FINALLY! - Citi launching Citi Prestige with Visa Infinite

thehound said:
Having now made 7 bookings this year with the stay 4 pay 3, I agree that the booking process is a little coughbersome. Some are easy and some have been hard. But I've saved $2208, so the savings have paid the annual card fee 3 times over!
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Using your figures, you have saved less that $80 per night average (7 stays of 4 nights). My issue is what are you comparing these too? I looked a couple of times and the prices were comparable to the flexi prices, which made it cheaper than the prepaid with the 4th night free. My average for BRG is about $250 per night less than the prepaid, is a flexible booking and has no night limitations (done it for 1-10nights). I am also regularly doing this for 2-3 rooms at a time.

I struggle to see how people say this is good value as all comparisons seem to be to a normal booking not to BRG type systems.

As a datapoint as well, my Prestige gave better rates than Amex Plat by .5% in Dubai however the new security system kept kicking in but won't send you a text in Dubai, so only used it in half the places.
 
But your theory blown out door if members have no desire to stay in SPG hotels is it not?

I have a '4/3' stay coming up at WA in PVG May 5-9 - way cheaper than anything I could find online - Hilton also have BRG or whatever they.call it and way behind.
 
Clearly '4/3' promo or indeed Prestige in general doesn't suit everybody - that's life. I have zero hotel allegiance and always buy on desirability in whatever location. There are plenty hotels around the world which are indeed not part of a hotel chain - BRGs or whatever useless in these circumstances.

I have posted earlier of A$2,300 in savings with 4 x '4/3' bookings for Jun/Jul which equates to 22.3% savings off best rate I could get booking direct - 3 of those bookings are in orphan hotels the other is Radisson aligned - NFI if they have any BRG or such - but in my case the '4/3' is just a winner.

No card on the market suits everybody equally - that is life.
 
Moindardt said:
Are you comparing this with rates you could get with Best Rate guarantee type prices? I haven't even been able to come close to the same pricing without all the limitations of it only being for 4 nights.
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Yep. You can basically get the cheapest hotels.com rate available, with the 4th night free. These rates are basically comparable to anything most other booking sites offer, or hotel sites direct. Not sure about any BRGs, I don't typically stick to specific hotel chains etc. Just book the hotel most suitable to where I need to be, based on location/cost.

P
 
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I guess that should discount the 4th night free benefit as you miss out on Welcome rewards and cash back which over 3 nights would be approximately 45% of one night's average room rate.
 
Moindardt said:
Using your figures, you have saved less that $80 per night average (7 stays of 4 nights). My issue is what are you comparing these too? I looked a couple of times and the prices were comparable to the flexi prices, which made it cheaper than the prepaid with the 4th night free. My average for BRG is about $250 per night less than the prepaid, is a flexible booking and has no night limitations (done it for 1-10nights). I am also regularly doing this for 2-3 rooms at a time.

I struggle to see how people say this is good value as all comparisons seem to be to a normal booking not to BRG type systems.

As a datapoint as well, my Prestige gave better rates than Amex Plat by .5% in Dubai however the new security system kept kicking in but won't send you a text in Dubai, so only used it in half the places.
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You must be staying at some incredibly expensive places that you're able to get a further $250 off PER NIGHT from the prepaid rate. If that's representative of the extra 20-25% SPG/Marriott give you off then you must be talking about $1000-1250 a night hotels. Is this correct?

For the 7 bookings I've made so far, you're right that we saved about $80 per night on average ($315 per booking). In terms of what I'm comparing it to, I've added the exact savings shown on my booking confirmations from concierge (they send you a hotels.com confirmation which shows the amount of the free night which is subtracted). The smallest amount saved on a single booking of 4 nights was $140 and the most was $510. As others have mentioned, the prices available on hotels.com are generally as cheap as anywhere else, and often cheaper than the hotel's own website - so these are presumably the same kind of rates one might use to score a BRG with one of the chains. And you get the 4th night free on even the lowest rates.

For example, we'll be in Kitzbuhel around Xmas and both hotels.com rates and the hotel's own website rates were identical; I couldn't find lower anywhere. Getting $510 off the 4 nights was a terrific win.

In terms of flexibility, the bookings that concierge makes have the same cancellation conditions attached as any of us can see for the given rooms on hotels.com. Out of my 7 bookings, 5 have been fully refundable and 2 were non-refundable.

Anyway, I'm with Cruiser - on our travels we find the hotel that we want to stay in, without worrying about which chain it belongs to. Has worked very well for us.
 
The last time I booked an airport transfer was about 2 years ago, so can anyone tell me whether this will work: could I book a transfer for my parents, without me travelling? We all have the same last name, and I don't recall ever being asked for ID by the driver. Thoughts?
 
Whilst I haven't booked for anyone else, my experience has been the same as yours - i can't see why you couldn't do it (no need to show id or the like)
thehound said:
The last time I booked an airport transfer was about 2 years ago, so can anyone tell me whether this will work: could I book a transfer for my parents, without me travelling? We all have the same last name, and I don't recall ever being asked for ID by the driver. Thoughts?
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Thanks CE and LadyC. What would be better value for them - Seoul (Incheon) or Singapore?

I can't use the transfers this year since I'm living in North America, so thought my parents could at least get some benefit...
 
thehound said:
Thanks CE and LadyC. What would be better value for them - Seoul (Incheon) or Singapore?
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I have posted this previously - hope it helps:
[TABLE="width: 706"]
[TR]
[TD]Country[/TD]
[TD]Airport[/TD]
[TD]Airport Code[/TD]
[TD]Distance included (KM)[/TD]
[TD]Extra KM charge USD[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Australia[/TD]
[TD]Brisbane[/TD]
[TD]BNE[/TD]
[TD]20 (previously 30km)[/TD]
[TD]$5.80[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Australia[/TD]
[TD]Melbourne[/TD]
[TD]MEL[/TD]
[TD]25 (previously 30km)[/TD]
[TD]$7.40[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Australia[/TD]
[TD]Perth[/TD]
[TD]PER[/TD]
[TD]25 (previously 30km)[/TD]
[TD]$5.80[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Australia[/TD]
[TD]Sydney[/TD]
[TD]SYD[/TD]
[TD]25 (previously 30km)[/TD]
[TD]$5.70[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Cambodia[/TD]
[TD]Phnom Penh[/TD]
[TD]PNH[/TD]
[TD]15 (previously 14km)[/TD]
[TD]$6.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]China[/TD]
[TD]Beijing[/TD]
[TD]PEK[/TD]
[TD]40 (previously[/TD]
[TD]$2.40[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]China[/TD]
[TD]Guangzhou[/TD]
[TD]CAN[/TD]
[TD]40 (previously 34km)[/TD]
[TD]$4.50[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]China[/TD]
[TD]Hangzhou[/TD]
[TD]HZG[/TD]
[TD]40 (previously 35km)[/TD]
[TD]$3.50[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]China[/TD]
[TD]Shanghai - Pudong[/TD]
[TD]PVG[/TD]
[TD]50 (previously 44km)[/TD]
[TD]$3.50[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]China[/TD]
[TD]Shanghai - Hongqiao[/TD]
[TD]SHA[/TD]
[TD]25 (previously 16km)[/TD]
[TD]$3.50[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Hong Kong[/TD]
[TD]Hong Kong Island[/TD]
[TD]HKG[/TD]
[TD]All (previously 39km?[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Hong Kong[/TD]
[TD]Hong Kong Island South[/TD]
[TD]HKG[/TD]
[TD]All (previously 51km)[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Hong Kong[/TD]
[TD]Kowloon[/TD]
[TD]HKG[/TD]
[TD]All (previously 35km)[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Hong Kong[/TD]
[TD]New Territories[/TD]
[TD]HKG[/TD]
[TD]All[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]India[/TD]
[TD]Bangalore[/TD]
[TD]BLR[/TD]
[TD]40 (previously 36km)[/TD]
[TD]$2.30[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]India[/TD]
[TD]Delhi[/TD]
[TD]DEL[/TD]
[TD]40 (previously 25km)[/TD]
[TD]$2.30[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]India[/TD]
[TD]Mumbai[/TD]
[TD]BOM[/TD]
[TD]40 (previously 25km)[/TD]
[TD]$2.30[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Indonesia[/TD]
[TD]Bali[/TD]
[TD]DPS[/TD]
[TD]40 (previously 15km)[/TD]
[TD]$5.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Indonesia[/TD]
[TD]Jakarta[/TD]
[TD]CGK[/TD]
[TD]40 (previously 33km)[/TD]
[TD]$4.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Japan[/TD]
[TD]Haneda[/TD]
[TD]HND[/TD]
[TD]30 (previously 25km)[/TD]
[TD]$12.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Japan[/TD]
[TD]Narita[/TD]
[TD]NRT[/TD]
[TD]85[/TD]
[TD]$12.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Japan[/TD]
[TD]Osaka - Kansai[/TD]
[TD]KIX[/TD]
[TD]50 (previously 51km)[/TD]
[TD]$12.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Korea[/TD]
[TD]Seoul Gimpo[/TD]
[TD]GMP[/TD]
[TD]50 (previously 30km)[/TD]
[TD]$3.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Korea[/TD]
[TD]Seoul Incheon[/TD]
[TD]ICN[/TD]
[TD]50 (previously 30km)[/TD]
[TD]$3.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Macau[/TD]
[TD]Macau[/TD]
[TD]MFM[/TD]
[TD]All (previously 10km)[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Malaysia[/TD]
[TD]Kuala Lumpur[/TD]
[TD]KUL[/TD]
[TD]75 (previously 58km)[/TD]
[TD]$4.20[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]New Zealand[/TD]
[TD]Auckland[/TD]
[TD]AKL[/TD]
[TD]23 (previously 20km)[/TD]
[TD]$10.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Philippines[/TD]
[TD]Manila[/TD]
[TD]MNL[/TD]
[TD]20 (previously 13km)[/TD]
[TD]$9.50[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Singapore[/TD]
[TD]Singapore[/TD]
[TD]SIN[/TD]
[TD]All (previously 25km)[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Taiwan[/TD]
[TD]Kaohsiung[/TD]
[TD]KHH[/TD]
[TD]15 (previously 12km)[/TD]
[TD]$2.30[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Taiwan[/TD]
[TD]Songshan[/TD]
[TD]TSA[/TD]
[TD]15 (previously 5km)[/TD]
[TD]$2.30[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Taiwan[/TD]
[TD]Taipei[/TD]
[TD]TPE[/TD]
[TD]45 (previously 44km)[/TD]
[TD]$2.30[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Thailand[/TD]
[TD]Bangkok[/TD]
[TD]BKK[/TD]
[TD]40 (previously 35km)[/TD]
[TD]$4.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Thailand[/TD]
[TD]coughet[/TD]
[TD]HKT[/TD]
[TD]35 (previously 20km)[/TD]
[TD]$2.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Vietnam[/TD]
[TD]Hanoi[/TD]
[TD]HAN[/TD]
[TD]30 (previously 62km)[/TD]
[TD]$3.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Vietnam[/TD]
[TD]Ho Chi Minh[/TD]
[TD]SGN[/TD]
[TD]20 (previously 10km)[/TD]
[TD]$3.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
 
Thanks Cruiser, thought I'd seen that somewhere before! Seoul is where I'll book it for them each way. It's strange, but when I go on google maps to work out the KMs in a car, it insists on telling me that driving is not available. As the crow flies it's less than 30km though, so looks like their hotel (Westin Chosun) will be within 50km.
 
Just received my latest Prestige statement. Interest free days have been reduced from 55 days to 44 days from August - guess it's the same as for similar cards from other banks.
 

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