PC Points and booking through external websites

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greenfrog86

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After looking through this forum, I'm currently thinking I would like to maximise my points earned for an upcoming stay at Crowne Plaza, however am unsure about the 'rules' for PC earning when booking through another website...

Situation is that I am thinking of booking through HotelClub to earn the bonus Amex MR points (5 bonus MR points per $1), however would also like to earn points through PC (as direct sweep into QFF at 3FF/$1).

Does anyone know if I will receive benefit through PC by presenting my PC card at check-in, despite the booking being prepaid through the online booking?

Am I just being greedy in my search for points, or am I potentially missing an opportunity to score twice?

If its unlikely that I can 'double dip' the QFF points are probably of more value to me, so I would book directly through IC website and earn the 3pts/$1 plus my normal CC earn for the spend....

Any help or past experiences etc would be much appreciated
 
Earning QF miles is a poor return for priority club for most, you might get 600 for a $200 spend , if you nominated point earn and used some of the bonus codes floating around you could get quite easily 5000 points which is a free night at a pointsbreak hotel, the IC Adealide was recently on the list for instance.

You should not have any issue with getting points or miles by using a travel agent, from the terms and conditions: "Points will be awarded for Qualifying Room Rates booked through IHG central reservation offices, IHG web sites, travel agents or directly at the hotel." Should be no issue with it being prepaid either!
 
Great, well that gives me some hope then...

I guess its like giving them your FF card when checking-in...same kind of thing when I arrive at the hotel I guess? They would just add it to the booking...

With regards to the QFF points, it states that for stays in Australia they earn at 3QFF points per dollar spent (as per the Qantas earn rate for all their associated hotels)

Given that most of my domestic and indeed international hotel stays are at cheap or no-brand hotels, I'm not sure I would get much use out of PC points.

This stay would cost me about $800 (two rooms etc) which is 1 MR point per dollar on my CC, plus 5 bonus MR points per $ spent through HotelClub, plus 3QFF points per $ = 4800 MR points, plus 2400 Qantas points (hopefully!!)
 
Great, well that gives me some hope then...

I guess its like giving them your FF card when checking-in...same kind of thing when I arrive at the hotel I guess? They would just add it to the booking...

With regards to the QFF points, it states that for stays in Australia they earn at 3QFF points per dollar spent (as per the Qantas earn rate for all their associated hotels)

Given that most of my domestic and indeed international hotel stays are at cheap or no-brand hotels, I'm not sure I would get much use out of PC points.

This stay would cost me about $800 (two rooms etc) which is 1 MR point per dollar on my CC, plus 5 bonus MR points per $ spent through HotelClub, plus 3QFF points per $ = 4800 MR points, plus 2400 Qantas points (hopefully!!)

2400 QF points or 10-12000 PC points or two free nights - your call on the value. If you are going to spend $800 it may be worth looking at Priority Privilege for the BOGO certs and dining discounts which again can be used later as its a yearly memebership, of course this is designed to keep you coming back to the IHG hotels so you may not save too much for one stay.
 
Hi
Everytime I have booked through a 3rd party website it has been an unqualifying stay.

Cheers
Larni
 
Hi
Everytime I have booked through a 3rd party website it has been an unqualifying stay.

Cheers
Larni


A travel agent booking should not be an issue and I would be chasing the points given the terms and conditions of the program, if it is a "third party " website then no points are issued.
 
Given that it is a simple two night stay in Canberra with my mum, I hardly think its worth engaging a travel agent...

The key to the question and the advice for others who are new to schemes like PC would appear to be that if you book through a 'travel website' (such as hotelclub, expedia etc) then you may not qualify for points within the hotel's scheme.

So, its really a balance between things like bonus points through a website and direct points from the hotel chain it would seem...

I'm going to book today through the hotel direct I think and choose QFF points as I feel they are more valuable to me.
I cannot imagine the next time I will spend enough at the PC chain to get enough points to stay somewhere free...even with the bonus offers (thanks for pointing these out) I dont think I would have enough for a stay. The points breaks seem pretty useless to me as I dont travel enough to take advantage of these offers...
 
Given that it is a simple two night stay in Canberra with my mum, I hardly think its worth engaging a travel agent...

The key to the question and the advice for others who are new to schemes like PC would appear to be that if you book through a 'travel website' (such as hotelclub, expedia etc) then you may not qualify for points within the hotel's scheme.

So, its really a balance between things like bonus points through a website and direct points from the hotel chain it would seem...

I'm going to book today through the hotel direct I think and choose QFF points as I feel they are more valuable to me.
I cannot imagine the next time I will spend enough at the PC chain to get enough points to stay somewhere free...even with the bonus offers (thanks for pointing these out) I dont think I would have enough for a stay. The points breaks seem pretty useless to me as I dont travel enough to take advantage of these offers...


Check the rates at Qantas.com before you book direct, they definately get points, and check out the family and friends promo, no points but rooms are $148 in Canberra during the week.
 
Cheers - that was my first port of call....

Unfortunately since we are going to see the exhibition that is on at the NGA, most hotels are booking out of twin rooms, and Qantas has no more availability for most places through their bookings :(

It appears that the QFF option in PC earns the same rates as Qantas direct anyway...

Sometimes I wonder why I bother to even consider chasing points - they all seem so unattainable and far off...

Appreciate your thoughts and help with this one :)
 
Hi there

Where do I find the family and friends promo?

Thanks
Larni
 
yes - i recently had a 14 night stay at holiday inn (usually stay at the hyatt) at rates that were very good. i had booked on the internet and did not get any points or even qualifying nights. i called priority and they said priority members are deemed to have read the terms (anyone know any good y class lawyers out there?). mind you, the room rate that i booked at was less than half the corporate rate i usually get, so i shouldn't really complain.
 
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yes - i recently had a 14 night stay at holiday inn (usually stay at the hyatt) at rates that were very good. i had booked on the internet and did not get any points or even qualifying nights. i called priority and they said priority members are deemed to have read the terms (anyone know any good y class lawyers out there?). mind you, the room rate that i booked at was less than half the corporate rate i usually get, so i shouldn't really complain.

Where did oyu stay, if you used the website to book and it was not a F&F rate then you should get points, all locally negotiated rates in APAC are eligible according to the said T&C's, ring back!
 
thanks, markis10

my stay was in sydney - but that is irrelevant. i booked through best flights, which i would have thought was a bona fide on-line travel agent and therefore qualify under the booked directly or through a travel agent rule. but no - escalated up through the hotel to the philippines call centre, then to the call centre supervisor. all not very helpful. i thought a two week stay was worthy of some sort of recognition ... but maybe that's me!

oh, and by the way. the hotel gave me three "help" numbers to call. an 1800 number which immediately disconnected (not even a measly "you are a valued customer and have been placed in a queue"), an 800 number, which was incorrectly given (i suspect it was a us number and the usa isd code is +1, which the hotel didn't tell me about, and is a toll call in any event), and a direct dial to the philippines call centre. not the easiest method of delivering customer service.

but like i say, i was offered deeply discounted rates, so i shouldn't complain!
 
Hi
Everytime I have booked through a 3rd party website it has been an unqualifying stay.

Cheers
Larni

Same with SPG program - NOT that they bother telling your that anywhere. AND has taken them 14 weeks and still NO membership card - despite 2 messages via email! Is it all worth it, one asks? :?:
 
thanks, markis10

my stay was in sydney - but that is irrelevant.


Where you stay is relevant as it has to be in APAC for locally negotiated rates to be eligible, however bestflights would seem to be classed as a third party website, in hindsight a best price match with IHG direct would have been worth it as you would have got it cheapar and with points.
 
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but like i say, i was offered deeply discounted rates, so i shouldn't complain!

There is always some catch to these things, knowing now, perhaps if you paid corp rates then you would have earn the points. Catch 22, you win one way and lose in another. ;-)
 
There is always some catch to these things, knowing now, perhaps if you paid corp rates then you would have earn the points. Catch 22, you win one way and lose in another. ;-)


Not really, as I posted earlier the OP could have asked for IHG to match the rate advertised and get a further 10% discount, and all rates booked direct get points (excluding rewards nights and special promos such as fmaily and friends), win one way and the the other :)

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