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Hi
Does this hotel have a reputation for lack of diamond upgrades or have I just caught them on a bad day? They had rooms available above the basic but had no intention of upgrading because they thought they could sell them.
Did they tell you that? But yes a couple of people have said the same.
We had a fantastic double upgrade to a junior suite (via status plus Emyr) but that was back when foreign tourists were banned so they would definitely have been less likely to sell the room.
Given how unbelievably small the standard rooms are, this really isn’t a reputation they want to have.
We got upgraded from standard room (which we booked on points for 16,000) to a corner suite last August – was such a good stay, would highly recommend
I stayed on points midweek before Christmas to get some shopping done. Had a small upgrade to a larger room type. Still very much the hallway door opening right to the bed though. The breakfast buffet was overwhelmed when I was there; tables were all full and very tightly packed. I felt they may want to do something about that as I had work to get to so would have taken their advice to book a slot had I known
I booked a free night here in creation days. Expressed a preference for a rollaway bed but when we got there they knew nothing about it and required proof. They insisted I pay an extra £250 as only their suites were big enough for the rollaway. My wife and son ended up at the premier inn King’s Cross with plenty of change from this fanciful figure. Later we saw similar experiences on trip advisor and realised you need to re register a preference at kimpton’s own website. News from the IHG one doesn’t necessarily get through to them. Monumentally unhelpful.
Stayed here a couple of times recently. Like yourself I am Diamond, and was not offered an upgrade either time. I find the Fitzroy quite offish when it comes to communication via email. Although all staff were super friendly at the front desk when it came to face to face but nevertheless still no upgrade. My last stay with them was actually ruined by them not picking up my in room breakfast card over night and subsequently not actually having breakfast until well over an hour and a half after my scheduled time. The house keeping then had the nerve to explain to me how the process worked (as if I didn’t know…I left my flipping card out the night before so yes I kind of do know that I can select my breakfast for in room delivery for future stays!). Anyhow, the most annoying aspect of the whole thing is, post stay, being contacted 3 times to provide feedback of the debacle, I wasn’t intending of making a big deal about it but relented after the 3rd time of contact to receive absolutely zero reply or response to my feedback. Its no biggy I appreciate things fall through the cracks and it was a redemption anyway but in future, it has made me reconsider whether to return here again.
It sounds as though it’s gone downhill a lot and I’m now not inclined to book again in future! They must have been trying extra hard just after the pandemic, they let us have breakfast in our suite at no extra charge, left us treats each day, showered us with drinks vouchers and let me split the bill over 2 Amex Plat with no quibble for the cash back offers.
It’s not as though London is lacking in high-end hotels.
At checkout, I did remind them of the importance of upgrading diamond members and told them that they had a bit of a reputation for not doing this and got the usual subject to availability. She gave me 2000 points and said I would be priority to be upgraded next time!
I did have a good experience for breakfast and the points required for the night were 43,000 which was reasonable as the room was selling for £300, not that I would have paid that.
I checked in here last night.
On my last visit, I got the usual “sorry we’re so full that we can’t offer you a Diamond upgrade”. When I checked out, the reception manager told me to contact her ahead of my next stay so that she could organise an upgrade in advance.
About six weeks ago, I sent an email to her and this was promptly answered with confirmation that we would be upgraded (for this stay) to a King One Bedroom Park View Suite. On check in, we were assigned the smallest room I’ve ever stayed in here and smaller than the room I’d actually paid for. It was also at the back of the hotel so as far from Park View as possible.
I called reception and was told “we are full, so can’t move you”. It was only when I said we’d be leaving, that a suite was miraculously found. It’s up in the eaves and smaller than others that I’ve stayed in, but perfectly pleasant.
On this occasion I’d sum-up the “policy” as: we’ll do whatever we can to avoid giving an upgrade, even when we’ve told you [in writing] that we will. In general, the hotel seems to have high occupancy, so it’s not the best IHG location in London to get an upgrade.
@BH, lying to try and wriggle out of upgrading you is really shabby and I would complain to IHG – hopefully they will at least throw you a few thousand points by way of apology.
I experienced a complete lack of diamond recognition at the new Halyard in Liverpool last weekend (I posted a mini review on here yesterday) but as we’d only paid £89 and the base rooms are really nice, didn’t press the matter. I did mention it at check out and they said they would pass my comments on to the staff from the day before.
It’s a poor do when you have to present a hotel with evidence that they’re not telling the truth!
@NorthernLass Unsurprisingly, I agree!
It’s not the best start to what was planned as a relaxing break to have to argue for what one was promised.
Much though I like the hotel, this has left such a bad taste that I doubt we’ll stay here again.
@BH, you prompted me to drop a quick email to the Ambassador team at IHG about my experience as it clearly wasn’t a one-off. They replied immediately saying they are concerned to hear this and will escalate it directly to the hotel. You may want to do the same – it might make IHG (and the hotels) sit up and take notice if they’re getting this kind of feedback from members.
*I agree it leaves a nasty taste – last year I had to argue at the George in Edinburgh that I hadn’t agree to the paid upgrade they kept mithering me to take before our stay – and had to produce an email to prove it!
I stayed here on a 61k point reward booking for a standard queen room last July. Maybe they take the BA approach of only upgrading people who aren’t regular stayers as the check in lass said something like “I’m sure you will like your room” with a smirk – as we were upgraded to a beautiful suite. Couldn’t tell you what category it was, but I vaguely recall it might have been room x08 (can’t remember the floor either!). View over Russell Square, living room to the right as you came in the lobby with cloakroom to the left and then a good size bedroom with a huge bathroom with separate rolltop bath and walk in shower. Very impressed but I can’t imagine it would happen again.
As a diamond myself, I have only ever been upgraded one category, mainly on points stays at the end of last year. Usually from the essential room to standard, nothing more. Certainly never got a suite or larger room sadly. Maybe I’m just unlucky but do love the hotel. I might try contacting them prior to stay in future to see if they can pre-upgrade
@NorthernLass I did rather have the wind taken out of my sails when the person who’d promised me the upgrade had a flag placed on my check out so that she could apologise and offer me another upgrade for my next stay!
I do feel annoyed, though, so I wonder which email address you used to make contact with IHG. I’m considering telling them what happened.
@BH, I was prompted to email IHG and describe the lack of recognition at the Halyard; they passed it to the hotel and I got a very snippy email back trying to refute my claims but offering 20k IHG points anyway! I emailed back, accepting the points but re-iterating the details of my experience, e.g. the person told me there were 4 cans of water in the fridge, whereas there were 2 (which I’d already pointed out).
Interestingly, they said that as a boutique hotel they don’t have the capacity for upgrades – I don’t know what IHG’s response to that would be!
To be fair to Halyard the prices are very keen. If you want a suite book one. For me the “upgrade” here is best available rooms in the category booked ie not looking at a wall.
For Kimpton obviously not sticking to a pre arranged upgrade is terrible form and especially if there’s plenty rooms for sale.
But im always inclined to say if you want a bigger room the only real way to secure it is to pay … I don’t like it when I’ve paid and they make out it’s a complimentary upgrade or they could’ve gone further but don’t.
I was initially given a smaller room than I’d paid for.
I absolutely understand that one needs to pay to secure a room, but it’s not as though I approached the Fitzroy on the off chance of an upgrade; I did so at their invitation.
@TGLoyalty, if you look at my write-up, you’ll see the lack of upgrade was the least of it! I just mentioned it here as @BH had posted similar about the Kimpton.
The Halyard starts at £300 on some weekend nights! Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very nice hotel and I have given it fulsome praise for that, but it’s not worth that much!
Weekend rates reflect the cities demand for rooms right? It’s worth is all relative to what’s available in the city for less … football, shows, concerts, nights out etc
the prices might also reflect its brand new status and the fact balconies aren’t accessible until July. It’ll be interesting where it settles down at.
@BH then it’s more their downgrade policy … which is should never be done or compensation/free night is on the cards.I’m glad it was sorted but at the end of the day you have to go into hotel bookings eyes wide open you should book what you’re happy with and anything else (unless guaranteed ie IC Amb +1 cat etc) is a bonus and especially if the benefit guarantee doesn’t make up for the lost upgrade.
Example just stayed at a hotel I know I’m getting the bare minimum but it was still worth it on this occasion because everything else is a rinse.
I was initially given a smaller room than I’d paid for.
I absolutely understand that one needs to pay to secure a room, but it’s not as though I approached the Fitzroy on the off chance of an upgrade; I did so at their invitation.
The trouble is that an email saying you will be upgraded is essentially as useless as an upgrade ‘subject to availability’ – you need the formal confirmation to state the price and room type or it’s worth zippo. I don’t believe in any of these loyalty numbers or statuses and negotiate upgrades and benefits in advance, at the time of booking, directly with the individual and when I receive my confirmation it says xxx room type upgraded to xxx type. That’s a contract. All that said, the failure of the Reception Manager to honour her representation is totally unacceptable and should have been taken up with the GM.
Well, I’m more of a “dictum meum pactum” type myself: if I am promised something – especially in writing – I expect it. Whether this constitutes a contract is neither here nor there; it still annoyed me. (I reiterate: this promise was given at the hotel’s instigation. I did not seek it, except by following its instructions to advise when my next stay would be.)
As to whether the GM got involved, I can’t say. Something clearly happened between me threatening to walk and the room being found. Had it not been, I suppose I would have asked for the GM before walking.
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