Well, 11 nights could have been a big spend, (though more likely lots of promos - especially given the CtC nonsense last year) but it's the fact you can earn Platinum status for 2012 and 2013 by taking out a credit card and possibly other non-hotel activity.

Then you have a situation that by PCR elite status a property can no longer differentiate between someone to stays 100 nights a year across the program, or just 1. It makes the platinum level almost useless in that it's not a reliable indicator of the loyalty of the customer, which is kinda meant to be the point...

Maybe this is why it seams like RAs get a better welcome/upgrade at some Crown Plazas? (I haven't experienced this myself, but I have read about it in reviews here...)


Xxx.

IME; CP, HIX, and HI employees don't really know what RA means, only once did I meet one who talked about it but he had no clue as to what it meant other than I travel a lot.

Correct by and large, but some do - I regularly stay at a HI in the UK who greet me as an Ambassador (I mentioned the Royal bit once, but hey) and was offered free Minibar at the HI Leicester 'because of my royal ambassador status'.

But most CP/HI(X) properties obey the usual rule of totally ignoring my status, whichever type you choose

I only have Ambassador status, but since getting it we've had a much better strike rate with unprompted upgrades at european HI's and CP's.

In actual fact, the only times we haven't had an upgrade was when the hotel was full (HI Derby, UK) and at HI Plymouth UK.

What is starting again is the rationalization defending BA's actions prior to Nov 16, which at best were incomplete and many find far worse. Even if one somehow guessed that the 97% referred to BA metal only, there was no basis on which to think it meant only London.

By continuing their arguments, the BA defenders are just rubbing the ink spot on their pants and making it worse. BA may have avoided some cheaper redemptions with the word games, but I still don't see how that or the new Aviois program helps them build a customer base filled with long haul international repeat business.

The difference with the ICH changes is that it seems we'll be able to book using the old chart by phone after the changes are announced. And in that way, they are treating their customers far better than BA did.

Kind of agree. But the last two years had taught me one lesson by tracking the IHG redemption: redemption tiers adjustments in existing frame are done quietly. I reserve my point that IHG may do a large adjustment later this year quietly without the buffer period like they did last two years for hundreds of the hotels. Unlike BA, many travellers with IHG may not notice the changes for 3000 hotels out of 5000 as they never travel to those region or cities. For example, when they introduce 40K level for IHG many of the 40K hotels were moved up few by few very quietly and no noise was made among FTs. And look back when they introduce 25K level for HIX, any discussion? this time IHG gave the grace period was due to:

1>, the earlier failure of communication by Hilton
2>, the change this time is across all brands and very noticable

Without the failure of Hilton Hhonors, I doubt IHG would care about the grace period at all.

Interesting, but you really think you are offered better benefits because you are Amb or RA? I doubt they even know what RA's get at IC's, would you agree?

Considering the Amb/RA benefits are spelled out in the PCR T&C, I would imagine that some non-IC hotel employees are aware of them.

Exactly. I know that HIs appear to have PCR 'champions' which to me at least seems a relatively new development - I wonder whether staff charged with that role, look into it on their own initiative..

But I would certainly agree that by and large, there's no reason for HI/CP staff to have any understanding of (r)AMB and what it is, at all

Does HIX remain the same?

I am planning a 12 hour trip to NYC and I might want to use 5k points + $60 cash to stay at this HIX in New Columbia, PA.


Anyone know if they ever do Pointbreaks in strategically good locations? E.G. off I80 "anywhere" in Pennsylvania? (quite a stretch of land).

HI/HIX are the two brands that will not experience any rate increases. In fact, some of the 25K properties will go down to 20K.

PBs occur wherever they occur.

How do you know that?! :confused:
It might also happen that more of the 10,000 and 15,000 point properties increase to 15,000, 20,000 or 25,000 than the other way round.
The only thing we can be sure of is that none of the 25,000 point properties will further increase...

I read in an email newsletter from one of the mileage sites (Miles Link, Miles Point?) that described the PC redemption choices that for example the IC BKK would "go down" from 40K points to 30K points. It also listes one CP in Sydney as an example of a property going from 25K points to 35K points. It will be interesting to see the moves in the end, though the BKK IC one surprised me.

Any HI/HIX increases will not be a result of the new reward chart.

Properties can go up in category at any time as it is now. There is no need to wait until the new tiers go into effect to increase the cost of 10K or 15K properties--they can and do go up to 15K or 25K as it is whenever PCR just happens to feel like it.

Will properties that are currently at 10K or 15K stay at 10K or 15K forever? Not all, no. However, there is no reason for them to increase on the 18th, because there was nothing preventing them from increasing as it is. Any increases will be unrelated to the introduction of additional point tiers for CS/SB/CP/IC hotels.