IHG not honouring club lounge access as “the booking agent was misinformed”

[trader363]

Booked IC Dubai Marina for October on the phone via IHG; the agent sold me IHG ambassador membership on the basis that it is cheaper to take out the membership than pay for the club lounge access (he explicitly told me I have lounge access with IHG Ambassador).

I called the front desk a week later to confirm the reservation and lounge access. Told that it is not included (which I now know after reading an article here).

I complained to IHG; they listened to the recording and admitted that they mis-sold the IHG ambassador membership and room as the agent was misinformed and they will do better on training. They have offered 20,000 points as compensation but refuse to give me lounge access. This compensation is really just for my time – I had to call 5 times and spent over 2 hours on the phone.

I’m insulted that they think they can bribe me with 20,000 points; thanks to Rob, I know how much that’s actually worth.

Any recommendations on next steps? I don’t want the points . . . I just want the lounge!

[OldFashioned]

That is really not good form, but realistically IHG probably cannot force the hotel to give you access to the lounge. These days hotels tend to hold more power than the actual groups!

Have you been given the option to cancel the booking and also the AMbassador membership, which considering you were mis sold would seem a reasonable request for you to make.

Apart from that, you could try a email to the GM of the hotel appealing for them to honour what was promised to you by IHG, but I wouldn’t be overly hopefully I have to say.

[TGLoyalty]

Did they refund Amb and give you 20k points?

Have you checked what the daily supplement might be and just asking IHG for that number of points? Or the cash cost diff between club room and what you booked?

[trader363]

They did not offer any refund options at all.

Lounge access in the room rate is around £55 a day.

Any idea on how I would get the general managers
?

[trader363]

I haven’t checked the points difference between the normal room and the Lounge access rate, only that the cash difference is £55

[Swiss Jim]

Sensible option seems AMB refund (do via credit card if you can & necessary), ability to cancel booking (if not refundable) and 20,000 compensation. You could push for more but doubt the effort/reward balance in your favour.

[trader363]

Emailed the General Manager and CC’d IHG. They collectively responded and only offered a refund of the hotel (not even the ambassador membership!) . . .although I do want to keep Ambassador so not an issue.

I’ll keep the reservation and just pay for the lounge . . .