scubaccr

Hopefully related to issue at the cheaper hotel brands in cheaper locations, where a HI or HIE costs in region of ADR us$40 or $60-80, and points could be any of bands 15/20/25/30k (as award price seemingly related to how popular awards are at individual hotel, not just cash price), and using P+C to purchase 5k/10k costs 80% or more of cash ADR rate.

I can see it makes sense for variable pricing to offer at lower rates in the above scenario, Alas.... except such hotels will be searched out and IHGers needing/wanting cheap points will do repeated P+C+Cancel, forcing IHG to withdraw such types of low variable pricing.
Better instead for IHG to discount points needed in such hotels by 5k or 10k , so retain max rate points per hotel, but reduce if ADR us$.night rate is a crazy low amount. Could even be business district hotels with much higher cash paid rates Mon-Thurs nights, but fri/sat/sun rates only half weekday paid room rates, could have lower weekend points rates.

Maybe make more sense, that by setting a $$ -> points value for a standard room, that if points rooms are exhausted, you could still book a std room with points, but the number of points would be closely tied to that days ADR/Flex rate.

Guests/IHGers might not want to unless points rich cash poor though, eg 70K IC Park Lane std room varies low occupancy rates Jan/Fen gbp350++ to during UAE june/july influx high occupancy gbp800, so whilst fixed 70k is then great value, a variable points might be 160k or higher

Yep I know, all above is pure speculation. My prayer is this coming variable pricing does not mean low/standard/high season points rates for hotels or switch to HH model with aaward points needed tied to on-the-day paid rates