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Grateful for any advice from the seasoned experts please as I’m new to the hotels aspect of the points game! I’ve read so many great things about the IC Estoril on here that I’m determined to go for two nights this August following three nights in Lisbon, but didn’t feel I could justify splashing out on the full cash price (I am lowly Gold Elite and have a pitiful 1000 IHG points so no reward nights for me). However, thanks to recently triggering the £200 Amex travel credit from the plat sub it makes the cost more palatable. I’ve read what feels like every HfP article/forum post I can find on Amex FH&R and IHG but all the variables have got the better of me!
If you were me, would you book the first night via Amex FH&R, pre-paying to trigger the travel credit and then book the second night direct with IHG to earn points (I also have 10% cashback on IHG on Curve)? OR, would you book both nights via Amex FH&R for the ease of not having to match up the booking and in the hope of getting a room upgrade for the whole stay as well as the other FH&R benefits? If I go down the separate booking route, is there any way the hotel would credit me the IHG points for the FH&R booked portion of the stay? Also, if I did get upgraded for the FH&R portion, what would the chances be of getting to keep that room even if room booked for the second night via IHG was then a category below the upgraded room? Would look to book a Classic Garden View Room in the hope of being upgraded to an Ocean View, but conscious we are going peak holiday season so the chances of an upgrade anyway may be slim…
Hi @ExpatInBerlin – I should caveat that I haven’t stayed at the IC Estoril (although it is definitely on my list for any Lisbon trip!) but hopefully I can help with some ideas…
– You get free breakfast in the FHR scheme which you do not get with your IHG Gold status (you need Diamond for that). If breakfast has value to you then does your cashback and any points earned still tip the balance versus the benefits of the FHR booking over 2 nights?
– Regarding upgrades, I’d always recommend booking a room you’ll be happy to stay in and then any upgrade received is truly a bonus. As you say, if occupancy is high then upgrades may not be available… Most reports on here tend to say that where you have a split booking and an upgrade on the first night then the hotel will often carry that over onto a subsequent night but there is no guarantee.
– Is your stay over a weekend and do you see yourself having many future stays in IC / IHG properties? If so you might instead consider buying Ambassador membership (cost USD200) and using the free night against this stay? As an Ambassador you get some benefits of the FHR scheme including guaranteed room upgrade and 4pm late checkout (although ony USD20 credit and NOT the USD100 F&B credit or free breakfast from FHR) and earn points / could use your cashback offer. Then you could save the £200 Amex credit for another trip.Also never stayed at that hotel. I’d second the advice to consider Ambassador, especially if you can combine with using the free weekend night.
I’d also consider either booking with Emyr via this site (to get benefits, but also still be able to register the stay to your IHG account and benefit from Ambassador status if you have it) or looking at the Railcard rate for one or two nights to see if this will save you money. Enjoy the trip!
@GG thank you – super helpful! I’ve just looked at the Ambassador option but unfortunately (and unsurprisingly given I’m only 3 weeks out) there are no Ambassador room rates available for either of the nights we would be staying. Would certainly consider for the future though, especially if we like the hotel so much we went to go back. Breakfast is key for us (OH will be grumpy all day if he doesn’t leave the hotel on a full stomach!) so that’s a big draw of FH&R but I did notice IHG offering both non-refundable and refundable rates that include breakfast, so would book one of those anyway rather than room online if booking direct with IHG.
@AnotherUser hadn’t thought of Emyr, thank you. Forgive me but what is a Railcard rate please?Forgive me but what is a Railcard rate please?
See here – https://www.headforpoints.com/forums/topic/railcard-discount-for-ihg-bookings/page/2/ – inputting code 786996886 into the corporate rate option brings up a 20% off best flex rate on a lot of stays (if a Thurs, Fri, Sat or Sun night is included). Goodluck ! 🙂
@GG wow, I never knew about this!! Thank you – will see if my dates are eligible, but if not still great to know for future ref.
You’re welcome. If you need breakfast, I think Railcard rate pretty much always doesn’t include this. The savings may more than cover breakfast, but most often either a breakfast included rate or booking via Emyr or FHR would be better value
@ExpatInBerlin, you mention no Ambassador room rates available for either of the nights, which sounds as if you nay be checking each night individually? If so, you have to actually check for a 2-night booking, wither Fri/Sat or Sat/Sun, to get the Ambassador rate. It is the second night which is free.
I would second checking with Emyr, as his IC rates (usually best flexible) may give you breakfast or an F&B allowance or Club lounge access (although I don’t know if this particular IC has a lounge) as well as an upgrade. You would certainly earn IHG points.
Thanks all for your inputs which helped me make a decision, I’ve now booked two nights at the IC Estoril via Amex FH&R (using my £200 travel credit), counting down the days! On balance, having breakfast included and the guaranteed 4pm checkout are the most important things for us, we have a late flight back from Lisbon so it will be great to have pretty much the whole of the leaving day to enjoy the hotel pool/spa and be able to shower and change before getting a cab to the airport. @Lyn thanks for pointing out about needing to search for two night stays for the Ambassador nights – I checked and still no availability but I’ll be sure to try that method again if we decide to stay again in future/fancy another IC somewhere! @GG and @AnotherUser – FYI alas no joy with the railcard codes directly with IHG, having done a bit of googling it looks like that promo may have ceased for any stays booked after December 2022.
I have stayed there and loved it! You’ll have a great time. The breakfast was amazing.
@GG and @AnotherUser – FYI alas no joy with the railcard codes directly with IHG, having done a bit of googling it looks like that promo may have ceased for any stays booked after December 2022.
I definitely got it to work on some hypothetical bookings at IC London St James yesterday but agree that it didn’t seem to register for the IC Estoril. A bit more experimenting leads me to think it may only be working in the UK now (which makes sense). Still worth a try when trying to maximise value… Hope you have a great stay in Lisbon – do tell us all about it on your return! 🙂
Greetings from the IC Estoril, it’s a toasty 28 degrees here but thankfully I’m writing this from a shady poolside sun lounger 😎 Arrived from our Lisbon hotel (€20.71 Uber) at 12:30 today. Amex FH&R benefits explained at check in but unfortunately no upgrade available – though not surprised by this as hotel is apparently 90% full and it’s a Saturday in August. I also happened to catch a glance of a sheet of paper on behind the desk and saw a list of all today’s check ins and all but one were listed as Amex FH&R. I had booked a Classic Garden Room (one up from the base level Cosy Room) and the front desk staff advised that they had swapped our room with some guests who hadn’t arrived yet so we could check in early, which was great. We can still see the sea and the pool from the far side of our (very generously sized) balcony, so we are quite happy.
The room itself is huge and lovely, we’re convinced that the whole footprint including the bathroom (which to my delight has a separate bath and shower as well as his and hers sink) and balcony is larger than our whole zone 1 flat in London! By 13:15 I was already poolside and OH was taking advantage of the gym, which is a huge benefit of the FH&R early check in as we can enjoy the whole day of hotel facilities – after 3 days of sightseeing in Lisbon our next two nights here are purely for relaxing in/by the pool with a couple of good books.
For 90% occupancy it still doesn’t feel too “busy”, a few families with teenage children in the pool when I arrived but now just a few couples dotted around and it’s lovely and quiet with a great view of all the yachts in the bay. Thanks for all the advice from previous HfP visitors – already looking forward to the breakfast on the sun terrace tomorrow! Happy weekend all!
@GG and @AnotherUser – FYI alas no joy with the railcard codes directly with IHG, having done a bit of googling it looks like that promo may have ceased for any stays booked after December 2022.
I definitely got it to work on some hypothetical bookings at IC London St James yesterday but agree that it didn’t seem to register for the IC Estoril. A bit more experimenting leads me to think it may only be working in the UK now (which makes sense). Still worth a try when trying to maximise value… Hope you have a great stay in Lisbon – do tell us all about it on your return! 🙂
has just worked for me on Vienna and Paris bookings
I definitely got it to work on some hypothetical bookings at IC London St James yesterday but agree that it didn’t seem to register for the IC Estoril. A bit more experimenting leads me to think it may only be working in the UK now (which makes sense). Still worth a try when trying to maximise value… Hope you have a great stay in Lisbon – do tell us all about it on your return! 🙂
It definitely works outside of the UK. I’ve used it in Sam a Francisco, Chicago and Amsterdam,
But it doesn’t apply over all days of the week. A one night midweek stay won’t qualify for it but a 4 night one covering the weekend will.
And remember to actually have a rail card. Whilst I’ve never been asked for it at checkin in I don’t want to be scrabbling around trying to buy one at the last minute.
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