Deep redemption discounts in some locations & dynamic award pricing
Jun 16, 2020, 1:56 pm
#77
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Everything
Posts: 129
Jun 16, 2020, 2:11 pm
#78
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 5,867
Different days most likely. When I redeemed for the Holiday Inn Death Valley, I was getting slightly different rates based on the days I was choosing, weekends generally being a bit more expensive.
Jun 19, 2020, 9:33 am
#80
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: Avios
Posts: 438
IHG looks to have realized that some of the initial dynamic pricing was valuing points "too highly".I see that IC ANA Tokyo has gone from 28k nightly to 48k points nightly with the cash price unchanged for the nights that I had booked.
Jun 19, 2020, 9:21 pm
#83
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 5,867
Wonder if they will be sending out cancellation notices shortly.
Jun 19, 2020, 11:29 pm
#84
Join Date: May 2004
Location: SIN (LEJ once a year)
Programs: SQ, LH, BA, IHG Diamond AMB, HH Gold, SLH Indulged, Accor Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,739
Let's see, I'm hopeful this won't happen. Maybe they are fine tuning things. I see Osaka and Beppu ICs went to the normal 60k for my dates. IC Strings is higher now at 42.5k, but still a discount over normal 55k. On the not so pleasant side, Hakone Indigo used to max. out at 40k and now I see 50k already for next year dates while paid rates have dropped by 10k JPY. What's that about?
Overall, it is not like rooms were going for crazy cheap points rates under the current severely distressed demand.
If they do try to void bookings, I'll certainly remember and it'll influence my decisions on where to stay in the future, whether to extend AMB and such things.
I'm tired of companies reserving every right to not honor / stand in for their potential mistakes or mishaps while we as consumers are doomed and locked in the other way around when maybe picking the wrong date on a non-refundable booking or so.
If IHG can't manage a dynamic reward pricing engine, don't introduce it and stick to fixed redemption rates. None of us asked them to get fancy with the pricing.
Overall, it is not like rooms were going for crazy cheap points rates under the current severely distressed demand.
If they do try to void bookings, I'll certainly remember and it'll influence my decisions on where to stay in the future, whether to extend AMB and such things.
I'm tired of companies reserving every right to not honor / stand in for their potential mistakes or mishaps while we as consumers are doomed and locked in the other way around when maybe picking the wrong date on a non-refundable booking or so.
If IHG can't manage a dynamic reward pricing engine, don't introduce it and stick to fixed redemption rates. None of us asked them to get fancy with the pricing.
Last edited by demue; Jun 20, 2020 at 10:04 pm
Jun 20, 2020, 11:01 am
#85
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: Avios
Posts: 438
I doubt there will be any cancellations as these points rates were reasonable.I think there will be some ebb and flow with the rates until they figure out what the optimal ratio should be.One thing this should teach people is that if the rates appear cheap/reasonable go ahead and book as they will probably go up if you wait.
Jun 22, 2020, 3:57 am
#87
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,682
Jun 22, 2020, 7:16 am
#89
Moderator: Mileage Run, InterContinental Hotels
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 5,917
I would say there's zero chance that dynamic pricing will work out in our favor in the long run. I fully expect that, once the travel market is back to normal, we will see lots of hotels priced above their "standard" rate. That doesn't mean that there won't still be occasional deals, but I think the time to use IHG points was a week ago (or now, for those who didn't make reservations last week).
Jun 22, 2020, 7:23 am
#90
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Springfield, MA
Programs: HH Diamond, IHG Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 434
For a short period, the ICs in Portugal were very cheap. The IC Lisbon was 20k a night, the IC Porto was 40k or less, and the IC Estoril, which is 50k, went down to 22,500.I rebooked my IC Lisbon night and thought about redoing my trip, but left it alone. But they are back up to what they were.