I personally don't tend to pay for the higher priced rooms anyway.

If it's say £120 for a base level King double, a lot of the time I'll get upgraded, possibly due to status, to something better placed / higher floor / higher category.
Travelling alone most of the time for work and leisure, I don't require anything too fancy.

I have on the odd occasion chose something higher, or a corner room with a view as there was only a few £ difference, but say £50 from floors 1-10 Vs. 11-20 isn't worth it.

Suites with lounge areas, 500 sqft rooms etc. aren't utilised by myself when I'm watching a bit of tv and sleeping for the most part.
If I was impressing a woman, then I might look differently at things and splash out.

UK wise, i stay in Manchester a bit for the airport etc.
Unless I'm wrong, the only IHG hotel in the city (or area) with a lounge would be the Crowne Plaza in the city centre (assuming that lounge is open).
There's one in one the CP at the airport, but that was shut when I was last in there earlier this year, and had been for a while before that.

For me, a cheap HIX suffices. Clean, I know the brand and a half decent hot breakfast. Paying double for a CP or HI over a HIX doesn't really provide any value to me especially if there for a limited time.
Yes they might be in slightly better locations sometimes, but with a lot of more expensive hotels, all the extras add up. £15 to park in the city centre Vs. free a little further out.

40 nights, for a general tourist type, probably isnt going to be that achievable.
Week or two a couple of times a year for holiday, but a lot of those would be booked through a travel agent / booking website as a package anyway, so probably wouldn't earn or yield anything based on status.

A lot staying the odd night away in the UK may well go for a popular budget chain such as Premier Inn or a Travelodge. £35-£70 a night vs. maybe double that for say a Hilton

Business people, those chasing status etc. are more likely to hit targets, although if work pays for a week in a hotel, is it guaranteed the person staying will get the points and any benefits, or be a non-qualifying rate?
Business travel is still a little reduced, so maybe lounges aren't filling as those sort of people aren't travelling.

When I stay in the UK, there are always tradesmen working on whatever developments staying for M-F.