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Originally Posted by nacho
(Post 36187134)
The thing is that if you are Plat or above with MB you get lounge access, not Plat with IHG unless you have 40 nights BIB to unlock lounge access pass.
I do find IHG points handy some times. In Japan I was able to get the Kumamon room at CP Kumamoto for 25k points when cash rates was $160+ MB hotels are more expensive in IHG in Northern Germany - it almost look like they charge the extra because they have to give elites welcome gifts. I find the newer HIX nicer than FFI in the US, and HIX in Europe are much nicer than Moxy. I hate Moxy - the lobby it's like what you see when you are high without being high, and the rooms are very dark - again it feels like they are made for people getting high. The FD said, "the lift is behind the big Flamingo" - it's like the Sims game... Besides, IC lounge quality in general is much better than even JWM in some Asian cities. I would not spend any time at the lounge of Ren Wanchai, Hong Kong for example. The quality is SO POOR and the lounge is SO CROWDED. It is totally useless. You also dont get lounge access at Ritz. |
Originally Posted by jpdx
(Post 36186715)
Thank you for the great laugh! IHG redemptions are amazing value if you are (a) willing to book far out and check occasionally and rebook in case of a drop, (b) somewhat flexible on dates, and (c) US-based (and thus able to obtain Chase cards, which offer 4th night free and 10% back on points redemptions). Mind you, it's easy to buy IHG points directly from IHG or via Discover America at $.005 per point, so the dollar values shown below aren't hypothetical, but rather actual cost. For reference, here are some of my redemptions in the past half year:
-- IC Paris at 43.75k points ($220) a night. Beautiful junior suite, excellent club with free-flowing champange all day. Advance purchase rates for the base room around €450 at time of booking, inching up to €600 as the stay approached. Marriott wanted 50k points for Moxy (!) Bastille, 65k for Ren Republique, 75-90k for Westin/Ren Vendome. Initially had the Indigo reserved here for 31.2k a night ($155), but IC dropped significantly a month before the stay. -- IC Vienna at 19.8k points ($100) a night. Not an amazing hotel, but the similarly weak Marriott would have cost over 50k points a night. -- IC Strings Tokyo at 36k points ($180) a night. Aging upscale hotel with a good lounge, easily on par with Westin Toyko, which would have rung in at 87k points a night. -- Regent Phu Quoc at 49.5k points ($200) a night (over peak NYE season). Spectacular hotel with a stunning club lounge. JW Marriott wasn't available on points, and the godawful Sheraton wanted 41k points. -- IC Phu Quoc at 28.5k points ($140) a night (NYE). Have this puppy booked again for NYE 2024 at 18,675 points a night ($94). -- IC Osaka at 36k points ($180) a night during peak Sakura season (well, what was supposed to be peak), beautiful hotel with an excellent lounge. RC and SR were at 80-90k points, Sheraton, Courtyards and Alofts at 45-50k, some Moxies around 30k, the Westin (Westin!) at 70k. Completely nuts! -- IC Cascais at 27k points ($135) during 2023 peak summer dates, vs. cash rates around €400. I have 12 nights booked there for July 2024 at 20,925 points a night ($105), also vs. cash rates of €400. I'm not gonna dig up more reviews, but realized while searching for the above ones that the two of us had an exchange in the "is Titanium worth it" thread where you showed that you weren't quite up to speed on recent improvements to the IHG program. From 2015 to 2019, I had over 100 nights annually with Marriott. This was due in part to footprint, but mostly because of Marriott's BRG program, which was far more honest than what the competition had to offer. It's become much harder to find BRGs, especially at rates I'm willing to pay. Post-Covid, my experience as Marriott Tit deteriorated, culminating in an awful year in 2023. Minimal (and in many cases zero) upgrades even in Europe and Asia, crowded lounges with reduced offerings. Add to that the grotesque Bonvoy points requirements in many places, and it's just not worth it for me. Now, to be sure, I'll probably end the year with a couple dozen Bonvoy nights, simply because there are some hotels I like, and also because my main programs IHG and Hyatt don't have good coverage in many locations, at least not with hotels I want to stay at. Bonvoy is a great tertiary program to fall back on with LTT status, as long as one goes in with low expectations. not to be judgmental here, but very few would rate the properties you list above as ‘exceptional/aspirational’. I am not saying IHG is a ‘bad’ program. It has its place and I am using it. The purpose of this thread is to compare and contrast where each program shines and I am pointing out a downside if the IHG program, which of course you can disagree with :) |
Originally Posted by cfischer
(Post 36188500)
You might laugh, but I am comparing a 346k 5-night stay at the W Maldives to the respective cash rate of $12200. This is not an uncommon value you can get with Marriott and Hilton at their aspirational properties. Compare that to your numbers … not a laughing matter is it? IHG completely sucks at such redemptions… they wants millions of points for comparable properties.
not to be judgmental here, but very few would rate the properties you list above as ‘exceptional/aspirational’. I am not saying IHG is a ‘bad’ program. It has its place and I am using it. The purpose of this thread is to compare and contrast where each program shines and I am pointing out a downside if the IHG program, which of course you can disagree with :) --Jon |
Originally Posted by Happy
(Post 36188096)
Again, it is all YMMV on what are worthy redemption - to us, IHG has both the high end and the low end that fit our needs when the corresponding BonVoy properties ask for twice or thrice pts!
Originally Posted by Jon Maiman
(Post 36188593)
Finally for many folks they may desire to stay at different property types for vacation versus general leisure stays. So, they may wind up using more than one program to meet the collective needs for all of their stays.
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Originally Posted by ftrichard (Post # 1)
(Post 36181642)
[ I]t will be easy to get to 40 nights with IHG around October so I can hit Platinum status and select two years of Lounge access as a Milestone Reward around 3 January 2025 (that's the first hack I've learned).
Originally Posted by travelinmanS (Post # 6)
(Post 36182375)
IHG offers a better value here [Asia] once you get the 40 nights that unlocks the lounge pass. Some Holiday Inns and Crowne Plazas have lounges and they are usually decent and all Intercons seem to have them as well. There are great and reasonably priced Intercontinentals and even Regents in Asia that are much better value than the Marriott high end brands in Asia.
Originally Posted by nacho (Post # 29)
(Post 36187134)
The thing is that if you are Plat or above with MB you get lounge access, not Plat with IHG unless you have 40 nights BIB to unlock lounge access pass.
Originally Posted by Happy (Post # 31)
(Post 36188102)
Time it correctly the lounge pass can be good for 2 years.
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Originally Posted by SPN Lifer
(Post 36188932)
Even if one times it correctly so as to maximize the validity period, to earn an IHG Club Lounge membership still requires 40 Elite Nights at IHG properties. And there is absolutely no other way to earn those 40 nights except by sleeping in IHG rooms. Is that correct?
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Originally Posted by SPN Lifer
(Post 36188932)
Even if one times it correctly so as to maximize the validity period, to earn an IHG Club Lounge membership still requires 40 Elite Nights at IHG properties. And there is absolutely no other way to earn those 40 nights except by sleeping in IHG rooms. Is that correct?
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Diamond Ambassador at IHG, Globalist at Hyatt, and Platinum at Marriott but through the AMEX Brilliant but will hit Titanium soon.
I started staying at Marriott's starting last year, the biggest difference is how many hotels Marriott has in any particular city. It was really confusing at first on which property I should stay. IHG and Hyatt are much more straightforward on what to expect from each brand. The only reason, I find Marriott hard to stay in, is because of price. I guess people pay to stay at Marriott's. The prices are many times much higher for the same level property in many places. Once in awhile, you'll find a decent deal and that's why I'm about to hit Titanium since I found a few good deals but for the most part, compared to IHG, prices are much higher. |
When I stay in NYC I often find IHG has the best values. I can stay at a HIX in midtown for about 30k points (sometimes more sometimes less), and it varies time to time. Sometimes I am at the one on 29th sometimes 39th. Highest I think I have paid was 41k points, and cash prices are almost over $400 before taxes.
No other chain gives such great value |
Originally Posted by Schnit
(Post 36190173)
When I stay in NYC I often find IHG has the best values. I can stay at a HIX in midtown for about 30k points (sometimes more sometimes less), and it varies time to time. Sometimes I am at the one on 29th sometimes 39th. Highest I think I have paid was 41k points, and cash prices are almost over $400 before taxes.
No other chain gives such great value -cheapest IHG: Candlewood Suites Times Square, 61k, $324 base rate in cash (and $17.31 amenity fee, LOL) Marriott has many properties beating this in absolute points, and if I am willing to go down by Wall Street, I am seeing 40-45k properties like the AC Hotel Downtown (44k). That AC hotel's cash rate is $519 before taxes. Conversely I see a HIX (Manhattan Midtown West) where it's $314 cash (before taxes and 68k points. So it seems to me it might really be YMMV? |
Originally Posted by eponymous_coward
(Post 36190585)
I've picked up the AC hotel Downtown NYC for cheap points at 1+ cpp. Just looking at some NYC travel I am doing later this year over actual dates, cheapest in Manhattan:
-cheapest IHG: Candlewood Suites Times Square, 61k Marriott has many properties beating this in absolute points, and if I am willing to go down by Wall Street, I am seeing 40-45k properties like the AC Hotel Downtown (44k). That AC hotel's cash rate is $519 before taxes. Conversely I see a HIX (Manhattan Midtown West) where it's $314 cash (before taxes and 68k points. So it seems to me it might really be YMMV? Typically I stay during the week, not sure if that makes a difference. I work in midtown, so when I go to something at MSG its just easier to crash in the city rather than coming home only to commute back first thing in the morning. On second thought, I just searched a ton of dates for the next few months and almost all of them are over 60k for points, and even found 1 day were it is over 100k. I guess IHG finally caught on to my great deals I was getting. I miss the days of the pandemic when i could stay in NYC for nothing. Stayed at the FI in midtown for as low as $89 with taxes, when points value for the night was 70k. |
Originally Posted by Schnit
(Post 36190621)
On second thought, I just searched a ton of dates for the next few months and almost all of them are over 60k for points, and even found 1 day were it is over 100k. I guess IHG finally caught on to my great deals I was getting.
As for those aspirational redemptions, those aren't much harder with IHG than with Marriott at all. You can sometimes also score great deals on Six Senses, Regents, ICs, and so on. Personally, I have zero interest in staying at the W Maledives or such, but even if that's your thing, there are reasons to look beyond Marriott and consider Hyatt (and IHG). IHG points pricing has gotten more dynamic just like Marriott's. Honestly, for earn-and-burn, Hyatt is your best bet--IF they have coverage at where you want to be. For me personally, Hilton is the worst of the big chains when it comes to earn-and-burn. But IHG - Marriott - Hyatt, those are def on my radar whenever I am considering to use points. |
Originally Posted by eponymous_coward
(Post 36188756)
I can say quite candidly that I've found redemptions this year where Marriott smokes IHG on a points stay (stays in London higher end, Phoenix low end) as well as IHG smoking Marriott (SF low end OR high end, Singapore high end), as ones where the points value is pretty close in overall value (Seoul mid-to-upper market). It really is YMM and depends on the local market conditions as far as I can tell. Makes me happy that I have options in IHG/Hyatt/Hilton/Marriott.
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Originally Posted by Happy
(Post 36192220)
Indeed! Last year we needed an overnight at BOS for our BOS-HKG, HKG-BOS CX flights both going (departure around 1am) and coming (arrival after 10:30pm). The obvious option(s) are Hilton BOS directly connected to the airport or a Hyatt Regency a shuttle ride away. Even the blogger of View from the Wing reported receiving awful treatment at this Hyatt Regency which also is a lot less convenient to Hilton. Hilton BOS cash rates had never been below $595 + 28%! tax... Point redemption for most room types were a flat 70K. I was glad I just have a bit more than 140K Hilton points in the account that was not used the past several years. A chance to use them and saved me $1523 cold hard cash, for a totally meh but absolutely needed hotel stay on both end of that trip. No "aspirational" but extremely practical. Worked in my book.
That being said I would think that if OP is really finding great value in HIX stays IHG seems like a great program... though you don't really need status to maximize HIX or properties in those limited service property ranges, everyone gets the same mediocre breakfast :D and the real value is clean bed and a shower, if it's new construction or well maintained so much the better, all that and a great location for your travel plans really fits the bill. (It's why I am pretty "meh" about Hyatt status because when it comes to Hyatt status, it's Globalist or who cares, I can't really hit Globalist without a ton of MS or mattress runs, but I find plenty of usage and value for Hyatt stays and points.) Usually my "aspirational" properties are city hotels, not the Maldives/Tahiti kind of uber luxurious "here's your boat ride/small plane ride to get to the place", or all inclusive resorts. I find all the chains can fit the bill for those, or even the right boutique hotel/local option that's just not part of the chains (you'll find next to zero American chain hotels on the Left Bank in Paris, but plenty of local options). |
Originally Posted by Happy
(Post 36192220)
Hilton BOS cash rates had never been below $595 + 28%! tax... Point redemption for most room types were a flat 70K.
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