The free night posts the same time as the stay points, therefore I don't think your scenario would work.

10-4. I thought this was a stretch. Thanks.

Are there promotions for January at another chain we could be pursuing until this megabonus starts?

Welcome to FlyerTalk, rjtpoints!

See this thread for info about the LNF program, which allows you to match the rate you found on an OTA and get 25% off of that and yet still qualify for all points, nights, and promos:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...rsion-brg.html

Sure, every chain times its promotions differently. But only you can determine which chain(s) you want to consider. If the best promo in January is at a chain you either can't stay at (because it's not available where you need to stay or because it's too expensive where you need to stay) or won't stay at (because you don't like it), what does it matter that it has best promo in January? Also, what's a good promo for someone who needs 10 stays (each one night) in January might be quite different than what's a good promo for someone who only needs 2 or 3 nights in all of January.

IGH has the targeted Big Win, but I'm not sure if that's worth pursuing if you weren't already a member of IHG. (And if you were, you'd presumably know about it already.)

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inter...ng-2014-a.html

If you want hotels on very few points in Tokyo (8000) or Scandinavia (16000) or often shoulder season in Europe (8000), you should look in to Choice Hotels and this promo, but be aware that Choice hotels has mostly budget properties (ie, the equivalent of Fairfield Inn or even lower tiers than that):

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/choic...-50-000-a.html

AFAIK, Hilton HHonors hasn't announced its Q1 2014 promo yet; they'll probably announce it in a few days.

Apologies if this has been covered before.

For the sake of this promotion is it the checkin or check-out date that matters?

I could not see it specified in the T&Cs, only this: I will have a stay checking in on 30 April and would like to know whether it should count for this promotion; or what has been the case previously.

Thanks!

Always check-in date. So, your night will count for the promo.

But only your first night will count, if you are doing a night based promo.

Thanks guys! ^

I love Flyertalk. I finally called and "just like that" I was enrolled. 2 stays=1 free cat 1-5 cert. Badda bing badda boom. Thanks ya'll for the heads up.

Uhm... I'm a plat with over 180 nights last year and over 50 nights already booked for the first quarter this year... No promotions for me.

Anyone else in the same situation?

Did you read the thread at all? Many, many people of all elite levels do not have the bonus show up automatically. If you call they will enroll you. Noone is ever denied the bonus.

called and they said i will be registered 2 stays for cat 5.
After waiting 2 days for website updating, I got 2 stays for cat 4...
%@$#
Anyway, better than nothing..
so just call or email to contact them.

Ditto. Called back and changed to a 1-5.

Hm, had to call to sign up and they only put me in the 1-4 bucket, told no option to go to cat 1-5. Guessing the old rule of hang up and call back would be good.