Upon closer inspection of s:link and it's behaviour, we have overlooked one of it's functions (the opening of a new tab or window with the information from the link). Using 1.6.1, the new tab or window would be opened, but the same page would be viewed (and the conversation could be carried out further, etc. This was at least partially correct). Using 1.7.0, a new tab can be opened, but nothing is displayed.
Please let me know how you want to proceed. (doing post instead of get??)
 
The following inspections of the html reveal what is rendered:-
ICEfaces 1.7.0

<a onfocus="setFocus(this.id);" onclick="document.forms['j_id43']['j_id43:_idcl'].value='j_id43:hotels:2:viewHotel';iceSubmit( document.forms['j_id43'], this,event); return false;" onblur="setFocus('');" id="j_id43:hotels:2:viewHotel" href="javascript:;" class="iceCmdLnk">View Hotel</a>

 

ICEfaces 1.6.1

<a onfocus="setFocus(this.id);" onclick="document.forms['j_id43']['j_id43:_idcl'].value='j_id43:hotels:0:viewHotel';iceSubmit( document.forms['j_id43'], this,event); return false;" onblur="setFocus('');" id="j_id43:hotels:0:viewHotel" href="# " class="iceCmdLnk">View Hotel</a>

 

regular Seam without ICEfaces (any version):-

<a href="/seam-booking/main.seam?dataModelSelection=hot%3Ahotels%5B2%5D&cid=3&actionMethod=main.xhtml%3AhotelBooking.selectHotel%28hot%29"