InterContinental Royal Ambassador Benefits Update: Lounge Access Exclusions!

InterContinental Ambassador program recently made lounge access universal benefit for all Royal Ambassador members along with two category confirmed upgrade (certain suites excluded).

IHG Rewards Club has now updated the Ambassador program Terms and conditions. Lounge access is no longer guaranteed benefit all the time at all the properties.

You can access InterContinental Ambassador here.

READ MORE: IHG Rewards Club Rate & Bonus Points And Miles Promotions

Here’s the update on Royal Ambassador (now not so) guaranteed lounge access benefit:

Complimentary Club InterContinental has the following exceptions: at InterContinental London Park Lane, complimentary access to Club InterContinental is not available on the following dates: 17 June – 9 September 2017 and 22 December 2017 – 4 January 2018.

Remember when the Ambassador/Royal Ambassador suite exclusion list was short? These were excluded from the upgrades back in January 2014:

• InterContinental Hong Kong: Signature Suites (Terrace Suite, CEO Suite, Presidential Suite)
• InterContinental Park Lane: Signature Suites
• InterContinental Sydney: Australia Suite, State Suite and Governor Suites

And here’s the current list:

• InterContinental Hong Kong: Signature Suites (Terrace Suite, CEO Suite, Presidential Suite)
• InterContinental Hong Kong Grand Stamford: Presidential Suite
• InterContinental Park Lane: Signature Suites
• InterContinental Sydney: Australia Suite, State Suite and Governor Suites
• InterContinental Sydney Double Bay: Royal Suite, Deluxe Bayview Suites
• InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort: Penthouse, Beach Villa, Rock Villa, 2 bed Rock Villa, Sun Peninsula Residence 2 bed, Sun Peninsula Residence 3 bed and Royal Residence
• InterContinental San Francisco: Bay Suite, Terrace Suite, Presidential Suite
• InterContinental Athenaeum Athens: Presidential Suite
• InterContinental Adelaide: King Diplomatic Suite and King Presidential Suite.
• InterContinental Moscow Tverskaya: Duncan – Premier Suite, Nizhinsky – Presidential Suite and Ulanova – Royal Suite.
• InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam: Presidential Suite (includes Executive Presidential Suite, Executive Presidential Twin room & Executive Presidential Junior Suite), Dom Perignon Suite (includes Executive Dom Perignon Suite & Executive Dom Perignon Junior Suite).
• InterContinental Berlin: Presidential Suite, Diplomatic Suite and Park Suite
• InterContinental Times Square: Penthouse Suite and all Manhattan Suites.
• InterContinental Geneva: Panoramic Suites, Presidential and Diplomatic Residences and The Residence.
• InterContinental Asiana Saigon: The Presidential Suite.
• InterContinental Buckhead: Grand Suite, Royal Suite, Ambassador Suite and Presidential Suite
• InterContinental The Willard Washington D.C – Thomas Jefferson Suite, George Washington Suite and John Adams Suite
• InterContinental Johannesburg O.R Tambo Airport – Presidential Suites
• InterContinental Los Angeles Century City at Beverley Hills – Royal Suite, Presidential Suite, Elite Honeymoon, Elite Residence, Premier, Premier Suites with Terrace
• InterContinental Los Angeles Century City: Royal Suite, Presidential Suite, Elite Honeymoon Suite and Premier Suite with Terrace
• InterContinental Wellington – Presidential Suite
• InterContinental Singapore – Presidential Suite, Ambassador Suite, Royal Suite
• InterContinental Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort – Club Napa Reserve 3 bedroom Residence
• InterContinental Nha Trang – Presidential Suite
• InterContinental Bangkok – Royal Suites, Diplomatic Suites, Ambassador Suites, Executive Suites, Premier Suites
• InterContinental Koh Samui – Club Napa Reserve 3 Bedroom Residence
• InterContinental Fiji – Natadola Suite
• InterContinental Sanya Haitang Bay Resort – InterContinental Superior Suite, Family Suite, Premier Ocean View Suite, InterContinental Grand Ocean View Suite, InterContinental Ocean Front Villa, InterContinental Family Villa
• InterContinental Estoril – Ocean View Suites
• InterCOntinental Lisbon – Presidential Suite, Panoramic Suite
• InterContinental Hanoi Westlake – Presidential Suite, Premium 1,2 and 3 bed Residence
• InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort – Superior Suite
• Athenaeum InterContinental – Presidential Suite
• InterContinental Melbourne Rialto – Iconic Suites, Signature Suites
• InterContinental Dusseldorf – Presidential Suite, Lifestyle Suite
• InterContinental Madrid – King Dali Club Suite Castellana View, King Bed Miro Club Suite with terrace, King Bed Picasso Club Luxury Suite, Royal Suite
• InterContinental Cairo CityStars – 2 and 3 Bedroom Residence Suite, Penthouse Residence Suite, 2 Bedroom Signature Suite, Royal Suite, Karnak Suite, Luxor Suite
• InterContinental OR Tambo Airport Hotel – Presidential Suites
• InterContinental Vienna – Presidential Suite
• InterContinental Frankfurt – Presidential Suite
• Presidente InterContinental Mexico City – Master Suites (Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo, Alberto Gironella and José Guadalupe Posada) Presidential Suites (José Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros and Diego Rivera)
• InterContinental Shenzen – King Bed Club Chinese Theme Suite, King Bed Club Duplex Suite (King Club Terrace Suite), Presidential Suite
• InterContinental Budapest – Presidential Suite, Executive Suites
• InterContinental Malta – Duplex Suite, Ambassador Suite, Penthouse, Presidential Suite
• InterContinental London – The O2 – The Penthouse, 1 Bed Club InterContinental Suite, 2 Bed Club InterContinental Suite
• InterContinental Qingdao – Presidential Suite, Deluxe Aqua Suite Ocean View, Aqua Suite Ocean View, Executive Suite Ocean View, Aqua Deluxe King Ocean View
• InterContinental Shanghai Puxi – Club Suites
• InterContinental Bali Resort – Uluwatu, Jimbaran, Bukit Suite, Imperial Villa, Jivana Villa
• InterContinental Grand Seoul Parnas – Residence King, Club Residence Suites, Club Mountain Suites
• InterContinental Seoul Coex – Business Suites, Corner Suites, Club Corner Suites, Ambassador Suite, Presidential Suite
• InterContinental Pattaya – Baan Sai Chol 1 bed Pool Villa, Baan Sai Nam 2 bed Pool Villa
• InterContinental ANA Tokyo – Imperial Suite, Presidentail Suite, Japanese Suite, Executive Suite
• InterContinental Osaka – Deluxe Suite, 2 bed Residence Superior, 2 bed Residence Deluxe, 2 bed residence Premium, 3 bed Residence Premium
• InterContinental Dubai Festival City – Signature Suite, Presidential Suite, Royal Suite
• All InterContinental Residence Suites properties: Ambassador and Royal Ambassador room upgrades are not applicable. All other benefits apply.

Conclusion

I believe that the slippery slope when it comes to Royal Ambassador lounge access benefit that just begun has started. I would assume that InterContinental Hong Kong is soon added to the list where lounge access benefit is excluded on certain or all days.

InterContinental Park Lane has always been bad when it comes to Royal Ambassador benefits (Hong Kong property too). Last month, I got hit with the bed bugs (read more here).

If they really have problem with lounge capacity breakfast could be offered at their main restaurant, afternoon tea at their lobby cafe and happy hour at the bar. Problem solved! But no. They rather ban Royal Ambassador members accessing their “benefits”.