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

[Sbv72]

I was offered by e-mail an extra $50 voucher to renew. Also offered extra 25% off accommodation rate voucher but seeing as they allowed multiple use of my voucher last year this seems moot.

 

[JohnK]

You should also be aware that, other than the free room night, the remaining benefits (dining vouchers, room discounts, etc.) are only available "at participating hotels" which are quite limited and non existent in many countries.

Found this one out the hard way. The sales pitch was full of promises that have not been delivered.

Will consider this again if the vouchers become easier to use and the 1 class upgrade to status continues, eg from Gold to Platinum.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

The sales pitch was full of promises that have not been delivered.

Perhaps they've recruited the old PP telemarketers......their lies were just so very blatant with no recourse for complaint. Shame if IHG are using the same disgusting tactics to flog a program.

 

[JohnK]

Perhaps they've recruited the old PP telemarketers......their lies were just so very blatant with no recourse for complaint. Shame if IHG are using the same disgusting tactics to flog a program.

They might be one and the same. I was told Singapore, Thailand etc were coming on board end 2014. Not sure about Thailand but I think Singapore includes one hotel with limited offers.

The part I find sad is the call centre does not acknowledge their marketing is just lies.

 

[SandyS]

Stayed last Saturday night at Warwick Farm HI ( on a PB offer of 5,000 points per room ).

They accepted the IHG Dining Rewards $50. eVoucher OK.

Only a 'manager' seemed to be able to 'authorise' and process my Member card.

A few of the 'Rules', I was advised of ( by a hotel manager ) ...

Using the e-Voucher, the customer must settle the account at point-of-service. The balance can then be attributed to the room account ( and paid on Check Out ).
You can't use the e-Voucher, and also claim the card's 25% Discount. It's one or the other.
Each customer needs to decide on how to best use their privileges ...
On occasions, you will be better off using the 25% Discount ( and keeping the $50. e-Voucher for another 'situation' ).

As an example, I used my $50. e-Voucher at the Hotel Bar, where we had a $64. drinks bill. I only needed to pay $14. ( which went onto my Room account ).
If I were to have used the 25% Discount, I would have paid $48.

I received a parcel of IHG Reward Points for my PB Rewards stay. Obviously no points for rooms, but I did get close to 5,000 points for food / drinks from the Stay.

This is interesting because I emailed hotel to ask about using the dining rewards and was told, in writing, to put my food and drinks bill, with the 25% discount given at the bar, on to my room, then on checkout, use the $50 vouchers, which will be deducted. I don't think this is correct but its what they've instructed me to do. I also told them that my partner and I both have 2 x $50 vouchers loaded on to each of our Dining Rewards cards.

 

[JohnK]

This is interesting because I emailed hotel to ask about using the dining rewards and was told, in writing, to put my food and drinks bill, with the 25% discount given at the bar, on to my room, then on checkout, use the $50 vouchers, which will be deducted. I don't think this is correct but its what they've instructed me to do. I also told them that my partner and I both have 2 x $50 vouchers loaded on to each of our Dining Rewards cards.

What if you are not staying the hotel? I thought as an IHG Dining rewards member even if you are not staying at the hotel you should still be able to get 25% discount or use the $50 dining voucher.

 

[Jacques Vert]

What if you are not staying the hotel? I thought as an IHG Dining rewards member even if you are not staying at the hotel you should still be able to get 25% discount and use the $50 dining voucher.

As I understand it, you can use the 25% discount OR the voucher whether staying at the hotel or not, but not both at the same time. Can't confirm from personal experience as I haven't been to a hotel that "participates"!

 

[JohnK]

As I understand it, you can use the 25% discount OR the voucher whether staying at the hotel or not, but not both at the same time. Can't confirm from personal experience as I haven't been to a hotel that "participates"!

Apologies. Didn't mean you could combine the 25% discount and $50 dining voucher. Just that you should be able to use either even if you're not staying there.

Fixed the previous post.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Apologies. Didn't mean you could combine the 25% discount and $50 dining voucher. Just that you should be able to use either even if you're not staying there.

Fixed the previous post.

No need to apologize. These discussions help us all to get the rules clear in our minds.

 

[travelislife]

So I was told the extra $50 voucher was for those ex priority privelage members. So signed up for $279 with all the standard inclusions couldn't get them to offer anymore.

Have been staying the IC Sanctuary Cove this week which has been great. Only thing is stupidly didn't maximise be $50 voucher using it at dinner at the Fireplace when would have been better just using the standard 25% and using the voucher for lunch.

Anyway. I will probably be at break even point after this stay and then anything else will be a bonus from then on.

 

[JohnK]

Received email today that it's time to renew as my membership is expiring 01 December 2015.

Renewal is for $319 and as a special offer today they throw in another $50 dining e-voucher and an extra 25% off flexible rate certificate. The good thing is that I have made Gold Elite so this would get me Platinum Elite another year. The issues using dining e-voucher are nog good.

Wait and see if they offer discounted membership of $279.

 

[SandyS]

This is interesting because I emailed hotel to ask about using the dining rewards and was told, in writing, to put my food and drinks bill, with the 25% discount given at the bar, on to my room, then on checkout, use the $50 vouchers, which will be deducted. I don't think this is correct but its what they've instructed me to do. I also told them that my partner and I both have 2 x $50 vouchers loaded on to each of our Dining Rewards cards.

In the end, I decided not to follow the advice from the hotel email as it quite clearly states on the paper version of the electronic voucher included in the welcome pack that you must settle the bill at the point of service.

Since there was a group of us, the hotel bar just added up the bill which was $220 and deducted the 4 x $50 vouchers leaving me with $20 charged to my hotel room. Then we ordered more drinks which came to $48 and got the 25% discount, so had $36 billed to the hotel room.

Now strictly speaking, the hotel should not have just deducted all the vouchers from the one bill but I'm glad they did because otherwise, I'd have had to place each food and drinks order separately to maximise my 4 vouchers. So basically, the hotel saved everyone that hassle.

 

[Rick93]

Bloody lucky bast*ard !!!

I didn't get opportunity at my last stay ...

Got told ONLY ONE $50. voucher per STAY, then you can use a 25% discount ( from the Card ) after that ...

I let them know, we had multiple $50. eVouchers. No ... you can only use ONE per stay ( a night or a week etc. ).

 

[baggyred]

Signed up again before I left for overseas

To me it is a no brainer decision - as even though I only stay between 8-15 nights a year I get platinum membership. Normally I'd struggle to even get Gold as my nights fall just short - however when it came out it happened to coincide with the one year I'd had a leisure stay as well in Asia. So my gold go bumped up to platinum and subsequently upon renewing my platinum was maintained again for 2016.

Which has resulted in 2/3 upgrades in Melbourne this year and 1/1 last year (after I signed). As well as an upgrade to club access at the CP in London.

The vouchers and free night cover the cost of the membership - so the platinum benefits are effectively free.

Have a stay next month at the IC Melbourne - be interesting to see if I get any love!

 

[JohnK]

Received a call on Friday while I was in Qantas lounge.

Caught her by surprise telling her it has not been what I expected. Difficult to use eDining vouchers. Hardly any new hotels in Asia mainly Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore as promised.

Apparently I have 2 eDining vouchers on account so will try to use them before end November. I am thinking Warwick Farm should be OK even if I do not stay there? Otherwise something in Sydney City.

She said she was going to investigate my concerns and call back. Have not heard anything.

 

[Sbv72]

By my reading of T & C, if you waited until Jan to renew, and were still gold then, you would get Platinum status until Dec 2017 as you remain Platinum until the end of calendar year after your Dining Rewards expires.

I am holding out until next year to renew.

 

[franjelley]

i have a reward stay at Holiday Inn Golden Mile, Kowloon. I was thinking of buying Dining Rewards, now, on the off chance that they will upgrade our stay. Am i dreaming? They seemed to make a fuss, when i became Gold. Some silly present or other. If i am Plat, maybe some sort of lounge access? I really wanted to be able to use the dining discounts but this is not going to work. is it? because Hong Kong is not participating, by the looks of things

 

[JohnK]

Some hotels grant lounge access to Platinums. Many don't.

Holiday Inn Chiang Mai I was guaranteed a suite and lounge access. Now executive floor room only sometimes.

Holiday Inn Sukhumvit surprised me with lounge access. Need to go back and confirm my theory.

 

[exceladdict]

Some hotels grant lounge access to Platinums. Many don't.

Holiday Inn Chiang Mai I was guaranteed a suite and lounge access. Now executive floor room only sometimes.

Holiday Inn Sukhumvit surprised me with lounge access. Need to go back and confirm my theory.

No upgrades or lounge access in 2 recent IC stays. No upgrades in HIx or candlewood stays either.

 

[Jacques Vert]

i have a reward stay at Holiday Inn Golden Mile, Kowloon. I was thinking of buying Dining Rewards, now, on the off chance that they will upgrade our stay. Am i dreaming? They seemed to make a fuss, when i became Gold. Some silly present or other. If i am Plat, maybe some sort of lounge access? I really wanted to be able to use the dining discounts but this is not going to work. is it? because Hong Kong is not participating, by the looks of things

Sounds like a waste of money to me. There are no participating hotels in HKG. May be better to just book the room you want.

IMO the only way to use this card is to get your money back by booking your free night at an expensive hotel as it can be difficult to use the other benefits (depending of course on where and how you travel).