Are IGH Points the Worst of the bunch?
 

I am looking for ways to use my IGH points. It looks like with most hotels they can only be used for a standard room and give you a value of about half a cent per point. I haven't priced enough airfares with them but IGH points don't seem to be worth much there either? What value of you guys getting for the IGH points and what is their best use? Thanks.

Redeem for stays at Staybridge Suites, where even a standard room is a suite (plus the nicest free breakfast in the IHG family, plus perhaps some food in the early evening Mon-Wed), and you won't have to worry as much about the fact that "they can only be used be used for a standard room".

And it's IHG, not IGH.

It's quite simple. IHG offer relatively lucrative promotions, which are then paid for by devaluing the value of a point. Indeed I consider them to be barely worth 0.5 cents today, when 4-5 years ago it was 0.7 cents.

Earn and burn...

Remember that you earn a lot more points with IHG rewards if you sign up for all the promotions, get the credit card (which gives you elite status), etc.
If you look at the "pointbreak" hotels you can stay in some hotels for only 5000 points, some 10K and some 15K (including a handful of IC flagship hotels!)
All in all, you should be able to earn a free night for every 10 or so you stay, perhaps more.
IHG Rewards doesn't give you great perks vs. Hyatt, Hilton or Marriott+SPG (this excludes the Ambassador/Royal Ambassador program of course). However, it will give you better earning potential, for more nights.
But I agree it would be nice to reserve suites with points.

Best uses -
pointbreaks
stay 4 nights, pay for 3 (with the new IHG credit card)
.5 cents per point is a reasonable valuation - if you find something for that go ahead and use the points. Club Carlson points are worth even less, Hilton points about the same as IHG.

I'd say Hilton points are worth less than IHG. Hilton does a lot of promos too though.

Half a cent is about minimum valuation. I can still find redemptions at two or three times that value but it will be at a remote Holiday Inn rather than the urban IC, works for my travel habits. If you want urban upgrades and breakfast, IHG is not the program for you.

Exiled in Express, I like your analysis.

IGH Intercontinental Group Homes

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I don't disagree at all. I am leaving on a two week trip through China later this week, $1000 in stays plus Accelerate, Plat bonus, and credit card should net me ~70,000 points. Those will be spent on one night stays in the southwest on a national park road trip this summer. I get great value from the program but am far from a typical traveler.

IHG is all about the earn and burn. Points accumulate fast and redeem easily for stays between 5k and 70k per night. The earn and burn beats out any other competitor, but it’s elite in-stay benefits are, aside from room upgrades, near non-existent. It’s a good scheme and these days I split my stays pretty evenly between IHG and Starriott

I pretty much burn at 0.5 or better for leisure stays. IHG is not a particularly aspirational program, as ICs don't do squat for regular IHG members. But I will have 7 Kimpton award nights this year, all at properties in the 50-55k range. The Epic over Spring Break was $399+tax a night vs. 55k.

But what I mostly use IHG points for is that I have a lot of Thursday and Sunday night airport stays. If I can't find a 10k Courtyard, which is my first choice, I can usually find a 20k HIX instead of paying $109+tax.

+1

As for the IHG pt value, it can get close to a penny a point with the points rebate via CC or Amb (and with the new 4th night free via Premier CC).

IHG are not the most valuable points, but can be worth it.

Only Standard Room? Yes Hilton i.e. lets you book any room with points but i.e. Standard 35k , deluxe 80k and Suite 200k > no value in doing so
Hyatt has lower redemption levels than IHG but IHG are easy to get, cheaper to buy (if needed) too so all in all just a preference

I stay in Ocean City (was 40k now 50k) in the Summer 4 nights 200k-Premier CC 4th night free = 150k points for a room that would be 400-500 a night

And Platinum Status is easy to get and upgrades > contact the hotel and upgrades are normally possible (CP London Blackfriars offered me a club room right away)

When I was in Kyoto the ANA would have charged only 25k a night when rooms like this went for 200-300 easy.

It all depends on where you are going and where (what kind of hotel) you want to stay.