Dec 31, 2017, 6:49 am
Last edit by: FLYGVA
Wiki was copied from 2017 thread
Created WIKI Mar2017 purely to add the "new" IHG PB List URL as I can't find by screen navigation since IHG changed the reservation screens etc, and the old url if saved no longer works either.
Just got fed up trying to find , much easier to store in wiki, hope this helps others
Pointbeaks changed the amount of points needed: This is discussed in this thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/intercontinental-hotels-ihg-rewards-club-intercontinental-ambassador/1890423-point-breaks-now-5k-10-15k.html
This thread is about the discussion about the locations and the actual list, please use the thread above for discussions about the increased number of points needed for pointbreak redemptions.
SCUBACCR
Use this URL for "Live" PB Listing:
https://www.ihg.com/rewardsclub/content/us/en/redeem-rewards/pointbreaks.html
The PREVIEW list usually appears on IHG's blog first
https://blog.ihg.com/ihg-rewards-club-pointbreaks-preview
Created WIKI Mar2017 purely to add the "new" IHG PB List URL as I can't find by screen navigation since IHG changed the reservation screens etc, and the old url if saved no longer works either.
Just got fed up trying to find , much easier to store in wiki, hope this helps others
Pointbeaks changed the amount of points needed: This is discussed in this thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/intercontinental-hotels-ihg-rewards-club-intercontinental-ambassador/1890423-point-breaks-now-5k-10-15k.html
This thread is about the discussion about the locations and the actual list, please use the thread above for discussions about the increased number of points needed for pointbreak redemptions.
SCUBACCR
Use this URL for "Live" PB Listing:
https://www.ihg.com/rewardsclub/content/us/en/redeem-rewards/pointbreaks.html
The PREVIEW list usually appears on IHG's blog first
https://blog.ihg.com/ihg-rewards-club-pointbreaks-preview
2018 Pointbreaks Discussion Thread
Jan 31, 2018, 4:45 am
#346
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: DUS/AMS/HAM
Programs: HH-D / IHG-Sp / Marriott-P / LH-SEN / BA-S
Posts: 215
I wish it would be every month. IHG has currently about 5000 hotels worldwide.
Jan 31, 2018, 5:42 am
#347
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: EWR
Programs: AA, Delta, NWA,HHonors, Hyatt BF
Posts: 1,762
The same 10k PB hotel that was 5k + 30.00 2 days ago is now 5k + 50.00 for the same reservation.
I wonder, has the " + cash" part of the reservations been fluctuating all along and I just didn't notice?
Checking another location the + cash has jumped to $50 as well.
And attempting to book outside of the PB window it reduced to $30 for the " + cash".
Checking another location....same results.
So, if my analysis is correct, the 10k PB " + cash" part has been raised to $50 instead of the normal $30 during the PB window of booking on some, perhaps all, all of the PB properties.
Hoping I'm wrong.....but I don't think so.
I wonder, has the " + cash" part of the reservations been fluctuating all along and I just didn't notice?
Checking another location the + cash has jumped to $50 as well.
And attempting to book outside of the PB window it reduced to $30 for the " + cash".
Checking another location....same results.
So, if my analysis is correct, the 10k PB " + cash" part has been raised to $50 instead of the normal $30 during the PB window of booking on some, perhaps all, all of the PB properties.
Hoping I'm wrong.....but I don't think so.
Jan 31, 2018, 6:06 am
#349
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Somewhere in Europe
Posts: 3,362
The same 10k PB hotel that was 5k + 30.00 2 days ago is now 5k + 50.00 for the same reservation.
I wonder, has the " + cash" part of the reservations been fluctuating all along and I just didn't notice?
Checking another location the + cash has jumped to $50 as well.
And attempting to book outside of the PB window it reduced to $30 for the " + cash".
Checking another location....same results.
So, if my analysis is correct, the 10k PB " + cash" part has been raised to $50 instead of the normal $30 during the PB window of booking on some, perhaps all, all of the PB properties.
Hoping I'm wrong.....but I don't think so.
I wonder, has the " + cash" part of the reservations been fluctuating all along and I just didn't notice?
Checking another location the + cash has jumped to $50 as well.
And attempting to book outside of the PB window it reduced to $30 for the " + cash".
Checking another location....same results.
So, if my analysis is correct, the 10k PB " + cash" part has been raised to $50 instead of the normal $30 during the PB window of booking on some, perhaps all, all of the PB properties.
Hoping I'm wrong.....but I don't think so.
I’m not sure how they work it out, at first I thought it was linked to occupancy as IHG pays more if occupancy is high but I’ve seen them decrease as cash rates go up.
Its a bit silly as anyone in the know will hunt down a property with the lower cash rate and do the book and cancel gig. With varying cash rates however this may cause ihg to look more closely at accounts who do a lot of book and cancel.
Jan 31, 2018, 1:07 pm
#350
Join Date: May 2016
Location: HK
Programs: IHG Spire Elite Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Aegan Gold, British Airways Bronze
Posts: 182
As for the list, I'm not bothered by the fact that there are three tiers. I'm bothered by the fact that for the first list to have three tiers they have such poor showing. I'd have expected them to have a few great hotels in that list just to cushion the blow and make people happy but instead the list is not really great.
Jan 31, 2018, 1:13 pm
#351
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Lake ForestI L, USA
Posts: 122
Dear IHG,
Thanks for the Memories! From memory, so it's a partial list--Venice, Memphis, Delhi, Amite, Rotherham, Pikesville, Foligno, Ft. Myers, Lantana, Naples, Bratislava, Brno, Bolton, Krakow, Alcoa, Elizabethtown, Bartow, Dandridge, Strasbourg, Munich-Messe, Orlando, Vilnius, Salerno, Villach, LaCrosse, Oconomowoc, Sycamore, Peoria, St. Louis, Bautzen, Dayton, Arras, Lille-Englos, Arras, Kiev, Clermont Ferrand, Montpellier, Morgan City, Clarksville, Rensselaer, Marietta, all at 5000 per night. Notice that a few old friends are back at inflated values--Kiev IC and CP Venice to name two.
It has been a great ride!
Sincerely,
lf tom
Thanks for the Memories! From memory, so it's a partial list--Venice, Memphis, Delhi, Amite, Rotherham, Pikesville, Foligno, Ft. Myers, Lantana, Naples, Bratislava, Brno, Bolton, Krakow, Alcoa, Elizabethtown, Bartow, Dandridge, Strasbourg, Munich-Messe, Orlando, Vilnius, Salerno, Villach, LaCrosse, Oconomowoc, Sycamore, Peoria, St. Louis, Bautzen, Dayton, Arras, Lille-Englos, Arras, Kiev, Clermont Ferrand, Montpellier, Morgan City, Clarksville, Rensselaer, Marietta, all at 5000 per night. Notice that a few old friends are back at inflated values--Kiev IC and CP Venice to name two.
It has been a great ride!
Sincerely,
lf tom
Jan 31, 2018, 1:49 pm
#352
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
The cash element has been fluctuating for a while now on regular reward nights.
I’m not sure how they work it out, at first I thought it was linked to occupancy as IHG pays more if occupancy is high but I’ve seen them decrease as cash rates go up.
Its a bit silly as anyone in the know will hunt down a property with the lower cash rate and do the book and cancel gig. With varying cash rates however this may cause ihg to look more closely at accounts who do a lot of book and cancel.
So 5k for us$30 is discount whereas if PB is 5k at us$50 is an attempt by IHG to gouge extra $$$'s from PB hunters with limited points.
Obviously regular IHGers who stay normally, versus PB sharks who never stay outside of free CC points etc, will instead simply p+c 15k elsewhere and cancel, then rebook as points only.
Jan 31, 2018, 1:56 pm
#353
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
Definitely an issue at aspirational PB hotels, since eery one piles in, books in first 4hours , after which zeroes PB nights availability, then can't find flights to say Dominican Republic, Sao Paolo and cancels. Worse I'd guarantee some PB hawks book multiple apirational PB hotels for same dates, then cancel the ones not needed. With only 5k per night needed before, one did not need a high points balance, hopefully at 15k this will happen less in future.
The cancel/return during availability of PB period can't be seen/proved either way, but with easiest(simplest) I.T. Programming, IHG just count number of PB nights booked at the hotel, and close off PB's after nnPB nights booked, and ignore returned/cancelled award nights which in any case will likely include fully priced unwanted award nights cancelled so IHGers can rebook the cheaper PB rates.
Jan 31, 2018, 2:15 pm
#354
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
Thank you for your post. I have a couple of points and a question or two. My understanding when point breaks started all the room nights were available out of the 5 or 10% pool. That may have changed at some point but either way I don't understand why in any 3 month period why a property cares if all their point rooms are booked? If they are over 95% booked on any given night they receive 100% of the average room rate for that night and if they are less then 95% booked that night the room may of gone empty and shouldn't matter if a point break took that room. If 5% is to high for point breaks then lower it to 3% or 2% which you suggest they have already done for the point break portion. My main question is why don't they lower it to 2 or 3% of inventory and have all properties on the list say once every 3 years or 4 years? So for example if they have 4000 properties and 250 on a list with 4 lists a year. So if my math is correct a property would only be on the list one time in a 4 years over a 3 month period. If they pick the correct percentage of inventory like say 4% is what my guess it would be (2 or 3% if necessary) it should make all IHG members happy and not cost any specific property very much one time every 3 or 4 years. Am I missing something?
I have often see normal award nights for sale on a hotel with only last few rooms available at the usually last oom very high cash rate. Only reason for that is hotel still has to make the 5% rooms available on award.
IHG is not going to put hotels on PB where hotel is often sold out as will not want to pay 95% Ave daily rate at say IC Parklane of gbp600 (v usual gbp150) which I have seen on my award there when Parklane sold out. IHG has often put newly opening hotels on PBs, eg last year the brand new Dom Republic IC, along with 'struggling' IHG hotels, which keep appearing eg Bruno in Czech Republic
And yes hotels on normal award rates do manipulate things, I remember in 2012 80room Indigo London Paddington on the 75% off points rate, announced in advance. On the day I saw every room f 80rooms was available on points, so hotel would get 95% rate on all their rooms , and not have some cash rate unsold rooms and pittance from the 4x PB rooms. HI Portsmouth UK, similarly if almost sold out puts all remaining rooms on awards 3-5days out.
Jan 31, 2018, 3:13 pm
#355
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: DUS/AMS/HAM
Programs: HH-D / IHG-Sp / Marriott-P / LH-SEN / BA-S
Posts: 215
Alas no they don't. Easy to see/prove when a person with PB cancel after the hotel reverts during PB period to standard award night rates and is known by us regular IHGers.
Definitely an issue at aspirational PB hotels, since eery one piles in, books in first 4hours , after which zeroes PB nights availability, then can't find flights to say Dominican Republic, Sao Paolo and cancels. Worse I'd guarantee some PB hawks book multiple apirational PB hotels for same dates, then cancel the ones not needed. With only 5k per night needed before, one did not need a high points balance, hopefully at 15k this will happen less in future.
The cancel/return during availability of PB period can't be seen/proved either way, but with easiest(simplest) I.T. Programming, IHG just count number of PB nights booked at the hotel, and close off PB's after nnPB nights booked, and ignore returned/cancelled award nights which in any case will likely include fully priced unwanted award nights cancelled so IHGers can rebook the cheaper PB rates.
Definitely an issue at aspirational PB hotels, since eery one piles in, books in first 4hours , after which zeroes PB nights availability, then can't find flights to say Dominican Republic, Sao Paolo and cancels. Worse I'd guarantee some PB hawks book multiple apirational PB hotels for same dates, then cancel the ones not needed. With only 5k per night needed before, one did not need a high points balance, hopefully at 15k this will happen less in future.
The cancel/return during availability of PB period can't be seen/proved either way, but with easiest(simplest) I.T. Programming, IHG just count number of PB nights booked at the hotel, and close off PB's after nnPB nights booked, and ignore returned/cancelled award nights which in any case will likely include fully priced unwanted award nights cancelled so IHGers can rebook the cheaper PB rates.
Jan 31, 2018, 3:54 pm
#356
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Somewhere in Europe
Posts: 3,362
BUT the p+c fluctuation is meant to be a DISCOUNT not an increase. Under p+c the non-discounted buyin rates are 5k=us40 and 10k=us$70
So 5k for us$30 is discount whereas if PB is 5k at us$50 is an attempt by IHG to gouge extra $$$'s from PB hunters with limited points.
Obviously regular IHGers who stay normally, versus PB sharks who never stay outside of free CC points etc, will instead simply p+c 15k elsewhere and cancel, then rebook as points only.
So 5k for us$30 is discount whereas if PB is 5k at us$50 is an attempt by IHG to gouge extra $$$'s from PB hunters with limited points.
Obviously regular IHGers who stay normally, versus PB sharks who never stay outside of free CC points etc, will instead simply p+c 15k elsewhere and cancel, then rebook as points only.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inte...c-pricing.html
Last edited by chrism20; Jan 31, 2018 at 4:00 pm
Feb 1, 2018, 7:26 am
#358
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Rochester, MN
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton HHonors Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,830
Feb 1, 2018, 8:04 am
#359
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Lake ForestI L, USA
Posts: 122
It is IHG corporate that sets the PB limit not the hotel. It is reported hotels themselves have no say what so ever about being placed on PB lists. Obviously some are greatful as won't sell out, whereas others who can sell all rooms for the much higher cash rates will be less delighted.
I have often see normal award nights for sale on a hotel with only last few rooms available at the usually last oom very high cash rate. Only reason for that is hotel still has to make the 5% rooms available on award.
IHG is not going to put hotels on PB where hotel is often sold out as will not want to pay 95% Ave daily rate at say IC Parklane of gbp600 (v usual gbp150) which I have seen on my award there when Parklane sold out. IHG has often put newly opening hotels on PBs, eg last year the brand new Dom Republic IC, along with 'struggling' IHG hotels, which keep appearing eg Bruno in Czech Republic
And yes hotels on normal award rates do manipulate things, I remember in 2012 80room Indigo London Paddington on the 75% off points rate, announced in advance. On the day I saw every room f 80rooms was available on points, so hotel would get 95% rate on all their rooms , and not have some cash rate unsold rooms and pittance from the 4x PB rooms. HI Portsmouth UK, similarly if almost sold out puts all remaining rooms on awards 3-5days out.
I have often see normal award nights for sale on a hotel with only last few rooms available at the usually last oom very high cash rate. Only reason for that is hotel still has to make the 5% rooms available on award.
IHG is not going to put hotels on PB where hotel is often sold out as will not want to pay 95% Ave daily rate at say IC Parklane of gbp600 (v usual gbp150) which I have seen on my award there when Parklane sold out. IHG has often put newly opening hotels on PBs, eg last year the brand new Dom Republic IC, along with 'struggling' IHG hotels, which keep appearing eg Bruno in Czech Republic
And yes hotels on normal award rates do manipulate things, I remember in 2012 80room Indigo London Paddington on the 75% off points rate, announced in advance. On the day I saw every room f 80rooms was available on points, so hotel would get 95% rate on all their rooms , and not have some cash rate unsold rooms and pittance from the 4x PB rooms. HI Portsmouth UK, similarly if almost sold out puts all remaining rooms on awards 3-5days out.
As one who enjoys the study of military history, I have been fortunate to stay in Brno while visiting the Battle of Austerlitz, Arras to study the Somme, Salerno to contemplate Anzio and Lille to ponder Fromelles and the Ypres salient. Every quarter revealed a new jewel. I'm afraid that's all in the rear view mirror.
Feb 1, 2018, 9:01 am
#360
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: EWR
Programs: AA, Delta, NWA,HHonors, Hyatt BF
Posts: 1,762
BUT the p+c fluctuation is meant to be a DISCOUNT not an increase. Under p+c the non-discounted buyin rates are 5k=us40 and 10k=us$70
So 5k for us$30 is discount whereas if PB is 5k at us$50 is an attempt by IHG to gouge extra $$$'s from PB hunters with limited points.
Obviously regular IHGers who stay normally, versus PB sharks who never stay outside of free CC points etc, will instead simply p+c 15k elsewhere and cancel, then rebook as points only.
So 5k for us$30 is discount whereas if PB is 5k at us$50 is an attempt by IHG to gouge extra $$$'s from PB hunters with limited points.
Obviously regular IHGers who stay normally, versus PB sharks who never stay outside of free CC points etc, will instead simply p+c 15k elsewhere and cancel, then rebook as points only.
I'm having a hard time applying this theory to my equation.
Anyone could have booked a 10k PB hotel at this rate and taken advantage of the cancel/points loop....or they could have booked a non-PB 10k hotel with the same outcome.
How would this deter a specific category of IHG customer from booking PB hotels?