IHG - how evil are you to devalue overnight during the pandemic!
#16
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,656
IHG was always the worst program of the large chains but with this change they essentially shouldn't even be calling their program a "loyalty rewards" program any longer. This stupidity just makes me stay there even less than I am now...which is not often since they have been gutting the program for years.
I just check some dates that we always go to NYC later this year and The Muse is 98k per night, The Eventi 100k and The Barclay 87k.
I just check some dates that we always go to NYC later this year and The Muse is 98k per night, The Eventi 100k and The Barclay 87k.
Last edited by christianj; Apr 5, 2021 at 1:40 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 102
Dynamic pricing doesn't mean that they can increase to however number of points they want right? Isn't it always or should be tie to the price of the room as they first advertised how dynamic pricing works? I m fine if the room price doubles due to seasonal or demand factor then double the number of points required, reasonable. In this case, many hotels increased the number of points required across the board overnight while the room prices stay the same....that's not dynamic pricing, that's devaluation!
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,837
Dynamic pricing doesn't mean that they can increase to however number of points they want right? Isn't it always or should be tie to the price of the room as they first advertised how dynamic pricing works? I m fine if the room price doubles due to seasonal or demand factor then double the number of points required, reasonable. In this case, many hotels increased the number of points required across the board overnight while the room prices stay the same....that's not dynamic pricing, that's devaluation!
#19
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Rochester, MN
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton HHonors Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,830
I was so excited to have my first vaccine dose appointment scheduled and start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel that I can finally travel soon. All those IHG points that we have saved up for a big anniversary trip that we kept postponing and finally have hope that it can happen, guess what, thanks to IHG devalued overnight without notice, that dream shattered! How evil, heartless, and shameful are you to devalue without notice especially during the pandemic when the world needs hope?
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Montreux CH
Programs: FB Platinum, M&M FTL, BA Blue
Posts: 11,619
The IT of IHG has never been anything to write home about and has often been downright dodgy. How long ago is it that they stopped insisting on 4 digit PIN codes? It's really not that far back. I'm just letting this play out and settle down. It goes without saying, I think, that if everyone does abandon IHG, then there are going to be loads of good deals and redemption possibilities!
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
I have just done a full analysis of London for publication tomorrow - every hotel on a certain day.
Value runs from 0.21p to 0.65p per point (so you can still get 0.9 cents in places).
Oddly the average value across all 38 hotels is unchanged and is potentially better than it was.
There is no difference between luxury, midscale and budget hotels - when grouped together - in terms of value per point. In each category, the top 1/3rd of hotels offered an average of 0.5p (0.7c) of value.
It isn't devaluation. What it is, I'm not sure.
Value runs from 0.21p to 0.65p per point (so you can still get 0.9 cents in places).
Oddly the average value across all 38 hotels is unchanged and is potentially better than it was.
There is no difference between luxury, midscale and budget hotels - when grouped together - in terms of value per point. In each category, the top 1/3rd of hotels offered an average of 0.5p (0.7c) of value.
It isn't devaluation. What it is, I'm not sure.
#22
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: BDL, JFK
Posts: 658
I have just done a full analysis of London for publication tomorrow - every hotel on a certain day.
Value runs from 0.21p to 0.65p per point (so you can still get 0.9 cents in places).
Oddly the average value across all 38 hotels is unchanged and is potentially better than it was.
There is no difference between luxury, midscale and budget hotels - when grouped together - in terms of value per point. In each category, the top 1/3rd of hotels offered an average of 0.5p (0.7c) of value.
It isn't devaluation. What it is, I'm not sure.
Value runs from 0.21p to 0.65p per point (so you can still get 0.9 cents in places).
Oddly the average value across all 38 hotels is unchanged and is potentially better than it was.
There is no difference between luxury, midscale and budget hotels - when grouped together - in terms of value per point. In each category, the top 1/3rd of hotels offered an average of 0.5p (0.7c) of value.
It isn't devaluation. What it is, I'm not sure.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/...-in-london-uk/
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
I’m not sure London is a representative example. Current occupancy rate of 52% doesn’t allow much price hiking.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/...-in-london-uk/
https://www.statista.com/statistics/...-in-london-uk/
As virtually all UK hotels are closed except for those housing people who fall under a very small number of categories, I promise you there is no 52% occupancy!
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,458
Dynamic pricing doesn't mean that they can increase to however number of points they want right? Isn't it always or should be tie to the price of the room as they first advertised how dynamic pricing works? I m fine if the room price doubles due to seasonal or demand factor then double the number of points required, reasonable. In this case, many hotels increased the number of points required across the board overnight while the room prices stay the same....that's not dynamic pricing, that's devaluation!
As others do, I find it confusing how divorced the points prices are from the cash prices. That doesn't seem like dynamic pricing, rather it seems like a shambolic devaluation.
An oddity that might be relevant is, about a week ago, I received what seems to be a targeted offer of several thousand bonus points for 3 paid stays in the month of April. For some reason , that happens to be the exact number of award stays I have booked for April.
#25
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: BDL, JFK
Posts: 658
Surprisingly, I didn't look at a day this week and instead focused on a day when UK hotels will be open again :-)
As virtually all UK hotels are closed except for those housing people who fall under a very small number of categories, I promise you there is no 52% occupancy!
As virtually all UK hotels are closed except for those housing people who fall under a very small number of categories, I promise you there is no 52% occupancy!
#26
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 291
If this stays, I can only thank IHG: At 10% I will instantly switch to hotels.com giving me close to 10% at any hotel plus cashback at so much more choice than IHG.
IHG going the airline way for me then where I only choose by price and time and not by points anymore.
IHG going the airline way for me then where I only choose by price and time and not by points anymore.
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,040
#28
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Global Entry
Posts: 2,840
IHG was always the worst program of the large chains but with this change they essentially shouldn't even be calling their program a "loyalty rewards" program any longer. This stupidity just makes me stay there even less than I am now...which is not often since they have been gutting the program for years.
I just check some dates that we always go to NYC later this year and The Muse is 98k per night, The Eventi 100k and The Barclay 87k.
I just check some dates that we always go to NYC later this year and The Muse is 98k per night, The Eventi 100k and The Barclay 87k.
If this is really the end result, I don't know that I will be around with IHG much longer. In general, it seems that any loyalty program just becomes more of a joke. I will continue to bank on it being archaic IT from IHG.
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
I disagree, IHG was one of the best for point redemptions. A few years ago, I did 4 nights in NYC for NYE at the IC Times Square. It was 70k a night (capped). 280,000 points. Which that in itself was a solid deal on a $3,800 price tag if purchased with cash. Then 4th night free and 10% rebate, I got it for under 200k. Even without that scenario, I was often able to get rooms at 1 cent per point. With my example, I completely understand to have dynamic pricing on such an expensive room. Dynamic pricing shouldn't be some random high number though.
But IHG isn't into creating happiness among its customers. And because of its high-occupancy rules regarding the cash compensation it offered hotels for point stays, it found itself actually paying for that happiness. So things had to change.
I think there was an anxiety to avoid establishing a unequivocal cash value to points, but I assumed dynamic pricing simply meant that points-rates would work on not-too fuzzy links to $-rates.
#30
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Globalist, M life Gold, IHG Spire
Posts: 918
I’m not sure London is a representative example. Current occupancy rate of 52% doesn’t allow much price hiking.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/...-in-london-uk/
https://www.statista.com/statistics/...-in-london-uk/
OTOH, around me, the redemptions for local IHGs have literally doubled with no change in the cash rates. If I want to go to Phoenix in July, I don't need points. The hotels are empty, and cheap. So, going forward, the IHG redemptions are going to be astronomical for anything anyone would want, and cheap only for hotel nights no one wants.
Sorry to leave you IHG but your new scheme is not competitive with other chains.