Points and Cash buy 15k points for $90 is this new ?
 

I tried a search so sorry if this has been mentioned before .I stumbed across a hotel that offers 15k points discount on. 35k full points night for $90 . Im pretty sure that Ive only seen 10k points for $70 as the best value in the past . Anybody else seen this it doesnt appear to be standard on all points and cash bookings .

Do share the hotel or city of country. I found two in Sydney. 6 cents per point.

Ive found a couple more so i guess its safe 😉 . Have a look at Hong Kong

I had an IHG questionnaire a month or so back and a few of the questions were about P&C. I can't be 100% sure but I am almost certain that this was one of the options.

Yet more reason to suspect a devaluation in early 2016.

If this is new, then "YES!!!" Getting 15K points for $90 is a bargain. I wonder what the minimum award level for this option to appear is. 20K? 25K? Higher?

Im not sure if it's because its dependent on hotels updating their inventory but ive seen it at CP proprties and IC properties from 35k to 50k points but very few at the moment.

Oh god please not

This weekend I've seen "20,000 Points + $90.00 USD" as an option on a couple 35K-level properties in the U.S.

Perhaps.

Or perhaps IHG have been handing out so many bonus points from the promos that people are no longer bothering to buy points. Anecdotally, it seems to me that IHG have been running the 100% bonus on points more frequently. So bringing in a 15K for $90 (0.6 cents) simply goes along with that.

But this is a different game though.

If IHG does a 5-day 100% bonus then you are taking a punt because by the time you redeem the points IHG may have devalued or rooms may have gone.

Because these post instantly, there is no risk and you are not investing any cash.

Do you see the problem brewing here? The hotel owner will see it like this - I am forced to give you, IHG, 5% of my rooms each night for free. You are then turning around and selling those for substantially less (and on a refundable basis) than my own price!

If it wasn't for the fact that I already have some nights booked, this would impact my own Accelerate calculations for Q1. The cost of buying the same number of points via this route has just dropped 15% so I should be more careful about what I pay to hit my target.

That's also one of my reasons to suspect that a devaluation is coming.

Except that IHG/Priority Club has been handing out a lot of bonus points in their program for as long as I can remember.

I fail to see why 15k for $90 addition on award p+c would signal or lead to a points devaluation

Look at this from the ihg Award Night cost model, where ihg corporate eg 35k nights. ... either
I)write off 35k points from their liability colum and pay hotel somewhere between $30-90 dollars
II)write of 25k and receive $70 which on average more than covers amount ihg pay hotel
III)write of 20k and receive $90 which covers the large majority of hotel rates ihg then pay

So based on above I Instead see new p+c 15k option as IHG simply trying to remove more of redemption liability points without need for own $$$'s spending out to hotels.

Yes I know if hotels exceed 95% occupancy that amount due increases, as does the due amount if individual hotel sells/hits extra higher award sales total in a year
And that some Pricey IC's get $125 , and even up to $175, which I have seen for Park Lane, one of the pricier ICs though towards end of year so could have been the higher award rate as IC PL does sell extra award nights throughout the year

I don't see that many IC redemptions as percentage of the whole year being made by non-Ambassadors as most plats etc will hope as is usually the case, for ex-gratis upgrades on award nights by choosing non-ICs

I must admit I hadn't looked at it that way, but it does make sense especially if they can eradicate the expense as no doubt some people will pay the $90 for a night where IHG pay the property $20 so in theory over a longer period of time it could break even and make it cost neutral.

There is also the discount on the cash element still to come for elites as well. That was leaked on the app update a month or so ago and according to someone I spoke with at corporate it will be launched shortly.