Ambassador Voucher – Is it a Qualifying or Non-Qualifying Rate

[Supergers49]

Good Afternoon All,

I’ve just returned from another lovely stay at the InterContinental Cascais-Estoril. We stayed five nights made up of, 1x Rewards Night, 2x Nights using Ambassador Voucher, and 2x Nights using the Rail Card rate. We received an upgrade to a Junior Suite.

The Ambassador Voucher nights, have posted on my Account Activity as a Non-Qualifying Stay. Is this correct?. I wasn’t expecting to earn any points on the complimentary night but was expecting to earn points on the first night and 2 Qualifying Nights.

The IHG terms appear to state that a Qualifying Stay is any that involves paying a Qualifying Rate. The definition of Qualifying Rate doesn’t appear to exclude the Ambassador Voucher. Non-Qualifying Rate does cover “Hotel provided complimentary rooms” but I don’t believe that covers the Ambassador Voucher. I couldn’t find any specific reference to the Ambassador Voucher being Qualifying/Non-Qualifying in the Ambassador terms.

Before I challenge the hotel, I wanted to check to see whether this group has any experience or recent account activity that would confirm or contradict the outcome I’ve experienced?

Thank you in advance.

[NorthernLass]

The first night should qualify, but I think other people have posted having issues with this. Emailing the Ambassador dept should get it sorted out.

[Supergers49]

Thanks @NorthernLass

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

I’ve checked my spreaddsheet and the last time is used an AMB Cert (admittedly in 2023) both nights were qualifying for status and rewards.

An email to the AMB team should rectify this

[Blair Waldorf Salad]

BA Flyer IHG Stayer wrote:

I’ve checked my spreaddsheet and the last time is used an AMB Cert (admittedly in 2023) both nights were qualifying for status and rewards.

An email to the AMB team should rectify this

Same for me

[Supergers49]

Thanks all

[meta]

Both nights are qualifying, but many hotels don’t know how to apply the voucher correctly, so this happens. Contact Ambassador CS via email and they’ll sort it out for you.

[LittleNick]

This happens a lot when you use a reward night in conjunction with paid nights, if often all posts as non-qualifying.

[phantomchickenz]

I had completely forgotten about the railcard rate! Thanks for the reminder. Apologies this is a little off topic, but has anyone actually had to show a railcard at any point?

[Supergers49]

phantomchickenz wrote:

I had completely forgotten about the railcard rate! Thanks for the reminder. Apologies this is a little off topic, but has anyone actually had to show a railcard at any point?

Never – that said the Trip.com app sells heavily discounted Railcards periodically so I’ve never rocked up without a railcard.

[phantomchickenz]

Just found that link on another thread. Potentially saving a few hundred pounds so I’m sure I can stump up £25 for the railcard.

[Supergers49]

So, it would appear that the hotel has lumped the total spend across all three reservations into the final bill for the final reservation. Therefore I am only missing the 2 Nights + 2 Bonus Elite Nights from the current promotion. Email sent to the AMB CS.

Thanks for everyone’s help.

[John]

How many hotel staff even know what a railcard is

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

John wrote:

How many hotel staff even know what a railcard is

The RC code is actually in my IHG profile and gets printed on the bill as

Company – Rail Card Partner Rate

So they don’t need to really know what it looks like but my Network Railcard actually says ‘Network Railcard’ on it plus my name ans expiry date

It’s always in my wallet because you never know when it’ll get asked for.

An if it is then iw will be to stop people takiing the mick.

[BBbetter]

I wish they offered bonus points packages on these rates as well.