Indian view on hotel loyalty programs - IHG Rewards Club

A reader question prompted me to hasten my series on hotel loyalty programs in India. This is the third in that series, and is about IHG Rewards Club. You can read the other posts (that have been published, or will soon be) using the master post as an index, or go to the end of this post for individual links.

Also, I recently wrote about my thoughts on IHG Rewards Club, so I'll try not to repeat a lot of what was said there.

IHG Rewards Club 101

IHG has three levels - Club, Gold Elite and Platinum Elite - read more here. At the base level, IHG generally earns you 10 points per eligible US$ of spend (though it really depends on where you stay - see here for more on that). IHG also keeps running promotions, which are stackable (see section on IHG and me, below). Normal redemption rates vary by hotel category, and can be anywhere between 10,000 and 50,000 points a night (each category jumps 5k points, starting with Category 1 at 10,000 points).

IHG also comes out quite frequently with Point Breaks offers, at 5,000 points apiece for a reward night.

IHG (as with other chains) also offers a points+cash option for redemption. However, the key difference here is that in effect, you're buying the necessary points needed for an award night, and so if you cancel, the points bought are credited to your account.

Also do not expect IHG status to get you much at Intercontinental hotels, since they have their own program.

IHG in India

IHG is the largest chain of hotels internationally, though they have only 21 hotels (including future planned openings) in India that come under the IHG Rewards Club program. 

Here is a summary of redemption rates across IHG properties in India.

Given the overall redemption rates of IHG hotels in India, and assuming an average room night costs Rs 5,500++, IHG in India offers (on average) a redemption value of a shade under 1:24, or roughly just over 4%. In other words, 24 paid stays will get you a free night's stay, which is a bit better than Hilton but comparable with SPG. Also consider, that the average room night is much higher at places like the Crowne Plaza, Gurgaon and the Intercontinental Marine Drive Mumbai (the latter is always priced in US$). That's the math, and it is my math, to be specific. [All of this is based on averages and based on prices for random dates. YMMV.]

IHG and me

I'm a Platinum Elite member with IHG, and the biggest plus with IHG is the ability to stack multiple offers (I've been able to put together a nice little pile of IHG points, thanks to this). However, the program does not offer complimentary breakfast, though internet is generally free for Platinum members. In India, internet costs can be quite low sometimes, and so it is really up to the hotel. Many IHG properties in India offer complimentary internet just for being an IHG Rewards Club member. And while I've not stayed at all of them, I found the Holiday Inn in Mumbai to be far better than what I expected.

Other related posts in this series

• Hilton HHonors
• Starwood Preferred Group
• Marriott