The release of new IHG PointBreaks list is always an exciting time for me as well as many of my readers. Most of the properties have been kind of “meh” lately, but as I’ve said before, I don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Staying in a hotel (any hotel) for 5,000 IHG points per night is an incredible deal.
You can view the full list here It will go live on Monday, January 30th, and will be valid for hotel stays through April 30th. As always, whether you’ll get excited or feel let down by the new list will largely depend on your plans as well as your savings account. I think it’s fair to say that the list is kind of “meh”… again. You’ll be able to see the updated list on this IHG page sometime Monday afternoon.
Any gems for normal American families?
I assume that most of my readers are looking for properties in US or Caribbean, preferably someplace warm. Well, there isn’t a whole lot to choose from, but here they are:
California:
Perfect base for visiting Disneyland, so I predict that it will fall off the list pretty quickly. Note that rooms that fit four come with two double beds.
This property is located near Los Angeles, so there are many activities nearby to keep you entertained. Update: My reader Winni mentioned to me that Victorville is at least 1.5 hours away due to heavy traffic.
Florida:
Not really close to beaches or Disney, but I still think it will be popular due to the fact that it is in Florida, and the fact that the list is valid during Spring Break months.
Texas
Close to South Padre island.
Louisiana
- Candlewood Suites Denham Springs
- Holiday Inn Express & Suites New Iberia-Avery Island
- Holiday Inn Express & Suites Raceland – Highway 90
Dominican Republic
Not on the beach (sorry!), but the property looks really cool. There is a rooftop infinity pool and other luxurious features. The hotel is brand new and normally costs 35,000 IHG points per night. The rooms bookable on points do fit four. Many airlines fly to Dominican Republic, including Jet Blue and Southwest.
Looking for colder destinations?
Connecticut
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Nice base for a mountain getaway.
You have a few options to get the points right now if you don’t already have them in your IHG account:
1) Transfer the points from Chase Ultimate Rewards to IHG 1:1 if you have Chase Sapphire Preferred, Reserve or Ink Plus cards. Per reports, the points don’t always transfer instantly.
2) Buy them directly from IHG at a cost of 13.50 for 1,000 points. LINK (you may get a targeted bonus offer when you sign in)
3) You can also buy them via “Cash+Points” trick, where you make a reservation at a random IHG hotel, then cancel it and get the points refunded. That way, they end up costing 0.7 cents each. Note that IHG is currently giving a 15% discount to its co-branded cardholders on the cash portion of the rate. So, that brings the price down a bit. You have to have 5,000 points to begin with in order to take advantage of this trick. I don’t endorse this method and IHG may suspend your account if you do it too many times, but it’s there if you are willing to risk it.
If you are interested in a specific property, I recommend you book it on Monday as soon as it’s added in the system. Reserve now, ask questions later since you can always cancel and get your points back. Sometimes properties are bookable early in the morning, even before the list is officially updated. You are allowed two reservations per IHG account, but they can be for as long as you like.
Readers, anything looks appealing to you?
(hat tip Loyalty Lobby)
Click here to view various credit cards and available sign-up bonuses
Author: Leana
Leana is the founder of Miles For Family. She enjoys beach vacations and visiting her family in Europe. Originally from Belarus, Leana resides in central Florida with her husband and two children.
Nothing good in New Jersey..ugh. Thanks for the tip on buying points with a discount…
@Natasha You may also want to log in to your IHG account because you may be able to get 80% bonus on purchased points. It’s targeted though, and often, IHG has 100% bonus promo.
Have you considered a weekend getaway to Poconos? That Staybridge property looks really nice and includes breakfast.
Victorville isn’t that close to Los Angeles. One way traffic can take your 1.5 to 2 hours 🙁
I may book a weekend at Calexico – I have never seen the Salton Sea and it looks intriguing. 🙂
@winni3 Thanks for chiming in, my fellow Californian! You know, it’s funny, we live in the country, and all major cities are 1.5 hours away. So, to me, that’s close! 🙂 But point taken, and I will update the post. Hope you can make it to Calexico.
Someone who has flexibility in his/her stay may not mind the 1.5 hour commute. Someone who has family or business commitments in the LA metro area, on the other hand, may think it’s way too far out. Regardless, it’s good to have the option. 🙂
Winni, very true! I don’t think it’s a good option for doing multiple trips to LA. More of an afterthought. It looks like there are some state parks in the area, and most importantly, it should be warm during spring!
Nothing good in Florida. 🙁
Nope! There hasn’t been anything truly great for few years. They definitely don’t add any decent hotels in Florida to PointBreaks program during spring months. Hotels here are full during this time. Oh well, there is always another list, I guess.