pricesquire

I had an interesting experience today.

I had an existing reservation under an industry rate ($135) at the IC ATL.

I called to inquire about changing my rate to a Virtuoso rate in order to secure some sort of upgrade and/or breakfast.

The woman on the phone basically pitched this offer instead of changing my rate:

-Buy Platinum Ambassador
-Use 24,000 points to buy PA status
-IHG will mail you a free night cert. for any IC in the world.

I don't know much about the value of IHG points, nor do I know much about the ease in which a free night cert. can be used

I already have 2 free night certs I'm waiting to use, plus 200k points, so I'm obviously tempted by this offer...maybe an IC Bora Bora trip is in my future!

Can anyone chime in on whether or not 24k for Platinum Ambassador status is a good idea? A good use of points? (Disclosure: I hardly know a thing about Plat status, and I know even less about Ambassador. I may stay at one IHG hotel per year) - the real interesting thing, to me, is the 24k for a free night cert., not the status....

Cheetah_SA

This post in the sticky should answer most of your questions.

404

Just in case you missed the point ( of looking up the 'sticky' ) ...

Your "free night" offer is nothing more than a BOGOF voucher - a 'buy one, get one free' offer.

Pay for a Friday or Saturday night, and get the second night free ( either a Saturday or Sunday night ).

What you were 'offered' is not a 'stand alone' free night.

However, if used wisely, they are well worth having ...

miles4all

I think the question here should be about this Platinum status:

Is the FT member already an Ambassador and does he get this new status for 24k points and it yields 1 extra BOGOF voucher?

I have not hear of Plat Ambassador...? Only normal Ambassador or Royal Ambassador.

Anyone know about this Platinum status?

mitpat474

Gold usually is given with ambassador and plat with royal ambassador, however if you qualified for IHG for platinum you are then platinum ambassador.

miles4all

Thanks Mitpat!

This is great info; So an IHG Plat becomes a Plat Ambassador. IHG Gold is Ambassador (Gold) and Royal Ambassador is invitattion only, but also Platinum.

Did i conclude this correctly?

Still doesnt answer my question if the post was made by an IHG member who offered Ambassador or an Ambassador member who was offered Platinum......

pricesquire

The sticky helped, but wasn't a complete answer.

I thought Ambassador was the top tier status for IHG.

So I was confused when I was offered 'Platinum Ambassador'

Furthermore, the person I spoke with (and the email confirmation I received) did not mention a single thing about a BOGOF. If they had, I would not have given 24k for the status.

The only reason I did the 24k for 1 free night was because I figured....a free night at IC Bora Bora is 50k. I just 'bought' a free night for less than half that (24k).

Now knowing its a BOGOF, it doesn't make nearly the amount of sense, as I wanted my full 7 nights to be w/ points and certs. Now I have to buy a night just to use the damn cert.

Uh...wish they said something! Especially wish the email conformation outlying the transaction said something.....

Platinum member offered 'Platinum Ambassador'

miles4all

I feel for you!

It would have been great if the offer was 24K for a second BOGO voucher.
Well.... have a nice trip.

tangey

IHG have two programs.

Platinum is the higest status for holiday inn/express/crowne plaza etc.

Ambassador is a paid-for status, that is recognised ONLY at IC hotels.

Thumper

I did the 24K option a number of years ago - like maybe 10. Interesting it hasn't gone up.

As I spend about 75 nights a year at Crown Plazas, I became a Platinum/Ambassador.

It came in handy at the time as I had an extended stay in Tel Aviv.

I never renewed.

And yes, the freebie is essentially a BOGO adjacent weekend day.

Fanjet

I did the 24K point renewal last year. Instead of giving me the 5K point voucher, they gave me a 10K one. So it was only a net of 14K points used. My renewal is at the end of this month. However, the point redemption option is not available as a choice. Which is OK, because I had planned on doing the $200/10% point-rebate one this time.