Should I renew InterContinental Ambassador?

[Supergers49]

NorthernLass wrote:

@ben10, it does extend the voucher.

So I have just been informed by the Ambassador team that extensions do not extend the Complimentary Weekend Night certificates.

[ben10]

Thanks. Any thoughts about using it for a family member?

[LB]

I recently had my Ambassador membership extended, including the voucher.
This was approx 2 months ago and was extended for six months.

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

As clearly stated

https://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/content/gb/en/ambassador/terms-conditions

re extension of certificate

23 The Complimentary Weekend Night may be redeemed up until the expiry date of the Ambassador membership, or within the original expiry date of the Ambassador membership, if the membership has been extended. The Complimentary Weekend Night, cannot be extended and is redeemable once only in conjunction with a minimum two-night paid stay when booking the Ambassador Complimentary Weekend Night’ rate at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts. It is not valid to be used on any other rates.

They may have done something different during the pandemic but that’s the current T&C

And re usage for others

28 is to be used only by the member who has a valid InterContinental Ambassador membership and may not be transferred, bartered, or sold.

dd

ddd

[Guernsey Globetrotter]

This is what I was told by emailing ambassador@ihg.com back in February:

‘I looked into your account and it appears that your Ambassador membership and Weekend Night Certificate will expire on March 1, 2024. I can extend your Ambassador membership and Weekend Night Certificate for six months. This is a one-time benefit and will not be granted again.’

Shy kids get nowt 😎

[NorthernLass]

Mine was definitely extended, it should have expired on 1/12/23 and I used it mid-January at the ICPL.

[rams]

My deadline to renew Ambassador came and went. They’ve offered me another month to do it. That normal?

[NorthernLass]

You can renew at any time so it’s only worth it if you’re going to use the benefits soon.

[davestat]

Should the FWN certificate be valid at all IC’s. I was hoping to stay at the IC Vienna but when searching for availability it said that “this hotel does not accept FWN certificates “. Advice appreciated

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

davestat wrote:

Should the FWN certificate be valid at all IC’s. I was hoping to stay at the IC Vienna but when searching for availability it said that “this hotel does not accept FWN certificates “. Advice appreciated

Yes it should. I just did a dummy booking for a weekend in November and it’s offering me a range of rooms

What are your dates?

I always use this link.

https://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/content/us/en/ambassador/free-weekend-certificate

[NorthernLass]

For Ambassador 2nd night free, as I understand it each hotel has an “allocation” of free nights so once that’s gone it’ll show as unavailable on your dates.

[Yorkie Aid]

Definitely do not try to book for someone else with your IHG account at the ICPL. We stayed there last weekend and we both had to produce photo ID on check-in. We said that we had never been asked for ID when staying at a hotel in the UK and they responded that they insist on it now due to the high level of fraud, especially with redemption bookings.

[NorthernLass]

Interesting – however, did they mean members booking for others, or people who have obtained points illicitly and used them to make bookings from hacked accounts? I would have thought the latter was the greater problem.

So Were you not warned to bring ID? I wouldn’t bother taking my passport or driving licence on a trip to London!

[John]

Lots of London Hiltons ask for ID too

[Chas]

@davestat – I used my Ambassador free night in Vienna last December, but I recall an oddity when booking it. I can’t recall exactly what, but I think it only worked when a Friday night was included in the booking.

[Yorkie Aid]

@NorthernLass No, we weren’t told beforehand to bring any photo ID which is why I was quite surprised. It was quite lucky we had our driving licences with us. We only brought them because I knew that photo ID is sometimes requested when picking up show tickets, etc. I imagine they probably would have accepted a photo of a passport, etc on the phone at a push or simply a credit card with the matching names. They didn’t elaborate about the nature of any fraud and I was so taken aback at having to produce our ID that I didn’t think to question any further. I shall definitely be taking ID to Edinburgh next month just in case.

[Yorkie Aid]

Thanks @John Good to know.

[RonnieB]

A picture of your passport isn’t ID and isn’t likely to be accepted anywhere. I’m just surprised people don’t keep their driving licences with them at all times, why wouldn’t you?

[strickers]

RonnieB wrote:

A picture of your passport isn’t ID and isn’t likely to be accepted anywhere. I’m just surprised people don’t keep their driving licences with them at all times, why wouldn’t you?

My wife doesn’t have one for a start. More fundamentally, we live in a free society where ID cards aren’t a requirement.

[NorthernLass]

I tend not to carry mine when away from home, unless I’m going to be driving a hire car – it’s just one more thing which might get lost or stolen.

Son showed a picture of his passport to get into the cinema once, I think it would probably also suffice for a non-official entity like a hotel, especially if backed up with a credit card.

It’s still not known what kind of fraud the ICPL was referring to, but I recall a case in a local hotel where a party of guests presented a credit card at check in and a large hold was authorised. They then proceeded to order the most expensive food on the room service menu, numerous bottles of champagne and spirits and make extended long distance phone calls from the room. The next morning they left without checking out and it transpired that the credit card was stolen – I can’t remember the exact details, I don’t know if the issue was that a “hold” on a card doesn’t actually require authorisation by the cc company and therefore it wasn’t declined when the guests checked in?

Anyway, there was a £10k bill unpaid, which says quite a bit about room service prices!

[AndrewT]

RonnieB wrote:

A picture of your passport isn’t ID and isn’t likely to be accepted anywhere. I’m just surprised people don’t keep their driving licences with them at all times, why wouldn’t you?

If you don’t carry something that you don’t need then you can’t lose it when you don’t need to!

Each to their own, but I always wonder why some people carry a huge collection of payment cards around with them that never actually get used. Lose one and you lose them all. Obviously fair enough to carry different cards that you may use in different circumstances, but some take it way too far.

[runnerbean]

@NorthernLass That sounds like one of Stephen Fry’s early ‘adventures’

[NorthernLass]

Lol, I don’t think it was anyone as entertaining as him!

[DJ]

I must have a suspicious look since I don’t remember the last time I didn’t get asked for ID when checking in in the UK 🥲

[ecugkq30]

Just writing this from the IC Berlin where I have enquired about restarting AMB after letting it lapse 12 months or so ago. Without any pushing the front desk immediately offered us a multiple category upgrade to a junior suite for the 3 nights we are here if we signed up today. Also got guaranteed late check out for this stay which was valuable as our flight back is later. Overall well worth asking as we have recouped the cost already given the value of the upgrade!