ginkobingo

So perhaps this is a dumb question.....
If I elect to spend the money or use points on an ambassador membership is it accurate that it only gives me an advantage at Intercontinental branded properties?
I am currently platnium (close to spire) and mostly stay at Kimpton properties. Being in the ambassador program would be a waste for me?

dw

Yes, that is correct

UKtravelbear

Not necessarily a waste of money.

The weekend BOGOF voucher can be used at Kimptons and Regents for the rest of 2022 and on any two consecutive days of the week not just the Fri & Sat or Sat & Sun they can be used at ICs

js1993

For a first-time Ambassador sign-up, do people generally recommend paying cash or using points? I vaguely recall it's better to pay cash for renewals because of a points bonus (?), but not sure about first-time sign-ups. Thanks.

rbAA

That is something I've never tried, as I get good value fro the BOGO at the IC SF every year. Next stay coming up in April. I might try it in the future.

And, to answer the OP's question, between the 15k (plus the 20K current promo deal) and the BOGO, it's worth the $200 IMHO.

js1993

First-timers don't get the 15,000, do they?

minz56

No they don't. So as to how to pay really depends on how many points you have and whether they are earmarked for something else.

TheWiseOne

No, nor does it apply to those paying with points.

rbAA

I'm sure that if you pay the $200 versus use the points, there is still the 15k points, as I had a friend recently sign up and he got them.

js1993

For a first-time sign-up? Maybe there was a promo going on then?

rbAA

It must have been under the current promo as he is also doing the 2 nt IC stay for the 20k. I've been AMB (and RA) over the past decades so not sure about new member deals, other than a casual interest in the sign up and renewal deals.
On a related note, even thouh everyone loves to bash IHG's IT problems, I never hear anyone complain when the IT problem makes an error in the member's favor. For example, the 25k Spire benefit annually often pops up even when the "requalification" is not on stays or elite points, but rather AMB renewals or extensions as we've seen recently due to COVID.

IAN-UK

I'm impressed that anyone has an insight into IHG's rules allowing them to decide that Spire benefits are intended solely for renewals earned through stays or points.

The only reason i renew my Ambassador membership is because so far it has always incorporated a Spire extension and the accompanying bonus. IHG has lost its grip on my accommodation decisions and my stays will never generate status. But while I can purchase status the points are useful, and Spire carries some limited benefits.

So I see little value in Ambassador membership without Spire and its renewal bonus rolled into the package. Sure, I could certainly engineer a "free" weekend night in an expensive room to create the illusion of value from Ambassador status alone, but life is too short for that.

Super Mario

If you stay at IC properties enough, I find the extra perks to be worth it. I received fairly solid treatment when I was an ambassador. Auto renewing my spire made the deal even sweeter.

Unfortunately, the IC footprint just doesn't work out enough for me to continue to be an Ambassador.

rbAA

Thanks, but no need to "engineer" a stay at an IC, as the IC SF is one of my favorites and I always use the BOGO there, i.e. last Sept saving almost $300 for the second night and an upcoming April stay, with similar savings. It will also trigger the 20k bonus, so that's plenty.

Atacama40

This is a strange one. I remember being told by an IHG insider that Ambassador counts for zero outside of the IC world. He was quite adamant about that and he was a CP guy and was very negative about Ambassadors being "anything special" at his particular CP.

But I have to say, over the last 20+ years of being a heavy stayer, I've found the opposite .... that CP's, HI's and even some HIX's and indeed Indigo's almost always have provided impressive upgrades, goodies and nice touches.

So based on experience, for me at least, the benefit has been broadly speaking across the board. I am in fact RA but I cannot imagine that counting anymore than Amb in this respect.