Old Nov 2, 2015, 8:31 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: Suite Disposition
ALL THE URLS AND LINKS IN YOUR EMAILS ARE THE SAME. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO "REPLAY" A GIVEN EMAIL.

Plays are linked to your IHG account number and your IHG link you receive in the email. The links contained are unique to each IHG account number and cannot be "shared".

If you didn't receive all your plays and think that HW might have gotten your email address incorrect, then simply click the link again in your email.

Their email is [email protected].

Quantity of emails received does not always equal quantity of plays available. Emails received does imply that you have plays available.

If you click on your email links and receive a screen with the below message then you do not have plays available.
We love your enthusiasm!
However, you do not have any instant win chances to use.
Complete a qualified stay before February 15 to earn another chance to win.


Prizes:
Chances of winning:
500 pts 1:1.18 or 84.75% (This does not mean you will be guaranteed 500 pts per play)
1000 Pts 1:14.29 or 6.7%
2000 Pts 1:28.57 or 3.5%
5000 Pts 1:42.86 or 2.33%
Other prizes or no prizes: depends on number of entries

5B Prizes= 1,000, 2000, 5,000, $50 GC & Free night


BE SURE TO REGISTER BEFORE SENDING IN ENTRIES!

Leave Surprises here:
500 points (x1098)
1000 points (x42)
2000 points (x26)
5000 points (x17)
$50 Prepaid MasterCard (x13)
1 free night at any IHG hotel (x6)
$2500 Gilt.com GC (x1)
Sony Package (x1)
No Win (x7)

Official Rules

Logistics of the Mail-In Option:
Index Cards Okay? YES (I used 3x5 blank index cards and they were accepted)
Lined Index Cards Okay? Yes, of course, enough with the index cards!
OK to mail cards not inside an envelope? Not according to the rules, which state they must be inside envelopes, one card per envelope

Need to write title before each line? NO

Need second phone number? NO

Middle name required? NO (Left mine out, still got emails. If it's part of your account info, maybe leave it.)

Printed Destination Address Okay? YES (I used printed a bunch of sticker labels and put them on envelopes, accepted)

Printed Return Address Okay? YES (I used an ink stamp)

No Return Address Okay? Yes

Envelope size? Doesn't seem to matter

Non-IHG MasterCard Okay? YES
Debit MasterCard Okay? YES (I used an Ally Bank issued Debit MasterCard)
Use somebody else's MasterCard first 6 digits? YES

There have been reports of mail-in entry emails being sent out on 12/4 and 12/11, and the emails came in rapid succession. This is indicative of HelloWorld batching these out.
Initially batches of emails sent out was on Fridays but as of of 1/6/16 appears to be Wednesdays
#1 Batch=12/4
#2 Batch= 12/11
#3 Batch= 12/18
#4 Batch(xmas)= 12/23
#5 Batch(New Years Day)=12/30
#6 Batch= 1/6
#7 Batch= 1/13
#8 Batch= 1/18-1/24 (emails appear to be arriving daily)
#9 Batch= 2/3-2/5


As of 1/5, points have been posting within a week(ish) of playing and getting confirmation that you've won points.

Points will be paid out without additional email

Some points have been distributed (probably in batches on either Monday or Tuesday)
Points Payout Batches:
#1 12/28 & 12/29--500 pts, 1000pts, 2,000 & 5,000pts (plays before 12/25)
#2 1/4 & 1/5 (plays 12/25-12/30?)
#3 1/11(free nights & pts) & 1/12 (plays from 12/31-1/8)
#4 1/15 (limited due to MLK holiday on 1/18) (for plays from until 1/14)
#5 1/19 (plays from 1/15 til?)
#6 1/29 (plays until 1/24)
#7 2/3 (plays until 1/29)
#8 2/5 (plays until 1/31?)

Has anyone received email with instructions on how to redeem prize? YES ($50 MC redemption instructions received 12/28)

STATUS:
--As of 1/19/16 10:00 am et(estimated) all plays were showing up as no wins. . The play site seems to be undergoing maintenance. Best not to use up the majority of your plays until things smooth out.

--As of 2:45 pm ET on 1/19 play site appears to be back up.

--as of 4:17pm ET on 1/19 500 point plays seems to be working again. No 5B prizes seem to be won at this time

--As of 6pm ET on 1/19 emails being received for wins during the morning hours of 1/19 where it stated no win after select elevator.

--As of 2:30pm EST on 1/20 still reports of nearly 100% 500 pt wins only. Best not to play alot of plays unless you only want 500 pt wins

--As of 8:00 pm EST on 1/20 multiple reports of 5B prizes being won again. Seems to be back to normal.

--As of 2:00 pm EST on 1/21 reports of $50, 2k, 5k, 1k pt wins (unsure of free night wins)

--As of 6:00 pm est on 1/22 everything seems to be working as usual(although very few mentions of free night)

--As of 2:00 pm EST on 1/25 seems like daily emails have been sent out since 1/18 until now.

--As of 6pm EST on 1/29 reports of emails being received from mailed in entries from around mid January. So turnaround for new mailings appear to be about 1 week.

--As of 5pm EST on 2/2 appears that emails have stopped arriving daily with many reporting last email received on 1/29.
Print Wikipost

Priceless Surprises Promotion

Old Nov 2, 2015, 8:29 am
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
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Posts: 2,682
Priceless Surprises Promotion

US Residents only, must pay with a Mastercard, Nov 15, 2015 – Feb 15, 2016.

The rewards are surprises, 1K points for the first stay, and post that it's a mystery.

You can enroll here:

www.pricelesssurprises.ihg.com


www.ihg.com/surprises

Last edited by Tim O'Brien; Nov 2, 2015 at 12:51 pm
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Old Nov 2, 2015, 8:45 am
  #2  
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Official rules here:
https://d2ukkex5d6aodv.cloudfront.ne...f?v=243OLzRXsv

Section 9 lists all the prizes. Most (~85%) will win 500 points. Another 7% will get 1000, and 3.5% will get 2000, and 2.3% get 5000. That leaves about 2% getting something bigger.
swag is offline  
Old Nov 2, 2015, 10:16 am
  #3  
 
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Darn it. I have a stay Nov 14 and checking out Nov 15. Looks like checkout starts Nov 16 for the promo.
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Old Nov 2, 2015, 12:59 pm
  #4  
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Originally Posted by AtomicLush
Darn it. I have a stay Nov 14 and checking out Nov 15. Looks like checkout starts Nov 16 for the promo.
you may get it, checkout date cld kick in for you.
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Old Nov 2, 2015, 1:56 pm
  #5  
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Hmmm... IHG sent me an e-mail a couple of weeks ago which offered 500 points if I made MasterCard the form of payment in my profile before 10/31. I wonder if that was in anticipation of this promotion.
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Old Nov 2, 2015, 2:48 pm
  #6  
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Originally Posted by Tim O'Brien
you may get it, checkout date cld kick in for you.
For a change, the promo terms actually remove all ambiguity about stays right at the start and end. ^

"you must book one (1) or more consecutive night reservation Qualifying Stay with a check-in date between November 15, 2015 and February 15, 2016 and a check-out date between November 16, 2015 and February 29, 2016."
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Old Nov 2, 2015, 5:03 pm
  #7  
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Originally Posted by swag
For a change, the promo terms actually remove all ambiguity about stays right at the start and end. ^

"you must book one (1) or more consecutive night reservation Qualifying Stay with a check-in date between November 15, 2015 and February 15, 2016 and a check-out date between November 16, 2015 and February 29, 2016."
i remain optimistic based on past experience dealing with IHG
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Old Nov 2, 2015, 6:33 pm
  #8  
 
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Another us only promo!....oh well!
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Old Nov 2, 2015, 10:17 pm
  #9  
 
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Very interesting.
Are those points elite-qualifying?
If they should be, we could get about 60000 points by playing the mail game. That would be really close to 75000 SPIRE ELITE for 2017.

That is, of course, if I Have No Life.
Indeed, I Have No Life.

https://d2ukkex5d6aodv.cloudfront.ne...AL.pdf?v=4Swf5

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inter...00-points.html
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Old Nov 2, 2015, 10:57 pm
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Originally Posted by ylord789
Very interesting.
Are those points elite-qualifying?
If they should be, we could get about 60000 points by playing the mail game. That would be really close to 75000 SPIRE ELITE for 2017.

That is, of course, if I Have No Life.
Indeed, I Have No Life.

https://d2ukkex5d6aodv.cloudfront.ne...AL.pdf?v=4Swf5

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inter...00-points.html
From what I read, you can only enter up to 94 times. So worst case scenario: 94 plays x500 points = 47,000 points. But simply going by the published odds, you would almost be certain to hit a larger prize at least once.

Postage, index cards, and envelopes should come to about $50. Not bad for 47,000 points - especially if they're elite qualifying.

Food for thought for those of you traveling alone and far away on business with nothing to do :-)
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Old Nov 2, 2015, 11:15 pm
  #11  
 
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Smile

Wondering if they will accept international mailing in from foreign countries with cheaper airmail costs (i.e. those countries with lower airmail-to-USA postage than current US domestic postage rate)... of course my IHG account is based in the US and I do have a US phone number, which I will provide on the 3" x 5" paper inside the 94 individual envelopes
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Old Nov 2, 2015, 11:18 pm
  #12  
 
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Originally Posted by rownada
Wondering if they will accept international mailing in from foreign countries with cheaper airmail costs (i.e. those countries with lower airmail-to-USA postage than current US domestic postage rate)... of course my IHG account is based in the US and I do have a US phone number, which I will provide on the 3" x 5" paper inside the 94 individual envelopes
I'm in the exact same situation. If you find anything out please let me know! I'll try contacting them also. I'm going to have A LOT of free time on my hands soon and would have no problem sending these out...
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Old Nov 3, 2015, 1:26 am
  #13  
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Originally Posted by ylord789
Very interesting.
Are those points elite-qualifying?
If they should be, we could get about 60000 points by playing the mail game. That would be really close to 75000 SPIRE ELITE for 2017.
Unless specified in the T&Cs, they are not elite qualifying (just as previous promotional bonus points weren't).
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Old Nov 3, 2015, 3:28 am
  #14  
 
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Originally Posted by ylord789
Very interesting.
Are those points elite-qualifying?
If they should be, we could get about 60000 points by playing the mail game. That would be really close to 75000 SPIRE ELITE for 2017.

That is, of course, if I Have No Life.
Indeed, I Have No Life.

https://d2ukkex5d6aodv.cloudfront.ne...AL.pdf?v=4Swf5

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inter...00-points.html
Does each entry actually have to be handwritten?
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Old Nov 3, 2015, 3:39 am
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Originally Posted by Markx
Another us only promo!....oh well!
+1 you would think being listed in UK we would have the "favouritism"
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