UPDATE: InterContinental Ambassador Specialty Suite Exceptions (Not Upgrade Eligible)

Sep 6, 2019

IHG Rewards Club has updated the InterContinental Ambassador Specialty Suite Exceptions list by adding number of additional hotels/suites since our April piece.

Ambassador members are eligible for one category upgrade and Royal Ambassadors two (only one category upgrade if booking a suite). The exclusion list used to be short but has expanded a lot.

You can access IHG’s page for suite upgrade exclusions here.

Here’s the entire current list as of September 6, 2019:

Africa

InterContinental Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport: Presidential Suite

Asia Pacific

InterContinental Alpensia Pyeongchang Resort: Presidential Suite, Alpensia Suite, Deluxe Suite
InterContinental Bali Resort: Uluwatu, Jimbaran, Bukit Suite, Imperial Villa, Jivana Villa, Club InterContinental Suite, Balinese Suite, Pecatu Suite
InterContinental Bangkok: Royal Suites, Diplomatic Suites, Ambassador Suites, Executive Suites, Premier Suites
InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort: 1 Bedroom Seaside, 2 and 3 Bedroom Residence/Villa, Penthouse
InterContinental Grand Seoul Parnas: Residence King, Club Residence Suites, Club Mountain Suites
InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong: Presidential Suite
InterContinental Hanoi Landmark 72: Ambassador Suite, Royal Suite, Presidential Suite
InterContinental Hanoi Westlake: Presidential Suite, 1, 2 and 3 Bedroom Residence
InterContinental Hong Kong: Signature Suites (Terrace Suite, CEO Suite, Presidential Suite)
InterContinental Hua Hin Resort: Club InterContinental Beach Villa, La Residence and Leisure Suite
InterContinental Nha Trang: Presidential Suite
InterContinental Osaka: Executive Suite, 2 and 3 Bedroom Residence
InterContinental Pattaya: 1 and 2 Bedroom Pool Villa
InterContiental Phu Quoc: 2, 3 and 4 Bedroom Suites/Residences/Villas
InterContinental Robertson Quay: Penthouse
InterContinental Saigon: Presidential Suite
InterContinental Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort: Club Napa Reserve 3 bedroom Residence
InterContinental Seoul Coex: Business Suites, Corner Suites, Club Corner Suites, Ambassador Suite, Presidential Suite
InterContinental Singapore: Presidential Suite, Ambassador Suite, Royal Suite, Executive Suite
InterContinental Tokyo Bay: InterContinental Suite Twin, InterContinental Suite Double
InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau: 2 and 3 Bedroom Villas/Residences
InterContinental-ANA Beppu Resort and Spa
InterContinental-ANA Manza Beach Resort: Club InterContinental Corner Terrace, Club InterContinental Corner Suite, Club InterContinental Deluxe Corner Suite, Club InterContinental Deluxe Corner Terrace
InterContinental-ANA Tokyo: Kaze, Hana and Miyabi Suites
The Strings By InterContinental Tokyo: The Suite Twin, The Peak Suite

Australasia / Oceania

InterContinental Adelaide: King Diplomatic Suite, King Presidential Suite
InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa: Brando Suites Bora Bora, Pool Villa, Pool Premium Villa
InterContinental Fiji: Natadola Suite
InterContinental Hayman Island Resort:One Bedroom Hayman Suite, Two Bedroom Hayman Suite, Two Bedroom Pool View Suite, Beachfront Pool Villa, Three Bedroom Beach House, Three Bedroom Hayman Suite
InterContinental Melbourne Rialto: Iconic Suites, Signature Suites
InterContinental Perth City Centre: Presidential Suite
InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort: Federation Suite, Manor Suite
InterContinental Sydney Double Bay: Royal Suite, Deluxe Bayview Suites
InterContinental Sydney: Australia Suite, State Suite, Governor Suites
InterContinental Tahiti: Bungalow Overwater Motu
InterContinental Wellington: Presidential Suite

Europe

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 Athenaeum Athens: Presidential Suite
InterContinental Berlin: Presidential Suite, Diplomatic Suite, Park Suite
InterContinental Budapest: Presidential Suite, Executive Suites
InterContinental Davos: Presidential Suite
InterContinental Dublin: Pembroke Suites, Presidential Suite
InterContinental Dusseldorf: Presidential Suite, Lifestyle Suite
InterContinental Estoril: Ocean View Suites
InterContinental Frankfurt: Presidential Suite
InterContinental Geneva: Executive Lake View Suites, Panoramic Lake View Suites, Presidential Lake View Suites, Imperial Residence
InterContinental Kiev: Governor Suite, Presidential Suite, Royal Suite, Ambassador Suite
InterContinental Lisbon: Presidential Suite, Panoramic Suite, Ambassador Suite
InterContinental Ljubljana: Presidential Suite
InterContinental London Park Lane: Signature Suites. The Mayfair Collection Rooms/Suites are subject to availability
InterContinental London The O2: The Penthouse, 1 bedroom Club InterContinental Suite, 2 bedroom Club InterContinental 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 Malta: Duplex Suite, Ambassador Suite, Penthouse, Presidential Suite
InterContinental Moscow Tverskaya: Duncan – Premier Suite, Nizhinsky – Presidential Suite, Ulanova – Royal Suite
InterContinental Park Lane: Signature Suites
InterContinental Vienna: Presidential Suite
InterContinental Warsaw: Presidential Suite, Senior Suites

Mainland China

InterContinental Beijing Beichen: Park Suite, Ambassador Suite
InterContinental Beijing Sanlitun: InterContinental Terrace Suites, Beijing Suite
InterContinental Chongqing: Presidential Suite, 2 bedroom Suite, Executive Suites
InterContinental Dalian: Executive Suite, CEO Suite, Presidential Suite
InterContinental Foshan: Chairman Suite, Presidential Suite
InterContinental Fuzhou: Presidential Suite, Executive Suite
InterContinental Guangzhou Exhibition Center: Presidential Suite
InterContinental Kunming: Presidential Suite, Lake View Luxury Suites
InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort: Superior Suite
InterContinental One Thousand Island Lake Resort: Presidential Suite
InterContinental Qingdao: Presidential Suite, Deluxe Aqua Suite Ocean View, Aqua Suite Ocean View, Executive Suite Ocean View, Aqua Deluxe King Ocean View
InterContinental Quanzhou: 2 bedroom Suite, InterContinental Deluxe Premier Suite
InterContinental Sanya Haitang Bay Resort: InterContinental Superior Ocean View Suite, Family Suite, Premier Ocean View Suite, Two bedroom Ocean View Suite, InterContinental Grand Ocean View Presidential Suite, InterContinental Ocean Front Villa
InterContinental Sanya Resort: 1 and 2 Bedroom Villa, Ocean Suite, Presidential Suite
InterContinental Shanghai Jing’an: Ambassador Suite, Executive Suite
InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland: Duplex Underwater Suites, Chairman Suite. Premium Underwater King, Underwater and Waterfall Suites subject to availability.
InterContinental Shenzen: King Bed Club Chinese Theme Suite, King Bed Club Duplex Suite (King Club Terrace Suite), Presidential Suite
InterContinental Shijiazhuang: Ambassador Suite, Presidential Suite
InterContinental Tianjin Yujiapu Hotel & Residences: Club InterContinental Deluxe Suite, Presidential Suite
InterContinental Xiamen: 2 Bedroom Suite
InterContinental Xishuangbanna: Deluxe Suite, President Villa

Middle East

InterContinental Cairo CityStars: 2 and 3 Bedroom Residence Suite, Penthouse Residence Suite, 2 Bedroom Signature Suite, Royal Suite, Karnak Suite, Luxor Suite
InterContinental Doha: Luxury Suite
InterContinental Dubai Festival City: Signature Suite, Presidential Suite, Royal Suite
InterContinental Dubai Marina: 2 bedroom Suites, 3 bedroom Suites, Penthouse Suites
InterContinental Fujairah Resort: Presidential Suite
InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong: Presidential Suite
InterContinental Hong Kong: Signature Suites (Terrace Suite, CEO Suite, Presidential Suite)
InterContinental Makkah Dar Al Tawhid: 4 Bedroom Presidential Suites Haram View, 3 Bedroom Amiri Suites Haram View

North America

InterContinental Boston: Presidential Suite, Penthouse North, Penthouse South
InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta: Grand Suite, Royal Suite, Ambassador Suite, Presidential Suite
InterContinental Los Angeles Century City: Royal Suite, Presidential Suite, Elite Honeymoon, Elite Residence, Premier, Premier Suites with Terrace
InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco: Nob Hill Suite, Cyril Magnin Suite, Mark Hopkins Suite, Presidential Suite, Penthouse, California Suite
InterContinental Minneapolis – St. Paul Airport: Wingspan Suites, Pinnacle Suites
InterContinental New York Barclay: Executive Suites, Deluxe Suites, Presidential Suites, Harold S. Vanderbilt Suite
InterContinental New York Times Square: Penthouse, Manhattan, Deluxe Studio, Sky View Studio
InterContinental Presidente Cancun Resort: Caribbean Suites Ocean Front, Signature Suite Ocean Front, Presidential Suite
InterContinental Presidente Cozumel: Presidential Suites
InterContinental Presidente Guadalajara: Ambassador Suite, Presidential Suite
InterContinental Presidente 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 Presidente Santa Fe: Grand Suite, Master Suite
InterContinental San Diego: Presidential Suite, Grant Suite
InterContinental San Francisco: Bay Suite, Terrace Suite, Presidential Suite
InterContinental The Willard Washington D.C: Thomas Jefferson Suite, George Washington Suite, John Adams Suite
InterContinental Washington D.C. – The Wharf: The Knot Suite, Anchor Suites, The Constellation Suite
InterContinental Toronto Yorkville: Pent House Suite, Royal Suite

South America

InterContinental Buenos Aires: Presidential Suites
InterContinental Cartagena: Presidential Suite
InterContinental Costa Rica at Multiplaza Mall: Presidential Suite
InterContinental Medellin: Presidential Suite, Antioquia Suite
InterContinental Santo Domingo: Presidential Suite

Conclusion

Not sure why IHG has decided to classify its two Hong Kong properties under the Middle East where they are definitely not located.

It is unfortunate that the exclusion list is becoming ever longer and includes many suite types that are neither exceptional nor presidential (the original intent). IHG reduced the Royal Ambassador upgrade benefits starting this year only to guarantee one category instead of two when booking a suite.