This latest list is relatively decent. It keeps with the common trend that’s been familiar to us since IHG introduced its new, 3-tier PointBreaks format, but it offers more good deals at the second 10,000-point tier.
- 5,000 points – nothing good (hotels in Sao Paulo and Beijing are far away from all tourist areas)
- 10,000 points – more interesting hotels than last time around
- 15,000 points – most interesting hotels are gone
My Methodology
- I generally value IHG points at $0.05
- Rooms available at the time of writing
- Currently you can buy IHG points with a 75% bonus, but there have been 100% bonuses in the past and there will be again
- I can see some good domestic redemptions this time around (and I’m sure you will find more)
- Each “from” rate I’m quoting is the lowest price I’ve found by doing a simple Google search – it’s for reference only, so always check your own dates and taxes to compare apples to apples
- Remember “fourth free night” if you have an IHG card
Notable 10,000 points IHG PointBreaks hotels
UNITED STATES
ARIZONA
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Lake Havasu – London Bridge: from $125
Lake Havasu seems like a nice place to spend a
weekend. If I were visiting Arizona from the East Coast, Lake Havasu
probably wouldn’t be my first choice, but if I lived within a road
trip – well, I’m a sucker for cute pictures, and this
page has plenty of them.
CALIFORNIA
Holiday
Inn Express & Suites Santa Ana – Orange County:
from $107
This HIE is “centrally located near the most popular Orange County attractions, such as Disneyland, Santa Ana Zoo, Aquarium of the Pacific, Angels Stadium, John Wayne Airport, and South Coast Plaza.” Nuff said?
FLORIDA
Holiday Inn St Augustine – World Golf: from $93
Why is this HI on the list? No reason, other than that I like St Augustine and always stay there for a couple of days when I’m in the area (and have time).
LOUISIANA
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Chalmette – New Orleans S: from $101
I debated whether to include HI Chalmette in my list, but then decided that 10,000 points for a hotel 6 miles away from the French Quarter is decent. So there!
SOUTH CAROLINA
Staybridge Suites Charleston – Mount Pleasant: from $108
Located at the foot of the Ravenel Bridge, Staybridge Suites Charleston/Mt. Pleasant is ideal for travelers who want to experience all Charleston has to offer. Just 4 miles from the events of the Spoleto Festival, 6 miles from Sullivan’s Island beaches…
Ideal or not, for 10,000 points it’s at least a good deal, IMHO.
MEXICO
InterContinental Presidente Puebla: from $64
Crowne Plaza Queretaro: from $65
Staybridge Suites Guadalajara Expo: from $60
So, you won’t get amazing value (although it’s still decent), but these 3 cities are arguably among the most beautiful in Mexico, and you can get any of these hotels for 10,000 points per night.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Crowne Plaza Santo Domingo: from $85
Santo Domingo has a Colonial Zone, which is a lovely historic area and a UNESCO Heritage site, but you don’t go to Santo Domingo for sightseeing. However, you might need to spend a night in the capital before going on your merry way to Punta Cana, Samana, Los Terrenas, or some of the AIs of the North Coast.
LEBANON
Crowne Plaza Beirut: from $79
I’m very intrigued about Beirut. I keep reading that it’s safe, cool, historic, multicultural, and even get this – chic. If that’s true, and I don’t have any reason to believe it isn’t, then Crowne Plaza Beirut has to be a good value for 10,000 points per night.
VIETNAM
Crowne Plaza West Hanoi: from $88
It’s a great hotel despite a long 30-40 minute ride to the French Quarter and other historic sites. It’s not far away from JW Marriott where I stayed and would stay again in a heartbeat. Hanoi is not a city to stay in for a week. Three days is plenty, and cabs are cheap, so a cab ride twice a day isn’t a big deal, really.
Notable 15,000 points IHG PointBreaks hotels
United States
FLORIDA
Holiday Inn & Suites Clearwater Beach S-Harbourside: from $96
This “from” rate shouldn’t confuse you. This hotel normally commands $150+ per night due to its location. Here is their plug in its entirety, as it sounds like a really nice place.
We are a full service hotel on Indian Rocks beach and offer suites and villas with full kitchens in addition to our standard rooms. We are located directly on the Intracoastal waterway just 7 miles South of Clearwater Beach and 14 miles North of St. Pete Beach. Located right next to us is the new Splash Harbour Water Park. Hotel guests will receive discount ticket prices or can book packages that include tickets to enjoy the two 42 ft High Water Slides, 600 ft long Lazy River, Splash Pad with three slides, and Zero Entry Pool with raindrop mushrooms. The area surrounding our Key West styled hotel is free from noise and traffic. Our family friendly hotel and marina are only a short walk to the beach, shopping, local restaurants, and nightlife. Bask in the warm Florida sunshine in our garden pool and Jacuzzi and watch the breathtaking sunrises each morning at our marina. Or you can hop on the Beach Trolley to visit John’s Pass Village in Maderia Beach for unique shopping or head north to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium to see Winter the Dolphin.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant: from $109
This hotel is right across from the Staybridge Suites Charleston – Mount Pleasant hotel that’s available for 10,000 points per night. Just in case you want a little more luxury.
WASHINGTON
Staybridge Suites Seattle Downtown – Lake Union: from $127
Well, Seattle downtown hotels are pricey. Great deal!
GERMANY
Holiday Inn Express Hamburg City Centre: from $81
I love Hamburg very much. It’s not as touristy as Berlin or Munich, but it doesn’t have to be – it has its own charm and personality. And the location of this HIE couldn’t be better. Hurry up – a lot of dates are sold out, but end of May is still available at the time of writing.
BULGARIA
InterContinental Sofia: GONE
FRANCE
Crowne Plaza Toulouse: GONE
UNITED KINGDOM
Holiday Inn Express London – Hammersmith: GONE
Crowne Plaza Manchester – Oxford Road: GONE
How to buy IHG points for $0.05-$0.065 per point
IHG has a points sale until February 28. However, the current offer is only 75% more points, so I recommend waiting until you see a 100% bonus if you can. I believe it’s widely targeted. I receive it every time there is a sale. This is what a 100% more points offer looks like (currently not valid):
In my latest offer, the minimum amount to buy to arrive at $0.05 per point is actually 26,000 points, but YMMV
Bottom line
Many of the hotels on the latest IHG PointBreaks 2019 list represent decent values, but many best values are gone just one day after the announcement. The problem is two-fold, I believe. First, better hotels don’t give enough inventory at the promotional PointBreaks rates — they might just throw in a few rooms to see what happens. On the other hand, it seems that many “enthusiasts” unfortunately keep sport-booking nights with no intention of using them. What makes them do something so stupid, I’ll never understand.
Which is why, if you’re interested in a hotel that’s no longer available on PointBreaks, keep checking. When they cancel their stay the rooms can get back into the inventory. Or not, you know.
