1 Night near NYC - Staying with Starwood or IHG?
Mar 6, 2018, 12:47 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Chicago
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, IHG (Platinum Elite), Amtrak Guest Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors
Posts: 636
1 Night near NYC - Staying with Starwood or IHG?
I need to spent a night in/near NYC (I am attending a conference in Hoboken) soon, and am trying to choose between Starwood and IHG, as both have great bonuses right now.
Obviously staying in NYC isn't cheap if I want a hotel that won't be a complete dumb, so the minimum price I"m looking at is about $160/night. I have two options I've narrowed it down to:
One option is a Starwood hotel (Sheraton Lincoln Harbor), which is $164/night, for which I'd get ~600 Starpoints (as they have a double starpoints on weekdays promo right now) and 2,500 bonus points for the other promo they're running, for around 3,100 Starpoints total.
The other option is an IHG Kimpton hotel for $315 - $60 (they have an Amex offer), or $255, where I could stack a ton of bonuses: 10,000 points for a Kimpton stay, 3,000 for booking through the app, 3,150 base points, 1,575 Platinum bonus, 2,000 for the Stay Once accelerate promo, for about 20,000 IHG points.
So the question is, should I pay basically $100 more than the minimum for which I could stay in NYC to net those 20,000 IHG points (while forgoing starpoints), or should I go with the Starpoints?
I realize, obviously, that part of the decision lies in which hotel points I value more and have a use for in the future, the answer to which is both - I can convert Starpoints to Marriott for a few Asian properties I have my eye on, or use IHG points for a lot of their European properties when I travel to Europe. But I thought I'd get some other perspectives from others here on Flyertalk because I, unfortunately, am hella indecisive.
Obviously staying in NYC isn't cheap if I want a hotel that won't be a complete dumb, so the minimum price I"m looking at is about $160/night. I have two options I've narrowed it down to:
One option is a Starwood hotel (Sheraton Lincoln Harbor), which is $164/night, for which I'd get ~600 Starpoints (as they have a double starpoints on weekdays promo right now) and 2,500 bonus points for the other promo they're running, for around 3,100 Starpoints total.
The other option is an IHG Kimpton hotel for $315 - $60 (they have an Amex offer), or $255, where I could stack a ton of bonuses: 10,000 points for a Kimpton stay, 3,000 for booking through the app, 3,150 base points, 1,575 Platinum bonus, 2,000 for the Stay Once accelerate promo, for about 20,000 IHG points.
So the question is, should I pay basically $100 more than the minimum for which I could stay in NYC to net those 20,000 IHG points (while forgoing starpoints), or should I go with the Starpoints?
I realize, obviously, that part of the decision lies in which hotel points I value more and have a use for in the future, the answer to which is both - I can convert Starpoints to Marriott for a few Asian properties I have my eye on, or use IHG points for a lot of their European properties when I travel to Europe. But I thought I'd get some other perspectives from others here on Flyertalk because I, unfortunately, am hella indecisive.
Mar 6, 2018, 2:57 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: none
Posts: 1,668
If money is no object, book them both and split your stay between them. That way you'll get the maximum points at each. Just make sure you actually show up in person at each property or you will be a no-show and get cancelled - no points. If it's YOUR money, I can't possibly decide what is better for your situation.
And if you're that indecisive, just cancel the whole trip.
And if you're that indecisive, just cancel the whole trip.
Mar 6, 2018, 3:42 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Chicago
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, IHG (Platinum Elite), Amtrak Guest Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors
Posts: 636
I'm not sure how being indecisive leads to a suggestion of cancelling the entire trip (which isn't even an option). I'll be making this stay either way and my plans aren't particularly flexible; the only thing that's left to decide is which points to earn on a stay I'll be making anyway.
In any case, not asking anyone to decide for me, but rather to give their two cents.
In any case, not asking anyone to decide for me, but rather to give their two cents.