REGISTER NOW: IHG One Rewards launches its new Spring bonus points offer

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• Nick says:

  24 Jan24 January 07:39

  IHG offer mentioned today not showing on their website yet!

• rj24 says:

  24 Jan24 January 07:50

  If I have a stay overlapping the start of the promo, do any nights count? Or would I need to separate into different bookings?

  • Rob says:

    24 Jan24 January 08:25

    Usually counts for the days in the promo period.

    • rj24 says:

      24 Jan24 January 09:55

      Thanks

• Barry cutters says:

  24 Jan24 January 08:09

  IHg related

  Anyone know the best hotel to stay for 3 nights in San Fran .

  Intercontinental
  Intercontinental Mark hopkins
  Kimpton Alton
  Kimpton enso

  All are working out at 40k a night give or take

  We’ve been before but was 15 years ago and can’t remember much. Leaning towards Alton as it’s close to fisherman’s warf which seems to be a good area . Also I’m diamond so free breakfast at Kimpton , does that apply at intercontinental ?

  Amenity fee waived at Kimpton for reward nights and get a free wine hour between 6-7 all are making the Alton the favourite option so far unless anyone on here wants to advise otherwise .

  Thanks in advance

  • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

    24 Jan24 January 08:22

    Yes breakfast available to diamonds at ICs as long as you select it.

    Location depends what you want to do. It can be a trek from FW to the likes of Golden Gate Park Attractions so the IC might be better as it’s close to the Muni for GG Park. And walkabke to SFMoma and the other central museums.

  • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

    24 Jan24 January 08:24

    Re the Hopkins reviews I’ve seen say it’s getting dated and with small rooms.

  • r* says:

    24 Jan24 January 09:48

    Are you certain the nonsense fee is waived at the alton for reward stays? I emailed them last year and asked the same thing and was told the fee is still payable on points bookings (so I stayed at the HIE next door for half the points)

    Id consider staying 2 nights in fishermans wharf and one at the IC, as its quite time consuming to get to things near the IC from fishermans wharf (like painted ladies, the baseball stadium, the shops in downtown (plus if youre heading to the airport on the bart, its much easier from the IC)) while the opposite is true for things like golden gate bridge, pier 39, lombard etc. The IC was also a nice hotel.

    • barry cutters says:

      24 Jan24 January 09:55

      Thanks for reply . I called last night and was told it doesn’t apply for rewards.
      That’s always been the case for NYC hotels. CP-TSq etc.

      • Blair Waldorf Salad says:

        24 Jan24 January 10:15

        My experience is the amenity fee has always been charged on award nights with IHG. If it appears as ‘other charges’ in the snallprint of your poibts reservation then I’m afraid you’re on the hook for it.

        • Blair Waldorf Salad says:

          24 Jan24 January 10:21

          San Fran is a minefield for hotels, especially with vagrants abundant on the streets. Someone on here mentioned the IC did not feel safe returning to after sundown despite only being a few blocks from Market St. In fact, the rear entrance of Bloomingdales is now next to a tent city so I don’t think they were over-egging it.

          The IC Mark Hopkins I’d avoid merely for the thought of what happened there when used to house vagrants during lockdowns; drug handovers in the lobby, needles (used) in corridors, someone slumped dead outside their room one day. The IC MH has worked to scrub this history but the reports are out there. Since it hasn’t been fully refurbished since, I know I would not sleep comfortably there.

          The Kimpton Alton has a chequered history re customer service, elite recognition and current safety of the location after sundown. I got it for a steal on points last summer but cancelled after poor/concerning reviews.

        • barry cutters says:

          24 Jan24 January 11:24

          ive never been charged a resort fee on rewards . been with IHG as spire/diamond for years and years

  • Numpty says:

    24 Jan24 January 10:36

    I’ve stayed at IC Mark Hopkins. As a Spire Ambassador i got upgraded to a huge corner suite on a booking which was a mix of points and 241 voucher. Other than that, its at the top of a huge hill (the very last block being the steepest) and just isn’t worth the hike or inconvenient location, especially when the Fairmont is across the road (as featured in The Rock, reason enough to stay there).

    The Club ‘lounge’ was in the same room that they tried to operate as a restaurant open to the public, so there were certain tables we weren’t allowed to use (first time we actually got told to move). Then there was the queue for the lifts, the restaurant on top floor is open to public and at certain times meant the queue for the lifts was 10 to 20 people.

    For a visit to SF city centre its also worth being aware of the how bad the homelessness is in the city centre.

  • Scott says:

    24 Jan24 January 10:45

    I usually stay at the IC on Market Street. Got lounge access last time I was there, so that covered most of my food for my stay 🙂
    Near to shops and a 10 min walk to the Bart. Handy for the Mosconne Centre next door and a Wholefoods a block or so away. Easy walk to the (Cal)train station as well.

    Never bothered with Fisherman’s Wharf. Just tend to wander down there for an hour or two tacky touristy visit, to see the sealions and to possibly get a bowl of clam chowder.
    Nice for a run though.

    As with most US cities, there are vagrants sleeping on the street, the usual smell of urine in places (plus the odd number 2) and tents etc. Can’t say I’ve felt unsafe at night in the area. Probably avoid going down dark back alleys as with anywhere really…..although I’ve run down them early in morning without any issues.

    The nearby Tenderloin area might be more vagrant heavy to be honest if staying near Market Street. Lots of tents, flop houses etc. there.

    To be honest, with a lot of the office buildings and shops closed down towards the Ferry Building, San Francisco isn’t that amazing anyway.
    It’s not great for shopping, and once you’ve seen the usual attractions, it’s more of a place just to move on from.

    • Brighton Belle says:

      24 Jan24 January 11:24

      Depressing story. I lived there 40 years ago and there was none of that decay. It was all va va voom & boom. I thought about a trip back to peer into my past… best left there.

      • Rob says:

        24 Jan24 January 13:46

        I’ve had similar thoughts.

    • barry cutters says:

      24 Jan24 January 11:30

      were spending most of the week in other places , it will be 2 nights max in SF itself as the missus wants to go to Alcatraz. (ive already been).

      Not worried about homelessness – we have been all over Africa/india , while not nice to see its not a concern. I’m 6ft 3 and 120kg and tend not to get any trouble .

      I have a lounge pass so i guess thats another advantage to the IC over the Kimpton.
      Decisions, decisions……

      At least I’m down to market St IC or Kimpton Alton for now .

      Have two nights booked in IC monterey already.

      • Scott says:

        24 Jan24 January 14:53

        The 6-7pm wine hour at the Kimpton. Not really my thing, and it seems a bit limited time wise to be honest especially if you’re out and about during the day and might have to rush back for that specific period.

        At least if you have lounge access, as part of your rate, an upgrade, or from a selected night reward, you can get breakfast, afternoon tea, evening drinks / snacks or whatever which pay for themselves in my opinion.

        Not sure what the SF Kimpton is like to be honest. Only stayed in one in NYC, and that was lacking in quite a few features and amenities i.e. nothing coffee wise.

• G says:

  24 Jan24 January 09:30

  Do Ambassador Weekend Nights Count as a qualifying cash night for the purposes of this promotion?

  • Blair Waldorf Salad says:

    24 Jan24 January 10:21

    They should

  • Rob says:

    24 Jan24 January 10:24

    First paid night certainly does, it is hit and miss depending on how the hotel codes the stay as to whether the 2nd night is elite qualifying.

    • G says:

      24 Jan24 January 10:49

      My reservation has the second night charged as 0.01 AUD, so I assume the overall reservation is a qualifying rate for both purposes!

      • John says:

        24 Jan24 January 17:11

        That might be too cheap to qualify

  • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

    24 Jan24 January 11:11

    Last year at the IC San Francisco the second night counted as qualifying and also counted to their complicated 2/3/4 x bonus for reaching certain numbers of stays.

• milesandmordor says:

  24 Jan24 January 11:14

  In addition , IHG Milestone Rewards gives you 5,000 points after 20 stays ( = 250 per night) or other benefits such as food credit or a suite upgrade. This does include reward stays. Marginal , but every little helps , I guess.

• Philip says:

  24 Jan24 January 12:02

  I stayed in both the Alton and IC downtown in December, no amenity fee on my reward booking in Alton unlike the next door HIE when I stayed there in September. Obviously you get more bang for your upgrade in the IC but as others have said I tend to stay in both areas for ease of visiting attractions.

  • barry cutters says:

    24 Jan24 January 13:59

    Hi Philip

    Guessing the Alton is in a decent enough area for bars & places to eat ?

• NA says:

  24 Jan24 January 14:38

  Anyone got any thought on Hotel Nikko San Francisco? Heading to SF on holiday soon for 1 1/2 weeks and still to decide where to say. Probably be there or IC. First time to visitor.

• Freddy says:

  24 Jan24 January 15:47

  £4 per night?! I do wonder if Rob despairs at the articles he has to write at times

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