Via Lionheart IHG Rewards Club has a page up showing hotels that will be changing reward prices effective January 14.
Note that IHG has not communicated this to members, so they aren’t even giving us the 8 days notice, members have discovered this on our own. If there are any hotels going up in price you want to book, get on it since if you book future stays prior to January 14th you can do so at the lower pricing. What’s more, consider making speculative bookings, since most redemptions are cancellable.
- Of approximately 5500 hotels 696 are changing award pricing
- 570 (82%) are getting more expensive
- About 2/3rds of the increases are at US hotels
- The average redemption price is going up 13%
In most cases you’ll find hotels that are getting more expensive going up by 5000 points. However some, like the Intercontinental Dusseldorf, go up 10,000 (50,000 to 60,000 per night).
For those who like to redeem in China there are some nice 5000 drops like the Intercontinentals in Tangshan, Shanghai Expo, Heilong Lake, Llasa, and One Thousand Island Lake Resort. If you’re foolhardy enough to go to Venezuela, the Intercontinental in Caracas drops from 30,000 to 25,000 points per night. And the Intercontinental in Hanoi drops from 35,000 to 30,000 points per night — perfect if you need a night in the city before flying out on one of the Cathay Pacific fares.
Intercontinental Hanoi, credit: IHG
A number of Kimpton hotels are dropping in price. Bear in mind that IHG has struggled with the Kimpton brand since killing off Kimpton Karma Rewards and folding members into IHG Rewards Club.
- Kimpton Goodland (Goleta, California) 50,000 points drops to 45,000
- Kimpton Sawyer (Sacramento) 50,000 points drops to 45,000
- Kimpton Angler’s (Miami) 60,000 points drops to 55,000
- Kimpton Vero Beach (Vero Beach, Florida) 65,000 points drops to 60,000
- Kimpton Monaco Baltimore (Baltimore) 40,000 points drops to 35,000
- Kimpton Tryon Park (Charlotte) 50,000 points drops to 45,000
- Kimpton Lorien (Alexandria, Virginia) 50,000 points drops to 45,000
- Kimpton Taconic (Manchester, Vermont) 50,000 points drops to 45,000
Last year IHG introduced new more expensive 70,000 point redemptions and price increases outnumbered decreases 2.5 to 1 (again with most increases centered in the U.S.). It was the same story the year before too with 3-to-1 increases to decreases, also focused on the U.S.
IHG Rewards Club needs to maintain an attractive earn and burn program because that’s really what it has going for it. Elite benefits are mostly non-existent, and there’s no ability to spend additional points when redeeming for a better than base room. It’s all about a strong rebate proposition, something this mitigates against somewhat.
(HT: One Mile at a Time)
IHG has made the Chase annual award card useless when they went to the 40,000 point requirement and now they raise the requirements even more limiting award nights. Thus the Chase card is now USELESS . When award nights are NOT the same among lines it just shows that there is NOT STANDARDS in the IHG group. Not all hotels in a brand offer a pool , smartphone, or real workoutroom.
When award nights are issued for a room in hotel they are for the worse room in the hotel usually (views are the pits, rooms are small, no refrigs, no benefits. ) etc etc.
I’d disagree, though haven’t done.a 40K redemption yet. Using the free night at many hotels over the last 6 years, I’ve generally gotten an average room, and occasional upgrades (don’t have any status other than the card)
The intercon in Bangkok is a particularly good redemption- I’ve gotten a free buffet twice and club access once. At the Intercon. Danang, a free bottle of wine, etc.
Yes, limiting the redemption to 40K hotels is disappointing, but kind of expected, given what other hotel rewards cards give you
Try and find a 40K hotel in NYC or any IC hotel for 40K. IHG has basically eliminated the award choices for IC and for just about any major City like NY Boston, Miami etc.
I have used points at a Crown plaza hotels and then paid for nights a week later. points night were a total disappointment. (This was at the Auckland Crown) This repeated at the IC San Francisco.