In a parallel universe where 90% of my time isn't absorbed by two cities (Jakarta and Saigon), I would absolutely up my IHG game. Even if I were stationed in my former habitats -- Bali and Hanoi -- I'd have a pretty hard time pursuing One Rewards as superficially as I do now (basically rolling over Platinum status YoY by doing the bare minimum). In Bali now and IHG's throwing some curve balls over the last four nights of double Bonvoy EQN season. Fresh properties, fair prices, far more interesting locations. Hanoi's two IC's are a few hundred meters apart from their Marriott peers yet both somehow -- especially the one right up on West Lake -- have the edge on location. Point is: it really is that country/city specific. I've said elsewhere in this forum that IHG's Southeast Asian footprint leaves much to be desired, but as your travel/stay parameters are about to expand by a lot, think your instinct to give IHG a go is spot-on. So often, I've found their properties to be in parts of town (Katong in Singapore, Astrid Square in Antwerp, Da'an in Taipei, Miami South Beach) where all I wanted to do was get out and explore, so a couple drink coupons (or a few glasses of plonk at Kimpton's social hours) rather than full-on evening cocktails was all that was needed. But if you were to tarry away the eve at a hotel lounge, why not with champagne?