i got this too - and my membership lapsed some time ago

we wont get any use out of it until next april, currently over in europe, so i am wondering if i should go for it or not.

they do tend to remind you before these things finish, so maybe i will hold off until they start getting anxious!

My memebrship is up in November and I whilst I have been able in the past to use the BOGO and $100 dining voucher, I have still to use them, with time running out. IThe number of properties in places where I travel is dinimished and I am unlikely to renew after 3-4 years of this.

Has anyone been able to get the 50% off deal to work?

I did, from the email invite I received though, not the link posted above.

And on opening the pack;

1. Got 3 transferable BOGO certs - it's supposed to be 1 transferable and 1 not
2. Got 2 member-for-a-visit dining certs - it's supposed to be 1
3. Got a $100 complimentary dining cert - not supposed to be any

$150? Bargain!!

^ :p

My membership is also up in November. I wont be renewing this year as I haven't got the value and the few times I have tried to use the BOGO nothing has been available.
Its actually been so bad this year I may not even manage to retain platinum... I may however sign up again in future if I can get a 50 per cent off deal.

I'm with qf_1020 on this. I have received little value this past year. With hotels closing, more work/travel overseas it's just not worth it. My partner and I made a special trek into IC SYD for dinner the other night to use up the $100 voucher, otherwise it would expire because of my being away and unable to use it.

I also don't find goinginto draws for prizes an incentive. I want direct benefit for being an earlybird/repeat renewer if I was to be interested.

The Hard Sell
 

Got the hard sell phone call today after my PP Australia membership expired 2 days ago and I ignored the multiple last chance to renew emails after 4 years of membership.
I told the rep that I was going OS for 3 months and would probably renew sometime later in the year

Among the pearls thrown up at me;
We've upgraded you to a Foundation Membership - whatever that means
You are now a VIP member and will lose all that status and go back to square one
You are a top level member in Priority Club and you'll lose all your Points and Status in Priority Club - quickly backtracked when I pointed out that I will lose nothing in PC.
We'll email you a 25% off and 2 for 1 certificate every month and you won't have to use your certificates - I think that this was a very generous interpretation of the limited monthly special offers that PP makes
I'll extend the expiry date by 1 month, now i couldn't be fairer than that could I? - yeah, but I told you that I won't be using the membership for 3-4 months and will probably renew later in the year
We'll give you an extra membership card , now whose name would you like me to put on that card? - hold on there lady, I've just told you that I have no plan to renew until later in the year.
I'll be your personal representative with PP for any contact you need to make - now you're really scaring me

:eek::(:td:

Priority Privilege Program in Australia
 

I got a lot of those promises made to me last year NONE of which came with my pack.
As far as the foundation member "crap"
they feed us doesn't seem to exist

Ok Looks like I got conned!

After letting my PP lapse a few months ago, yesterday I got another call from George at PP, giving me the hard sell that i would get 2 free nights (only at the end it emerged it was 2 x free night certificates, no blackout dates at all, and crucially 10% off VIP corporate rates rather than the usual 10% off best available. He claimed that all rooms would come down to $120-$160.

I was suspicious but he said i had 21 day cooling off so thought i would give it a go.

Today I get the email to reactivate my membership, and when i log in i just get exactly the same 10% off best rate and the other usual offers. Absolutely nothing VIP or different about it. And even basic rooms at IC sydney which I was testing were still well over $300, nowhere near the $120 he was claiming for a King spa suite (a room type which i have never heard of there)

So I was gullible (though only did it on the basis that I would cancel if it didn't deliver)

How do they get away with this?

Got most of this myself today too, and quietly enjoyed the bloke spouting the whole spiel then telling him I wasn't interested. I also asked him to clarify the piece about his ability 'to cancel my earned points', and he simply refused to back down on it. "You're deliberately misleading me" said I. "I don't know why you can't understand it - it's simple, you will lose the points" said he.

He called me from a NSW number; 02 9779 3163. Anyone know if there is a means to complain to some authority or another about the approach?

Anyway, I was deliberately very cheery in my refusal to renew, and he eventually signed off in a huff after my repeatedly accusing him of being deliberately misleading.

For what it's worth... IHG launched a new program called Dining Rewards in China recently.

I hear through connected sources that IHG is going to roll this program out beyond China, with Australia and NZ coming very soon.

I hear it's going to replace Priority Privilege with similar benefits but with the ability to use the benefits across APAC.

Might be worth waiting a few more weeks before renewing PP...

Anyway I googled the program and found this website - only mentions China for now http://www.ihg.com/diningrewards/gb/en/home

I did a survey, maybe six months ago, on some changes they were thinking about for PP. Looking at some of the IHG Dining benefits, it looks like some of the offers that were talked about (e.g. free night, usable worldwide, status upgrade).

They have also advertised recently in Australia for some IHG Dining positions.

Interesting perthite.

My mail has it that PP is being replaced in Australia and NZ in late July by Dining Rewards, and that the new program will have all the benefits you mention that are also part of the China program.

Will be interesting to see how they price it...

Interesting update. The ihgdiningrewards.com page when accessed from Australia now shows a price of AUD 319 and "Coming Soon".

I understand Priority Privilege is being withdrawn from sale to new members in Australia and NZ on 30th June and is being wound up, but existing PP members will be able to use their benefits until their PP membership expires naturally.

If the benefits of Dining Rewards in Australia are similar to the benefits in China as outlined on the website, you'd have to say that IHG are building in more value compared to the PP program, with a global free night, status upgrade in IHG Rewards Club and discounts that cover beverages (rather than just food).

Though the Dining Rewards model is a flat 25% off food and beverage, versus the PP regressive discount model (50% off for 2 people, 33% off for 3 people etc), but the PP discount didn't include drinks. So probably about the same in the end (25% off drinks in a hotel is very welcome)!

Will be interesting to do the direct comparison once the Australia program benefits are outlined online.