Via Priority Club Insider, the very first set of last minute reward nights are out.
That’s the new feature of the program, last minute award bookings for the coming weekend at a discounted points price.
It’s only hotels in the US which are included at this point, and the current list which includes Intercontinental properties at O’Hare and in Dallas is for bookings the nights of the 6th, 7th, and 8th.
It’s a throwback to the days of last minute e-savers which the airlines used to send out mid-week for upcoming weekend travel. To me, it’s of pretty limited use, a discounted redemption isn’t likely to get me on a plane and into a room that I hadn’t otherwise wanted unless it’s a monster discount at an amazing property and probably for an upgraded room category. Fat chance, huh?
But 127 properties isn’t a bad start, though if this spells the death knell of PointBreaks it’ll be a big disappointment — first because PointBreaks were bigger discounts (all participating hotels were 5000 points, here the Intercontinental properties are half off at 15,000) and second because there was a longer booking window than just the weekend ahead. A real program devaluation if, as expected, it’s trading PointBreaks for Last Minute Reward Nights. And PointBreaks were once the bone we were thrown for changes to the Priority Club reward chart, to soften the blow…
Agree with all of your comments Gary – so I hope it is not a replacement for Point Breaks. Also, it is hard to go through all 127 properties. Wish there was a way to sort them.
Hopefully they realise if they do devalue the program, PC will bleed to the other hotel groups. I don’t think much of the last minute concept either but certainly not a negative as long as it is an augmented offer not a replacement. They have to be aware of how important members value the Points Break offer, the fact that there has been so much discussion and debate since the quality and number of properties have declined. Their marketing works, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
Why do we need a picture of the hotel? I prefer a sorted list by location!!
@Nicholas – Yes, you can sort them by clicking the United States on the left bar then sort by state.
The fine print says it only valid on the first weekend of the month. So a discount that’s only valid for 3 out of 30 days each month. I prefer the point breaks myself.
http://www.priorityclub.com/hotels/us/en/global/2/offers/lastminute?cm_mmc=IMMerch-_-PC_GL_en-_-LMRN-_-vanity_lastminute#ContentOnly
“Enjoy a getaway during the first full weekend of every month for 50% less points.”
I have a feeling this will go away quickly. Very few will find this useful.
Only 14 hotels in US at 5k. They go up from there.