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Update 1/30/22 – I’ve now spoken with two different Intercontinental CSR’s and both said that the 15,000 point bonus on paying in cash is only valid towards renewals. That said, both then offered to match the 35K offer if I would sign-up with them immediately. But, I think it’s safe to say that the only possible way to get the 15K on a new enrollment is over the phone and YMMV. Online, you’ll just get the 20K.
IHG has a new bonus offer of 20,000 points when signing up for or renewing an InterContinental Ambassador membership between now and 3/31/22. You must stay a total of two paid nights before 4/30/22 in order to trigger the bonus. There is a concurrent offer that gives an additional 15,000 point bonus if paying for the enrollment renewal (not valid for new sign-ups, although I was offered a match via phone) in cash with no stay requirement, for a possible total of 35,000 points on renewals.
I received this offer in an e-mail several days ago but the link just took me to the generic sign-up page for IHG. Strangely enough, the promotion is only listed in the terms and conditions (something that IHG has done in the past).
Ambassador is a paid status with IHG that costs either $200 or 40,000 points each year. According to our reasonable redemption values, IHG points are worth 0.6 cents each, making the 20K bonus worth at least $120 and the the 35K bonus worth $210, going a long way towards offsetting the paid cost of the membership.
The Deal
- When paying with $200 cash or with 40,000 points, get 20,000 IHG points when renewing IHG Ambassador Status and staying two nights at Kimpton, Regent or InterContinental properties. Reader Pam points out that using an unexpired complimentary weekend night from a current Ambassador membership is a qualifying rate.
- When paying with $200 cash for renewal get an additional 15,000 IHG points with no stay requirement
- Direct Link to Offer
Key Terms
- 20,000K offer Valid for any enrollment or renewal between 1/18/22 and 3/31/2022
- To recieve the 20,000 point bonus, you must stay two qualifying paid nights at an InterContinental, Kimpton, or Regent property by 4/30/22
- It can take 4-6 weeks after completing the qualifying stays for bonus points to post to the member’s account
Quick Thoughts
Ambassador membership has become much more valuable in the last couple of years as you can now receive benefits at InterContinental, Kimpton, Regent and Six Senses properties. The complimentary weekend night that the Ambassador receives is now also good for any day of the week at Kimpton properties, a huge upgrade from the old ones.
At Intercontinental Properties, an Ambassador receives:
- A guaranteed one category upgrade
- Complimentary internet and bottled water
- A $20 Food and beverage credit
- 4PM late check-out
At Six Senses properties, an Ambassador receives:
- Complimentary breakfast for two each day
- Signature Amenity of either a complimentary 50 minute Six Senses Spa massage for two or local experience (once per stay)
- Complimentary one category room upgrade
- Extended check-out of 4PM subject to availability
- Early check-in of 10AM subject to availability
- Complimentary internet
- Wellness Platter on day of arrival
Given that the the Six Senses benefits are available on award stays, Ambassador is a no-brainer if you have a stay planned at one of their properties. You can also get very good value for the weekend free night in the right circumstance. We had a lovely stay at The Willard in Washington DC a couple of years ago where we recieved a significant upgrade to a premium room along with a high quality daily breakfast and a bar credit, all of which ended up saving us well over $1,000. Do note that the complimentary weekend night rate is usually more expensive than the standard rate and so doesn’t always make sense to use. TIP: Use this link to check for free weekend night prices and availability before joining the Ambassador program (h/t Loyalty Lobby).
With this enrollment bonus, and if you have stays planned and can put the benefit to good use, InterContinental Ambassador can make a lot of sense…especially with Six Senses (no pun intended?). It might not be worth the leap as a speculative option, though.
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Looks like they publish you can get the full 35k for renewal: https://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/content/us/en/ambassadorbenefits-retention?_PMID=99634986&cm_mmc=CJ-_-4152654-_-7304739&mktgvar=CJ-_-4152654-_-7304739-_-www.ihg.com%2Fcontent_-18268fbfab9311ec830db0c50a82b838&glat=AFFI&setPMCookies=true&cjevent=18268fbfab9311ec830db0c50a82b838
Asked CSR about signing up and she said 15K offer applies to new enrollment if paying $200 (instead of 40K pts). I verified with her multiple times that it applies to new members and points will post within a couple of days.
Did you try this already? I called 2 CSRs and they both told me the 35k offer was for renewals only
15K hadn’t posted yet so I called in. CSR said 15K only applied to renewals but I invited him to listen to my previous call where I was told multiple times that I’d get 15K for joining. He them gave me the 15K bonus and it posted immediately.
Just spoke to two CSRs. They would not match the 15k offer for a new enrollment.
How reliable is that “complimentary one category room upgrade” at Six Senses properties?
I’m trying to decide whether or not to book a Six Senses property right now, and the only room bookable with points at this property is not completely awesome (and costs a lotta points). However, the next-category-up room looks pretty spectacular, and I’d be delighted to pay those points for that room. If the upgrade was a sure thing, I’d go for it, but I know hotels often use weasel tactics to deny meaningful upgrades. So I’m left teetering on the brink about going all Ambassador for that…
So, does anyone have any experience/have reason to know how reliable the “complimentary one category room upgrade” really is at Six Senses? Thanks.
I’m in exactly the same spot. I think the benefits with Six Senses are very exciting, but I can’t find much data on how consistently these are being applied.
I’ve now spoken with two IC CSR’s and both said that the 15,000 point bonus on paying in cash is only valid towards renewals. That said, both then offered to match the 35K offer if I would sign-up with them right now, so YMMV, I guess?
But, I think it’s safe to say that the only possible way to get the 15K on a new sign-up is over the phone. Online, you’ll just get the 20K as a new sign-up.
Just called….mentioned the 20k and 15k for renewals. Said I’d join if I could earn the 35k total, but was on the fence otherwise. Crickets. Anyone else not get the offer? HUCA?
John, I was wondering if this was rep specific or a targeted thing on some folk’s accounts. Always worth HUCA in my opinion, regardless, but it might be targeted.
I called twice and was denied both times. I wonder if the reps Tim spoke to really even had the ability to apply the 15k renewal bonus for a new enrollment. My experience with IHG/Intercontinental phone reps (which apparently are now all based overseas) has been abysmal over the last few years.
[…] Hat tip to FM […]
OK, let’s talk strategy. I’m a year and a half out from my 5 yr wedding anniversary stay at Six Senses Seychelles. It’s where we did our honeymoon (before IHG bought the group) and now I’m trying to do the whole thing with points. I currently have enough points for the stay, but the complimentary breakfast is a huge perk for that place. Does it make any sense to qualify for the Ambassador stay now (even though I already have Platinum status through the credit card) or should I wait until 11 months before the trip and apply then? Trip isn’t until end of July/first week Aug 2023.
You can buy it pretty much whenever, so as long as that doesn’t change and you won’t use it now, no reason to buy now. That said they may mix it up in March with other changes to the program.
Assuming you are joining fresh (& not renewing), join now only if you think you will be staying the needed 2 pd nights anyway by 4.30.22. Then you could apply a 1-time 6 month Ambassador expiration extension next year to get you thru your honeymoon. And if you haven’t yet used your Ambassador Free Weekend Night cert (earned by signing up this year), it, too, will then be extended for use. Maybe tag on an IC/Regent Weekend stay to the end of your Six Senses honeymoon?
Does this code as anything in particular? Ibotta at 6% for IHG
“IHG Ambassador Activation” codes as Office & Shipping with 3x on my Chase Ink Business Preferred.
Nice! Thank you!
That’s incredible, I’ve never noticed that before. I imagine it would code the same on the 5x cards as well!
Not sure which 5x card you are referring, but the Ink Cash is 5x on office supply stores not shipping
Ah, I see. I thought that it coded as office supply, not as shipping. Still, 3x on CIBP is great.
The terms in the email I received don’t mention the 15k points at all. Mine say – “The Offer can only be redeemed once per member and a maximum of 20,000 IHG® Rewards points can be achieved for enrollments based on the payment of USD200 or redeeming 40,000 points. The bonus points awarded through this Offer are not Elite status qualifying. IHG reserves the right to recoup any points incorrectly awarded.”
If you are renewing your membership, this link provides the extra 15k points (not good on new enrollments): https://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/content/us/en/ambassadorbenefits-retention?_PMID=99634986&cm_mmc=CJ-_-4152654-_-7304739&mktgvar=CJ-_-4152654-_-7304739-_-Book+Now+Logo-Holiday+Inn%2C+an+IHG+Hotel_-040e5dd0755711ec82ac40590a1c0e0b&glat=AFFI&setPMCookies=true&cjevent=040e5dd0755711ec82ac40590a1c0e0b
Mine didn’t mention it in the e-mail either, only when I clicked through to the sign-up page, logged into my account and read the erms there…probably good to take screenshot just in case, though.
I joined Ambassador only when my Chinese visa was valid. The benefits in China were better (free breakfast for two and regular upgrades). Now that China is closed off for at least the next decade, the program has much less value to me. One of the worst: to get the “free night” with one paid night, you have to book the paid night at the “Ambassador” rate – one of the highest rates possible. When you’re talking about already expensive hotels, that means you can pay upwards of $100 at least more for your paid night before you are eligible for the ‘free’ one. Plus, then you have to pay for a breakfast if travelling as a couple.
They need to fix these things.
Agreed. I found that oftentimes the Ambassador rate was so much more than standard that it didn’t make any sense to use it.
I see more parity with Kimpton than IC (in terms of the member rate more closely aligned with the Ambassador rate).
Also, maybe IHG has always offered this (but only now seeing & using), but I used to have to call & spend an hour reviewing rates with an overseas rep to book the 2 nights but now the rate is bookable/shoppable myself online. Much preferred!
Warning: A “Guaranteed Upgrade” may not be delivered if the hotel decides to sell the room instead of giving it to you as an upgrade. So you’ll end up with compensation per T&C’s of only $50 or 10,000 IHG points per STAY, not night. I’m looking at you Intercontinental The Clement Monterey!
Are there any ambassador benefits when staying at Kimpton hotels? Also, the way I’m reading the terms you only get the additional 15k points when “renewing” and paying cash. Not on new enrollments.
Leo, we’re reaching out to IHG about this very thing. Last year, when benefits were extended to Kimpton and Regent, the terminology was used “until 12/31/21.” I haven’t seen any clarification post 1/1, so I want to be sure before answering.
Leo, no benefits at Kimpton unless the individual property decides that they want to be nice. The Complimentary Cert is still good at Kimpton through 12/31/22.
Tim, did The Willard give you a free breakfast?
They did, because they said it was part of the upgrade to the room category. I don’t believe that’s standard though and may have been at the discretion of the Front Desk Manager
For anyone with an unexpired weekend night cert: “The ‘Ambassador Complimentary Weekend Night’ rate is a Qualifying Rate” (towards the 2 nights for the bonus)
Great catch, Pam! I’m going to add that.
DP: I used my Amb free night cert (along with a pd night) – my 20k bonus posted 3 days later.
New DP: my new free Ambassador night didn’t post, so I contacted IHG. They now have an option to text the convo for problem resolution, yey, so don’t have to translate overseas reps over the phone. It is live-agent texting.
Awesome! Thanks for the follow-up.
Is the 15K offer just for renewals, or new memberships as well?
It’s good for renewals as well, but just when you pay cash for the renewal.
As I read it, the 15k is only available to renewals— new members only get the 20k with stay requirement.
MBH, I can see why you say that. I’m reaching out to IHG to confirm as my impression was that the 15K applied to both.