[DoubleA]

@NorthernLass is it correct that there’s no lounge for ClubWorld at GCM?

[DoubleA]

Thanks for the feedback all. I wonder if swapping to a platinum then opens up Avios Plus after?

I’ve just realised that I’ve spent nearly £7k on a card I was trying not to use, so I’m now thinking I’ll make a dash for the £20k spend target and see what happens after a 12mth anniversary on this card in Sept.

[DoubleA]

Thanks for the tips and good to know that we won’t be the first people trying to maximise the social hour! 🙂

[DoubleA]

Thanks – the 80USD p/d is as expected, but I’d just become concerned that others were mentioning tax/fees on top of this!

Yes, I’m Diamond and I was sat on a pile of IHG points so we’re having a bit of a splurge at what does seem to be a fantastic redemption option. We will have to make use of the social hour though to try and cover some of the resort fee! (along with the parking).

& yes, I’m a Curve metal holder too so should avoid most of the fx fees.

Thanks for the reassurance & tips!

[DoubleA]

Hi @NorthernLass we’re booked into the Kimpton Seafire in July on reward points and I’ve been reading through various comments on Tripadvisor about the Resort Fee. There seems to be varying reports about how much it costs and how the hotel treats payment of them.

As you’ve been there, I wondered if you were able to shed any light on it.

On the payment page there are three different descriptions (below) where you could believe it was 80USD only, or 80USD plus an 11% service free or $80USD plus both an 11% service fee and a 13% tax.

Other reports suggest the hotel charge this as 89CI$.

There also seems to be differing views about what currency the hotel asks you to pay in and what conversion rate will be.

The Gov.uk website suggests:
All major credit cards are accepted in hotels, restaurants and local shops. The local currency is the Cayman Islands Dollar (CI$) but transactions using non domestic credit cards will be charged in US$. The US dollar is widely accepted throughout the islands. The CI$ is fixed to the US dollar at $1.25 US Dollars to $1.00 Cayman Islands Dollar.

Any insight greatly appreciated!

Breakdown of cost on complete your reservation page
Additional Charges
Additional Charges Resort Fee Of 80usd
Inclusive Of Tax And 11pct Service Fee

When you click on the information icon next to it
Description of Taxes and Additional Charges
Additional Charges:
80.00 USD per night not included in rate effective 4 July, 2023 through 5 July, 2023
11% per night not included in rate effective 4 July, 2023 through 5 July, 2023
Taxes:
13% per night not included in rate effective 4 July, 2023 through 5 July, 2023
Additional charges (Resort fee) of $80 inclusive of tax and 11% Service Fee will be added per room each night of your stay.

At the bottom of the payment page
Description of Taxes and Additional Charges
Additional charges (Resort fee) of $80 inclusive of tax and 11% Service Fee will be added per room each night of your stay.
13% per night not included in rate effective 4 July, 2023 through 5 July, 2023
80.00 USD per night not included in rate effective 4 July, 2023 through 5 July, 2023
11% per night not included in rate effective 4 July, 2023 through 5 July, 2023

[DoubleA]

Hi @NorthernLass – we’re booked into the Kimpton Seafire in July on reward points and I’ve been reading through various comments on Tripadvisor about the Resort Fee. There seems to be varying reports about how much it costs and how the hotel treats payment of them.

As you’ve been there, I wondered if you were able to shed any light on it.

On the payment page there are three different descriptions (below) where you could believe it was 80USD only, or 80USD plus an 11% service fee or $80USD plus both an 11% service fee and a 13% tax.

Other reports suggest that the hotel charge this as 89CI$.

There also seems to be differing views about what currency the hotel asks you to pay in and what conversion rate will be.
The Gov.uk website suggests:
All major credit cards are accepted in hotels, restaurants and local shops. The local currency is the Cayman Islands Dollar (CI$) but transactions using non domestic credit cards will be charged in US$. The US dollar is widely accepted throughout the islands. The CI$ is fixed to the US dollar at $1.25 US Dollars to $1.00 Cayman Islands Dollar.

Any insight greatly appreciated!

Breakdown of cost on complete your reservation page
Additional Charges
Additional Charges Resort Fee Of 80usd
Inclusive Of Tax And 11pct Service Fee

When you click on the information icon next to it
Description of Taxes and Additional Charges
Additional Charges:
80.00 USD per night not included in rate effective 4 July, 2023 through 5 July, 2023
11% per night not included in rate effective 4 July, 2023 through 5 July, 2023
Taxes:
13% per night not included in rate effective 4 July, 2023 through 5 July, 2023
Additional charges (Resort fee) of $80 inclusive of tax and 11% Service Fee will be added per room each night of your stay.

At the bottom of the payment page
Description of Taxes and Additional Charges
Additional charges (Resort fee) of $80 inclusive of tax and 11% Service Fee will be added per room each night of your stay.
13% per night not included in rate effective 4 July, 2023 through 5 July, 2023
80.00 USD per night not included in rate effective 4 July, 2023 through 5 July, 2023
11% per night not included in rate effective 4 July, 2023 through 5 July, 2023

[DoubleA]

No, tried the app and desktop, both logged in ok for me

[DoubleA]

I’m on the most recent version of the app and still not there on iOS – tried deleting and re-registering but still nothing.

[DoubleA]

Yes, although it’s a benefit you’re entitled to, you still have to choose it as you only get one of the options (unless HIEx) and may not want the breakfast.

We stayed in the IC Boston for 6 nights back in October and they are mainly al a carte but did have a buffet at the weekends. We took the breakfast benefit, had al a carte every day which was $75-$100 per day for 2 with tax and tip – when we checked out there was about $2 to pay which they said was because we’d gone over the allowance. I would have quibbled, but it was $2….

[DoubleA]

NorthernLass wrote:

At the Kimpton Seafire we got a full bill for breakfast plus taxes plus gratuity each morning (which is how is manages to be $94 per day!) but no charges for it appeared on our final bill, just the meal we had on the first night and the *$80* per day “resort fee”!

We were at the IC BOS in March, just too early for free breakfast! We went out to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast sandwiches and coffee and sneaked it back up to the enormous suite we got upgraded to.

Fingers crossed for the same bill treatment tomorrow at check out. & we’ve pretty much hit the Kimpton level with just the ala carte in the IC.

We’re at the Seafire in July and I’m working out who I can call locally or fax to get my money’s worth out of the resort fee!

[DoubleA]

Currently at the IC Boston and we were offered the breakfast at check in as the Diamond benefit.

Each morning we get a bill to sign, even though they check we have breakfast included, which has 18% service added.
So I’m guessing free will actually be 18% of cost when I check out.

[DoubleA]

Looks like this may be dead now as the link doesn’t work and I can’t find it on the NR site. Sod’s Law just after I bought a railcard!

[DoubleA]

Applied and accepted on the 25th, card arrived today.

[DoubleA]

Thanks both – we’re staying at the Seafire so almost certainly not considered reasonably priced! Would they expect us to move or potentially reimburse for the equivalent of a reasonable room?

I’ve luckily never had a flight moved or cancelled so this is all new to me – and had another domestic connection MAN-LHR cancelled for 02 Oct where they did not rebook me onto the later flight, even thought it arrives in LHR 2:55 ahead of our flight to BOS. I manually rebooked that one – have I now screwed myself over if other things go wrong?

[DoubleA]

I’ve had my return flight next July cancelled and they’ve rebooked onto the next day which seems strange compared to everyone else having theirs cut shorter. An extra night is nice but I now have an additional hotel night, f&b, dog sitter etc. to pay for.

Do I have any real options other than moving the return to the day before and losing a day’s holiday, cancel the whole trip or suck up the extra costs? How much fighting am I likely to have to do to fly back via the US? TIA

[DoubleA]

I didn’t take notice exactly but I’m pretty sure it posted independently to the Avios & yes, it’s in the eVoucher section of your executive club, where the Amex ones post. Mine posted as soon as I hit the target too.

[DoubleA]

Great update/insight @NorthernLass – just about to book 10 nights on points, so your update makes me much more comfortable that the F&B spend will be worth it!