VegasGambler

I don't find it worthless at all. I get free upgrades sometimes, and I get the point earning bonus.

I don't pay to stay at hotels that much (90% of my travel is to Vegas, where everything is comped). So I don't stay enough to get any status with anyone. So, I just got the credit card. $49 per year for platinum status, one free night at any IHG hotel (no category restrictions) and a 10% rebate on points redemptions. The free night alone is worth a few hundred dollars, so why would I not get the card and the status?

If you expect an upgrade every single time you are going to be disappointed, because that is not one of the benefits. I look at it as a free night, bonus points, redemption rebate, and the occasional free upgrade for $49 per year. Sounds like a good deal to me.

travellermatt

Pretty similar in most places unfortunately!

Guy Betsy

I'm at the Holiday Inn Istanbul (Airport) now.

No offer on bonus points, no upgrade, nothing.

Asian IHG hotels know all about service that obviously has not filtered down to the rest of the world yet.

nicolas75

I am always very surprised by these comments, because they are at the opposite of my experience (always upgraded, nearly all the times club access).

But yes I did not get by Platinum Royal Ambassador status by registering for a credit card, but by staying at IHG hotels.

LuisHK

Simply because it is property specific. I personally believe how you get platinum doesn't really matter.

I earned my own status but still recognition consistency is not there.

VegasGambler

IHG Platinum has nothing to do with Royal Ambassador Status.

johhenrik

Of course it does. It translates into IHG Platinum at all IHG hotels, it's just that it's even more at an IC.

VegasGambler

Their website says nothing about that.

Now, it may be that, in order to stay enough nights to be invited to Royal Ambassador, you will also acheive platinum status, but (at least according to the IHG website) they are two separate things.

As for not getting upgrades with platinum, it's never been a problem for me, but, if it was, I'd approach it this way. First, I'd ask if they had any upgrades available (not mentioning anything about free upgrades). Sometimes hotels are legitimately booked up, so there might not be anything available. However, if they have anything, they will try to sell you an upgrade. Once they had admitted that they had upgrades available for sale, then I would mention that my platinum status entitles me to a free upgrade, if available. If they refused, I'd complain to the manager, and, if that failed, to IHG. The free upgrades are subject to availability, not on the desire of the hotel to give to the upgrade.

But, again, it's never been a problem. I've always been upgraded without even asking (sometimes to a very nice suite, other times to just a slightly better room)

flybit

from your profile I see you are SPG, so you like many of us just use CP hotels when there are no SPG hotels.. Pick another program to join as your back up.

johhenrik

https://www.ihg.com/intercontinental...g-rewards-club

The ambassador program gives you status in IHG Rewards Club. Ambassador gives Gold automatically, RA gives Platinum automatically. The stays you do at all IHG hotels, incl IC, counts for IHG Rewards club status and also towards RA, if you are an Ambassador as well.

valdor

In my experience IHG platinum is quite alright as long as everything goes well. If you happen to be in a situation where you need to contact customer support you are screwed. Compared to the other chains, IHG Rewards Club is pretty weak but then again their hotels are usually cheaper too...

darthbimmer

This is my attitude toward IHG Platinum, too. It's a nice package of benefits to get for carrying a credit card. It is not on par with top-tier status at other major chains such as Starwood, Marriott, and Hilton. Though MR Platinum and HH Diamond have themselves deteriorated in value significantly over the past 5 years....

VegasGambler

Ok, I see where it says "get elite status" but not where it says which status you get.

If you stay enough nights to be RA it doesn't really matter since that will get you platinum. I think it's funny that they only give you gold for a $200 membership when you can get platinum and a free night for $50 with the credit card.

sdsearch

But there's another way of looking at IHG Platinum's position besides top-tier: Look at it as second-tier. Except the view is just as bad.

The problem is that IHG Platinum (second tier) status is not on par with even second-tier status (Gold) at Marriott and Hilton.

And at Hilton, you can get second-tier status (Gold) with a credit card too!

So Hilton carry a credit card you get free breakfast worldwide as a result of that second-tier status.

IHG carry a credit card and you get, what, 500 whopping extra points for that second-tier status???

Yes, the IHG credit card is nice, but not really because of the Platinum benefits any more. (Several hotels that I stayed at that used to offer free breakfast to Plats took that way once IHG demanded that they offer 500 points. ) It's nice only because of the non-status benefits, like the annual free night cert and the 10% back on reward redemptions.

So don't confruse Platinum status with what you get from the credit card. Much of what you get from the credit card someone who earns Platinum through stays doesn't get.

Baze

When did Platinum at IHG become second tier? What is the status above? On the website it just lists Club, Gold and Platinum. What am I missing?