End of the year roll call!
Dec 22, 2018, 9:21 pm
#17
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Plainfield, IN
Programs: IHG Platinum / HHonors Diamond / Hyatt Globalist / AA EX Platinum
Posts: 200
Assumed I wasn't gonna make it this year, and resolved myself to it, but I ended up with a one week stay over the holidays, should end up with 53 nights and 83000ish points
Dec 23, 2018, 1:10 pm
#18
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 57
Having got the (UK) IHG card just over a year ago, I managed to put a hefty tax bill through it in the first couple of weeks of January and hit Spire Elite without a single stay, within a month of joining the program. The timing also gave me almost 2 years of Spire.
However, I don't travel much but welcome bonus and accelerate convinced me to put some stays IHG's way on a trip to Oz/NZ at the beginning of the year and have clocked up 10 nights (all paid), 116,887 qualifying points and 368,522 points in total.
Have got a skiing road trip coming up and with the recent 100% bonus for buying points, I was able to buy the points needed for several of the stays far cheaper than the cash rates (less than 1/2 price), so will be getting my first few redemption nights in soon.
Now to decide where to use my free night voucher that should be coming through!
However, I don't travel much but welcome bonus and accelerate convinced me to put some stays IHG's way on a trip to Oz/NZ at the beginning of the year and have clocked up 10 nights (all paid), 116,887 qualifying points and 368,522 points in total.
Have got a skiing road trip coming up and with the recent 100% bonus for buying points, I was able to buy the points needed for several of the stays far cheaper than the cash rates (less than 1/2 price), so will be getting my first few redemption nights in soon.
Now to decide where to use my free night voucher that should be coming through!
Dec 25, 2018, 4:28 am
#22
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. No longer Palm Coast, FL though still exiled, again, from the Bay Area.
Programs: Only the good ones
Posts: 5,153
25,288 points and 32 nights. Renewed AMB so hope Spire stays, but won't break my heart, as PLT will be fine. I stay mostly at the same properties each trip, so they know me and never have any issues. Well, except for having to pay for breakfasts at some properties. And, a couple of my East Bay choices started charging for parking after years of free parking. Sucks.
Dec 26, 2018, 8:23 pm
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: RDU
Programs: AA LT Gold, DL SM, HY Disc, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 12,505
91k base points on 51 nights, plus 8 award nights. Requalified for Kimpton Inner Circle based on the November targeted promo, as it only meant one staycation night near the office.
But while it's been a good run for IHG/Kimpton, it's time to move on for me. Really a "it's me, not you" situation, as I'm moving this spring, not taking many vacations as a result, and my work travel patterns are moving away from Kimpton cities. The most I can count is 8 Kimpton stays for 14 nights next year, and that's not enough especially when the Everly in LA is in a difficult location for flying into LAX and working downtown.
So it's off to Hilton for me for 2019 and 2020, as it's the only major chain left allowing qualification for top-tier on stays (30) and I really like their Homewood Suites and Home2Suites chains. And I'll have over 20 Cat1 Hyatt award stays as part of my moving process, so I'll easily make mid-tier there and have an outside chance of requalifying for top-tier (I was Diamond for about 6 years there until they did their wacky World of Hyatt conversion).
I'll still have some IHG activity, as I love the Donovan in DC and the Grey in Chicago is across the street from our office. But most of my HIX/HI activity for the next couple of years will be 15k award stays unless they give me some amazing Accelerate promos.
But while it's been a good run for IHG/Kimpton, it's time to move on for me. Really a "it's me, not you" situation, as I'm moving this spring, not taking many vacations as a result, and my work travel patterns are moving away from Kimpton cities. The most I can count is 8 Kimpton stays for 14 nights next year, and that's not enough especially when the Everly in LA is in a difficult location for flying into LAX and working downtown.
So it's off to Hilton for me for 2019 and 2020, as it's the only major chain left allowing qualification for top-tier on stays (30) and I really like their Homewood Suites and Home2Suites chains. And I'll have over 20 Cat1 Hyatt award stays as part of my moving process, so I'll easily make mid-tier there and have an outside chance of requalifying for top-tier (I was Diamond for about 6 years there until they did their wacky World of Hyatt conversion).
I'll still have some IHG activity, as I love the Donovan in DC and the Grey in Chicago is across the street from our office. But most of my HIX/HI activity for the next couple of years will be 15k award stays unless they give me some amazing Accelerate promos.
Dec 27, 2018, 7:04 am
#28
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Elite
Posts: 289
212456 total points, 67,536 qualifying points, 39 nights, Plat Ambassador.
I would be spire, but a number of hotels I stayed at this year treated my work travel agent as if it were booking.com / "Online Travel Agent" and denied me points for my stays. IHG corporate made me whole on the points, but they didn't count towards my total.
If I get screwed around again next year I'm just going to have to go to a different hotel. I don't travel to Kimpton cities much anymore, and I've been consistently unimpressed by Intercontinental properies
I would be spire, but a number of hotels I stayed at this year treated my work travel agent as if it were booking.com / "Online Travel Agent" and denied me points for my stays. IHG corporate made me whole on the points, but they didn't count towards my total.
If I get screwed around again next year I'm just going to have to go to a different hotel. I don't travel to Kimpton cities much anymore, and I've been consistently unimpressed by Intercontinental properies
Dec 27, 2018, 10:08 am
#30
Join Date: May 2010
Location: LAN/DTW
Programs: IHG Diamond, HH Diamond, Avis Pref, DL Silver, National EE
Posts: 188
I just joined IHG at the beginning of 2018, so started with no status.
IHG - Spire
83 paid nights plus 3 redemption. Total 89
111,940 Qualifying points - 333,265 Total Points in 2018
Choice Hotels - Gold
10 paid nights
39,521 points earned in 2018
IHG - Spire
83 paid nights plus 3 redemption. Total 89
111,940 Qualifying points - 333,265 Total Points in 2018
Choice Hotels - Gold
10 paid nights
39,521 points earned in 2018