Kalboz

So, as a Diamond, do you get breakfast, lounge access, or both?

myperks

my read is breakfast as a Diamond but lounge only when you hit 40 nights and selects lounge pass as the threshold gift.

uastarflyer

And breakfast is free for 2 guests? Or can a hotel just kick back $10/person like Hilton is doing in the US, and call that breakfast benefit

ernestnywang

Yeah, I think people are confused. 4pm check-out is an AMB benefit only applicable to ICs. It has nothing to do with Plat or Spire. In this aspect, nothing is being taken way.

What I am not sure about is early check-in. Previously, Spire élite members get 10am early check-in subject to availability. The "10am" part is no longer mentioned. Even if a hotel has availability, can they now say they only offer 1pm early check-in, for example?

escape4

Well IHG Diamond is worlds better than IHG Spire no doubt, but it still falls considerably short of Hyatt Globalist in a number of ways:

1. With Hyatt Globalist 60 nights we earn 4 upgrade vouchers 7 nights each, so total 28 nights in a suite maximum. With IHG at 40 nights you only get 2 suite upgrade vouchers at 5 nights each max, so 10 nights.
2. Hyatt suite upgrades can be confirmed at time of booking, IHG is only 14 days before the stay. Big difference to me.
3. Hyatt check-out 4pm guaranteed, IHG 2pm which is a bit weak.
4. Hyatt upgrades stays on points, IHG we will have to rely on generosity of individual properties because the T&Cs say they don't have to, unlike cash stays.
5. Hyatt waives resort fees for Globalists if I recall correctly. IHG I guess not, at least not that I am aware of.

Breakfast and lounge access is where both programs seem to be more or less equivalent now, but in my book Hyatt remains superior.

JapanFlyerT

I totally agree.

I see on the Platium Benefits list there is this for Plats and Diamonds, but I am not sure what it means. I checked some rates and didn't see any labeled discount:
NEW Reward Night Discounts

dw

I question what the implementation of late check out upon “availability” will be since they say it’s for all members… so unless properties distinguish between levels (which many fail to do these days in the US)… its just not going to happen.

Extending “suite upgrades” to Platinum members is likely to also not end up being a thing in the US when so many people have the credit card. Just ask how many Hilton Gold members (similarly granted through a credit card with an under $100 AF) have gotten suite upgrades in the US.

As a Spire, aside from Kimpton and ICs, I’m rarely greeted in the US as a Spire… usually I’m just welcomed and thanked for being a “member”. I do question whether this new “training” IHG has advertised will really do anything at the average CP or HI

pbd456

Wonder what the reward night discount will be whether it would stack with credit card benefits, my guess is no.

Comparing to Hyatt Globalists. 40 nights diamond is easier than 60 nights Globalists.
How is the footprint for IHG (with lounges) comparing to Hyatt (with lounges)?
There are probably more cheaper IHG hotels for the purpose of mattress running

TheEngineer

So the bonus points for all rooms get credited for status?

I know the nights wouldn't (based on experience).

Thanks

TE

mster

As a Hyatt Globalist my experience with US properties with lounges is that the lounges are often of poor quality and offered primarily as a cost control measure to avoid providing full restaurant breakfast to Globalists.

Do you think IHG properties with lounges will deny Diamond restaurant breakfast benefit *if* you also have 40/70 night annual lounge membership by requiring you to take breakfast in the lounge instead?

greggrant

I had > 55k points on 2 April 2022 before the scheme was updated. I had reached the required level to re-qualify for 2023. IHG are now claiming that I'm not entitled to re-qualify for Diamond in 2023 as I need to achieve 120,000 points. I've emailed them screenshots of my re-qualification - see what happens!

js1993

I know a lot of people saw their expiration date update, but was it ever official/published that one could re-qualify at the lower number before the program switch?

lwildernorva

During the recent 20% off award stays promotion, neither the Select's 10% rebate or the Premier's fourth-night free was supposed to work, and it appears that IHG ran that promotion as a trial for this new benefit. I'd expect no stacking, which means that this benefit will not give CC holders any reason to use it.

By the way, given IHG's propensity to find multiple revenue streams when offering benefits and the structure of this new program, it seems to me that either a super-premium credit card, like the Hilton Aspire, or a continuation of the unofficial top tier membership level through the purchase of Ambassador, probably at a cost increase from the current $200, that would allow the effective purchase of Diamond status could be on the way. Since so many of the extra benefits come through the accumulation of actual stays as opposed to spend, IHG could justify the increased revenue without giving away the entire bundle of benefits.

JapanFlyerT

That makes sense. Still, 20% off is a nice option to have always available (if that is what it ends up being) and beats the 10% rebate of Select. It also makes it tempting to aim for stays shorter than 4 nights.

Diamond is more valuable than Ambassador since the latter is only good at IC. Then again, most (all?) of the lounges are IC.

I could see a high-end card adding qualifying nights as a perk (similar to Bonvoy).

There are a lot of IHG properties in the $50-$100 range outside of the USA. Not that many under Hyatt or Bonvoy.

pbd456

The 10% discount is added back to the account a month later after staying, are you sure that it wont stack? i thought the 10% rebate is for any usage of points (including redeeming for gift cards)

A higher end card without the lounge benefits wouldnt be worthy, in my opinion. A higher end cards with elite number attach like 15 nights would be worthy for me.