mnredfox

Despite the ease for qualifying for their earnable top tier, we have to remember the vast majority of folks don't know the PC tricks and don't surf FT. I have thought PC treatment is equal if not better than Diamond treatment with HH. I have been pleased with the benefits and upgrades are better than HH for me.

Completely agree with soitgoes though. The removal of guaranteed club access in CPs for Plats is a large annoyance (the "argue for it" upgrade is just plain tiresome)[/QUOTE]

What, since when did the CP club access get removed?

Got you beat, did it in 3 stays 2 years ago. And it only took 4 nights...

pmaddock

I've been able to use a technique I call 'pay and squat' to get around this issue. Usually I make the deal by contacting the manager ahead of time but its worked without notice. The idea is to 'pay' for the room you want on the first night and then have a reward stay booked right afterward. Unless they are fully booked for the room type you want they'll relent and allow you to squat in the room you're in. I haven't had it fail yet.

Note: I say 'pay' because what I usually do is get an anywhere hotel card to pay for that first night or 2. Its the same as cash to the hotel but still points on our side.

Points Surfer

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmaddock

I've been able to use a technique I call 'pay and squat' to get around this issue. Usually I make the deal by contacting the manager ahead of time but its worked without notice. The idea is to 'pay' for the room you want on the first night and then have a reward stay booked right afterward. Unless they are fully booked for the room type you want they'll relent and allow you to squat in the room you're in. I haven't had it fail yet.

Note: I say 'pay' because what I usually do is get an anywhere hotel card to pay for that first night or 2. Its the same as cash to the hotel but still points on our side.

Ditto....learned that tactic at FT on multiple stays and its another effective tool. Works at IHG and all brands if your 1st paid night is the suite you want and follow-up nights are pts no hotel has moved me yet. Worked great with IHG, SPG stay x get a night free last year + Fairmonts w/ stay anywhere cards (although not the best pts value) or paid cash. A professional email at least once well prior to the stay mostly ensures you get what you want.

Should add its the single stays that are the hit & miss problem mostly. The pay & squat improved the odds immensely on multiple stays and have not run into past problems since I started doing that.....booking/contact early is the key though

tigerwouldnt2009

Since PCR members spend dollars for points to use on personal stays obviously the "quality" of that redemption has a more personal impact than a paid business stay. So if IHG wishes to reach out and add value to membership some form of mechanism is needed to allow them to secure what they want/need even if it costs more.

Suppose a stay is 25000 pts run of house or 30000 pts to pre-select your reward stay? How much extra would you pay in pts to pre-select a regular room ?

soitgoes

Most of the time you can preselect a regular room on points with PCR.

tigerwouldnt2009

Only what is listed when you book your reward stay. King or Jacuzzi or Oceanview/front are rare. Often its Doubles or Queen or Parking Lot view or less desirable hotel rooms they channel rewards stays too.

The intention is to open up the list of paid stay rooms to a points premium option ie if I was on vacation and only a Queen - no view was all that was under the points list and paid stays could select a King-Oceanfront I'd pay an extra 10000 pts per night to pre-select it rather than gamble on a subject to availability at time of check-in ,front desk upgrade

I'm curious as to what others would pay extra for that option

pmaddock

The premium would probably have to depend on the extent of the upgrade. I remember that Marriott actually had an upgrade award you could use as an add-on to an award and they were 5K per level. In general terms I'd be glad to pay an extra 20% or so - maybe up to 40% if it was a suite at a higher end property.

Oddly enough $$ pay for upgrade doesn't seem to be welcome. I've offered once or twice and no property has taken me up on it yet.

soitgoes

Oh...yes I would be willing to pay a small premium to guarantee a specific upgrade. (You had said 'regular room', so I was confused.) I wouldn't always want to do so, and the upgrade would have to be significant for me to be willing to shell out extra points. Instant in-hotel awards � la SPG would be nice, too (upgrades, F&B, etc.).

tigerwouldnt2009

After a series of points/paid stays recently its quite obvious the "points stay" experience is inconsistent at best and down right rude at worst. Many PCR seekers are in the game for the rewards so a quality points stay is important. I swear I get treated better at 5000 pt break stays than at 25000pt stays ?

IHG needs to audit locations to ensure a customer who spends 25000 pts doesn't get the crappiest room in the house "because" they used points vs cash. One bad experience on points kills any future paid stays there for anyone you know.

Dave Noble

When you book the hotel using points it does tell you the room category booked; an award night only provides for a standard room; expectations need to be managed from both sides such that when making an award booking to only expect a standard room.

tigerwouldnt2009

I'm fully aware of the points reward night offering which is most often a std room and sometimes a suite, jacuzzi if listed in pts only stays depending on the hotel. Expectations for upgrades are not what I'm concerned with. The inconsistent policy between being a valued customer vs a second class citizen compared to paid stays is the issue for me.

All to often you get parked in an accessible room , the oldest part of the hotel that should be closed for renovations, next to ice machines or rail lines, a room poorly ( or not even ) cleaned because they keep pushing you down the line as paid stays arrive and cleaners are rushed & neglectful. I've actually been told "paid stays take priority, you're just here on points".....as far as I'm concerned 25000 pts is a paid stay, earned as a IHG customer. I've never had issues with SPG for example and always felt like I was given parity with paid stays. Some IHG hotels go out of their way to make you feel like it is a true "reward" stay while too many devalue the program and the IHG image by giving you a "deward" stay and you walk out regretful that you spent your earned reward on a junk stay.

Barry Bethal

I would echo what has been said about improving the rewards stays experience.

The fact is you should be treated better than a one off customer for your brand loyalty which is obvious by the fact you are having a rewards stay. I would go so far as to honestly say, you really should be treated like a king for being so loyal and they should actually go the extra mile for you in that respect.

If that means cutting down a bit (not too much!) on the promotions etc. and making it harder to achieve platinum then so be it but at least the 'reward' would be more rewarding.

If it helped, could IHG maybe hide the fact that the stay is a rewards stay to the person on the check-in desk? i.e. it just shows up as a rate (which, from what I read, they do technically receive anyway from IHG). Maybe that way you wouldn't get 2nd class treatment.

Secondly, I would also agree with the benefits comments in that these should be clarified and applied consistently. As a brief example, the free paper thing. None of this free paper as long as it is 'the independent' nonsense or some places not even offering it. It should be a given and that is that.

On one instance at staying at the CP Birmingham City Centre, to be fair the staff were good, but I had to ask about benefits. On asking I was given a voucher for free movie/money off restaurant/free drink. I shouldn't have to ask for this, it should be given. By the way, this was a 2-4-1 stay mid-march which posted as qualifying no problems.

Merge this in with the above and you should get full benefits on the rewards nights. The only thing that should change with respect to the rewards nights is the fact you've used points as opposed to cash and that is that. It's a benefit of the program.

mnredfox

+1

Points Surfer

Quote:

Originally Posted by tigerwouldnt2009

I'm fully aware of the points reward night offering which is most often a std room and sometimes a suite, jacuzzi if listed in pts only stays depending on the hotel. Expectations for upgrades are not what I'm concerned with. The inconsistent policy between being a valued customer vs a second class citizen compared to paid stays is the issue for me.

All to often you get parked in an accessible room , the oldest part of the hotel that should be closed for renovations, next to ice machines or rail lines, a room poorly ( or not even ) cleaned because they keep pushing you down the line as paid stays arrive and cleaners are rushed & neglectful. I've actually been told "paid stays take priority, you're just here on points".....as far as I'm concerned 25000 pts is a paid stay, earned as a IHG customer. I've never had issues with SPG for example and always felt like I was given parity with paid stays. Some IHG hotels go out of their way to make you feel like it is a true "reward" stay while too many devalue the program and the IHG image by giving you a "deward" stay and you walk out regretful that you spent your earned reward on a junk stay.

+1

Points Surfer

[QUOTE=Dave Noble;13743764]When you book the hotel using points it does tell you the room category booked; an award night only provides for a standard room; expectations need to be managed from both sides such that when making an award booking to only expect a standard room.[/QUOTE]

I think the problem is inconsistency and getting a sub standard room where you're expected to put up and shut up when there on points if you're given a dirty room, or room with a broken a/c unit that they already knew about, or a room designed for handicap people with very low switches/fixtures (bugs me cause it feels like parking in a handicap spot)....some locations go out of the way to make the points stay a true reward and its that inconsistency I dislike too. I think that in IHG's mad rush to grow they exceeded their ability to control quality.