exploreaswego

Hi Folks,

I'm fairly new to the IHG rewards program, always been more of a SPG loyalist. But I'm expanding my options to hoard points as much as I can for an upcoming sabbatical trip.
I've done a fair bit of research both here and on travel blogs, from what I can conclude, IHG points are mostly valued at 0.5 CPP.
Which meant that for 60k points - that values to about $300 of redemption.

Currently signed up for 2 concurrent running programs - IHG Accelerate and IHG New Member welcome offer.
I will need to essentially complete the following:

1) 1 Night stay at Holiday Inn, and book a room with points package -- $120
2) 2 Weekend Night Stay at Holiday Inn -- $200 x 2 = $400

I called the CSR to confirm, the points can be stacked and credited concurrently, but I have to complete them within the deadline.



I live in NYC, and on average including taxes - the cheapest rooms go only to as low as $100 per night.
We have an upcoming trip to Chicago, but we'll only be there for a weekend, and thus far, weekend nights rooms are also running about $100++

Do you think it's worth doing a mattress run to capitalize on the earning this 60k reward points?

strickers

What about airport hotels? Either just before a flight or on arrival, check in, ruffle the mattress and leave the key in the room.

guv1976

When IHG runs one of their periodic 100% bonus offers on points purchases, you can buy 60,000 points for $300. But you can get more than 0.5 cents/point in redemption value at some properties -- especially for some of the properties that show up on the quarterly PointBreaks list.

exploreaswego

Yea, even airport hotels in JFK, EWR are all going for $100++ (includ taxes).

I guess I'm not really missing out on a lot if I just forego the accelerate program.
There really is no incentive for me to drive all the way to the isolated Holiday Inns just to accrue these points for negative value whereas I can buy them as on promo as you suggested.

Mattloyed

Really get reward is tough.

craigthemif

Be aware that IHG's CSR agents often just make up garbage answers to customer queries.

I've never really heard of an IHG New Member Offer that looks exactly like Accelerate, but also stacks with it.

But as others have mentioned, you mattress run when your travels take you near a direct cheap HIX. But otherwise you can just buy the points.

Moreover, if you are used to SPG, you will quickly tire of spending points on an IHG hotel and get nothing in terms of elite benefits.

:D!

I'm a bit confused. Are you saying you want to spend $520 in order to save $300?

CPP is only meaningful if you actually feel that the paid rates for the hotels you want to redeem at, are good value.

Even if you manage to redeem 60K points for $600 of hotel rooms - you are only getting $600 of value if you would have actually paid $600.

If you bought the points for $300, but you would only have paid $200 for the rooms (even if the hotels were charging $1000), then you have lost money.

ChinaShrek

I really don't understand this logic. Value is determined by the price IHG is charging for the room. If the room costs $300 and I used points, then I saved $300. The amount of points that I used is irrelevant. Points don't have any intrinsic value. Neither does money. Money and points only have material value. Feelings are irrelevant. If I stay in a hotel that charges $300 a night but I 'feel' that it is only worth $200, I still have saved $300. Using your logic, I could stay in a $300 hotel and think it is worth $1000 (so I must saved $1000). Go with facts and not feelings.

somedudefromFLa

It seemed the OP is really trying to understand the value of 60k ihg points...

Now, while there is a "cost to buy" to me 60k has value in the $300-400 if not bit higher value as I could either

get one night in a really nice hotel for 60k, for example the Barclay on 48th street

OR

get three maybe four nights somewhere on the road at the 20k or 15k points cost per night in regular hotels that probably have cash rates around $100, hence the 3-400 valuation I listed.

Now of course the grey area is what is my need for these hotel stays? In the near future will I need to stay somewhere specific or at a specific time when the cash rates are higher and if so that valuation goes up! For example my situation recently called for a 15k hotel that has cash rates $175 or something so in that case my valuation is $700...

I hope this is of help and good luck!!!

craigthemif

Recent comments are muddying the waters.

The OP is on the right track. He can buy points for 0.5 cents during promos that come along frequently. There is no need to pure mattress run if the all-in cost (including time wasted) isn't lower than 0.5 cents. Having cash in your bank account is also better than a balance of hotel chain points that will devalue over time.

There is no point pretending that once in a blue moon he will find a redemption that gets him 1 cent (in real or notional value). Personally I find it hard enough to get 0.5 cents, especially since at my other chains I get free breakfast, lounge, room upgrades, etc. But even when a high value redemption presents itself, you just go and book a P+C and cancel it.

darthbimmer

Keep in mind that the term "mattress run" describes a stay or group of stays made solely for points value. Your trip to Chicago is not a mattress run because you presumably want to/have to go to Chicago for some reason outside of earning points, and you need to stay overnight while you're there. Thus it's not fair to include the cost of staying in Chicago as part of the equation.

To me it looks like the question should be, "Is it worth it to spend $120 on a one-night mattress run to earn the remaining 50k out of 60k available on these promotions?" And then the answer is yes, 50k points are worth well more than $120.

diver858

Have you (and possible travel companion) applied for the IHG credit card?
IHG Rewards MasterCard [now 60,000 pts]
Each will receive 60k after modest minimum spend, PLT status. After first year, pay $49 AF and earn a free night.
https://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2018...new-cards.html - Reports of new cards coming, possibly opportunity to double-up

Super Mario

I have an upcoming stay at the Intercontinental in San Juan. It would have cost me about $500 for one Saturday night. Instead, I have redeemed 50,000 points and owe nothing. It was 1 cent per point in this instance, which is fairly solid. Valuations can vary. That is definitely a great value for me as I earned that many points this quarter from accelerate alone. I will also earn 5,000 points back from the 10% rebate.

rbAA

Generally speaking, no. It's relatively easy to get IHG points cheaply. Though I have done MR's for IHG status (I know, not everyone has good luck with elite benefits at IHG properties.) I definitely wouldn't spend more than $300 for that 60k. Cheap weekend rates can sometimes be found for the HI Wall Street property, but the best rates nearby would require a weekend trip to IAD, where reasonably priced MR's for most of the hotel programs can be done.

Check out the CC which sometimes offers 80k, or do the Daily Getaway points package purchase.

somedudefromFLa

True, as can buy from P+C at cheapest rate of $115 for 20k and as i wrote above the only other thing to consider is if have a certain need in short term which it kinda sounded like the OP had such? So it seems the question is if $320 the OP would have to spend is worth value of 60k?? Pretty close numbers - i geuss it comes down to could there be any "use" for that 2nd weekend ( assuming 1st in Chicago) and/or that single bonus rate stay. In the past I've used these kind of things as motivation to fit in little mini vacations LOL


BTW not sure what the details are but on that bonus point rate there used to be hotel indigo Brooklyn ( right on Fulton mall ) that had a +25k bonus points rate which might be of help if really needing to stockpile points.

Again, hope this is of help and good luck!