Reader Email: InterContinental Sydney Cheapens Royal Ambassador Benefits

A LoyaltyLobby reader forwarded us an email from InterContinental Sydney where the hotel tries to downgrade Royal Ambassador benefits, and not for the first time based on our previous coverage.

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You can access InterContinental Sydney here.

READ MORE: IHG One Rewards Rate & Bonus Points Offers:

Pre-stay Email From InterContinental Sydney December 2022:

Pre-stay Email From InterContinental Sydney April 2021:

Changes:

Previously you had a A$130 credit that could be used at several outlets, and you could use it for whatever purposes.

Now, you get breakfast for two (this could be a Diamond choice benefit as well) and only A$60 credit that can be used at ONE outlet.

The hotel also tries to weasel out from the Royal Ambassador member “guaranteed” two-category upgrade benefit:

The problem with the benefit guarantee is that the hotel can merely throw 10,000 points at issue, costing them roughly $50, and deny them.

The price difference between a non-club and a club room is A$188 (roughly $128).

The hotel should offer breakfast for two AND A$147 F&B credit that could be used at several outlets.

There have been several reported previous issues at InterContinental Sydney to the point that I believe that these are systematic and not merely an oversight.

The hotel was faking the Royal Ambassador minibar benefit:

Hotels Making Their Own Rules: Case InterContinental Sydney

Then begging for positive feedback:

Whine Wednesday: Hotels Begging For Positive Feedback Case: InterContinental Sydney

And then claiming that $2,000 for five-night stay is not enough:

InterContinental Sydney Cancels A Stay Claiming $2,000 For Five Nights Is “Too Good To be True”?

Conclusion

I wish InterContinental Sydney had stopped playing games with Ambassador program benefits past its renovations, but apparently, old habits die hard.

One of the reasons I ended up losing Royal Ambassador status a few years ago was that I stopped staying at hotels that I didn’t like to merely retain tier, one of which was this hotel in Sydney.

I guess they get enough transient and one and one business that they don’t need to or want to pay attention to the returning, IHG One Rewards and Ambassador program guests.