Use of IHG Points
Sep 5, 2017, 6:41 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,029
Sadly I also have a reasonable balance of IHG points and no particular desire to stay at IHG hotels. A combination of too many tempting Accelerate targets, too few decent hotels in the 10-25K range, the dearth of appealing Point Breaks hotels and of course zero elite benefits.
Alas I try to follow the rules and will eventually get around to burning these pesky IHG points somehow.
Alas I try to follow the rules and will eventually get around to burning these pesky IHG points somehow.
Last edited by FLYGVA; Sep 5, 2017 at 7:30 am Reason: quoted post delted because first post was edited
Sep 5, 2017, 7:33 am
#4
Moderator: InterContinental Hotels and Germany
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 6,551
The original poster, whom I like to welcome at flyertalk, has edited his first post.
The first post was not quite within the t&c of Flyertalk, but is so now. Therefore I will leave it as it is now.
The posts which quoted the first post have been deleted or edited.
I would like to take this opportunity that selling points is not within the t&c and posts will be deleted or have to be edited.
FLYGVA
modeator IHG Forum
The first post was not quite within the t&c of Flyertalk, but is so now. Therefore I will leave it as it is now.
The posts which quoted the first post have been deleted or edited.
I would like to take this opportunity that selling points is not within the t&c and posts will be deleted or have to be edited.
FLYGVA
modeator IHG Forum
Sep 6, 2017, 9:09 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Princeton, NJ; Lviv Ukraine
Programs: UA 3.6MM, AF/KL Lifetime Plat, BA Gold, AA 1MM, IC Spire RA, Kimpton IC, Marriott Plat, et alia
Posts: 2,732
Thanks for modifying your post.
The best way to use the points is usually on stays -- particularly at "splurge" hotels. 60,000 points/night would give you a night at the InterContinental in Bora Bora which can be $1300/night. That's more than 2 cents a point.
Or you look for "point break" hotels at 5000 points/night; occasionally a great bargain among them. Occasionally it will be for a room that sells for $100 or more. That's over 2 cents a point.
If you're replacing a stay for which you would be paying with points, at a rate of better than a penny a point, you're getting good value for money.
You can redeem them for merchandise.
You can redeem them for gift cards. For example, 38,500 points for a $100 Amazon gift card. Sadly this means you're only getting a tad over 25 cents a point. Advice is not do do this -- unless there happens to be a promotion which makes the redemption much more attractive.
You can redeem them for flights, for hotels (non-IHG), car rentals. But at a very disadvantageous exchange -- a $400/night (+tax) hotel in New York City costs you 180,000 points. So roughly the same ratio as the above-mentioned gift cards.
You can convert them into airline miles, generally 10,000 points = 2000 miles. This is
seldom a good deal ... unless you happen to be just 2000 points short of a First Class RTW fare, and this transfer makes it happen. Bad conversion rate but virtually every airline program is possible.
You can buy merchandise with it -- but even worse conversion rates, since it appears the conversion is based on MSRP, not on actual street prices. 148,500 points for a Bose headset listing for $375 but you can find for sub-$300.
You can donate the points to Hurricane Harvey victims.
Basically your best bet really is to use them for room stays. Short of that, wait for some attractive promotion on one of the other options for exchange.
The best way to use the points is usually on stays -- particularly at "splurge" hotels. 60,000 points/night would give you a night at the InterContinental in Bora Bora which can be $1300/night. That's more than 2 cents a point.
Or you look for "point break" hotels at 5000 points/night; occasionally a great bargain among them. Occasionally it will be for a room that sells for $100 or more. That's over 2 cents a point.
If you're replacing a stay for which you would be paying with points, at a rate of better than a penny a point, you're getting good value for money.
You can redeem them for merchandise.
You can redeem them for gift cards. For example, 38,500 points for a $100 Amazon gift card. Sadly this means you're only getting a tad over 25 cents a point. Advice is not do do this -- unless there happens to be a promotion which makes the redemption much more attractive.
You can redeem them for flights, for hotels (non-IHG), car rentals. But at a very disadvantageous exchange -- a $400/night (+tax) hotel in New York City costs you 180,000 points. So roughly the same ratio as the above-mentioned gift cards.
You can convert them into airline miles, generally 10,000 points = 2000 miles. This is
seldom a good deal ... unless you happen to be just 2000 points short of a First Class RTW fare, and this transfer makes it happen. Bad conversion rate but virtually every airline program is possible.
You can buy merchandise with it -- but even worse conversion rates, since it appears the conversion is based on MSRP, not on actual street prices. 148,500 points for a Bose headset listing for $375 but you can find for sub-$300.
You can donate the points to Hurricane Harvey victims.
Basically your best bet really is to use them for room stays. Short of that, wait for some attractive promotion on one of the other options for exchange.
Oct 15, 2018, 7:41 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Belfast
Programs: IHG Spire Elite / Hilton Gold
Posts: 24
I'm in the same position as OP - not sure whether to use my IHG points on the IC Hong Kong (70k/night), IC Da Nang(70k/night) or IC Bali (40k/night).
I would love to hear from anyone that has visited these properties and whether or not they would recommend them?
I would love to hear from anyone that has visited these properties and whether or not they would recommend them?
Oct 16, 2018, 3:42 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 456
Both great hotels but really day and night comparisons. The IC Da Nang is a beautiful resort but quite out of the way in Da Nang. It's not actually near China Beach or much of anywhere else. It's more of an "exotic tropical getaway" location, and I really like Da Nang in general.
IC HK (Not grand Stanford, which I haven't stayed at) is also a beautiful hotel. This is very city center, hustle and bustle in the extremely interesting city of Hong Kong. Service is fantastic. food is fantastic, the view (if you get one) is fantastic... This is an "urban oasis" type location, in the middle of it all, but untouched by any of it until you walk out the door. This is compared to Da Nang being untouched by anything until you call a cab and take a ride to the rest of the city.
You can't go wrong with either one.
IC HK (Not grand Stanford, which I haven't stayed at) is also a beautiful hotel. This is very city center, hustle and bustle in the extremely interesting city of Hong Kong. Service is fantastic. food is fantastic, the view (if you get one) is fantastic... This is an "urban oasis" type location, in the middle of it all, but untouched by any of it until you walk out the door. This is compared to Da Nang being untouched by anything until you call a cab and take a ride to the rest of the city.
You can't go wrong with either one.
