OliverB

I was shuffling through my loyalty accts this afternoon and noticed that I've got 9,292 unused points from IHG.

I never stay at IHG properties and was contemplating topping off points balance (I'm sure I can find some promos or maybe hit 10K with some spend at a hotel bar- there's a Holiday Inn on Van Ness across the street from my apt) to hit 10K and transfer out to United or Alaska.

Before doing so, I just wanted to ask if there are any properties in California where award night could be redeemed for 10k? I'm guessing no (really not familiar with IHG points at all) but if there is, then it might be useful for a convenient overnight between SF and LA on occasions where I'm shooting down the 5 and need a rest.

Thanks for any help

OliverB

Also, any easy tips for making up the 708 points needed to hit the 10K mark (for miles or award night)?

minz56

If 10K points is not enough for a reward night, then you can book a room on a Points + Cash basis, where you pay partly in points and partly in cash.

flyabit

Try the point breaks although seems limited in California
CALIFORNIA

• Holiday Inn Express Rocklin – Galleria Area
• Holiday Inn Express Mira Mesa – San Diego

the link:
https://blog.ihg.com/ihg-rewards-clu...breaks-preview

OliverB

Thanks. Unfortunately San Diego and Rocklin don't help much as I wouldn't be inclined to drive out of my way to stay one night at a Holiday Inn. I was hoping to find some properties between SF and LA ideally as a convenient stopover for when a) we're not flying b) we don't have the time or funds for an extended road trip c) we leave either city late in the day and want to avoid night driving or are just too tired and want to split up the hours to make it easier.

I did come across this website, which is really helpful: http://www.awardomatic.com/

I'm not sure how up-to-date it is but there are a few 10K properties that seem to match the above criteria which I'll look into.

Do you have any suggestions for hitting 10K short of buying points online?

Also thanks for the cash and points tip but I'm really just looking to burn through my IHG Rewards balance w/o incurring any cost. I really had no intention of booking any stays with IHG. As mentioned, I live across the street from a Holiday Inn Express in San Francisco and I'm pretty sure I accumulated these points when my cousin came to visit last year and I put him up in a room for a week. We never actually stay with IHG. I noticed my balance as I was looking through some documents where I log all of my loyalty accts. and decided to login to check if they were still valid. I still may just transfer out to United or Alaska. I'll confer with my wife as she might like the SF-LA driving idea.

If anyone can suggest an easy way to top off my balance, that'd be super appreciated.

Thanks again

minz56

One other thing to note is that you will lose the points if there has been no activity on your account for a year.

bob12403

As the cost for buying the minimum 1,000 points is only $13.50, I'm not sure if there's a cheaper way to make up the 708 points on your own. IIRC, having drinks at a hotel bar won't count unless you charge them to your room. Even if you were top tier in the Rewards Network dining program, and earned 8 points per dollar spent, it would still cost a lot more to reach your goal. Only other cheaper option I can think of is to find a generous friend with tons of points and have them transfer 1,000 points to you, which only costs $5.

Saral

Are you part of or can you do some 'Opinion-check in' surveys, points post instantly after doing surveys

tdcao

The HIX at Frazier Park, just north of LA, right on the I-5, routinely books for 10,000 points. Or 5,000 points during slow season. My friend usually stay here when he wants to hire hookers from the Bakersfield area and doesn't want to drive all the way up there from LA. This time of year, the nice cool mountain air with the occasional light dusting of snow makes it a very nice overnight stop for a trip from the Bay area to LA.

[1], [2]

No. I don't work for this hotel.

sdsearch

When leaving on a weekday trip out of LA to somewhere too far to drive in the evening, I like to drive just past the LA traffic on the previous evening then stay somewhere for the night cheap and do the rest (the bulk distance wise) of the drive the next morning without LA traffic.

But I was not aware of this hotel (when did it open?), and always went at least as far as Bakersfield when going north on the I-5, though I have used an HIX in the Hesperia/Victorville area the same way, when going north on the I-15 toward Vegas/Utah. (Since I live on the Westside, there's even more LA traffic to go through when taking the I-15 north than when taking the I-5 north on a weekday morning.)

tdcao

It opens in Jan. 2010 according to TripAdvisor reviews.

nacho

Frazier park is now 15k/night. Stayed there last Christmas to burn some points - not a bad hotel and as Platinum we got a nice upgrade to a 2 queen suite.

Both CA PB hotels are off the list.

I know there are some HIX in El Centro that's running at 10k/night.

OliverB

Actually I'm able to book an overnight stay at the Frazier Park HIX for 10K late next month.

I was initially going to pass on this idea, because I realized that I'd much rather drive straight through and spend the night in San Francisco than in the middle of nowhere, plus I'm kind of burned out on L.A. so the extra hours afforded by having a nearby overnight destination is just not that enticing to me... but I already spent $14 (or whatever it cost) to top off my balance and I realized that it would cost fifty bucks for a lousy 2k transfer to Alaska which is what I was planning to do with the points. So long story short, I'm booking HIX at Frazier Park afterall, because otherwise the points will just end up expiring and going to waste. It'll give us some extra time with the in-laws, which is not something I look forward to either, but at least it makes us look good!

Anyhow, should I go for a King Leisure or Standard Room? What's the difference? Both have the same 10K redemption rate.

Thanks!

OliverB

I answered my own question by just calling the hotel directly. I'm told Standard just means that there's no guarantee of a specific bed type (king/queen/double) so it's a Russian Roulette option which I guess people only select if their preferred room is unavail. through the reservation system at the time of booking. I don't understand it but I booked a King Leisure. Hopefully it's clean, quiet and comfortable.

nacho

Stayed there for 2 nights last year and it was fairly nice. The biggest problem is the trucks nearby and we got upgraded to a 2 queen suites as Platinum (basically 2 queens and a sofabed). I5 noise can't be heard in the room, but for a night passing by the area it's good (we used it to drive up the mountain at Frazier Park and let the kids play in the snow).

Thought the property changed to 15k - it was on the list of change in 2017.