Hawkeyefan

scubaccr

Though a devaluation, I can kinda accept a 5k increase to 10k for 2-fold reasons (Although IHG are keeping 5k PBs too)
i)PB has run for 10years at 5k/night, so jump to 10k is understandable (ie inflation)
ii)IHG Points are earned much cheaper and in greater numbers, 100% Spire Bonuses, Easy Accelerator points task wins for those IHGers staying < 10nights/year

15k per night means for the better PB hotels, 30night month stay (assuming bookable) will be 450k versus 150k , much less likely to be booked, alowing more IHGers a chance at a PB night there.

London Dartford was on before about 2years ago. The paid rate per night is virtually unchanged, but whereas before was 5K on PB, this time 1Q2018 it is a higher 10k/night, and for comparison, Aug-Oct-2018 outer-London (Croydon HIE) was 5k , so based on Dartford 10k next time.

scubaccr

Thailand (Bangkok) Nov-Mar is the high season, so it is wrong to expect Bangkok PBs outside June-Sep months when historically Bangkok has appeared on PB in the past, 2012 was CP Lumpini, 2016 was HIE Sukhumvit11. Also Bangkok has a few 15k/night HIEs if one needs a free night.

What is disapointing to me is lack of some major European countries on the list, eg Spain. Netherlands, in what is to me low occupancy cold weather time.

Eltham

Hawkeyefan

tMonk1

I've been content just using up points for the past couple of years and replenishing them with Accelerate deals now and then, etc. Travelling in the style I want, with the bed type I want and the creature comforts I want, location etc. has become more important with age. So many Point Break rooms are limited to double beds or single queens, basic amenities etc. and, in many cases, rooms that accommodate disabilities are not made available, certainly not suites. When you reach a certain stage of life, you notice such things. We did have one great week-long stay a few years ago at the Crowne Plaza in Annapolis, Maryland, which we used as a base while day-sailing and exploring the coastline and historical sites. The "base" was a 531 sq. foot, one-bedroom suite which was welcome every bedtime. Another time, by sheer coincidence, we had an unexpected medical stay coincide with the release of Point Breaks rooms in the city where we had to try to stay cool, calm and comfortable for ten days. The hotel (an unprepossing HI) was exceptionally welcoming and the staff upgraded us and gave us great service (to the point of walking a service dog!). In such circumstances, I have been pleased to offer positive and honest reviews (and tips) as a sort of unspoken quid pro quo. We have also returned as pay-the-bore guests to several HIs and CPs where we stayed initially as Point Break guests. I guess that is part of the intent of the promotion. Even with the new Point Breaks designations, I'd love to be able to take advantage of some of the exotic locations on offer and revisit some favourites (can you say "Cartagena") but those cards are off the table now. Flying the dog is just too much of a hassle and worry. Glad I did not buy into the recent big points sell-off business (which smelled fishy and it turns out it was). As a Canadian, I'd be hard-pressed to find a way to allocate this round of Point Breaks benefits anywhere in my home country, and it would take a major IC in a sanctuary city I wanted to support for me to cross the U.S. border for another three years, at least. I can see that I probably spent too much of my available-left-lifetime searching out BRGs and deals and point-bulk-ups. But some of it was good fun, for good value.
Seeing the sun set on my dream of a 5000-a-night Point Breaks retirement vacation for a month in Feb.-March in a tropical paradise, is regrettable. But I staying home isn't so bad - at Christmas I got this fab deal on Marriott linens! And what about you?

Sisyphus1carus

Yep.

Sisyphus1carus

Hi, what can I spend my points on rather than an IHG hotel stay ?

MrTemporal

I suspect that a good world wide down turn will improve the PointBreak offerings.

Me? More and more I am going to Cash Back rewards. Then spend the cash on getting a few extras. Yes, I realize that is not as good as a room in a great hotel on the beach at Christmas for only 5000 points, but I have never been able to score that deal or even one 1/4 as good.

Give me the money!

FlyerTalker688786

I found out you are not forced to book 15,000 category hotel if you do not need to. Some lucky people who can actually take advantage of those joke hotels would be pleased that the availability might be good afterall since point scrundgers do not find the value within. Thank you IHG.

FLYGVA

A reminder, that this thread is about discussing pointbreaks, not personal opinions.

There is a change in pointbreaks and the required points. This is a fact.
There are other hotels on the list, than before. Okay, that the way the game is played..
The list does not appeal everybody. This has been so in the past and will be the same for all future.

You might not agree with all posters in this thread and as usual if a new list comes out, there is quite some activity. But once again, this is a community board with different people, different opinions and different habits of posting. It is a giving information and sharing information in this forum. There is no need discuss if this loyalty scheme pleases everybody or not. Please discuss the topic, not other flyertalkers opinion.

FLYGVA
moderator IHG Forum

FLYGVA

An additional information:

Once again, I have had to clean up this thread and deleted post containing personal attack, post padding or post with not valuable content.

FLYGVA
moderator IHG Forum

The_Bouncer

IHG has been my preferred loyalty program for more than 15 years, and I am currently sitting on 480k (none of them bought or from credit cards).

Just because I am not a "regular" poster doesn't mean I don't spend the money (my money, not my employer's).

Any yes, I am absolutely a "bottom feeder". Pointbreaks were always my preferred option for redemptions. At 5k, why wouldn't they be? I also burn a lot of points at the 10k and sometimes 15k every day rates.

The vast majority of the properties on the 10k and 15k lists this quarter are no better that the properties I book for the same rates, day in and day out. They are also in cities or areas where there are tons of options at the same point levels or under $100 cash.

If you are happy with this, good luck to you, enjoy it - and I'm not being at all sarcastic there - I'm genuinely glad that some people are happy. I for one, however, am thoroughly peed off - and I have every right to be.

Concerto

stets

That is the best "look on the bright side" post I've seen on this thread. I had been thinking (before the full list came out), that they'd make the first one a good list and then devaluate it over time. Your logic seems sound though -- they've torn off the band-aid, and I can't see them devaluing this promo further than this in the near future.

This thought at least makes me more confident that I'll be able to get decent value for my existing IHG point stockpile. I'm still abandoning all efforts to acquire any more IHG points, though.

Nothing lasts forever. I got a huge amount of value out of this over the years. I stayed 31 nights on PB in 2017 and 47 nights in 2016. I doubt I was ever a profitable customer for IHG, so I can't blame them at all. I'm certainly one of the scavengers they're getting rid of with this move. Moving on to the next gag.