Platinum for 2014 without any stays

[sumthinfornuthin]

My wife and I just received ( each ) a letter rom IHG plus our membership cards, both PLATINUM ELITE for 2014.
I am currently 2.930 points short of the 60,000 points for 2013 BUT my wife has not had a stay as we have been working on my card.

we are both Platinum for 2014 without qualifying ????? Has anyone else received this letter in the last couple of days ?
To good to be true ?? or not.

 

[markis10]

There have been quite a few reports of comps across Gold and Plat, it looks like the revamp may have been a bit high in expectations!

 

[JohnK]

Too good to be true!

There have been a number of reports on AFF of people receiving complimentary Gold for another year.

 

[Boris spatsky]

Hmmm they rang me yesterday with no stays. Sir, we are offering Elite status blahblah ... Free meals blah... Free upgrades blah...

I asked what the catch was. He said $295 for the year. I said 'great mate, why would i pay when i am top status with your competitors and it is free?' and promptly hung up.

He called it IHG ELITE, whatever that is...

 

[markis10]

Hmmm they rang me yesterday with no stays. Sir, we are offering Elite status blahblah ... Free meals blah... Free upgrades blah...

I asked what the catch was. He said $295 for the year. I said 'great mate, why would i pay when i am top status with your competitors and it is free?' and promptly hung up.

He called it IHG ELITE, whatever that is...

Thats priority privilege, something different, and very attractive if IHG stays locally occasionally happen, just ignore the telemarkting BS, one day they will work out they could sell 10x the memberships of they really spoke about the true value.

 

[kpc]

With 1 stay (1 night) this year, I very surprisingly received a Platinum IHG card in the mail today which expires end 2014 Not complaining at all but...I'll take it!

I had been Plat the last 5-6 years tho. but the new qualification criteria were way too much for me so I gave up on IHG requalification!

 

[curtainbounce]

I got my new Plat card yesterday as well, though I'm still 2 stays away from Plat, which I was planning to do a mattress run for.
Once we have the card that's it right? They can't revoke that status?
Should I cancel my mattress run?

 

[markis10]

I got my new Plat card yesterday as well, though I'm still 2 stays away from Plat, which I was planning to do a mattress run for.
Once we have the card that's it right? They can't revoke that status?
Should I cancel my mattress run?

I would cancel the run unless the big win is still in play

 

[marks]

I've been Plat & AMB for about 4 years , but with 191k points this year. Only 36k are qualifying points and 27 nights. I've stayed at 4+ brands but will be short of the 40 nights or 60k points. I've only got another 2-3 nights stay to have this year.
But while I could have a tantrum and go to HH or SPG, the bonus point codes & programs are providing great personal holiday benefits....
I need to look at what I'm going to do for 2014 as I have a week of stays in Jan planned already.

[h=3][/h]

 

[curtainbounce]

Thanks markis10
It doesn't get me the whole Big Win but fulfils a few criteria - I would net around 33k Big Win pts from it...

 

[777]

I'm still 15k points short of Platinum for next year and the fact that so many people are being comped has made me decide not to both. Gold gets me free internet which is the main perk i actually use. Have been plat for 3 or 4 years but if they are giving it away to everyone else i can hardly be bothered to push for it and it kind of undermines my theory that were likely to substantially up the perks next year.

So next year i will have gold in PC and gold in HH and i think i will settle for that and spend the year thinking about which program suits now the handcuffs have started to loosen.

 

[straitman]

I'm still 15k points short of Platinum for next year and the fact that so many people are being comped has made me decide not to both. Gold gets me free internet which is the main perk i actually use. Have been plat for 3 or 4 years but if they are giving it away to everyone else i can hardly be bothered to push for it and it kind of undermines my theory that were likely to substantially up the perks next year.

I'm in a similar situation with IHG and you have pretty much summed up my thoughts. Thank you for saving me a whole lot of words.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

So next year i will have gold in PC and gold in HH and i think i will settle for that and spend the year thinking about which program suits now the handcuffs have started to loosen.

Doesn't it really make you wonder when loyalty schemes devalue loyalty. Giving away status seems to me to be a very odd ploy unless you attach some (monetary) conditions (challenges etc). Wholesale SMing just annoys your real status clients who do actually spend good money with you. (and BTW, I'm an unworthy IHG plat via SM).

BTW, why are the reviews happening now? Aren't we still just under a full month short of calendar year end?

 

[vitagen]

Not to add fuel to the fire but by 2014 card just arrived....

 

[Aus ATC]

I too have just received my 2014 Platinum card. Data point: 46k Elite qualifying points, 22 nights.

60k points (counting base points only) seemed fairly high for what IHG Platinum offers. IIRC, previously all points counted towards qualification but the change from Priority Club to IHG made it harder.

 

[Aus ATC]

I too have just received my 2014 Platinum card. Data point: 46k Elite qualifying points, 22 nights.

60k points (counting base points only) seemed fairly high for what IHG Platinum offers. IIRC, previously all points counted towards qualification but the change from Priority Club to IHG made it harder.

Status update - today I received a email "Congratulations on reaching Gold Elite status" :evil:

Needless to say an email has been despatched to IHG rewards asking for my Platinum back!!