IHG® Dining Rewards program replacing Priority Privilege from 1st July 2014

[Austman]

It's been discussed in other threads but is probably now worth its own thread.

From 1st July 2014, Priority Privilege is being wound up in Australia and will be replaced, in the coming months, by the IHG® Dining Rewards program.

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1st July 2014​

Dear Austman,

As a Priority Privilege member, you may start to hear about our new, soon to be launched, IHG®Dining Rewards program.
We wanted to briefly explain what this new IHG Dining Rewards program is about and reassure you that it does not affect your current Priority Privilege membership.
Firstly, this new program is part of our ongoing efforts to ensure we continue to deliver the very best value to all our members, including you. It will offer an outstanding range of enhanced dining and accommodation benefits.
Our new IHG Dining Rewards program will have no immediate impact on your Priority Privilege membership. All of your existing Priority Privilege benefits remain fully intact throughout your current membership year.
In the coming months we will be explaining more about our new IHG Dining Rewards program. The great news is you will be given the opportunity to transition to this exciting new program when your current Priority Privilege membership ends for almost the same cost as before.
In the meantime, please keep utilising the many great benefits of your current Priority Privilege membership to ensure you get the most out of it.
Yours sincerely,
Brian Ericson
Director, Loyalty Programs
IHG[/TD]
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More information on IHG[SUP]®[/SUP] Dining Rewards is here:

https://www.ihg.com/hotels/us/en/customer-care/faq/dining-rewards

 

[markis10]

They advertised for staff mid June, suspect it will be a slow start.

 

[vitagen]

How much is it?

 

[markis10]

How much is it?

Price has yet to be set but similar to PP is the expectation.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Price has yet to be set but similar to PP is the expectation.

Show as AU$319 on the website. https://www.ihg.com/diningrewards/gb/en/home

 

[Major]

I'm sure it's been debated at length before, but is it worth it ?

 

[markis10]

I'm sure it's been debated at length before, but is it worth it ?

I am not sure, while the loss of the PP telemarketers is priceless, the rest of the package seems to lack value, although the free night could be worth a lot depending on the conditions, specifically if it can be used when high room rates are in play.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

A few questions.

Website appears to be a mix mash site. Based on the Chinese and showing at least a dining discount in Yuan yet the membership price in AUD. I wonder if this site is actually representative of the proposed global program?

They state enrolling members will receive a one level status upgrade. I wonder if that means an Amb member (with IHG gold) will be upgraded to Platinum elite?

I see the "free night" cert is an e-certificate so unlikely the hotel will "forget" to collect it from us. Big downside!

Seems the 25% off dining is also for drinks (I think this is different. PP exclude drinks, I think?), but is a drop from the current 50% for two people and 33% for 3 people. I guess this is great for larger groups and/or those who guzzle lots of expensive grog (which may include most of AFF).

Appears our "transferable" certificates will no longer be transferable.

25% off certificates drop from two to one and it's unclear if that cert. covers the whole stay or just one night.

Breakfast for two cert., $50 hotel credit cert., and $100 dining cert. have been replaced by a RMB398 (AUD70 approx.) e-voucher. Big drop.

Two "member for a visit" certs. have been dropped.

10% off best flexible and advance purchase stays.

I'm unsure whether the new dining reward premium offers will be anything as good as the PP newsletter specials......perhaps better?

I suppose a big plus for all this is the program will hopefully be extended to IHGs globally instead of just locally.

 

[vitagen]

The free night is handy if you can get an expensive IC.

 

[plugster2011]

Whereas before there were multiple avenues to extract value from this program it seems they've closed most of those avenues.

Obviously it remains to be seen exactly what the offer will be - I can't see myself transitioning to the new program given the apparent reduction in value for "almost the same price" err I mean "only a slight increase".

Sounds like your standard program enhancement.

 

[james1]

I think the potential for real value may come from the automatic upgrade of status in the IHG rewards program although we will have to wait and see how this works first. However, spending less on nights to maintain Platinum could be beneficial if this is indeed what is proposed.

 

[thatsthatmattressman]

James1 I agree with your statement. My challenge is I am a Platinum member already so now I see this as a way for others to buy their way in and devalue the Plat. Status. I don't begrudge those wanting to do this if course. Just looking at my Plat stays devaluing hence my position.

 

[Kea 02]

James1 I agree with your statement. My challenge is I am a Platinum member already so now I see this as a way for others to buy their way in and devalue the Plat. Status. I don't begrudge those wanting to do this if course. Just looking at my Plat stays devaluing hence my position.

Hi. I do agree, it really does devalue the platinum status. What happens if you're already a platinum?
do you become platinum 2........

 

[markis10]

James1 I agree with your statement. My challenge is I am a Platinum member already so now I see this as a way for others to buy their way in and devalue the Plat. Status. I don't begrudge those wanting to do this if course. Just looking at my Plat stays devaluing hence my position.

Hi. I do agree, it really does devalue the platinum status. What happens if you're already a platinum?
do you become platinum 2........

Locally I don't think it will make too much difference, things like the VA opt in already exist and let's face it, the status is no Hilton Diamond. You also get a status upgrade with Ambassador which has been in place for some time.

 

[Fifa]

I suppose I should get a wriggle on and renew my PP membership which is due in about 5 weeks.
No wonder I haven't been receiving as many of the annoying renewal as last year.

 

[thatsthatmattressman]

Really - you haven't?

I am up in August and received 6 emails in the last 4 weeks!

Not sure renewing is the right thing to do... particularly if they are not publishing newsletters? But maybe you are finding value in the card itself. My concern would be that the program is not 'trained' in to staff (some properties are already not knowledgeable about it) so over the months it will be more and more difficult/painful to use and then get confused with the 'new' program ... i am just hoping they publish the newsletter again (though that is the hotels' responsibility apparently).

good luck!

I suppose I should get a wriggle on and renew my PP membership which is due in about 5 weeks.
No wonder I haven't been receiving as many of the annoying renewal as last year.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Just looking at my Plat stays devaluing hence my position.

I understand your angst but until fairly recently, people could effectively buy plat with the point deals, so I would be assuming the IHG plat level may raise back up to the level that it was. I think we have to also remember that IHG plat is nothing exciting unless they start adding benefits (which I'm guessing is unlikely).

The other thing about this new Dining Rewards (DR?) program is that the cost has risen marginally in the first year, but PP gave subsequent year discounts, which I've seen no mention of with DR.

 

[Mantaray]

My gut feel is the global free night is the key to the new program.

The Dining Rewards global free night works across all of IHG's hotels around the world. Not sure what the restrictions are around it, but every time I've redeemed IHG points for a reward night, I've never had an issue with blackouts or availability. This global free night looks like it will be the same as it is not a paper voucher but is booked directly in the IHG.com website.

Booked the InterContniental Paris Opera Le Grand in the middle of summer last year with 1 week's notice, and used my free night no problem. For a $319 price tag for Dining Rewards, you can get your money back or close to it once you use that free night.

This is a huge step forward from the PP BOGOs which were very difficult to use - very little availability, almost impossible to use on the weekend.

I agree with other posters that it sounds like some of the F&B vouchers have been removed. But again, I think the key to the value of this program is using the free night, then everything on top is a bonus. I also like the fact that the ongoing 25% off F&B includes booze, so after the free night you are basically ahead every time you use the card from then on.

Has anyone actually bought a Dining Rewards program yet??

 

[markis10]

This is a huge step forward from the PP BOGOs which were very difficult to use - very little availability, almost impossible to use on the weekend.

I agree with other posters that it sounds like some of the F&B vouchers have been removed. But again, I think the key to the value of this program is using the free night, then everything on top is a bonus. I also like the fact that the ongoing 25% off F&B includes booze, so after the free night you are basically ahead every time you use the card from then on.

Has anyone actually bought a Dining Rewards program yet??

I would have to strongly disagree having been a member since pacific privilege days, I have never really had an issue booking a BOGO, in fact I have 12 booked no cert required over the next two months, with the change in program's I will loose 20-40 free nights a year.

 

[thatsthatmattressman]

I would have to strongly disagree having been a member since pacific privilege days, I have never really had an issue booking a BOGO, in fact I have 12 booked no cert required over the next two months, with the change in program's I will loose 20-40 free nights a year.

Agree with markis10 -> for those that put the effort in to the newsletters; using the BOGOs correctly and the 25% off certs strategically ...the room savings were phenomenal. This program - as Markis10 has mentioned a couple times in the past - has been heavily misunderstood and underleveraged by many people not seeing the true value in it ...the only thing we agree in is the customer service from PP was shoddy at the best of times and best ignored!