It's also a question of how much you're paying per extra point. Of course, if someone else is paying (like an employer or customer) some people don't care. :p

I would set $0.007 (7/10 of a cent) as the maximum per point I am willing to pay for a bonus-points rate, in most cases. (This figure is based on how much the points cost on a points and cash rate. However, the points on a points and cash rate do NOT count towards elite status, so perhaps my limit is a bit too low.)

I just knew that the bonus packages are counted toward elite status. Too bad that is now very late for me to chase the points until the end of year since most of the high bonus package points properties are located in US. :(

Will it be OK if I book the US hotel without actually staying in ? I've never done this before anywhere so I never knew.

in every hotel program there are certain properties that will allow you to check in without actually checking in.

However this is not the norm and should not in any way be counted on actually working as it is against most (all?) hotel loyalty programs.

I don't know how you're going to do that when you physically need to be handed the bonuses. I booked an 11,000 point package at the Holiday Inn Express LAX-Hawthorne in Hawthorne, California. They have to hand you two 5,000 point vouchers and one 1,000 point voucher IN PERSON. Each has a code that must be entered on a specific IHG webpage. The points are then instantly applied to your account.

Ouch, sounds a bad news for me then. :s

However, so did you get elite points from that code or not ?

I don't know if this list being updated, and if it isn't, what is the easiest way to find deals like this besides searching each individual hotel where you might go? Anyway, I was looking for big bonus point rates and came across this one at the Crowne Plaza Suites Houston near Sugarland. 10k bonus per night and breakfast in a suite for $149 a night is a rediculous deal. I hope that I get a reason to go to Houston before this expires.



10K BONUS POINTS

Attention IHG Rewards Point Junkies! How does 10,000 bonus points per night sound to you? Book the 10K Bonus Point Package and receive 10,000 IHG Rewards bonus points for each night of your stay and full breakfast for up to 2 guests!
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Hide Available Room TypesRates from $ 149 00 USD
1 KING BED SUITE NONSMOKING
View Description $ 149.00 USD
2 QUEEN BEDS SUITE NONSMOKING
View Description $ 149.00 USD
STANDARD SUITE
View Description $ 149.00 USD
SUITE MOBILITY ACCESSIBLE TUB NONSMOKING
View Description $ 149.00 USD
1 KING BED EXECUTIVE SUITE NONSMOKING
View Description $ 179.00 USD

A long time ago I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Plano East on the 10,000 point rate. The bonus points still haven't posted.

Thank you InHere. I have added a couple of Houston hotels to the Wiki. Unfortunately, the only way to find these is to hunt for them (and then create a consolidated list).

Might be a little late to chase up these points. If you decide to find out what happened, my advice is to contact the hotel directly.

The only time I ever stayed on a 10k bonus point rate was when I first joined priority club a few years ago. IC was running a 10K per stay bonus at regular rates. I stayed a few times at the IC New Orleans and my points posted immediately with the base points. I can never seem to find these deals in the places I'm going.

Because you're supposed to get a voucher(s) with a code at the front desk. YOU post the points immediately when you enter the voucher code(s), not IHG.

Thanks CokeandTaco, but I decided not to worry about it.

The “official” bonus point rates seem to work differently from the “unofficial” ones. On the desktop IHG website, if you sort by Room Type, the official bonus point rates show up on their own little “Bonus Points” tab next to the “Best Flexible Rate” tab. If you sort by Rate Type, they get an orange “Bonus Points” icon from here. I believe the points post automatically and are elite-qualifying, but I'm not sure.

The “unofficial” rates seem to be packages created by the property that happen to include IHG vouchers instead of things like Macy's gift cards or local tickets.

This is one of the “unofficial” rates. Note the fine print in the Rate Details:

Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites : Anaheim (1 Blk/Disneyland) (11,000 points) and
Holiday Inn : Anaheim - Resort Area (10,000 points)

Appears 1000 per night or 5000 points per stay is the highest they now offer.


Holiday Inn : San Francisco - Civic Center (10,000 points)

Appears 1000 per night is the greatest they now offer.

Thanks CalItalian, I have updated the Wiki. I also added a few properties.

Thanks Coke http://www.gunsite.co.za/forums/imag...s/pill2gif.gif

Oops i didn't fatham the whole, higher than 5000 points thing... ignore me