Nov 2, 2015, 8:31 am
Last edit by: Suite Disposition
ALL THE URLS AND LINKS IN YOUR EMAILS ARE THE SAME. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO "REPLAY" A GIVEN EMAIL.
Plays are linked to your IHG account number and your IHG link you receive in the email. The links contained are unique to each IHG account number and cannot be "shared".
If you didn't receive all your plays and think that HW might have gotten your email address incorrect, then simply click the link again in your email.
Their email is [email protected].
Quantity of emails received does not always equal quantity of plays available. Emails received does imply that you have plays available.
If you click on your email links and receive a screen with the below message then you do not have plays available.
We love your enthusiasm!
However, you do not have any instant win chances to use.
Complete a qualified stay before February 15 to earn another chance to win.
Prizes:
Chances of winning:
500 pts 1:1.18 or 84.75% (This does not mean you will be guaranteed 500 pts per play)
1000 Pts 1:14.29 or 6.7%
2000 Pts 1:28.57 or 3.5%
5000 Pts 1:42.86 or 2.33%
Other prizes or no prizes: depends on number of entries
5B Prizes= 1,000, 2000, 5,000, $50 GC & Free night
BE SURE TO REGISTER BEFORE SENDING IN ENTRIES!
Leave Surprises here:
500 points (x1098)
1000 points (x42)
2000 points (x26)
5000 points (x17)
$50 Prepaid MasterCard (x13)
1 free night at any IHG hotel (x6)
$2500 Gilt.com GC (x1)
Sony Package (x1)
No Win (x7)
Official Rules
Logistics of the Mail-In Option:
Index Cards Okay? YES (I used 3x5 blank index cards and they were accepted)
Lined Index Cards Okay? Yes, of course, enough with the index cards!
OK to mail cards not inside an envelope? Not according to the rules, which state they must be inside envelopes, one card per envelope
Need to write title before each line? NO
Need second phone number? NO
Middle name required? NO (Left mine out, still got emails. If it's part of your account info, maybe leave it.)
Printed Destination Address Okay? YES (I used printed a bunch of sticker labels and put them on envelopes, accepted)
Printed Return Address Okay? YES (I used an ink stamp)
No Return Address Okay? Yes
Envelope size? Doesn't seem to matter
Non-IHG MasterCard Okay? YES
Debit MasterCard Okay? YES (I used an Ally Bank issued Debit MasterCard)
Use somebody else's MasterCard first 6 digits? YES
There have been reports of mail-in entry emails being sent out on 12/4 and 12/11, and the emails came in rapid succession. This is indicative of HelloWorld batching these out.
Initially batches of emails sent out was on Fridays but as of of 1/6/16 appears to be Wednesdays
#1 Batch=12/4
#2 Batch= 12/11
#3 Batch= 12/18
#4 Batch(xmas)= 12/23
#5 Batch(New Years Day)=12/30
#6 Batch= 1/6
#7 Batch= 1/13
#8 Batch= 1/18-1/24 (emails appear to be arriving daily)
#9 Batch= 2/3-2/5
As of 1/5, points have been posting within a week(ish) of playing and getting confirmation that you've won points.
Points will be paid out without additional email
Some points have been distributed (probably in batches on either Monday or Tuesday)
Points Payout Batches:
#1 12/28 & 12/29--500 pts, 1000pts, 2,000 & 5,000pts (plays before 12/25)
#2 1/4 & 1/5 (plays 12/25-12/30?)
#3 1/11(free nights & pts) & 1/12 (plays from 12/31-1/8)
#4 1/15 (limited due to MLK holiday on 1/18) (for plays from until 1/14)
#5 1/19 (plays from 1/15 til?)
#6 1/29 (plays until 1/24)
#7 2/3 (plays until 1/29)
#8 2/5 (plays until 1/31?)
Has anyone received email with instructions on how to redeem prize? YES ($50 MC redemption instructions received 12/28)
STATUS:
--As of 1/19/16 10:00 am et(estimated) all plays were showing up as no wins. . The play site seems to be undergoing maintenance. Best not to use up the majority of your plays until things smooth out.
--As of 2:45 pm ET on 1/19 play site appears to be back up.
--as of 4:17pm ET on 1/19 500 point plays seems to be working again. No 5B prizes seem to be won at this time
--As of 6pm ET on 1/19 emails being received for wins during the morning hours of 1/19 where it stated no win after select elevator.
--As of 2:30pm EST on 1/20 still reports of nearly 100% 500 pt wins only. Best not to play alot of plays unless you only want 500 pt wins
--As of 8:00 pm EST on 1/20 multiple reports of 5B prizes being won again. Seems to be back to normal.
--As of 2:00 pm EST on 1/21 reports of $50, 2k, 5k, 1k pt wins (unsure of free night wins)
--As of 6:00 pm est on 1/22 everything seems to be working as usual(although very few mentions of free night)
--As of 2:00 pm EST on 1/25 seems like daily emails have been sent out since 1/18 until now.
--As of 6pm EST on 1/29 reports of emails being received from mailed in entries from around mid January. So turnaround for new mailings appear to be about 1 week.
--As of 5pm EST on 2/2 appears that emails have stopped arriving daily with many reporting last email received on 1/29.
Plays are linked to your IHG account number and your IHG link you receive in the email. The links contained are unique to each IHG account number and cannot be "shared".
If you didn't receive all your plays and think that HW might have gotten your email address incorrect, then simply click the link again in your email.
Their email is [email protected].
Quantity of emails received does not always equal quantity of plays available. Emails received does imply that you have plays available.
If you click on your email links and receive a screen with the below message then you do not have plays available.
We love your enthusiasm!
However, you do not have any instant win chances to use.
Complete a qualified stay before February 15 to earn another chance to win.
Prizes:
Chances of winning:
500 pts 1:1.18 or 84.75% (This does not mean you will be guaranteed 500 pts per play)
1000 Pts 1:14.29 or 6.7%
2000 Pts 1:28.57 or 3.5%
5000 Pts 1:42.86 or 2.33%
Other prizes or no prizes: depends on number of entries
5B Prizes= 1,000, 2000, 5,000, $50 GC & Free night
BE SURE TO REGISTER BEFORE SENDING IN ENTRIES!
Leave Surprises here:
500 points (x1098)
1000 points (x42)
2000 points (x26)
5000 points (x17)
$50 Prepaid MasterCard (x13)
1 free night at any IHG hotel (x6)
$2500 Gilt.com GC (x1)
Sony Package (x1)
No Win (x7)
Official Rules
Logistics of the Mail-In Option:
Index Cards Okay? YES (I used 3x5 blank index cards and they were accepted)
Lined Index Cards Okay? Yes, of course, enough with the index cards!
OK to mail cards not inside an envelope? Not according to the rules, which state they must be inside envelopes, one card per envelope
Need to write title before each line? NO
Need second phone number? NO
Middle name required? NO (Left mine out, still got emails. If it's part of your account info, maybe leave it.)
Printed Destination Address Okay? YES (I used printed a bunch of sticker labels and put them on envelopes, accepted)
Printed Return Address Okay? YES (I used an ink stamp)
No Return Address Okay? Yes
Envelope size? Doesn't seem to matter
Non-IHG MasterCard Okay? YES
Debit MasterCard Okay? YES (I used an Ally Bank issued Debit MasterCard)
Use somebody else's MasterCard first 6 digits? YES
There have been reports of mail-in entry emails being sent out on 12/4 and 12/11, and the emails came in rapid succession. This is indicative of HelloWorld batching these out.
Initially batches of emails sent out was on Fridays but as of of 1/6/16 appears to be Wednesdays
#1 Batch=12/4
#2 Batch= 12/11
#3 Batch= 12/18
#4 Batch(xmas)= 12/23
#5 Batch(New Years Day)=12/30
#6 Batch= 1/6
#7 Batch= 1/13
#8 Batch= 1/18-1/24 (emails appear to be arriving daily)
#9 Batch= 2/3-2/5
As of 1/5, points have been posting within a week(ish) of playing and getting confirmation that you've won points.
Points will be paid out without additional email
Some points have been distributed (probably in batches on either Monday or Tuesday)
Points Payout Batches:
#1 12/28 & 12/29--500 pts, 1000pts, 2,000 & 5,000pts (plays before 12/25)
#2 1/4 & 1/5 (plays 12/25-12/30?)
#3 1/11(free nights & pts) & 1/12 (plays from 12/31-1/8)
#4 1/15 (limited due to MLK holiday on 1/18) (for plays from until 1/14)
#5 1/19 (plays from 1/15 til?)
#6 1/29 (plays until 1/24)
#7 2/3 (plays until 1/29)
#8 2/5 (plays until 1/31?)
Has anyone received email with instructions on how to redeem prize? YES ($50 MC redemption instructions received 12/28)
STATUS:
--As of 1/19/16 10:00 am et(estimated) all plays were showing up as no wins. . The play site seems to be undergoing maintenance. Best not to use up the majority of your plays until things smooth out.
--As of 2:45 pm ET on 1/19 play site appears to be back up.
--as of 4:17pm ET on 1/19 500 point plays seems to be working again. No 5B prizes seem to be won at this time
--As of 6pm ET on 1/19 emails being received for wins during the morning hours of 1/19 where it stated no win after select elevator.
--As of 2:30pm EST on 1/20 still reports of nearly 100% 500 pt wins only. Best not to play alot of plays unless you only want 500 pt wins
--As of 8:00 pm EST on 1/20 multiple reports of 5B prizes being won again. Seems to be back to normal.
--As of 2:00 pm EST on 1/21 reports of $50, 2k, 5k, 1k pt wins (unsure of free night wins)
--As of 6:00 pm est on 1/22 everything seems to be working as usual(although very few mentions of free night)
--As of 2:00 pm EST on 1/25 seems like daily emails have been sent out since 1/18 until now.
--As of 6pm EST on 1/29 reports of emails being received from mailed in entries from around mid January. So turnaround for new mailings appear to be about 1 week.
--As of 5pm EST on 2/2 appears that emails have stopped arriving daily with many reporting last email received on 1/29.
Priceless Surprises Promotion
Nov 3, 2015, 6:00 pm
#31
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: EWR-SEA-IAD
Programs: UA 1P MM, AS MVP G*, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 977
Seriously, printed address labels are ok right? Never done these before...
The T&C don't specifically prohibit them but the include the vague "all entries must be handwritten" which I hope just means the cards.
The T&C don't specifically prohibit them but the include the vague "all entries must be handwritten" which I hope just means the cards.
Nov 3, 2015, 8:20 pm
#32
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 394
I also wonder if my night-by-night bookings (for flexible changes and cancels) will slide past that "stay" definition, in terms of generating these e-mails that give us the entries. I guess I will find out a week after the first run of multi-night stays. Wouldn't want to run past that 94 number with wasted paper entries.
Since the cards will generate emails for us just as stays will, I imagine at some point we will be discussing our timing tactics? Numbers may be random, but people aren't; they tend to sleep in bunches. Now, if I can just git mesilf on Kiwi time...
Nov 3, 2015, 8:31 pm
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,518
It says "handwritten" but doesn't say whose handwriting it must be. I remember once sitting my early adolescent daughter down in front of a stack of index cards and envelopes, with her reward going to some concert, but then she became a recalcitrant teen and now college student. Total loss. My hand hurts, thinking about this. Good point about the envelopes.
Since the cards will generate emails for us just as stays will, I imagine at some point we will be discussing our timing tactics? Numbers may be random, but people aren't; they tend to sleep in bunches. Now, if I can just git mesilf on Kiwi time...
Nov 3, 2015, 8:37 pm
#34
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 394
My dashboard says "ENROLLMENT DATE: 4/5/2013" (It was today.) IHG's y2k repairs just keep tickin' along.
I also imagine we will be having our usual discussions and reassurances (and answering several newb questions) about whether pre-Nov 15 bookings will count, and be answered that it is the stay dates that will count, as long as registered prior to. And so not forcing you to cancel and rebook everything. Luckily, I'll have a few days of others reporting in before my next excursion to be certain of this. Canceling some good rates for this piddly offering would just not be worth it.
I also imagine we will be having our usual discussions and reassurances (and answering several newb questions) about whether pre-Nov 15 bookings will count, and be answered that it is the stay dates that will count, as long as registered prior to. And so not forcing you to cancel and rebook everything. Luckily, I'll have a few days of others reporting in before my next excursion to be certain of this. Canceling some good rates for this piddly offering would just not be worth it.
Nov 3, 2015, 8:47 pm
#35
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 394
But I wonder if you could wind up your starting point from somewhere far away. Hawaii? Hong Kong? Can you choose your FF miles receptacle? Does it have to be your home port? Long rules to re-read. I never win any of these things anyway; why bother?
Nov 3, 2015, 10:04 pm
#37
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
I had issues when I tried to register on my computer around 1 PM today. However, I tried again on my phone two hours later and I registered with no problem. Between this and Accelerate, I may steer a little extra business towards IHG in the next couple of months.
Nov 4, 2015, 1:51 am
#38
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: FRA
Programs: MileagePlus Premier Silver, IHG Spire Elite, HHonors Silver, RapidRewards
Posts: 382
I registered fine, but also have the weird enrollment date (thinking back, I think it was my IHG reward club enrollment date as SEAfarer mentioned).
So am I understanding correctly (from T&C) that stays only have to occur during the promotional time period, but can be booked at/from any time (I have multiple outstanding bookings).
Additionally, can one both earn entries by staying AND sending the letters, or are the two methods mutually exclusive? (Didn't see this in T&C, but perhaps I missed something.)
So am I understanding correctly (from T&C) that stays only have to occur during the promotional time period, but can be booked at/from any time (I have multiple outstanding bookings).
Additionally, can one both earn entries by staying AND sending the letters, or are the two methods mutually exclusive? (Didn't see this in T&C, but perhaps I missed something.)
Nov 4, 2015, 5:10 am
#39
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Munich, Deutscheland
Programs: Try to be elite again... :)
Posts: 488
I did not see this in T&C but I believe that they are CE (collectively exhaustive) but not ME (mutually exclusive). That being said, if your total stays + total number of letters mailed are <=94, you are fine.
Last edited by Tommys888; Nov 4, 2015 at 8:23 am
Nov 4, 2015, 5:29 am
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,518
And the email I got yesterday announcing the contest had a subject line "Points or surprises with every stay".
On the other hand, the bloggers are all over this one, and the more uncertainty there is in their comment sections, the fewer mail in entries there will be, and the less likelihood there will be of something going wrong (like IHG changing the rules, or failing to process the mailed entries if they can't handle the volume).
Nov 4, 2015, 7:56 am
#41
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,690
Nov 4, 2015, 7:59 am
#42
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,690
Wondering if they will accept international mailing in from foreign countries with cheaper airmail costs (i.e. those countries with lower airmail-to-USA postage than current US domestic postage rate)... of course my IHG account is based in the US and I do have a US phone number, which I will provide on the 3" x 5" paper inside the 94 individual envelopes
can't see why that wld be a problem, nothing in the T&C about where the entry emanates from, other than requiring you to be a US member^
Nov 4, 2015, 8:04 am
#43
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,690
Nov 4, 2015, 8:14 am
#44
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,690
I have 2 questions:
1. For these 94 letters, do I have to mail one every few days, or I can just mail all of them on one single day?
2. I will definitely stay at IHG for sure in whatever case but since I will not be able to hit 94 stays, I intend to participate by mail. Will my stays be conflicted with mail-in letters? Or all stays, together with mail-in letters both count but the maxi number of participation will be limited to 94?
Thanks a lot for the clarification,
1. For these 94 letters, do I have to mail one every few days, or I can just mail all of them on one single day?
2. I will definitely stay at IHG for sure in whatever case but since I will not be able to hit 94 stays, I intend to participate by mail. Will my stays be conflicted with mail-in letters? Or all stays, together with mail-in letters both count but the maxi number of participation will be limited to 94?
Thanks a lot for the clarification,
i wld allow your stays to take precedence, for eg if think you'll have say five stays, then send in c 84 by mail, have your stays, having left a margin of five, just in case you have say 10 stays, then submit the balance, to total 94, after your last stay.
Nov 4, 2015, 8:22 am
#45
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Munich, Deutscheland
Programs: Try to be elite again... :)
Posts: 488
There is nothing in the T&C about sending frequency, i believe you cld send them altogether. i wld even number the envelopes, and index cards, for their ease.
i wld allow your stays to take precedence, for eg if think you'll have say five stays, then send in c 84 by mail, have your stays, having left a margin of five, just in case you have say 10 stays, then submit the balance, to total 94, after your last stay.
i wld allow your stays to take precedence, for eg if think you'll have say five stays, then send in c 84 by mail, have your stays, having left a margin of five, just in case you have say 10 stays, then submit the balance, to total 94, after your last stay.
Thanks!