nicolas75

Let's see if merger of the loyalty programs will be faster with SPG/Marriott and Fairmont/Accor

fireworksboy

I'm a pretty patient guy but this merger seems to at a snail's pace.

olegator

By perseverance the snail reached the ark. =)

Points Scrounger

From what I infer, the Kimpton gang are really pushing hard to make Inner Circle the same as (Royal) Ambassador, so that IHG elites get their points, and not much else in terms of benefits on a stay. On the other hand, IHG might be looking for a bit more integration than that.

scubaccr

We need integration here not continuation of a 3rd loyalty program!

Very very Unlikely for this suggestion, as then zero incentive for Plats. Spires, Ambassadors to stay at Kimpton brand... Or re iprocally for Kimpton elites to stay at IHG brands

Also to me , a boutique hotel, Kimpton are closest aligned with Indigo brand to my mind

Kimpton bennies are not like IC Ambassador bennies so most likely outlook is Kimpton become another brand sitting alongside the better rated IHG brands of CP and Indigo.

The only thing IHG really need decide if Kimpton bennies equate to IHG Plat or spire level and whether to give Kic elites Plat or Spire status

stimpy

I think it is clear that Kimpton's main concern is being overwhelmed with entitled elites. Small hotels can't deal well with that. So I think it makes sense that they try to limit it only to RA's. Spire is just far too easy to obtain.

That said, both IHG elites and IC elites should get a stay credit and points when staying at Kimpton hotels. The sooner that happens, the sooner Kimpton rooms will begin to fill up.

scubaccr

But surely the whole idea is that KIC Elite status program is discontinued and those KIC elites are swapped into an IHG Elite status pool. Simply setting up reciprocal points earning for KIC/IHG members just perpetuates things and is not the full merger of schemes IHG needs

Whilst restricting bennies at Kimpton brand to eg JUST RAs restricts greatly the pool off IHGers getting bennies, this creates an issue for the current KIC elites who then get zero bennies as I neither see them
a)warranting a straight status match to RA
b)I don't see IHG minting loads more RAs

I believe IHG plan to increase the Kimpton brand presence and I can't see that happening if the much larger IHG members pool receive no benefits

stimpy

It is a difficult job to slice this all up. Perhaps that's why it is taking a long time.

Land-of-Miles

Agree this makes perfect sense. In many ways the parallel here is SPG and the similar Design Hotel portfolio where the benefits are essentially stay and night credit and that's it.

dw

Full integration is exactly what I'd expect if Kimpton had been acquired by any other big chain, but IHG is unique in that it already has a precedent with Intercontinental and the treatment of RA/Amb vs. IHG elites.

Land-of-Miles

The AMB programme split is presumably driven by the the revenue it brings in and an attempt to separate the wheat from the chaff of "status" holders? It might make sense to move KIC status members into AMB it doesn't make any sense to add a third parallel programme.

Coathanger

I was searching award availability in New York on ihg.com this evening and Kimpton hotels are now being listed, albeit with a link to kimpton.com to check actual availability and no option to use IHG points. At least that's a start in terms of integration.

There is also an intermediate page to set expectations in terms of benefits and redemptions:

dw

Finally. This is a good move as IHG's larger distribution can only be good for current and prospective Kimpton property owners. Hopefully they will be able to take it one step further and actually list the lowest rate with the search results... This is similar to how Marriott.com treats Ritz Carlton properties... and if you click on the rate it will take you to the separate Ritz Carlton site to book.

ElmhurstNick

Given that KIC gives top-tier one free night and $50 dining credit for every new property, it doesn't seem feasible to let every IHG Spire have that benefit automatically. And I can't imagine that Spires would be thrilled with letting KIC's get full Spire benefits after just 14 stays.

I can see that Spires should have a reduced threshold to get KIC top-tier benefits. 5 stays or 8 nights seems reasonable to me. Otherwise, I think Spire should get Kimpton Tier 3. Likewise, I think KIC Inner Circle should get IHG Gold unless they do 5 stays or 8 nights at non-Kimpton IHG properties to get Plat.

scubaccr

Don't forget IHG will increase Kimpton footprint not just by signing up new hotels, but by IHG also actively encouraging some really good existing IHG hotels to switch, .... a case already announced being CP Amsterdam City Center

I for one would be horrified if as an IHGer, that for 2016 post rebrand, I had zero Spire/Platinum room upgrade to Exec level (you only get club if purchased here) and top level KIC with 15nights got upgraded.

This reported head-in-sand Kimpton management attitude and wanting to stay separate with zero benefits other than points to IHG @Rewards members simply can not be permitted if a whole bunch of the existing better IHG hotels rebrand to Kimpton , for a start it will dilute IHG's @reward program whilst alienating existing @Reward Elites (Spire/Platinum)

Neither can I see CP Amsterdam giving a free night to any KIC top elite as being a new Kimpton Hotel, that night benefit is really not sustainable going forward alongside rebranding some IHG hotels to Kimpton.