I’m fairly new to IHG after many years with Hyatt. I know people love Hyatt, but post pandemic it felt like things went downhill for me, so I wanted to try something different.
I’m Diamond Ambassador and have an upcoming stay at the InterContinental Cozumel. I reached out ahead of time and was basically told: as a Diamond Ambassador you’re entitled to a one category upgrade, and that’s it. Even if the hotel is wide open, anything beyond one category would be $200 per night.
That honestly caught me off guard. I know IHG’s upgrade language is intentionally vague, but with similar top tier status at Hyatt, Marriott, and even Hilton, I’ve often received multiple category upgrades, sometimes even into premium rooms, especially at check in. I’m not expecting a suite, but I did expect that if several categories were available, I might be bumped up more than one level.
Is this actually the norm with IHG? Or is this more of a property specific interpretation? Because if this is how it works across the board, I don’t really see the value compared to other programs.
For context, I wasn’t rude or demanding. I simply asked them to note a view preference if available, and the response felt more like a sales pitch than a recognition of elite status. That was a big turn off.
I’ve since canceled and booked another property on Cozumel. I’ll likely burn my remaining points and free nights and move back to Hyatt this year.
Would appreciate insight from those with more IHG experience.
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