?

[NorthernLass]

Better upgrades. But it’s mainly the breakfast – for some people this won’t be a huge deal but I’m a big breakfast fan and this gives us tremendous value, especially at the top end (IC, Kimpton etc).

[danimal]

The $200 ambassador fee is paid for by the free night and 15000 points it gives you.

Free breakfast and upgrades is a great benefit. Especially with the cost of living in LA! 5 days at $50 per day for 2 people is at least a $250 saving.

[NorthernLass]

You don’t get the 15k points any more.

[danimal]

Oh. I got them 2 weeks ago.

[NorthernLass]

Was that for joining or renewing?

[Pangolin]

NorthernLass wrote:

You don’t get the 15k points any more.

You still get them for renewals.

[AnotherUser]

I thought Ambassador was more likely to get you updraded than Diamond alone? I got a nice upgrade for my first stay at an intercontinental with Ambassador, though I may have been lucky 🙂

I bought Ambassador to extend Diamond anyway, but the other benefits are a bonus!

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

AMB gets you upgrade at ICs but not guaranteed at other IHG brands.

[danimal]

NorthernLass wrote:

Was that for joining or renewing?

Renewing but membership had lapsed

[JohnG]

AnotherUser wrote:

I thought Ambassador was more likely to get you updraded than Diamond alone? I got a nice upgrade for my first stay at an intercontinental with Ambassador, though I may have been lucky 🙂

Ambassador is much more likely to get you an upgrade at IC’s as an upgrade at IC’s is part of the benefits whereas IC’s don’t need to give upgrades to people with IHG status but no Ambassador membership. In other IHG chains being Diamond should be more valuable for upgrades than being a Platinum Ambassador.