Booking IHG hotels with points in NYC

[wsy]

Hi everyone, I need to book a hotel for one night in NYC at the start of February – since I have a couple of IHG points knocking around I thought I’d try to use them to redeem a hotel booking. I had two questions I was hoping you might be able to help with:
1) Any recommendations for IHG hotels near the Times Square area (I’ll be staying at another hotel there earlier in the week which was booked by work, but as I’m extending my stay I need to find another place nearby for the last night)
2) When trying to make a points booking the website seems to suggest that I’ll have to pay additional taxes and amenity fees (ranging from $4 at a Holiday Inn to $40 at an IC) – does anyone have experience with this? I thought the points booking was meant to cover taxes?

Thanks in advance for your help!

• This topic was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[ChrisC]

On the ‘taxes’ aspect you have to pay any fixed rate per person City / State charges but not any that are based on a % of the rate. I think amenity fees are always charged even on points stat

As it’s only for one night then perdonally I’d likely plump for the one with the lowest points cost. Plus avoid any with an amenity fee as it can be hard to get the value back on a one night stay

The voco is a newly refurbished property if that helps narrow it down.

• This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[davefl]

I used to enjoy staying at the staybridge on West 39th which has been recently refurbed and rebranded Candlewood, shares the building with a HIX. Seems remarkably cheap on points at the moment.

I’ve never been asked to pay taxes or extra fees on an IHG points booking but that’s not to say there aren’t new city/covid/etc taxes that hae been added in recent times. If you do a test booking it does say “Average price per night.
Includes taxes and fees”

I think they’re showing the rate breakdown from a cash booking as required by law when you click on the rate details link

[Blair Waldorf Salad]

Amenity fees are applied to reward nights boojed on points, sadly. The Voco is upper Upper East Side so too far for Times Square. Plenty of adequate options around there but Kimpton Muse and Crowne Plaza Times Square your better options. You say a few points so I am assuming you don’t want to splurge on an IC. Also the IC amenity fees are higher anyway.

[ChrisC]

There is a new Voco on W36th street (called Times Square South). I think HfP has done an article on it.

The one on the UES is The Franklin which I didn’t even know about until I looked at the IHG map

[Aston100]

I got the Kimpton Muse to remove the ‘resort’ fee on a cash booking. They didn’t protest much.

[ChrisC]

Was that your recent visit and the shenanigans in moving you?

How was the IC? What room did you get?

[Aston100]

Hi Chris, I posted my observations a couple of nights ago but the post fell foul of a filter I guess. I tried copy & pasting it twice just now, with different amendments to make it past the filter, but it has failed to appear on both attempts.

In summary, I felt the Kimpton was far better than the IC.

[wsy]

Thanks all! Very helpful

I’ve got enough points for the IC or Kimpton Muse but the significantly higher amenities fees and taxes seem to make it less worth it? Will check out the Voco and Crowne Plaza – are these significantly better than say a Holiday Inn?

[Blair Waldorf Salad]

wsy wrote:

Thanks all! Very helpful

I’ve got enough points for the IC or Kimpton Muse but the significantly higher amenities fees and taxes seem to make it less worth it? Will check out the Voco and Crowne Plaza – are these significantly better than say a Holiday Inn?

Yes; and also HI will attract a certain clientele

[Louise K]

The CP at Times Square is a decent property and right in the heart of it. It’s my first choice for NYC.

[wsy]

Thanks Blair and Louise! I ended up going with the CP midtown manhattan as the Times Square one wasn’t available.

[Aston100]

Hi Chris, I wrote the following a few days ago but I think the S word got the comment blocked:

“Good evening from the Intercontinental Times Square, where the following data points and metrics may be of interest:
Welcome amenities = zero
Number of slippers provided = zero
Number of robes supplied = zero
Tea making facilities presented = zero
Sh!ts given by front of house = zero
Amount per night charged to my card = just over £700

A disappointing experience thus far.
The icing on the cake was the attempt to charge me for some water that was left on a table in the room (not in the minibar). No warning or heads-up to suggest this was not complimentary. Who the hell charges £700 a night for a base level room and then argues with the customer over a plastic bottle of water?
Granted the poor / cold customer service attitude from front desk staff is normal for New York, but the rest of it is quite surprising
This is my first stay at an IC, so have no idea if this one is a bad example, or if it’s “just a New York thing”, or if I’m unlucky, or maybe I’ve had the wrong idea in my head (too high expectations) about the brand.
What I do know is that I’ve had a better time at some crowne plaza properties. The nearby Kimpton was far better in my opinion (and charges a lot less too).

On a positive note, all ten hangers are stealable and the number of sheets required per wipe is only two, but maybe three depending on what you ate the night before.”

[Blair Waldorf Salad]

Aston100 wrote:

Hi Chris, I wrote the following a few days ago but I think the S word got the comment blocked:

“Good evening from the Intercontinental Times Square, where the following data points and metrics may be of interest:
Welcome amenities = zero
Number of slippers provided = zero
Number of robes supplied = zero
Tea making facilities presented = zero
Sh!ts given by front of house = zero
Amount per night charged to my card = just over £700

A disappointing experience thus far.
The icing on the cake was the attempt to charge me for some water that was left on a table in the room (not in the minibar). No warning or heads-up to suggest this was not complimentary. Who the hell charges £700 a night for a base level room and then argues with the customer over a plastic bottle of water?
Granted the poor / cold customer service attitude from front desk staff is normal for New York, but the rest of it is quite surprising
This is my first stay at an IC, so have no idea if this one is a bad example, or if it’s “just a New York thing”, or if I’m unlucky, or maybe I’ve had the wrong idea in my head (too high expectations) about the brand.
What I do know is that I’ve had a better time at some crowne plaza properties. The nearby Kimpton was far better in my opinion (and charges a lot less too).

On a positive note, all ten hangers are stealable and the number of sheets required per wipe is only two, but maybe three depending on what you ate the night before.”

Water is an Ambassador benefit anyway? If not the bottles left on the table then which water? Were they going to fill a carafe from the bathroom tap and give that to you? So glad I plumped for the Barclay (and its relatively long lead in time for cancellations) over the IC Times Square.

[NorthernLass]

I think Rob did an article once on how to get value from resorts fees in NYC. I’ve managed to avoid this completely so far but I’m looking at award bookings for next Xmas and New Year so think they will be unavoidable (except hopefully still for Hilton), so will be looking to extract everything which is included!

[Aston100]

I see it looks like at least one of my posts that were under moderation finally emerged after a couple of days.