somedudefromFLa

Hi, I'm sure this has been answered somewhere but I dug through and couldn't seem to locate... Anyways, long story short I just burned a bunch of points on a hopeful trip for summer and on some of the reservations I used my IHG premier card ( the old one with 10% rebate ) to do some rates like 15,000 + $89 instead of 30,000.

Now, I was curious if anyone knows if the cash portion of those rates will qualify for IHG hotel spend ( e.g. the 5 points per dollar spent, just like if it was prepayment for hotel stay ). For example on the one I listed the $89 already shows on my credit card so this month when I get those point to my IHG account will it be +89 points or + 445 points???

Thank you in advance, Tim

serpens

I believe you will get 445 points if the hotel codes properly and I understand which card you have.
[The hotel does not sell the points, so there is no hotel sale to code correctly or incorrectly. See further discussion by Tennen in post 4.]]

My understanding of IHG card names differs from yours. In my world, the old card with the 10% rebate, which is the card that earns 5 ppd (points per dollar) for IHG spend and has $49 annual fee, is the Select card. The Premier card earns 10 ppd for IHG spend, has $89 annual fee, and has 4th night free for a points (not points plus cash or cash) stay. It sounds like you have a Select card. There is also a Traveler card, which does not seem to be what you have.

somedudefromFLa

Thanks for the info, and yes that is correct the card I have is the $49 fee one which I named incorrectly. I found the name premier from google search, but you are correct that is the currently available one not the grandfatherd one I have. I do remember now it is called the select card...


Thanks again : ))

Tennen

AFAIK, a cash & points stay, for all intents and purposes, is a points/rewards stay. You're essentially purchasing the shortfall of points required for a full redemption. So, in your example, you're buying 15,000 points for $89, for a total of 30,000 points. If you cancel the stay, your account will be credited with 30,000 points. IIRC, IHG points purchases are processed by points.com and don't count as IHG hotel spend. You'll earn 1x/$ on your IHG Select CC (actually, it'll be the same for the IHG Premier). Since it's a rewards stay, it doesn't count for most paid night promotions, either.

dw

Was the $89 charge directly by the property, or was it charged by IHG? If the former, you should definitely get the bonus points, if the latter... I also am sure it's been answered before on here but I am curious about the answer as well.

serpens

What Tennen says is correct. (I forgot how IHG handles these reservations, in particular the sale of points by a third party.) Sorry for the misleading information in post 2 above, and thank you to Tennen for the correction.

somedudefromFLa

The charge I am seeing on my credit card is NOT showing the name of the kimpton hotel at all, so I am assuming it is like noted above similar to the points dot com "1 pt per dollar."

And just FYI my reason for asking this was to actually compare this cash + pts rate to just buying points. As even with the current 75% bonus for buying points I noticed the ratio works out to 45,000 for just about $240 ( don't quote me on those exact numbers, but it was close to that). However, the rate I booked ( 2 nights at 15k + $89 instead of 30k ) worked out to 30,000 for $178 so about the same just a bit higher. There's actually one option on another higher point kimpton which is a bit better 20,000 for $115 which is almost the same ratio as buying points but 5 pts per dollar would change the maths slightly which is what I was trying to sort out... Again thank you all for the replies & info!!!

somedudefromFLa

BTW maths aside there are some pretty good deals floating around at Kimptons in US for speculative future bookings. I think the trip I've booked for summer is cutting it close, but as time moves on the booking window for next spring will be opening. And IMHO book & burn while can as I have a feeling this new dynamic pricing is going to kick up soon : ((( I just burned all of my points, mostly 4th night free blocks, to book up a month long road trip, and then did this cash + $89 to add a couple more stays later on in year ... bye bye IHG poiIHG! Honestly, I really threw in the towel on IHG a few years back when they dumped point breaks and raised most all hotel points prices. I have moved nearly all of my stays to Westins, but who knows maybe IHG will prove me wrong and win me back. In my local vacation spot Miami I saw what used to be just a few years back 30-40k for a nice hotel jump quickly upto 70-80k before the pandemic. Now lots of deals, was down to 20-30, but it's dynamic and heading back up
​​​up. Who knows where it'll go, my gut is probably crazy high but who knows maybe IHG will prove me wrong, I'd love to be wrong as the kimptons are nice hotels for vacation!!!