Illogical points pricing with IHG hotel booking

[Mattg]

I just booked a night at an IHG hotel in Belgium, which was retailing for €99.



I thought I'd have a look at the options for paying with IHG One Rewards points, and was a bit bemused to find that if I contributed 5,000 points towards this booking, the co-payment would rise to €102!



I ended up selecting the flexible option with cash, and got the usual offer on the following page to purchase some extra points with my booking. Again, not much thought has been put into the pricing here!

 

[anat0l]

Was the EUR 99 rate an advance purchase rate? Just thinking if the Points+Cash is based on the Best Flexible rate rather than the best possible price you can get.

When I see something like this happen, I like to call it one of life's IQ tests.

 

[Mattg]

Was the EUR 99 rate an advance purchase rate? Just thinking if the Points+Cash is based on the Best Flexible rate rather than the best possible price you can get.

It is. The best flexible rate is EUR109 - still not a good use of points.

 

[burmans]

Personally I regard illogical pricing as a positive, it’s where you find great deals. Not all illogical prices are good but some certainly are!

 

[drron]

It is a little difficult to get good points redemptions with IHG but every now and then an illogical redemption does appear.

 

[Mattg]

It is a little difficult to get good points redemptions with IHG but every now and then an illogical redemption does appear.

Sometimes the illogicality does work in your favour!

 

[dajop]

Same thing happens with Bonvoy. Looking at a hotel the other day, near DXB airport. Very cheap right now - $45 USD/night flexible rate. Points 17,500 or points+ pay $53 + 8750 pt.

At a more upscale property, you do get some value for your points, $158 + 20.500 points or $178 for the flexible rate

 

[markis10]

Top cash back had 15% on IHG two days ago