London - IC/HI Group

[Savage25]

I was at the IC London this weekend. Got upgraded to an Executive room overlooking the park, and the breakfast was really good. Unfortunately, the rest of the hotel experience was subpar (and I'm not even a very demanding person):

- No fruit/water or welcome gift as RA.
- Minibar on first day had no alcohol, had to call and ask for it to be filled.
- Realized after friends came to visit that there was no bottle opener in the room. I called instant service 3 times at 15-min intervals, was told each time that bottle opener would be sent right up. First bottle opener arrived after the third call. 30 minutes later, another bellboy came up with a second bottle opener
- Minibar was not refilled on the second day. Called instant service about it but it was never refilled.
- Housekeeping manager opened the door a half-second after the first knock. I didn't have the DnD sign on as I had just walked in and was taking a leak. I heard the knock and immediately saw the manager in the mirror on the wall behind the toilet. She rushed straight back out
- Just before checking out today, I thought I'd make myself a cup of coffee. Using the water-boiler jug for the first time during the stay, I noticed that it hadn't been cleaned - it had a nasty-looking dirty white liquid still inside.

On checkout, I asked for the GM's card. The agent would not give me the GM's card and instead asked me to send an email to the generic london@ihg.com and that guest services would deal with it

[ny911]

What's the latest pricing of IC and Holidayinn Bloomsbury and which one is easier to book?

[SQFAN]

What's the latest pricing of IC and Holidayinn Bloomsbury and which one is easier to book?

IIRC correctly, HI Bloomsbury is circa £90. IC around £160 the last time I looked. Booking? Hotel's or priorityclub.com website should suffice.

[nickbot]

What's the latest pricing of IC and Holidayinn Bloomsbury and which one is easier to book?

In my experience, it's all very time dependent - i.e. how far in advance you're able to book (or indeed how last minute you're booking!) As SQFan mentions, for HI Bloomsbury, the "normal" rate is circa £90, but when checking for a room for this coming weekend seven days in advance, it was up at £175 or £179 (can't recall exactly), and these prices are exclusive of 17.5% Value Added Tax (VAT). Often the prices can start out at maybe £100 ish a few weeks in advance, then ramp up closer to the booking date (probably to the £175 I mentioned), then fall back down to £100 or £90 within a day or so of the stay date as they try to sell off unbooked rooms.

I suppose this is the same model used by many businesses, and indeed may well be influenced by the time of year (people travelling to London from the rest of the UK for Christmas shopping),...I suppose the moral of the story is to book as far in advance as possible

P.S. I always use PriorityClub.com for booking as SQFan also suggests

[CGK]

It's a cold night here in London. And the weather has made the homeless who slept by Intercontinental had gone somewhere else.
As Savage25 mentioned about housekeeping/room service problem, I must say I have things that should not happen in this hotel.

1. I put a note in the place where the housekeeper would see. I asked for more supply of instant coffee sachets, and also a replacement bath towel. She/he did stock up the sachets plentiful, but for the towel, nothing added, and even the one I hung on the hook was taken away.

2. This is the strangest thing. The housekeeper must have empty the trash can and dumped the content in the toilet. I know I had used kleenexes for my runny nose. And I had one coffee. Now, the empty coffee sachet package floats in the toilet. (Please give me suggestion: should I pick it up or just leave it there? Definitely it doesn't go away by flushing it. )

[jjpb3]

2. This is the strangest thing. The housekeeper must have empty the trash can and dumped the content in the toilet. I know I had used kleenexes for my runny nose. And I had one coffee. Now, the empty coffee sachet package floats in the toilet. (Please give me suggestion: should I pick it up or just leave it there? Definitely it doesn't go away by flushing it. )

Call the front desk and make them fix it.

[CGK]

Call the front desk and make them fix it.

Thanks...

[CGK]

Room 140 - Deluxe Category

[CGK]

View from the room

[CGK]

Hallway

[nickbot]

Looks pretty nice,...sorry we weren't able to join you

[phaleesy]

He he yes indeed, that was the very place I first spent the night with Tumi Most convenient hotel for me (quick walking distance from St. Pancras, jjpb3's neighbourhood and also v.close to some other friends in London

Maybe I'm a simple person, I prefer the look of the HI to the IC. A functional quiet clean room are my basic requirements.

I work near the HI Bloomsbury!

[nickbot]

Maybe I'm a simple person, I prefer the look of the HI to the IC. A functional quiet clean room are my basic requirements.

I work near the HI Bloomsbury!

Phaleesy, you'd better hope KeithMEL doesn't hear comments like that - he almost had a coronary when I said a lot of my work stays are at HI Express properties for the very reasons you state above. HI (and especially HIX) are definately not trendy enough for our esteemed (and uber-trendy) friend

[phaleesy]

a lot of my work stays are at HI Express properties for the very reasons you state above.

I'm normally out and about, so the hotels' deco/facilities do not matter much to me.

Do you know about the £20 cashback with pigsback? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...=699202&page=5

[nickbot]

I'm normally out and about, so the hotels' deco/facilities do not matter much to me.

Do you know about the £20 cashback with pigsback? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...=699202&page=5

Thanks phaleesy, I've heard rumours about it but have never cottoned onto it properly,...will check the thread tomorrow, but wonder if it's compatible with PC points?