Maximizing IHG Rewards Membership for household journey

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The InterContinental Inns Group (IHG) has greater than 5,000 properties sprawled throughout 100 international locations. The IHG universe consists of the posh InterContinental Inns and lots of different manufacturers: Kimpton, Regent, Voco, Resort Indigo, Staybridge Suites, Crowne Plaza, Candlewood Suites, Hualuxe, Avid Inns, EVEN Inns, Vacation Inn, Vacation Inn Resorts, Vacation Inn Categorical and Vacation Inn Membership Holidays.
Whether or not it is a luxurious trip or a cushty keep close to the grandparents, you’ll be able to nearly at all times discover a family-friendly IHG property and you may reap good advantages by belonging to the IHG Rewards Membership.
Earn 125,000 bonus factors plus a Reward Evening after spending $3,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening with the IHG Rewards Premier Credit score Card.
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Listed here are a number of the methods you’ll be able to profit from stays with IHG Rewards.
Benefits of IHG Rewards Membership for households
Children keep and eat free at Vacation Inns
Kids, as much as age 11, get pleasure from a free meal at Vacation Inn eating places worldwide (12 and below in Europe, Asia Pacific, the Center East, Africa and Larger China), they usually can keep free of charge of their mother and father’ room (as much as two youngsters, ages 18 and youthful within the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America, Caribbean and South America). Though few properties within the U.S. cost additional for kids, it occurs on a regular basis in Europe so this can be a useful perk.
Associated: Tips on how to get free lodge breakfast
Keep at Vacation Inn Kidsuites
Many Vacation Inn properties provide Kidsuites, which may be so simple as a small partitioned space with a tv and Xbox for the youngsters, or as elaborate as a separate, themed bed room — typically with bunk beds.
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Search for Vacation Inn Resorts with household actions
Of all of the IHG manufacturers, Vacation Inn Resorts appear to be essentially the most family-friendly. Many embody waterparks, actions akin to cooking courses, arts and crafts, and youngsters golf equipment. Some particularly common resorts embody:
- Vacation Inn Resort Orlando Lake Buena Vista
- Vacation Inn Resort Orlando Suites – Waterpark
- Vacation Inn Resort Montego Bay All-Inclusive
- Vacation Inn Resort Aruba-Seashore Resort & On line casino
- Vacation Inn Resort Cayman Islands
Kimpton presents family-friendly facilities
Kimpton greets youngsters with a welcome present and presents rooms with bunk beds, a Children Comfortable Hour or Hula-Hoops within the health heart. Different facilities (some complimentary) embody kayaks, bikes and swimming pools.
Mother and father can request a baby security package to “childproof” the room. (Listed here are some ideas for babyproofing lodge rooms.) Resort eating places provide booster seats and excessive chairs and the lodge may provide help to discover a babysitter for a guardian’s night time out.
Complimentary breakfast at choose manufacturers
Sadly, standing with IHG does not include as many perks as you may discover with different applications (akin to membership lounge entry, late checkout, welcome items or breakfast). However, lots of IHG’s low-tier properties embody complimentary breakfast day by day to all company included within the nightly charge. No standing wanted.
- Vacation Inn Categorical: At Categorical Begin Breakfast, households can get pleasure from contemporary eggs, egg white omelets, bacon and sausage, yogurt, cinnamon rolls and make-your-own pancakes.
- Staybridge Suites: Scorching breakfast buffet with all of your favorites, together with contemporary and wholesome gadgets.
- Avid Inns: This comparatively new model throughout the IHG chain presents on-the-go breakfast gadgets: hard-boiled eggs and egg sandwiches, breakfast bars and yogurt, and lots of different gadgets. Espresso is accessible to company 24 hours a day.
You should purchase factors cheaply
Though I by no means recommend speculatively buying factors, the IHG Rewards Membership program runs promotions all year long when you should purchase factors with a whopping 100% bonus. When this promotion pops up, you might be buying factors at a low 0.5 cents per level. This implies you’ll be able to keep in an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora for a hard and fast $350 per night time (even much less relying on what number of nights you keep and if you’re an IHG cardholder). (Seashore bungalows on the InterContinental Le Moana Bora Bora value out at 70,000 factors per night time. When you purchase miles at 5 cents every and redeem these factors for a bungalow, you are paying the equal of $350.)
IHG additionally permits you to e book Level + Money reservations in case you wouldn’t have sufficient factors for a full award redemption. This lets you buy the remaining factors at a charge of 0.6 to 0.8 cents per level. IHG typically even runs promotions on the money portion. These promotions typically mean you can “purchase” factors for lower than a half-cent per level.
Speed up promotions
The IHG Rewards Membership program often has a promotion the place you’ll be able to earn bonus factors in your keep. Usually known as the Speed up promotion, members obtain completely different presents and “duties” to finish to maximise the variety of factors earned. Relying in your provide and your upcoming journey plans, these promotions can present nice worth for households. The provide could be the likelihood to earn double factors on each keep, or full two weekend stays and obtain a sure variety of bonus factors.
Inns as little as 10,000 factors per night time, at all times
IHG Rewards Membership presents an easy rewards program. There are 13 classes with lodges requiring anyplace from 10,000 to 70,000 factors for a free night time keep. The 40,000-point lodges are sometimes the “candy spots” within the award chart for the reason that reward night time certificates that comes with the IHG Rewards Premier Credit score Card is capped at lodges pricing 40,000 factors or much less.
Households have many alternatives to redeem factors. Both redeem as you earn, or save up for that tremendous resort that might have in any other case been unobtainable with money.
Incomes standing is simple however not helpful
Incomes standing is simple by the IHG Rewards Premier Credit score Card (automated Platinum standing), by way of a standing match or just by staying at IHG properties. Nevertheless, advantages of standing aren’t practically pretty much as good as a number of the different lodge chains (no assured advance upgrades, membership lounge entry or complimentary breakfast). Nevertheless, some standing is best than no standing in any respect.
Platinum Elite standing, for instance, will grant your loved ones the next advantages:
- Bonus factors: On paid stays, you may obtain a 50% bonus on all factors earned. Or, if you’re utilizing factors for a free night time keep, any incidentals you cost to the room will even earn the bonus.
- Room upgrades: Upon check-in, you ought to be given a complimentary room improve, though suites are excluded. Sadly, award stays are additionally excluded from this profit. I would not stroll into an IHG property and count on an improve, however as I discussed earlier than, your probabilities of getting upgraded are larger with Platinum standing, so it’s higher than nothing.
- Late checkout: Though Platinum members get late checkout, there isn’t a rule in regards to the additional time. It’s as much as the discretion of the lodge, so I recommend asking at check-in. Paying with that “Platinum card” additionally won’t damage.
Notice: In earlier years, we’d have touted IHG’s PointBreaks promotions, which lowered the variety of factors per night time required for a free night time to simply 5,000. The record of properties rotated quarterly. Nevertheless, PointBreaks just isn’t at the moment energetic.
High kid-friendly IHG properties
Listed here are just a few IHG lodges on your subsequent household trip.
Vacation Inn Membership Holidays Orlando at Orange Lake Resort
IHG additionally has a ton of Vacation Inn Membership Holidays the place you should utilize your factors for an upgraded suite with a kitchen. The Vacation Inn Membership Holidays Orlando At Orange Lake Resort falls into that class the place you’ll be able to e book a 1,200-square-foot two-bedroom villa that sleeps eight (with a washer/dryer) — all from simply 40,000 factors an evening. Staying right here will mean you can get pleasure from a 1,450-acre resort and go to Mickey at close by Walt Disney World. You may even have a completely outfitted kitchen and a washer/dryer.
Among the many leisure amenities are seven swimming pools, 4 waterslides and a lazy river, tennis, racquetball, basketball or golf, together with mini-golf for the youngsters.
When you signed up for the IHG Rewards Premier Credit score Card and earned 125,000 bonus factors plus a Reward Evening after spending $3,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening, you’d have greater than sufficient factors for a three-night keep at Vacation Inn Membership Holidays Orlando at Orange Lake Resort.
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Vacation Inn Buena Park-Close to Knott’s
When you choose to go to Mickey on the opposite coast, you’ll be able to keep on the Vacation Inn Buena Park-Close to Knott’s. Though there are a lot of IHG properties in Anaheim, if you’re open to staying just a few miles away, you’ll be able to get pleasure from this property from 25,000 IHG factors an evening. (All the different close by properties are a minimum of a further 10k factors an evening.)
When you’re operating numbers based mostly on IHG’s present 125k welcome-point bonus, you’d be capable to e book six nights at this property. (5 nights paying with factors and cardholders obtain the fourth night time free on all award stays.)
Though you’ll not be inside strolling distance of Disneyland whereas staying at this lodge, you might be solely six miles away and the property offers a complimentary shuttle, saving you cash on parking. And when you have youngsters, Knott’s Berry Farm is correct down the road. This property presents the most important outside heated pool in Buena Park, excellent in case you determine to take a day to loosen up by the pool.
Associated: Tips on how to plan a visit to Knott’s Berry Farm
Vacation Inn Resort Grand Cayman
At 25,000 factors an evening, the Vacation Inn Resort Grand Cayman is a complete steal. You may get greater than 1 cent per level in worth many instances of the yr by redeeming at this tropical resort.
It is not the fanciest choice on Grand Cayman and awards aren’t out there each night time, however it’ll get you solar, sand and pool time in a double queen-bed room that sleeps 4. Even higher, ocean-view rooms present up as an choice you’ll be able to e book on factors. Grand Cayman is a Southwest Airways vacation spot with nonstop flights from Fort Lauderdale, Baltimore-BW and Houston-Interest, so you have obtained a Caribbean getaway on a budget when you have a Companion Move or Speedy Rewards factors burning a gap in your pocket. When you make the journey, listed here are a few of our favourite issues for households to do in Grand Cayman.
Vacation Inn Resort Montego Bay All-Inclusive, Jamaica
When you’re in search of a no-stress getaway, take a look at the Vacation Inn Resort Montego Bay. The all-inclusive 50,000-per-night factors charge consists of two adults and two youngsters below 12. (Further individuals 13 and older are charged $80 per night time, collected on the lodge.) With charges simply topping $350 per night time, the resort is a stable worth. Though “Vacation Inn” and “luxurious trip” is probably not in the identical sentence fairly often, the resort’s location on a non-public island will get nice critiques from company. Montego Bay can be a Southwest Airways vacation spot if that helps carry the journey nearer to actuality.
Vacation Inn Resort Aruba
The Vacation Inn Resort Aruba is certainly one of my favourite IHG properties to go to with factors. This lodge is correct in the midst of Palm Seashore the place you may discover many different high-end lodges, however the different properties require considerably extra factors — despite the fact that they’re all on the very same seashore. At this Vacation Inn property, rooms price simply 40,000 IHG factors for a one-night keep.
Resort Indigo San Diego-Del Mar
The Resort Indigo San Diego Del Mar is in a quaint seashore neighborhood that might make for a soothing household getaway. The lodge prides itself on being dog- and kid-friendly. The rooms characteristic two queen beds and a few provide an ocean view. The lodge critiques point out pleasant employees and a super-convenient location. Price is from 30,000 IHG factors per night time (room charges on this location at peak season are about $300 per night time).
Vacation Inn Resort & Suites, Montreal Centre-Ville Ouest
Montreal is a terrific long-weekend vacation spot and IHG factors properties provide stable values all through town. The best choice is the Vacation Inn Resort & Suites Montreal Centre-ville Ouest because it prices an inexpensive 30,000 IHG factors an evening versus money charges of $200 or extra all through a lot of the yr.
Vacation Inn & Suites Clearwater Seashore S-Harbourside
Florida seashore locations is usually a excellent match for households who need to get away with out leaving the mainland. Flights to Florida from different US gateways are sometimes cheaper and extra plentiful than flying to the Caribbean. This makes the Vacation Inn & Suites Clearwater Seashore S-Harbourside the proper vacation spot to think about with IHG factors.
At simply 30,000 IHG factors an evening, you might be at a lodge proper on the water and a trolley journey away from Pier 60 at Clearwater Seashore. Plus, this property is correct subsequent door to the brand-new Splash Harbour Water Park. Parking is complimentary and there aren’t any resort charges.
Kimpton Resort Palomar Washington, D.C.
You possibly can redeem your IHG factors at Kimpton properties, which brings extra funky and upscale choices to the desk. Kimpton properties are primarily in main cities akin to New York, Austin and Denver, though there are few outliers (such because the Kimpton Seafire Resort & Spa in Grand Cayman, Kimpton Shorebreak Resort in Huntington Seashore, California, and the Kimpton Taconic in Manchester, Vermont).
If you’re in search of a family-friendly metropolis vacation spot, Washington, D.C., there are nearly a dozen Kimpton properties, such because the Kimpton Resort Palomar Washington, D.C. This property prices 50,000 IHG factors per night time and places you proper in Dupont Circle, the place you’ll be able to take the Metro or stroll to the zoo in Woodley Park, the Nationwide Mall and the various museums away from the mall. After an extended day of exploring, there may be an indoor pool ready for your loved ones.
How the IHG bank card enhances household journey
The IHG Rewards Premier Credit score Card is a kind of playing cards that has ongoing advantages yr after yr (versus ones that present restricted worth after the primary yr). And, proper now you’ll be able to earn 125,000 bonus factors plus a Reward Evening after spending $3,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening.
With simply an $89 annual charge, the yearly advantages are price far more:
Reward night time certificates yearly
The most effective advantages of this card is that you’re going to obtain a reward-night certificates on each anniversary yr — redeemable for properties that price as much as 40,000 factors an evening. When you can benefit from this certificates yearly, this profit alone is valued at $200. If each you and your important different maintain this card, that can provide you two complimentary nights a yr (learn: weekend getaway). You possibly can consider this perk as paying for the annual charge after which the entire different advantages you obtain are pure add-ons.
Fourth night time reward on award stays
My second favourite good thing about this card is that when reserving award stays, you obtain your fourth-night reward. This is applicable to each fourth night time of a single reservation. So when you have an eight-night keep, you may obtain the reward night time twice. Though just a few different lodge chains provide you with a free night time when utilizing factors, it sometimes applies to your fifth night time free.
Complimentary International Entry or TSA PreCheck
When you or your loved ones haven’t got International Entry, this card presents an as much as $100 assertion credit score. All you need to do is pay the $100 International Entry software charge and you will obtain a $100 assertion credit score. And the most effective half is that the names don’t must match, so if you have already got International Entry, you should utilize it to pay on your kid’s software. If your loved ones is touring internationally (together with a lot of the Caribbean), zipping by customs by utilizing the International Entry kiosk is big. There’s nothing worse than standing in an extended line after getting off an extended flight with younger youngsters. All kids must have International Entry to undergo the International Entry line, no matter age.
International Entry is legitimate for 5 years. You can too use the assertion credit score on TSA PreCheck however with International Entry, you routinely obtain TSA PreCheck, so that you would possibly as nicely get International Entry.
Platinum Elite standing
IHG might be one of many weaker lodge loyalty applications in relation to standing, however strolling right into a lodge with some standing is best than no standing in any respect. Many households will even parlay their IHG Platinum standing to finish a standing match or standing problem with one other lodge chain. This consists of incomes Hilton Honors standing, Marriott Bonvoy standing, Wyndham Rewards standing, Selection Privileges standing and Radisson Rewards standing. And sure, having Platinum standing merely from the bank card will qualify.
I additionally love that IHG factors won’t ever expire when you have standing. With out it, factors expire if there isn’t a exercise within the account for 12 months. Having standing (even whether it is simply by being a cardholder) will make sure you by no means have to fret about dropping your factors.
Backside line
Whether or not you might be in search of a weekend or per week away for your loved ones, there are a lot of lodge choices to select from throughout the IHG program. There are additionally loads of methods to maximise your reward alternatives throughout the IHG Rewards Membership program by utilizing the Level + Money and PointBreaks redemptions in addition to with the fourth-night-free and free-night certificates from the co-branded bank card.
One phrase of warning when trying to find IHG properties: Many instances, even when an IHG property presents rooms with one king mattress or two double/queen beds, the two-bed choice just isn’t at all times out there on factors. Moreover, IHG is without doubt one of the few applications that implement capacity-control awards. This is usually a big drawback for households and means you may must be versatile and diligent together with your search. You may additionally need to e book nicely forward throughout peak journey instances.
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With extra reporting by Jennifer Yellin