Thanks Phil. Was just looking at buying some IHG points on their latest sale but was shocked when I saw how much a UK Indigo was, nominal difference between the cash price and that’s with the points sale! When the Ambassador card was only 20,000 it was a great value perk, we got a double upgrade, late checkout etc. They doubled it to 40,000 to get it the following year. 😢.
Thanks for your comment, I agree on the points, I used to find great value all over but it seems to be more like purchasing a hotel voucher with no guarantee of availability now.
A very timely video as I've been thinking about whether to switch to a different hotel loyalty scheme. I've been with Hilton HHonors which was good but as you point out Hilton don't have many/any low cost hotels. Can't say I'm impressed with IHG based on this. Unlike airlines (OneWorld for me) I'm wondering whether I really need a loyalty scheme - maybe just searching best value hotels is the best method! Cheers for the video - a well earned cup of tea.
Thanks for your comment and your support, it's much appreciated. I used to get my perks through work and I've continued since I've started doing this, but I feel that I get great value from my OneWorld status, like you, I'm not convinced that I get great value from this hotel scheme.
IHG gets a lot of hype nowadays, even more so than Bonvoy. Me, I'm a price sorter so I'd stay at a hostel if need be. That said, I do book via Rocketmiles so I get redeemable airline miles with every stay (which may translate to free hotel stays, anyway). Sometimes I may just sleep at the airport. POOOKE!!!
Thanks for your comment Red, I've got a pod hostel stay coming up that doesn't have an en suite bathroom but it is a private room. I might brave the shared pod dorms one day but I have been told I snore 😊
The best IHG program is the Ambassador card , guaranteed up grade to the next available room type , 4pm check out, I have booked a lot of club rooms and been upgraded to suites costing twice the price. The card costs $200 but the rewards run into thousands if you are regular traveler
I haven't ever looked to closely at the Ambassador program, I don't find myself paying to stay at an InterContinental too much, typical room price is £200 to £400 per night for a basic room in the UK. I can get a lot of HI Express for that ☹
Thanks Jimmy, I find myself in a lot of holiday inn express hotels as they tend to compete with the other hotels I see on TripAdvisor and the booking sites and I always know what I'm getting.
It is based on calendar years and your qualifying nights reset each year, so on January 1st your nights will reset to zero. So yes, to get Diamond status, if you have zero nights right now, you would have to get all 70 nights in during this year.
I have no status and rarely stay in the group's hotel; however, I do seem to remember getting a late checkout just from being a member, as well as a decent rate compared with the comparison sites. So I'd says it's worth signing up just for the flexibility of the late checkout. If you think you might stay in the groups hotels at some point
Thank you for your comment Andy. It is often worth signing up for various loyalty schemes regardless of status. A friend once was moved to the upper deck of an A380 with Qatar just for being a privilege member with no status or Qpoints.
I constantly shop around between ibis, travel lodge and premier inn to find the cheapest and use agoda which is usually cheaper than direct, and via British airways e store for bonus avios
I've just gone to book some rooms on Booking.com via the BA portal and the price was higher that regular booking.com. I need to do some more research on this but I am concerned. Travel lodge didn't used to have air conditioning and this is something I do value in a hotel stay. They may have refreshed since I last stayed with them.
@mygreygapyear Agree Agoda is also the same the ba portal can be more expensive, so then sometimes it's cheaper to book direct via ba portal with accor/ihg etc
Thanks for your comment, I've found London hotels to be poor at giving an early check in, I had the same issue at the Tower Bridge Indigo, it was a boozy weekend so we went to the pub, but still.
I am diamond Ambassador, been upgraded 47/48 nights this year. I think early check in is harder to get now since they started offering late check out to all their members, however I always get 1-2PM check out at most brands. 4pm check out at intercontinental and Kimpton. Have also found Crowne Plazas and Hotel indigo offer generous upgrades in Europe. Normal at least a premium room and sometimes a junior suite,
I used the ambassador scheme instead and got one free night in Singapore plus complimentary drinks-4 Proseccos in their expensive bar plus a nice upgrade-it was worth the £130 I reckon
IHG are a terrible hotel group and I have moved to Hilton Honours. However if in the past you hit the top IHG rewards which was Spire Elite I believe. Once you have Elite status you never lose your points.
I have been thinking about status with either Hilton or Marriott, but I need to investigate the schemes. And, yes, while you have elite status with IHG your points don't expire.
I think these hotel loyalty schemes are fine if your employer is paying for the rooms, but otherwise, it's too restrictive/not worth it for the self paying traveller.
Yeah, that's a valid point and I pushed my spend through IHG specifically when I was putting the cost through the business. I do still put a number of nights through IHG now though, but not very often in the UK, I have premier Inn as an option.
The credit card did used to be a good way of getting IHG points but it is no more. You can buy them and they have 100% bonuses to look out for, they are charged in USD so the exchange rate can make then reasonable value. Apart from that you have to stay there or use their dining program.
@@mygreygapyear my credit agency states I still have the card open with them which is keeping me with status every year with Ihg. Every cloud has a silver lining as they say 👍
You also can pay around £250 each year for IC Ambassador which guarantees Platinum status - I used to use it to roll over my Diamond status annually but sadly they closed that loophole a few years ago!
Thank you everyone for your comments and replies. I don't stay in InterContinental's that often but I do need to look into it if only for foreign IC stays 😊
@@mygreygapyear I don't either myself anymore since I don't attain Diamond but thought I'd mention it as some may find it helpful even just for the IHG Platinum Status & the 2-4-1 vouchers you get, if you consider how much realistic spend you'd need to hit Platinum normally (not that you get amazing benefits here with Platinum...) $200 is good value for someone who isn't going to hit Diamond.
Thank you for your interesting comment, I think that Rolfson Land is an apt response to a video about the IHG One Rewards scheme, but I would be interested in your views on whether you think that the IHG One Rewards scheme is worth it?
This channel has run its course.... want to see plane trips not stuff about hotel you can read on the website.... was fun whilst it lasted.......unsubbed
Thank you for your feedback Rick, I really want the channel to be about more than just flights reviews, so I'm sorry to see you go but I wish you all the best for the future.
@@mygreygapyear get back in the air and stop the pay-for nonsense and it might work out..... it's expensive though...not sure how these other guys do it.... good luck man
You're a man who likes a spreadsheet & they are pretty useful. Good information, thank you.
I love a good spreadsheet, I have realised that I didn't show it in this video though?
Thanks Phil. Was just looking at buying some IHG points on their latest sale but was shocked when I saw how much a UK Indigo was, nominal difference between the cash price and that’s with the points sale! When the Ambassador card was only 20,000 it was a great value perk, we got a double upgrade, late checkout etc. They doubled it to 40,000 to get it the following year. 😢.
Thanks for your comment, I agree on the points, I used to find great value all over but it seems to be more like purchasing a hotel voucher with no guarantee of availability now.
I used to prioritise Radisson but their devaluation hit me hard!! Always remember it's their scheme .... Informative vlog thanks Phil.
Thanks Richard, yes their scheme and we can use our feet to vote for the scheme we're going to use 😊
Thanks for this I'm a new member of IHG you explained pefectly about the points. I usually use the Holiday Inn express on my travels
Thank you for you comment and your support, I'm glad you found the video helpful 😊
A very timely video as I've been thinking about whether to switch to a different hotel loyalty scheme. I've been with Hilton HHonors which was good but as you point out Hilton don't have many/any low cost hotels. Can't say I'm impressed with IHG based on this. Unlike airlines (OneWorld for me) I'm wondering whether I really need a loyalty scheme - maybe just searching best value hotels is the best method! Cheers for the video - a well earned cup of tea.
Thanks for your comment and your support, it's much appreciated. I used to get my perks through work and I've continued since I've started doing this, but I feel that I get great value from my OneWorld status, like you, I'm not convinced that I get great value from this hotel scheme.
IHG gets a lot of hype nowadays, even more so than Bonvoy. Me, I'm a price sorter so I'd stay at a hostel if need be. That said, I do book via Rocketmiles so I get redeemable airline miles with every stay (which may translate to free hotel stays, anyway). Sometimes I may just sleep at the airport. POOOKE!!!
Thanks for your comment Red, I've got a pod hostel stay coming up that doesn't have an en suite bathroom but it is a private room. I might brave the shared pod dorms one day but I have been told I snore 😊
The best IHG program is the Ambassador card , guaranteed up grade to the next available room type , 4pm check out, I have booked a lot of club rooms and been upgraded to suites costing twice the price. The card costs $200 but the rewards run into thousands if you are regular traveler
I haven't ever looked to closely at the Ambassador program, I don't find myself paying to stay at an InterContinental too much, typical room price is £200 to £400 per night for a basic room in the UK. I can get a lot of HI Express for that ☹
Well done - another useful Video
Thank you, I'm glad you found it useful
IHG is not for me 🤣🤣🤣 Thanks for the info + video!
Thanks Jimmy, I find myself in a lot of holiday inn express hotels as they tend to compete with the other hotels I see on TripAdvisor and the booking sites and I always know what I'm getting.
if I started being a member this year, do I have to stay 70 qualifying nights by the end of this year or by the end of next year to get diamond elite?
It is based on calendar years and your qualifying nights reset each year, so on January 1st your nights will reset to zero.
So yes, to get Diamond status, if you have zero nights right now, you would have to get all 70 nights in during this year.
I have no status and rarely stay in the group's hotel; however, I do seem to remember getting a late checkout just from being a member, as well as a decent rate compared with the comparison sites. So I'd says it's worth signing up just for the flexibility of the late checkout. If you think you might stay in the groups hotels at some point
Thank you for your comment Andy.
It is often worth signing up for various loyalty schemes regardless of status. A friend once was moved to the upper deck of an A380 with Qatar just for being a privilege member with no status or Qpoints.
I constantly shop around between ibis, travel lodge and premier inn to find the cheapest and use agoda which is usually cheaper than direct, and via British airways e store for bonus avios
I've just gone to book some rooms on Booking.com via the BA portal and the price was higher that regular booking.com. I need to do some more research on this but I am concerned.
Travel lodge didn't used to have air conditioning and this is something I do value in a hotel stay. They may have refreshed since I last stayed with them.
@mygreygapyear Agree Agoda is also the same the ba portal can be more expensive, so then sometimes it's cheaper to book direct via ba portal with accor/ihg etc
Thank You ✈️
You're very welcome 😊
Have checked in today at Kensington no early check in,no upgraded room no acknowledgement of status.
I am platinum.
Not sure if it's worth it anymore
Thanks for your comment, I've found London hotels to be poor at giving an early check in, I had the same issue at the Tower Bridge Indigo, it was a boozy weekend so we went to the pub, but still.
I am diamond Ambassador, been upgraded 47/48 nights this year. I think early check in is harder to get now since they started offering late check out to all their members, however I always get 1-2PM check out at most brands. 4pm check out at intercontinental and Kimpton. Have also found Crowne Plazas and Hotel indigo offer generous upgrades in Europe. Normal at least a premium room and sometimes a junior suite,
@@bladeds100 Thanks for sharing your experiences, much appreciated.
I used the ambassador scheme instead and got one free night in Singapore plus complimentary drinks-4 Proseccos in their expensive bar plus a nice upgrade-it was worth the £130 I reckon
I really do need to look into the Ambassador scheme and see if it's going to work for me. Lots of people on here really rate it.
IHG are a terrible hotel group and I have moved to Hilton Honours. However if in the past you hit the top IHG rewards which was Spire Elite I believe. Once you have Elite status you never lose your points.
I have been thinking about status with either Hilton or Marriott, but I need to investigate the schemes. And, yes, while you have elite status with IHG your points don't expire.
I think these hotel loyalty schemes are fine if your employer is paying for the rooms, but otherwise, it's too restrictive/not worth it for the self paying traveller.
Yeah, that's a valid point and I pushed my spend through IHG specifically when I was putting the cost through the business. I do still put a number of nights through IHG now though, but not very often in the UK, I have premier Inn as an option.
Are there any good ways to earn Ihg points in the U.K. without staying at an Ihg property?
The credit card did used to be a good way of getting IHG points but it is no more. You can buy them and they have 100% bonuses to look out for, they are charged in USD so the exchange rate can make then reasonable value. Apart from that you have to stay there or use their dining program.
@@mygreygapyear yes, I used to have the creation Ihg card but they banned me and lots of others for using it connected to curve 😱
The UK Creation Card has been phased out for everyone, some time ago now, I used to have that too.
@@mygreygapyear my credit agency states I still have the card open with them which is keeping me with status every year with Ihg. Every cloud has a silver lining as they say 👍
@@Firehotbeats803 genius 😂
You also can pay around £250 each year for IC Ambassador which guarantees Platinum status - I used to use it to roll over my Diamond status annually but sadly they closed that loophole a few years ago!
It's $200, but it's increasing in October
@@js6120 Yes $200 - I held it for 5 years until they closed the IT loophole
Thank you everyone for your comments and replies. I don't stay in InterContinental's that often but I do need to look into it if only for foreign IC stays 😊
@@mygreygapyear I don't either myself anymore since I don't attain Diamond but thought I'd mention it as some may find it helpful even just for the IHG Platinum Status & the 2-4-1 vouchers you get, if you consider how much realistic spend you'd need to hit Platinum normally (not that you get amazing benefits here with Platinum...) $200 is good value for someone who isn't going to hit Diamond.
Abbey Walks
This is getting weird
Rogahn Creek
Dead Lions (I assume we're quoting Mick Herron Book Titles)
Wisoky Radial
Still playing Googlewhack?
Kitty Corner
Rolfson Land
Thank you for your interesting comment, I think that Rolfson Land is an apt response to a video about the IHG One Rewards scheme, but I would be interested in your views on whether you think that the IHG One Rewards scheme is worth it?
This channel has run its course.... want to see plane trips not stuff about hotel you can read on the website.... was fun whilst it lasted.......unsubbed
Bye bye. 👋
Don't let the door hit you on the way out. 🚪🏃♂️💥⬅️
@@Locutus good luck learning how to book hotels lol
Thank you for your feedback Rick, I really want the channel to be about more than just flights reviews, so I'm sorry to see you go but I wish you all the best for the future.
@@mygreygapyear get back in the air and stop the pay-for nonsense and it might work out..... it's expensive though...not sure how these other guys do it.... good luck man
@@rickreid8572 I'm about to embark on 21 flights in 21 days ending with the Game Changer on Emirates, you're very welcome to stick around 😊
5625 Jast Club
Sorry, you've lost me, but thank you for your comment