Which InterContinental hotels offer free executive club lounge access? InterContinental Ljubljana, London Park Lane, Madrid, Malta, New York Barclay, Paris Le Grand, and Sydney. We have reviewed both the best InterContinental hotels and the cheapest InterContinental hotels but did you know that our luxury travel concierge provides free executive club lounge access at many InterContinental hotels?
Our luxury travel concierge, which is part of the largest luxury travel agency in America, Travel Edge, offers free Luxury and Lifestyle benefits at all InterContinental hotels, which include perks like free breakfast, $100 USD resort credit and room upgrades, (subject to availability).
But at certain InterContinental hotels, we offer free club lounge access too, which can save you hundreds of dollars in travel costs, as InterContinental club lounges offer excellent full breakfasts with free a la carte breakfast options, snacks, and drinks throughout the day and a small buffet with canapes and complimentary alcoholic drinks and cocktails in the evenings.
You can see what we have experienced in terms of food and drink at the club lounge at InterContinental O2 in London and the club lounge at InterContinental Park Lane which will give you an idea of what to expect.
There is no other way to get free lounge access at InterContinental hotels. High-tier members don’t get free lounge access, and neither do Royal Ambassador or Ambassador cardholders. The only way to get free access is to book via a Luxury and Lifestyle agent like ou concierge or to pay a fee for access.
The rates, which include all our lovely benefits, and the free club lounge access, more or less match the best flexible rates at each hotel. Our rates also have the same excellent level of flexibility. It is worth noting that Advance purchase rates can be cheaper, but when you look at all the free perks you get with the marginally more expansive flexible rates, it is almost always better value to book our rate with the benefits and free club lounge access package. You also get all your usual ihg.com rewards club loyalty club points when you book via our concierge too.
You get free InterContinental Club lounge access at the following hotels by booking via our concierge.
1. InterContinental London Park Lane
InterContinental London Park Lane features at the top of our best club lounges in London and this club lounge is pictured above. This may well be our favorite club lounge in the world because of the magnificent view. This is a wonderful sun-filled lounge.
Club Lounge access is free here if you book via our concierge along with benefits including room upgrade on arrival, early check-in / late check-out (all subject to availability), and complimentary Wi-Fi.
The view here is an absolute winner. It is simply the best view from any Executive Lounge in London. The view looks south toward the Thames with Big Ben and the London Eye in the distance to your left, Hyde Park corner in the middle, and Knightsbridge to your right. On Guy Fawkes night and New Year’s Eve, you can enjoy the distant fireworks across the London skyline from this wonderful lounge. In the distance, you can also see the spires of Battersea Power Station and Green Park, with Buckingham Palace is hidden in the trees beyond. You are literally looking down on the Queen (assuming that she is in residence!).
It is the bird’s eye view of the skyline with the poetic dance of London doubledecker buses and the old-fashioned black taxi cabs below, all circling the Hyde Park corner roundabout, that makes this Lounge so London! This is a unique view that you wouldn’t find anywhere else, and it is unbeatable.
Beyond the view, this lounge has so many great features. The staff are unbeatable and full of personality. Every need is catered for in this lounge. The moment you sit down, the staff come and offer you any drink you want. There are loads of fridges with water and any cold drink you could wish for. Throughout the day are nuts crisps, homemade biscuits, and snacks. The staff will also help you with any business services, from color printouts to help with anything else you want.
The breakfast here is massive and delicious. There is a buffet and an A La Carte, so you can select from cheeses, smoked salmon, salads with olive oil, yogurts, a glorious array of fruit and berries, and Bircher muesli (a particularly good one and a personal favorite!) Cereal, yogurt, muffins, and bread, as well as some delicious pastries.
On the A La Carte, there is a British Style offering with eggs as you like; Florentine, Benedict, full English, along with options like pancakes. I doubt there is much you couldn’t request, and crucially, everything is cooked to perfection. I like Eggs Florentine, and the poached eggs are soft in the middle whilst the white is cooked to perfection.
In the afternoon, the delicious afternoon tea is served between 3 and 5 and is arranged on a wedding cake-style up-and-up tray with scones and cream, an array of sandwiches, and any drink you want, including, of course, their excellent tea. There is none of your teabag rubbish here. All the tea is made from dried leaves. It is the little touches that make a big difference.
In the evening, the food offering is limited. Drinks are available, including a nice selection of canapes, but that is it. Do not expect a full evening meal. You will need to eat out. On the plus side, Theo Randall’s restaurant downstairs is excellent, and you are missing out if you do not try his pasta. Easily the best pasta in London.
It is worth noting that the lounge staff are incredibly generous, with topping up and supplying drinks. Champagne, cocktails, beers, and wines are available, and expect to be pestered into “just another one.” Even after the bar is officially closed, the staff seem happy to refill you or bring out an extra glass of beer. In fact, one evening, the staff suggested lining up 2 or 3 beers and glasses of wine to keep us topped up through the evening.
There are also shower and storage facilities so you can safely stow your luggage in the lounge. In addition to free club lounge access at this hotel, our free benefits include a room upgrade at the time of booking (subject to availability), welcome gift, and more. Of note, this is one of two InterContinentals hotels in London, but the InterContinental O2 does not offer free lounge access to guests of our concierge.
2. InterContinental New York Barclay
The InterContinental New York Barclay club lounge is one of the best executive club lounges in New York. Club Lounge access is free here if you book via our concierge along with benefits including room upgrade on arrival, early check-in / late check-out (all subject to availability), and complimentary Wi-Fi.
The InterContinental New York Barclay is located behind Tiffany’s Fifth Avenue store on East 48th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues. The hotel rooms here are large by NYC standards, but the bathrooms are quite cozy. This hotel has 702 rooms, including 33 suites, and the interior look is elegant and classy.
The lounge here is called Club InterContinental and is excellent. It can be found to the left of the lobby. It serves a delicious buffet breakfast, including gluten-free options, snacks, afternoon tea, evening cocktails, and hors d’oeuvres. Club guests can check in here and have the use of its business center and a meeting room.
Access costs $100 USD for double occupancy or $80 USD per single guest on top of the room rate, but if you book a standard room at the Intercontinental in New York via our concierge and you will get the lounge access absolutely free.
3. InterContinental Paris Le Grand
InterContinental Paris Le Grand easily offers one of the best club lounges in Paris. The last time I was in the InterContinental Paris club lounge, we booked a wonderful rooftop room in the eaves of this historic hotel. The view was out over the rooftops of Paris, and it couldn’t have been more romantic. The InterContinental Le Grand is conveniently located in the Opera district, very close to the Place Concorde, Rue Faubourg Honore, Champs Elysees, etc. The hotel has been beautifully refurbished and remodeled and is one of Paris’s most beautiful and luxurious hotels.
Even if you have loyalty status or are an InterContinental Ambassador, you will be charged around 150 Euros to access the club lounge at this InterContinental in Paris. If you book with us, you get all your usual benefits, and we can apply your loyalty number to your booking so that you can collect your points. Plus, you will also get Club Lounge access absolutely free, even when you book their standard room.
If you are not an InterContinental loyalty member, you will still get all our benefits when you book into this hotel in Paris via our concierge.
The lounge itself is a charming space on two levels at the top of the hotel. The upper level has great views of the Opera, and the whole lounge offers free internet. Start your day with a delicious breakfast with eggs made to order and juices, as well as a glass of champagne (Moet) if you like.
Enjoy their cold buffet at midday, with high-end items like foie gras, smoked salmon, hams and cheeses, and free-flowing Nicolas Feuillatte champagne.
Indulge in their delicious pastries at tea time and, at the end of the day, enjoy a light supper in the lounge, which is open until 10:00 pm. Expect excellent service with a generous delivery of unlimited champagne and wine to drink each night, along with beer, spirits, and soft drinks. Canapes included duck liver paté and lots of cheese.
People in this lounge tend to be friendly in this lounge, and because of its location in Paris, there are usually a fair number of British and American guests who use the lounge.
4. InterContinental Sydney
Finally, we can also get you free club lounge access at InterContinental in Sydney too, via our concierge. Book with us and get Free access to the exclusive Club InterContinental, Sydney’s only rooftop Club with a wrap-around terrace and panoramic views of Sydney Harbour (minimum of an Eastern Harbour View Room).
Within the Club lounge, you will enjoy the following benefits: Daily Buffet breakfast for up to two in-room guests, all-day light refreshments, complimentary Wi-Fi, twilight drinks and canapes, complimentary wireless internet access, personalized Concierge, and business center facilities. Early check-in, late check-out, and a room upgrade on arrival are available on request (subject to availability).
Sydney’s Club InterContinental on the rooftop of the InterContinental hotel in Sydney has arguably the best harbor views in town with a gorgeous wrap-around balcony. The location of this hotel is also excellent, close to Circular Quay and the ferries. It also has a decent gym and a great indoor pool for families. The InterContinental is right next door to the beautiful Botanic gardens (with bats that fly about in the evening – just watch out for bat poo falling from the sky. My mother was a target one evening and left the park with a special bat present on her anorak!).
The club lounge is located on level 28, with direct views of the Harbour and Opera House via floor-to-ceiling windows. The lounge is super stylish and modern in design, with a blue-grey wavy carpet design and cream and blue-grey furnishings, which seem to reflect the colors of the harbor as the sun goes down.
Expect the usual complimentary (wonderful) gourmet food, breakfast, afternoon delights, and evening canapés, as well as soft and alcoholic drinks and cocktails, to go with the sunset. Note the canapés here are extensive; a large selection of food, including salads, dips, vegetables, hot mezze, salmon, cheeses, and desserts, is available. It can only be described as a feast presented in large dishes for you to pick at.
The Australian wines here are very good, and you can enjoy them (or beers or spirits) indoors or outdoors on the decked terrace on their comfy lounging chairs. This lounge is absolutely worth paying for at the InterContinental, and this is the best lounge in Sydney for views and probably the second-best lounge in Sydney overall, along with the Four Seasons Sydney, which are both featured in my best club lounges in Sydney.
5. InterContinental Ljubljana
Ljubljana is Slovenia’s capital and the largest city, and the InterContinental Ljubljana is housed in the tallest building in the city. The building is modern, and floor-to-ceiling windows offer expansive views across the city from every room.
The curving and picturesque Ljubljanica River is lined with outdoor cafes where you can while the day away sipping a coffee or a beer and watching the boats chug by. People wander past, making this city a brilliant destination for the summer. You can fly on Easyjet direct into Ljubljana, Slovenia (LJU) from London Stanstead or London Gatwick.
The InterContinental is located near Ljubljana Old Town, so it is ideally placed for exploring the city’s top sights. Start your day with a stroll to historic Prešeren Square. Stop to admire the sculpture of 19th-century poet France Prešeren, take in the baroque architecture or listen to talented local buskers. The city’s medieval heart lies across the iconic Triple Bridge. Immerse yourself in 900 years of history with a visit to the fortified castle before shopping for artisan bread and cheeses at the Central Market.
In the evening, enjoy a stunning sunset cruise on the glittering Ljubljanica River before returning to the hotel for an apéritif at Bloom’s Lounge bar. If you decide to go out, the concierge can book tickets to the Slovenian National Opera and Ballet Theatre. Only a few minutes walk from our Ljubljana luxury hotel. If you’d rather stay in, head upstairs to B restaurant, where you can savor mouthwatering international cuisine and fine wine as you admire the twinkling lights of the city skyline.
At Luxury Travel Diary, we specifically choose Intercontinental branded hotels for their exceptional Club Lounges, which usually offer an excellent view. The Club InterContinental in Ljubljana offers complimentary breakfast, afternoon bites, and evening drinks and canapes each day.
Club Lounge access is free here if you book via our concierge along with benefits including room upgrade on arrival, early check-in / late check-out (all subject to availability), and complimentary Wi-Fi PLUS currently $100 USD equivalent Food & Beverage credit to be utilized during stay.
6. InterContinental Malta
Situated in the exclusive beachside resort of St Julian’s, InterContinental Malta is just seven kilometers from Valletta, Malta’s capital city, and within walking distance of some of the islands finest shopping and entertainment locations.
Unwind at the wonderful lagoon-styled outdoor pool, or enjoy a day at their private sandy beach. There is also an indoor pool, gym, and spa. With a variety of restaurants and bars (some seasonal), InterContinental Malta is one of your best luxury hotel choices in Malta.
The interior of this hotel is lovely, with lots of intricate, stylish lighting. If you request a room facing the hotel courtyard and outdoor pool rather than the main street, you will enjoy a very peaceful night’s sleep.
The club lounge here is great, with coffee, tea, juices, soft drinks, and snacks available throughout the day. Breakfast is served with cold cuts, smoked salmon, olive and sundried tomato pastes, salad, pastries, bread, cereal, and fresh fruit, plus Prosecco, juice, tea, and coffee. Hot dishes include scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, etc.
Evening drinks and canapes are served. The selection includes Prosecco, wines, spirits, beers, and soft drinks. Canapes are things like chicken skewers and fish cakes, enough for a drink accompaniment but not enough to fill you up.
Club Lounge access is free here if you book via our concierge along with benefits including room upgrade on arrival, early check-in / late check-out (all subject to availability), welcome amenity and complimentary Wi-Fi.
7. InterContinental Madrid
InterContinental Madrid has the best executive club lounge in Madrid but we still prefer the Four Seasons as our best hotel choice in Spain. The problem with the InterContinental Madrid is that it is situated on the Paseo de la Castellana on the northern side of the Salamanca fashion district.
This means it is not an easy walk into the city center, and you would be wise to hop on the tube at the nearby Rubén Darío metro station. Some argue this is an exciting area with the 24-hour outdoor Museo de Arte Público, with works by 20th-century Spanish sculptors displayed underneath a rather depressing concrete flyover. We think that this location, away from the main pedestrianized center, is far from ideal for a leisure trip to Madrid.
The hotel is a very nice 5-star, which was the palace of the Dukedom of Aliaga. Original red marble pillars, chandeliers, and white marble floors are classy and regal if slightly dated. The whole place feels slightly old-fashioned, although obviously luxurious.
The rooms are large and mix mustard and brown, and the bathrooms have black marble and are very nice, as you would expect. El Jardín is a wonderful restaurant with an al-fresco feel and French windows overlooking the central garden.
Like the rest of the hotel, this InterContinental club lounge is not very stylish, with classic, classy decor that lacks the modern touch. There are lots of orangy-colored woods and blue and mustard carpets, and it is open from 7:00 am – 11:00 pm.
The lounge includes a private breakfast, which is usually very good at InterContinental hotels, with a very good buffet and a la carte hot dishes. Beyond breakfast, there are snacks and drinks throughout the day, and in the evening, there is a large buffet with appetizers, snacks, and drinks. Also included in this club lounge is Wi-Fi throughout your stay, an ironing service (I’m not clear if this is free), and a 10% discount at restaurant el jardín & brunch. InterContinental Club lounges are excellent, and even though I am not a fan of this hotel’s location, this is definitely the best executive club lounge in Madrid.
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