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Guides
Why I often choose IHG and Choice hotels, despite limited elite perks
Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
November 13, 2020 • 10 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Quick summary
IHG Rewards and Choice Privileges loyalty programs offer strong redemption value, especially for budget-conscious travelers seeking practical accommodations.
Both programs frequently provide promotions that can enhance the value of paid and award stays, making them appealing for maximizing travel budgets.
Award pricing with Choice Privileges can vary by property, date and season, allowing for potential sweet spots, while IHG's dynamic pricing still yields good value in many cases.
Although these programs may lack some elite perks found in larger hotel chains, they remain attractive for travelers prioritizing value and frequent deals.
What to consider
Award night rates with Choice Privileges change every few months and can differ between weekdays and weekends, so deals may be short-lived.
IHG Rewards uses dynamic pricing, and redemption value may decrease as travel demand rises, so comparing cash and points costs is advised.
Promotions often have exclusions or minimum rate requirements, so reviewing terms and conditions before booking is important.
What you'll miss from the article
Detailed examples of high-value redemptions, specific promotion breakdowns and tips for maximizing stays with IHG Rewards and Choice Privileges.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Many travelers often don't understand what I see in the Choice and IHG loyalty programs, though. So, today I'll explain why I keep coming back to IHG and Choice.
There are admittedly some tremendous low-category Marriott Bonvoy redemptions to be made. But today, let's focus on how I've been able to get outstanding value redeeming with IHG and Choice.
Redeeming with Choice Privileges
The adults-only pool and building at Emotions Puerto Plata, which is bookable as an Ascend Hotels Collection property (Photo by JT Genter/The Points Guy)
The Choice Privileges program is unique in that each property offers award nights at a set cost. But, this set cost can differ for weekday versus weekend nights. And the cost changes every few months.
For example, consider the award night pricing for Emotions Puerto Plata all-inclusive resort, which is bookable through Choice Hotels' Ascend Collection:
Reward points currently required to book a night at Emotions Puerto Plata, bookable through Choice Hotels' Ascend Hotel Collection (Image courtesy of Choice Privileges)
This award night pricing style often allows me to find excellent deals when visiting a destination during its off-season. For example, I lived at the Emotions Puerto Plata all-inclusive for a month last summer for just 8,000 Choice Privileges points per night during hurricane season.
I've also snagged some impressive Choice Privileges redemptions in New York City, Tokyo, Osaka, Frankfurt, Munich during Oktoberfest and Beaver Creek during ski season. Plus, it's sometimes possible to book an elevated room type for no extra cost when redeeming Choice Privileges points.
But, some Choice hotels may be too basic or poorly rated for you. For example, my inexpensive award stay at a Choice property in Sydney, Australia, put me in a tiny room with poor insulation and uncomfortable beds. And, despite its 6,000-point weekday rate, I decided not to book the centrally-located Econo Lodge City Central in Auckland, New Zealand, after looking at property photos and reading reviews.
I recommend checking Choice Privileges redemption options whenever you're planning a trip. In doing so, I've found some sweet spots. But, since reward night rates change every couple of months, most sweet spots don't last forever. And, as I noted above, it's a good idea to research the property before booking.
I redeemed IHG points for a four-night stay at the Hotel Indigo Birmingham Five Points South – UAB. (Photo by Katie Genter/The Points Guy)
I was pleasantly surprised to see that IHG Rewards Club's switch to dynamic pricing earlier this year didn't immediately slash the value of my points. And, although some of the too-good-to-be-true award nights rates that appeared during the switch to dynamic pricing have disappeared, it's still easy to get more than TPG's valuation of 0.5 cents per point.
For example, consider a New Year's Eve reservation at the newly-renovated InterContinental Hotels Presidente Cancun Resort. You can use 35,000 points to book a room on this night. But, the going cash rate for the same room is $447. At this valuation, you're getting 1.27 cents per point.
If you have the IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card or the IHG Rewards Traveler Credit Card, you can also take advantage of your card's fourth night free perk. With this perk, when you book a stay of three nights or longer using points, every fourth night costs zero points. So, I usually maximize my IHG Rewards redemptions by booking award stays in increments of four nights.
Whenever I'm booking directly with IHG, I compare the points valuation to the total cash cost. Recently, I've found it usually makes sense to redeem IHG Rewards Club points. However, if you are short on IHG Rewards points, you may want to save your points for four-night stays if you have access to the fourth reward night perk.
I expect the redemption value of IHG Rewards points will decrease as travel demand increases. But, I continue to earn and redeem IHG Rewards points for now due to the incredible value I can get from my points.
If you're looking for a relatively inexpensive stay, IHG's new avid brand may be a good option. (Photo by Katie Genter/The Points Guy)
There are two primary reasons why inexpensive paid nights are essential to me. First, since I've lived on the road as a digital nomad for over three years now, I don't have enough points to only stay on reward nights. As such, some of my nights need to be paid nights.
I can usually book reasonable-quality nights in the IHG Rewards and Choice Privileges programs for less than other hotel loyalty programs. Granted, your definition of reasonable-quality nights may differ from mine. And, I've learned to check recent reviews before booking some brands. But, I've generally been able to find hotels in these two programs that provide reasonable quality for relatively little cost.
The Comfort Hotel Osaka Shinsaibashi isn't aspirational, but it's usually bookable for 8,000 points per night. (Photo by JT Genter/The Points Guy)
Choice Privileges and IHG Rewards frequently offer promotions. For example, IHG Rewards is currently offering the following promotions:
Unlimited Double Points: Earn double base points for qualifying stays from Oct. 1 to Dec. 15, 2020. Cardholders using an IHG Rewards Club credit card from Chase get an extra 10,000 bonus points on their first qualifying night.
InterContinental Ambassador enrollment offer: Enroll or renew between July 30 and Dec. 31, 2020, and then complete one qualifying stay at an InterContinental, Kimpton or Regent property by Jan. 31, 2021 to get a reward night worth 40,000 points or less that's valid until Apr. 30, 2021
And, Choice Privileges frequently offers a promotion that provides 8,000 points after every two stays. Based on TPG's valuation of Choice Privileges points at 0.6 cents each, 8,000 points are worth $48. That's not bad for potentially just two one-night stays. Although this stay-twice promotion's current iteration ends Nov. 15, 2020, the program also offers other promotions.
For example, you can currently take advantage of AMResorts' Free, Free, Free promotion when booking through Choice. When you book an eligible stay through this promotion, you can earn 50,000 Choice Privileges points if you spend $500 or more, get a guaranteed room upgrade at check-in, receive a $200 resort credit and more.
However, as with any promotion, it's essential to read the terms and conditions. For example, most promotions exclude some brands and rates. And some promotions require a minimum nightly rate. So, if you're looking to maximize a promotion, ensure that your booking will count.
Many IHG properties, including the beautiful InterContinental Phu Quoc, are bookable on most nights for 40,000 points or less. (Photo by Katie Genter/The Points Guy)
Hotel credit cards can be worth keeping in your wallet even if you don't stay with the program all that frequently. Cards that provide an annual anniversary night, such as the IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card, often provide enough value through just the anniversary night to justify the annual fee.
I haven't been able to get the Choice Privileges® Visa Signature® Card yet. But I would like to get it. After all, the Choice Privileges card would let me earn 15x points at Choice hotels for a 9% return based on TPG's valuations. And, since the card has no annual fee, I could keep it just for use at Choice hotels. Plus, it would give me an easy way to earn more Choice points if I needed to do so for an upcoming redemption.
The IHG Rewards and Choice Privileges loyalty programs don't provide the same level of elite perks as other popular hotel loyalty programs. But, especially if you like a good deal and are willing to stay at practical hotels for some trips, it's worth taking another look at the IHG Rewards and Choice Privileges programs.
I continue to stay with both programs for different reasons. Specifically, Choice Privileges offers excellent promotions and the ability to redeem at a great value in otherwise-expensive destinations. Meanwhile, IHG Rewards provides reliable accommodations worldwide and, despite dynamic pricing, still offers excellent value redemptions.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
