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is ihg hilton honors?

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Answer # 1 #

IHG recently revamped its loyalty program, and replaced its former top tier Platinum Spire status into Diamond. How will IHG’s top-tier Diamond status compete against other hotel loyalty programs’ top-tier status? I’ll be comparing it with Hilton Diamond as of this post.

Hilton Honors Diamond remains as one of the easiest top-tier hotel status you can get by just opening the American Express Hilton Honors Aspire Card. Without it, you’d need to stay 60 nights or 30 stays.

On the opposite hand, you’ll need to stay 70 nights in a single calendar year to reach IHG One Rewards Diamond. The highest status an IHG co-branded credit card will grant is Platinum. There are no elite night bonuses either, so you’ll really have to work much harder for it. Alternatively, you can spend $40,000 on an IHG card like the IHG Rewards Premier/Premier Business in a single calendar year to get Diamond status. It’s still a lot of work compared to Hilton Diamond.

Verdict: Hilton Honors Diamond is way easier to get compared to IHG One Rewards Diamond.

When it comes to hotel status benefits, the most valuable benefits include higher points earning rate, free breakfast, potential suite upgrades, and late checkout. Hilton Honors Diamond and IHG One Rewards Diamond can get you them!

Both Diamond status provides double or 100% extra Hilton/IHG points after the base of 10 points earned per dollar spent before taxes and fees. I value Hilton Honors points at ~0.4 cents per point and IHG One Rewards points at ~0.6 cents per point. Thus, IHG wins in most cases. They’re also tend to be similar in redeeming points for their aspirational property redemption with a cap of ~120k points/night, with the exception of very few at 150k points/night for Hilton Honors. From there, it’d heavily depend on your preferences, where and when you travel, and which program you have the most amount of points with.

Verdict: IHG wins in points earning category as each point tends to be more valuable than Hilton’s.

Both Hilton Honors and IHG One Rewards Diamond will give you free breakfast as a welcome gift option.

However, free breakfast is not included for US domestic hotels with Hilton Honors Diamond, and it’s replaced by a daily food & beverage credit for up to 2 guests. But, international Hilton outside of US still get you free breakfast. The F&B credit is more flexible as you can use them outside of breakfast time, but food items in luxury brands, like Waldorf Astoria and Conrad, may cost more than what the credits allow per day, so you’ll have to pay the difference. The credit forces you to use it or lose it inside the property, which may or may not work best for you depending on your preference.

For IHG Diamond, you’ll receive free breakfast as a welcome choice regardless of where you are.

Verdict: IHG wins the free breakfast category as Hilton F&B credit may not even cover the whole cost of breakfast.

For Hilton, executive lounge access is granted for its Diamond members regardless of which room type they book. Hilton brands that typically have lounge access are:

For IHG, executive lounge access isn’t included on the status itself, but as a reward option on IHG Milestones. To get lounge access with IHG, you’d need to stay at least 40 nights in a single calendar year and choose Annual Lounge Membership as one of your Milestone Bonuses.

The problem with IHG’s lounge access overall is the limited amount of it. The sole brand that consistently have lounge access is the InterContinental. There are select Crowne Plaza and even Holiday Inn with executive lounges, but they’re still very limited and not to be expected. The rest of IHG brands like Hotel Indigo, Voco, and Kimpton are upscale boutique brands that typically don’t have executive lounges.

Verdict: Hilton Honors Diamond wins in the executive lounge access as there are more brands that include it without the upkeep of having to stay certain amount of nights in a single calendar year.

Both Diamond status would entitle you to upgrades up to 1-bedroom suite level, subject to availability. As suites are limited compared to base-type rooms, they’re more challenging to get even with high status.

Hilton recently implemented their “Global Automated Upgrades” to automatically upgrade Hilton members 72-hours in advance prior to check-in. Individual hotels can opt out of this program however. The upgrade priorities are in the following order:

IHG has an InterContinental Ambassador Program, where you’d get a guaranteed 1-category room upgrade at InterContinental properties, and Six Senses (subject to availability). The program may help with getting further upgrades, as you’d be a Diamond Ambassador instead of just Diamond. Also, IHG does have confirmable suite upgrade certificates that can also be used as an alternative way to get suite upgrades whereas Hilton does not provide those. Nonetheless, I recommend contacting the hotel ahead of time, and inquire about an upgrade nicely!

Verdict: IHG has the more comprehensive room upgrade policy with more tools to confirm suite upgrades.

Hilton Honors does not provide an established late checkout benefit, even to its top-tier Diamond status. However, you can try asking for late checkout, and the decision will be up to the individual hotel.

IHG Diamond will get you a 2pm checkout that’s subject to availability. However, even an IHG member with no status can receive this benefit. Although, I’d assume that someone with Diamond status will be prioritized than those with lower status.

2pm checkout isn’t as disruptive as 4pm checkout as many hotels do start check-in at 3pm, so an IHG Diamond member should be able to receive late checkout most of the time.

IHG late checkout benefit can be enhanced with the Ambassador/Royal Ambassador/Kimpton Inner Circle, which guarantees 4pm late checkout at InterContinental and Kimpton properties respectively. Six Senses is also included for Ambassador, but subject to availability instead of guaranteed.

Verdict: IHG has a clearer late checkout policy compared to Hilton.

Hilton Honors does not provide an established early check-in benefit, even to its top-tier Diamond status. However, you can try asking for early check-in, and the decision will be up to the individual hotel.

IHG Diamond can provide early check-in that’s subject to availability. The time the hotel will let you in will be at their discretion. So theoretically, you could be let in at 3am for example. That could be handy to prevent booking an extra night in case you have to arrive at a hotel during very late hours. But in practice, it remains to be seen. It’s nice though that IHG has stated early check-in benefit, which many other hotel loyalty programs don’t have.

IHG early check-in benefit can be enhanced only as an invite-only Royal Ambassador/Kimpton Inner Circle, which guarantees 10am early check-in at InterContinental and Kimpton properties respectively. Six Senses is also included, but subject to availability instead of guaranteed.

Verdict: IHG has a clearer early check-in policy compared to Hilton.

Even though IHG Diamond has the upper hand compared to Hilton Diamond on paper, I still prefer Hilton Diamond between the two. Hilton Diamond is way easier to get, and the benefits aren’t very far off for the much greater effort you need to put in to reach and maintain IHG Diamond.

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T Mujeeb
DENTAL FLOSS PACKER
Answer # 2 #

Once upon a time, I would have never considered the IHG Rewards Club.  IHG, otherwise known as InterContinental Hotels Group, is the parent company of the Holiday Inn, along with other brands. I know, I know! You immediately think of the reputation that the Holiday Inn had. None of us want to be associated with the 90’s low-budget borderline motel full of a clientele. I was a bit leery at first, but things have changed!

I am a frequent traveler and use a variety of hotel chains, the main two being IHG and Hilton. I am a member of both programs and use them very differently.  So which is a  better loyalty program IHG Vs. Hilton Honors?

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure and privacy policy for more information.

I spent a summer in Sioux Falls on business. The hotel of choice was the Holiday Inn because the Hilton in Sioux Falls was overpriced. I was impressed by my first stay at a Holiday Inn in years!

Holiday Inn has come a long way over the years. Modern, spacious rooms and resort amenities. Lush bedding and premium toiletries. What more can you ask for?  Best of all, affordable. Given that I stayed there almost an entire summer, I signed up for the IHG Rewards Club and scored many points.

Then, once I understood the ease of accumulating and redeeming points, I also signed up for the HG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card. To this day, it’s one of my favorite travel credit cards.

Now comes the cool part! The point redemption of IHG is a lot less than Hilton.  I can stretch my redemptions further using IHG vs Hilton Honors.

For example, 30,000 points for an oceanfront room at Vero Beach vs. Hiltons cost 50,000 to 60,000 for comparable properties. Additionally, the office I work from in Chicago moved out of the loop. The closest hotel is Kimpton, which IHG also owns.  Kimpton properties are divine and will give any luxury chain a run for its money!

You may not have heard of Kimpton, so here are a few photos from one property in Chicago.

A die-hard Hilton fan, and while I

I use Hilton occasionally, but they are no longer my first choice.  My issues with Hilton are:

I still think Hilton’s only remaining unbeatable benefit is the 5th-night free opinion when redeeming a point stay. This can be lucrative if you use it at higher-end properties.

Combining the IHG credit card and being a member of the IHG Club became a game changer for me. The IHG credit card is not the one you hear everyone talking about. I think it gets overlooked because of the Holiday Inn’s reputation. And because people don’t know which brands are part of the family.

Look at all the choices that the IHG brings us! Check some of these out. As with all brands, they range from budget to luxury; there is something here for everyone.

Chase offers two IHG cards: IHG® Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card and IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card.

Both are fantastic cards, but in my opinion, the IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card is worth the $89 annual fee for two key reasons:

If you try to earn the Platinum elite, you must stay 40 nights or earn 40,000 base rewards each calendar year – not an easy task for most. And it’s worth having.

From personal experience, I can tell you that I have received a room upgrade from over a hundred stays every single time except for once. The room upgrades are game-changers. You go from the cheapest available room to the lushest of suites available. I’ve had two-bedroom suites that were bigger than some houses, over 1,000 square feet!

If you are considering a credit card, this should be on your list!  I earn tons of points that equal free stays, and I get Platinum status just for having the card. Here are the highlights:

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Maryke Drew
Forensic Nursing
Answer # 3 #

This is similar to Hilton Honors but in contrast to Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt.

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jenkh Sabir
CUTTER WET MACHINE
Answer # 4 #

The British-headquartered company is the mastermind behind some of the most profitable hotel brands in the world, including Holiday Inn, Candlewood Suites, and Crowne Plaza. IHG also has numerous luxury brands such as InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, which make up a majority of our best ways to redeem IHG One Rewards points.

In this guide, we’ll be taking a look at IHG’s 17 brands, touching on the subtle flairs that each brand has.

Let’s get started!

IHG has a gigantic portfolio of nearly 6,000 properties, which makes it fall just short of Hilton in terms of the number of properties. The brands are generally lumped into 1 of 4 categories: Suites, Essentials, Premium, and Luxury.

In all, there are 17 brands, and they range from more budget accommodations such as Candlewood Suites to opulent resort spots like Six Senses.

Lastly, IHG has also partnered with Mr and Mrs Smith, a boutique travel agency boasting partnerships with over 400 hotels globally. Mr and Mrs Smith properties aren’t owned by the travel agency — instead, they are a curated selection of the world’s best hotels in places like Croatia, Sri Lanka, Iceland, Morocco, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, and more. Mr and Mrs Smith properties aren’t within the IHG brand, but instead, you can earn and redeem IHG One Rewards points for stays at select properties.

Chase is the exclusive bank and credit card issuer for IHG. Chase offers 2 personal and 1 business credit card that earn IHG One Rewards points.

With the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card, you can earn up to 26 points per dollar spent at IHG Hotels & Resorts worldwide. That’s an amazing multiplier, and it’s a surefire way to bank up a ton of points fast. Plus, you’ll receive an annual reward hotel night for a room of up to 40,000 points just by holding this card!

The perks don’t stop there because you’ll receive automatic Platinum Elite status when you have either of those cards and Silver Elite status when you have the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card.

The biggest incremental benefit with Platinum Elite status is the ability to get room upgrades (suites and specialty rooms are excluded) along with 60% bonus points on stays. Gold Elite members get 40% bonus points and the benefit of points not expiring.

However, at many properties, you may get an unpublished benefit of a free breakfast certificate for yourself and 1 other guest as the welcome amenity. It varies from hotel to hotel, however.

Hot Tip: Check out our guide comparing the different IHG-branded credit cards to figure out which one might fit into your wallet.

IHG One Rewards is the proprietary name of IHG’s loyalty program. Importantly, IHG’s award pricing structure is now 100% dynamic, which means that the reward night prices will fluctuate depending on tons of factors, including the cash price of the hotel, the seasonality of the location, etc.

For the most part, these changes have been beneficial, offering up award nights that were cheaper than in the past. This is similar to Hilton Honors but in contrast to Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt.

Unfortunately, there’s no good way to predict how much an award night at a particular hotel will now cost, except to search for award availability.

In general, award nights will generally range from around 10,000 points per night up to more than 100,000 points per night at the most lavish, opulent, and expensive properties.

You can also pay partially for a stay with Points & Cash.

IHG’s 17 hotel brands range from budget accommodations to epic lavish retreats. It’s safe to say that IHG offers a brand that will fit almost anyone’s tastes.

IHG’s brand flavors and focuses are definitely worth digging into.

Atwell Suites caters to those seeking upper-midscale, all-suites properties who need accommodations for 4 to 6 nights, which falls between a traditional hotel booking and extended-stay bookings.

One of the priorities of Atwell Suites is to be able to accommodate more guests through convertible spaces and furniture, like a standing desk and lounge area. Each suite also has a kitchenette, which is not quite the fully-equipped kitchen offered by Candlewood Suites and Staybridge Suites.

Free breakfast with hot and cold items is offered, and drinks and small bites are available from the paid bar later in the day.

Atwell Suites certainly seems to be a middle-ground between Holiday Inn and Staybridge Suites, and it’s extremely exciting to see further differentiation across brands.

avid hotels are IHG’s essentials- and value-focused brand promising a great night’s sleep in a clean room with a free, high-quality, grab-and-go breakfast. You’ll enjoy a modern design and friendly service in these refreshing properties.

You can enjoy free, freshly-ground 24-hour bean-to-cup coffee as well. The bright accommodations, premium bedding, and high-tech options make this an excellent choice of accommodation for travelers.

Candlewood Suites focuses on extended-stay, all-suite accommodations for business travelers. Each suite offers a fully-equipped kitchen, an outdoor gazebo grill, and a snack system called the Candlewood Cupboard.

The kitchen includes a full-size fridge, stovetop, microwave, dishwasher, pots, pans, utensils, plates, glasses, plenty of counter space, and more. Additionally, you’ll get a work area with large desk space, plenty of storage, and an ironing board.

You’ll have access to a fully-equipped gym, pet-friendly accommodations, free guest laundry, and the ability to borrow anything from a crockpot to a waffle maker.

Typically located near major urban centers, gateway cities, and even resort destinations, IHG’s premium brand Crowne Plaza is designed for the digitally savvy, flexible, and mobile business traveler.

You’ll always be connected to Wi-Fi and power at Crowne Plaza. Plus, you can enjoy quality sleep with its aromatherapy kits, premium bedding, quiet zones, and guaranteed wake-up calls. Also, you can stay energized and sharp by being able to access gym facilities and clean, freshly-prepared meals at all properties.

Also, hosting and finding meeting/event space is brilliantly straightforward when booking Crowne Plaza properties.

EVEN Hotels is a lifestyle brand focusing on wellness, including best-in-class fitness experiences, healthier food choices, and natural relaxation spaces.

You can bet that the 4 pillars of hotel wellness — fitness facilities, wellness dining options, relaxation spots, and comfortable sleeping environments — are of the highest priority.

Even for business travelers, you’ll enjoy fast and free Wi-Fi and cozy, well-lit workspaces.

Holiday Inn Club Vacations is the IHG-branded timeshare arm. Although they’re not owned or operated by IHG, they are still an IHG brand. There are 28 properties in this brand, all within the U.S.

Most of these properties are focused on resort-style experiences, ranging from beach escapes to mountain retreats, paired with spacious accommodations.

Holiday Inn Express appeals to families as well as traveling business people. Its affordable accommodations are laser-focused on offering exceptional value, whether you’re looking for meeting spaces, group events, or just a comfortable place to stay.

Additionally, all of your stays include a hot, fresh breakfast within the common breakfast area.

The 4 key tenets of Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts are:

Full-on Fun is its offer to make the most of your stay with exciting, on-site activities for kids from group recreation to golf and even live shows.

Unbeatable Value is its commitment to giving you the bells and whistles at no extra charge.

At Your Service is the ease of hosting special events, whether it’s a family reunion, work event, or wedding.

Room For Everyone means that its numerous room options suit traveler groups from families to solo explorers.

Hot Tip: Do you want extra perks during your stay? Check out how you can earn IHG One Rewards elite status.

Hotel Indigo is IHG’s boutique property brand. Every property is different, and the properties all offer engaging service and distinctive local personalities.

Every property has a spa-inspired bathroom, inviting guest rooms, complimentary Wi-Fi, 24-hour business services, a 24-hour fitness center, creative meeting space, and an onsite bar/restaurant focused on local flavors.

HUALUXE is the first (and perhaps only?) upscale international hotel brand specifically for Chinese guests. This makes a ton of sense because IHG is a company that has received massive Chinese investment over the years.

As a result, IHG created a brand catering to luxury Chinese travelers. Talk about commitment! The 4 principles of HUALUXE are Chinese etiquette, status recognition, rejuvenation with nature, and enabling spaces.

In all, this is the perfect place to experience top-notch Chinese hospitality, and all the staff at HUALUXE Hotels and Resorts are specially trained in this.

InterContinental is probably the most well-known hotel brand under the IHG umbrella and is its flagship brand.

The exhilarating luxury brand is best at offering opulent experiences, gastronomic delights, splendid relaxation, and much, much more.

Hot Tip: Along with Kimpton Hotels, InterContinental makes up a majority of our best IHG luxury hotels to book with points for maximum value.

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is IHG’s luxury version of boutique hotels. Similar, but more luxurious than Hotel Indigo, Kimpton Hotels focuses on art, wellness, award-winning dining, and bold, playful designs.

You’ll get unique perks that vary at every hotel, ranging from complimentary coffee/tea in hotel lobbies to hosted wine hours, workout classes, and even pop-up photography installations!

All rooms offer luxurious bedding and complimentary toiletries, such as cell phone chargers, deodorant, coffee makers, lip balm, humidifiers, and even TSA-approved liquid bags!

Hot Tip: Check out the best Kimpton Hotels to book with points for some great values!

Regent Hotels & Resorts is one of IHG’s newest acquisitions. This luxury brand is renowned for its relaxing environments and the heartfelt destination vibes that the properties exude.

Whether it’s indulging in adventures, reveling in lavish accommodations, or just exploring the new style of luxury created by Regent, there’s something to love at all of these properties.

Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas are entirely focused on building the most personalized wellness experience for you. The “Six Senses” referenced are sleep, eat, spa, move, mindfulness, and grow.

There are specially curated experiences with the end goal of improving your 6 senses at each property, whether it’s wellness specialists, cultural events, or private clubs.

This is perhaps the most luxurious hotel brand under the IHG umbrella, which is definitely something to get excited about.

Staybridge Suites is also a well-known all-suites, extended-stay brand with a large, respectable footprint in IHG’s portfolio. There are 314 of these mainstream hotels, which are similar and slightly nicer than Candlewood Suites properties.

Besides the usual room amenities including the fully-equipped kitchen and large, well-lit workspace, you’ll get access to a free social happy hour, a free hot breakfast buffet, a fitness room, complimentary storage lockers, free laundry machines, and helpful staff.

Vignette Collection is a new brand offering one-of-a-kind, independent luxury hotels. Each location is unique and embodies the history and culture of the hotel’s location. While there is currently only 1 location in Australia, there are 6 more properties planned in Thailand, Portugal, and Austria.

Each location will offer a signature ritual, like a candle-lighting ceremony or a walking history tour, complimentary to all guests.

voco, also known as voco Hotels, is a premium brand offering reliable accommodations with a flair of fun. You’ll experience a warm welcome, simple check-in, familiar surroundings, and “a little something on the house, too.”

The rooms are thoughtfully furnished with cozy bedding, luxury amenities, and fast Wi-Fi. You’ll also experience voco life, which can range from a quiet morning coffee to catching up with friends over afternoon tea or kicking off a great evening at all properties.

IHG’s ever-growing portfolio of brands makes it so that you can pretty much satisfy any traveler’s tastes. Many of these brands offer a more boutique feel with the added benefit of the consistency of IHG’s brand and service.

You’ll automatically get mid-tier Platinum Elite status with the IHG Premier card and IHG Premier Business card or entry-level Silver Elite status with the IHG Traveler card.

All in all, IHG is a valuable hotel chain that can be leveraged easily by point lovers. Even though IHG One Rewards uses a dynamic award pricing scheme, the changes so far have mostly been positive.

Happy traveling!

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Laila Talpade
TREATING PLANT SUPERVISOR
Answer # 5 #

IHG has nearly 6,000 properties worldwide. Hilton has 6,200+.

Both chains are almost certainly going to offer one or more hotels anywhere you are likely to travel. They also offer brands across the entire spectrum from midscale to luxury.  Neither IHG nor Hilton are particularly renowned for their luxury options – although IHG’s addition of Six Senses and Mr & Mrs Smith and rapid expansion of Kimpton might eventually fill that gap – but if you’re looking for a reasonably-priced hotel offering free breakfast for the family, both Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express are likely to fit the bill.

Advantage: Too close to call

Both IHG and Hilton offer 10 points per US dollar spent. And although there is some uncertainty about IHG after their recent changes, both IHG and Hilton points are worth 0.4-0.5 cents.

Mid-tier elite members do slightly better with Hilton, however. Gold members earn an 80% bonus, while Diamond members receive 100%. At IHG, Platinum members earn 50% while Spire members receive 100%.

Advantage: Tie

Hilton offers a fifth night free benefit to members with at least easy-to-get Silver status.  IHG offers a fourth night free benefit to credit card holders.

Both IHG and Hilton are using fully dynamic award pricing, with a cap in place at many hotels. Hilton awards include any resort fees. At IHG you must pay resort fees to the hotel.

Of course, the points value outlined above captures this to some extent but nonetheless…

Advantage: Tie (if you have the IHG credit card)

You can generally rely on Hilton having a promotion running at all times, with no gaps. Sometimes this will be a “points per stay” promotion that penalizes expensive stays. Sometimes this will be double or triple points, which big spenders love.

IHG used to be known for its lucrative Accelerate promotions. These now appear to be dead, with IHG running less-lucrative promotions with gaps in between.

Advantage: Hilton

I cannot possibly judge which hotel chain properties charge rates appropriate for the budget of every reader. But I can certainly rank the hotel chains by their generosity of paying rebates to those informed consumers who book via a cashback website such as Topcashback.

IHG usually offers a minimum of 6% cashback, with promotions taking this higher. You can also earn AA miles via the AA shopping portal, with their regular 500-1000 mile bonus offers.

Hilton usually offers a measly 1% to Honors members.

Advantage: IHG

Both chains offer a dizzying number of credit card options in the United States, each with their own bonus categories to consider. But when it comes to hotel spend, you can generally earn:

Hilton’s Aspire card comes with top-tier Diamond Status. The IHG Premier Card fom Chase offers Platinum status.

Advantage: Hilton

There is an obvious trade-off between the ease of reaching a relevant level of elite status (meaning that there are more elites competing for a limited number of upgradable rooms) and the benefits associated with such status, but if you’re looking for a quicker route to elite status…

Hilton offers the 4-stay to Gold MVP Fast Track. Diamond status is available with the Aspire credit card (in the US).

IHG doesn’t make it nearly so easy. You can get Platinum status from Chase’s Premier Card, but you would need to stay 75 nights or earn 75,000 Elite Qualifying Points (in normal years) to reach Spire status.

Advantage: Hilton

Outside of the USA, Hilton Honors (Gold and Diamond) offers free breakfast at all brands, after Waldorf Astoria finally joined in a few years ago. Guaranteed lounge access for Diamonds only. Suite upgrades are not promised, but are definitely possible at generous hotels outside of North America and Europe.

IHG offers very little by way of elite status benefits. Spire and Platinum members might receive a room upgrade, but mostly you will receive a drink voucher or a few hundred points. The best benefit of Spire status is often the annual bonus of 25,000 points. 🙁

Advantage: Hilton

You might never require lifetime status if you hold on indefinitely to a Hilton co-branded credit card offering Diamond status. But the requirements for lifetime status are 10 years of Diamond and 1,000 nights.

IHG does not offer lifetime status.

Advantage: Hilton

If it’s not even close – Hilton Honors is clearly the better loyalty program – then why do some people stay with IHG hotels? There are certainly some very loyal fans of Intercontinental and Kimpton out there – simply because they prefer the actual hotels (sometimes an aspect ignored by those of us sitting in an office and writing about loyalty programs).

But I think it also simply comes down to price. A Holiday Inn Express is often cheaper than a Hampton or Courtyard hotel. And a Holiday Inn / Crowne Plaza is usually cheaper than the mid-range alternatives offered by Hilton, Marriott, etc. Add cashback and historically-better promotions to the mix, then the “I don’t eat breakfast” brigade can simply pay less for their hotel nights and receive a higher rebate in the form of free award nights.

Since old habits die hard, it might take a while for the “IHG has the best promotions” crowd to realise that IHG is offering far less than it used to, especially if you start calculating the costs of your morning coffee/breakfast or soft drinks / snacks you might otherwise get from an executive lounge.

What do you think? Any IHG fans want to share their reasons for staying with IHG? Let us know in the comments section…

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Efren Bouché
Bookbinder