If you’re a frequent guest at InterContinental Hotels, you might have wondered whether InterContinental Ambassador status is worth the $225 fee (or 45,000 IHG points). What do you actually get for your money? Is it a game-changer for IHG loyalists, or just another overhyped hotel status? Let’s break it down.
InterContinental Ambassador members receive the following benefits when staying at an InterContinental Hotel or Resort at a qualifying rate:
- Elevated recognition
- Guaranteed one-category room upgrade
- Extended 4 pm check-out
- Up to $20 dining credit per stay (excluding Mainland China)
- Complimentary mineral water
- Complimentary highest-speed internet available
There are also additional benefits, which include:
- Complimentary weekend night at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
- Platinum Elite status in IHG® One Rewards, and the corresponding benefits
Here’s what the fine print says about room upgrades:
- Guaranteed upgrades only apply to paid stays. Award redemptions don’t count.
- If you are upgraded to a club-level room, it doesn’t include club access.
The complimentary weekend night certificate also has some important restrictions.
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
So it’s a complimentary night, but only when combined with a paid stay.
Since this is IHG, there’s a catch. If your upgrade, lounge access, or late checkout isn’t honored, here’s the compensation policy:
Final Thought
The value of the InterContinental Ambassador program depends on how often you book paid stays at InterContinental hotels. For a program that costs $225, it feels a bit unfair that most benefits—including the ‘free’ weekend night—are only available with paid stays.
This program is a step up from the IHG Rewards Club loyalty system because there’s compensation if a hotel doesn’t provide the benefits promised.
Want to comment on this post? Great! Read this first to help ensure it gets approved.
Want to sponsor a post, write something for Your Mileage May Vary, or put ads on our site? Click here for more info.
Like this post? Please share it! We have plenty more just like it and would love it if you decided to hang around and sign up to get emailed notifications of when we post.
Whether you’ve read our articles before or this is the first time you’re stopping by, we’re really glad you’re here and hope you come back to visit again!
This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
5 comments
Been a while since I’ve been an ihg ambassador, but these terms were largely the same and in practice the intercontinentals that I stayed at for the most part honored the benefits in award stays too. It always is a gamble, though.
I think you are missing the primary point of the program. It’s basically like paid elite status at IC hotels. So if you stay at them twice a year or more, it’s likely worth it. I mean 4pm late checkout is great for for flights later in the day. The $20 food and beverage credit pays for an entree outside the USA. The free water is great and it’s on top of whatever free water is provided at an IC hotel for those who drink a lot of water like me. Finally, the free hotel night pays for itself. I stayed at the IC Buenos Aires and the free night saved me $240 with taxes and fees, AND I got extra water, a $20 food and beverage credit (which paid for most of one room service order), and 4pm late check out. Plus, as a Diamond (handed out to those renewing Ambassador over the last two years but not anymore) I got free breakfast and they didn’t have to but gave me lounge access. Sure, I could have Pricelined a five star hotel for less than the rate I paid by the IC, but it would not have been without any perks or the location I wanted.
In short, I think Ambassador makes zero sense for those not staying at IC hotels anyway, but for those who can stay twice a year, you will get your money back. Plus, maybe it’s because I travel primarily internationally and rarely (due to limited leave) do overnight layovers during air travel, I find I use my free nights from cobranded credit cards in conjunction with paid stays. The one exception is Marriott because you can earn free nights through promos and I stay at them for business travel to have enough points. Let me tell you the hotels that you can use free night vouchers on, are well meh or down.
We are IC Royal Amassador for 24 years, and yes, paid Ambassador status it is worth it! Book one category below a suite and enjoy your two nights in a suite for the price of one premium room night. You can also usually pay for club access, which could be well worth the expense.
IC Ambassador can be a good deal, but like anything, it really depends. The weekend free night isn’t always available, so you have to make sure that it’s offered at a specific property and on specific dates. It’s also usually the same as the flexible BAR, but you “lose” some value because it’s a bit higher than the member rate. And you have to be strategic about it; it’s great if the 2nd night is more expensive than the 1st, but not as good if it’s cheaper.
The $20 F&B credit is limited to bars, restaurants, and minibar (if offered). It doesn’t work on room service. Also, its value is diminished at non-US properties where IHG specifies the amount for the local currency (AUD, EUR, GBP, JPY, etc.); the lowest I experienced was ~$13.
But, hotels seem to prioritize Ambassador upgrades over “regular” IHG status, and if you have Diamond Ambassador, you’ll do quite well. Some hotels offer better perks than published benefits, so the soft treatment *might* be good. IMHO, the 4 pm guaranteed check-out is super useful when you have a late flight.
Ambassador is a way to buy IHG Platinum status for those who can’t get a credit card. Not sure if it’s worth it if you don’t stay at IC properties, but it’s certainly an option. I think 2 IC stays a year is an absolute minimum to break even, and that’s assuming you can maximize the free night.
I’ve been an Ambassador since the beginning of the program I think . Work had me travel to Kansas City and the beautiful InterContinental at the Plaza was one of the closest hotels to work. I saw the tabletop ad and joining only cost $100 then. This grand hotel would offer the government rate and still give me the room I desired plus club access. Sweet. Since then I’ve renewed using points (not a big fan of using hotel points for booking rooms)
I agree with booking highest room then getting a suite for the upgrade
I’ve stayed several times at the Sydney IC with suite upgrades, views of Harbor, & wonderful Club breakfast. I’ve been upgraded to the London Suite at the Park Lane IC. Twice I’ve stayed in a Jr Suite with stunning views and great Club at the old Hong Kong IC. 3 different stays in Tokyo – Great suite at ANA and twice at The Strings
Domestically I’ve stayed in a terrace suite at the Mark Hopkins in SF. Both the Century City (huge terrace) & relatively new IC downtown. NYC Times Square – since we’d booked the Top upgradable suite, a nice Jr suite with windows on 3 sides, so since no upgrade we were offered breakfast and I ask about room service. The response was yes! Also staycations at the Willard (upgrade to what we dubbed the John Quincy Adams Suite with corner views of White House & Washington Monument Then a stacked weekend 2-4-1 and free cc nite for 3 nights at the new IC on the WaterFront
I have 2 IHG credit cards (including the old $49/yr AF so get two free nights which usually get used for friends and family trips between the sign up bonuses and limited money earn at hotels especially the paid weekend nite, I’ve been able to renew with points.
Growing up in the 50s & 60s, on family trips staying at a Holiday Inn was Aspirational 🙂