jmsnyc

I am going to S Florida next week Tues - Thurs for two nights and I want to use reward points. The lowest point values I am seeing are 20k per night but I can book rooms for $70-$80 a night. It does not seem a good value or even a decent value. Is this pretty much always the case?

craigthemif

$80 + tax is getting close to my $100 valuation at 0.5 cents of 20K points. So during a promo-less period such as August I would probably spend the points anyhow.

There are better values to be had outside of the US. I also find that airport hotels can provide decent value, since cash costs are often high due to the high % of business travellers being reimbursed whatever the cash rate is.

floridatraveler90

Hotels in Florida are usually a lot cheaper in the summer. Those same rooms might be double or more on cash rates Jan-Apr. Doesn't seem worth it to me to use those points for such a trip.

guv1976

No, it's not.

If, instead of going to Florida, you decided to go to Jamestown, NY, this Sunday, you could pay $164+tax for a night at the Holiday Inn Express, or you could get a reward night for 15,000 points+no tax. With the recent sale on points, 15,000 points would have cost you just $75.

lwildernorva

I think every program has some sweet spots (or times, at certain properties). And sometimes you have to know all the rules of a particular program's game to get the best value. I'm going to Watsonville, California in about 10 days. Cash rates per night at the HIX in Watsonville, which is a relatively short drive to both Santa Cruz and the Monterey Peninsula, are not that much cheaper than my stay at the Mark Hopkins in San Francisco on the same trip. The points rate is 25K per night at the HIX and 70K at the Mark Hopkins. I'm using my annual free certificate night at the Mark for one of the two nights but paying in cash for the second while my two Chase IHG cards will reduce my four-night stay there from 100K points to about 67.5K. Had I used points in San Francisco, I would have gotten about $225 of value for my 70K (reduced to 63K by my credit card) while I'm getting about $800 of value for my 67.5K in Watsonville. At other times of the year, however, I could easily see rates around $500 per night at the Mark and $100 at the HIX in Watsonville. In addition, IHG has been smart with their Accelerate promos, goosing cash rates while providing an incentive to members to defer points use--of course, while increasing points stashes for many that IHG will eventually address by watering down redemption values

The rules of the game will change soon, and I won't be able to use a free night certificate at the Mark anymore, but for the immediate future, I'll be keeping my eyes on four-night redemptions that make sense for my travels.

scubaccr

But are you making the correct comparison? You need to look at Flex rate including taxes (not cheapest ADR)

Remember award nights are usually (unless a local event etc means a no cancel overide at hotel) are the same as a Flex Rate booking, so you need compare value with the published higher flex rate/ for rhe night (not cheaper adr or your rate adr). By the time you include the taxes on room and realistically value points at 10k=usd55 based on current normal purchasing rates (not the old of 2years ago 10k/usd70 P+C cancel), you will be saving on an award night afte all

For me I struggle more as I have global corporate rates that offer flex for a rate usually slightly over ADR, which is what i compare with. I just about never book ADR, always book Corp-flex or ihg-flex rates.

:D!

If I don't want to book a flex rate there's no point comparing to a flex rate. Yes it means that sometimes it will be not a good use of points but that's not relevant when deciding what I want to pay.

kapooncha

IHG points especially valuable when traveling to a place during some type of event that makes the rooms soar in price. Several months ago I booked a Holiday Inn in Munich during Oktoberfest. 5 nights, 20k per night. It would have cost me over $1,200 otherwise.

fotographer

With over 500,000 pts, My wife and I are only use them if the hotel is above $200 per night (not including taxes)

jtc246

If I can't get a penny a point I don't use points. Those opportunities don't come up every time I book, but often enough I'm able to use my points without much trouble. Some of the best values are often found during special events when prices in the area are a lot higher than normal.

jmsnyc

So if normal rate is $200, but you can get say a corporate rate for less do you use it?

fotographer

Then yes pay for it. Save the points for overseas IHG's

Unterwegs

For my travel pattern (Europe, Asia and US) using points rarely makes sense if I value the points at 0.5 cents each. Possibly for one or two out of 10 stays points turn out to be the better solution. If you have status the picture is even worse, because many hotels don't give you upgrades / club access / free minibar (as RA) on points stay.

kapooncha

I'm only a measly Spire Ambassador and I almost always get upgrades on point stays.