{"id":9056,"date":"2015-07-16T10:25:28","date_gmt":"2015-07-16T14:25:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/?p=9056"},"modified":"2015-07-16T10:25:28","modified_gmt":"2015-07-16T14:25:28","slug":"spire-elite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/2015\/07\/16\/spire-elite\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcome To Spire Elite IHG Rewards"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Yesterday I was surprised to get an email from Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) welcoming me to their new Spire Elite membership rewards level. \u00a0I had only heard about Spire Elite status last week from a fellow traveler and didn&#8217;t really think twice about it.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-9064\" src=\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/files\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.41.47-AM.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2015-07-16 at 9.41.47 AM\" width=\"445\" height=\"562\" srcset=\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.41.47-AM.png 445w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.41.47-AM-238x300.png 238w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.41.47-AM-270x341.png 270w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 445px) 100vw, 445px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>After receiving the news that I&#8217;ve earned Spire Elite status, I decided to check out the benefits a bit more. \u00a0The most significant benefit is the ability to choose either 25,000 bonus points or gift platinum status to an existing club or gold\u00a0member. \u00a0Easy choice for me, 25,000 bonus points will come in handy at some point.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Other benefits include:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-9062\" src=\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/files\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.48.51-AM-607x341.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2015-07-16 at 9.48.51 AM\" width=\"607\" height=\"341\" srcset=\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.48.51-AM-607x341.png 607w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.48.51-AM-300x168.png 300w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.48.51-AM-180x101.png 180w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.48.51-AM-260x146.png 260w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.48.51-AM-373x210.png 373w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.48.51-AM-120x67.png 120w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.48.51-AM.png 682w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 607px) 100vw, 607px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-9058\" src=\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/files\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.43.55-AM.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2015-07-16 at 9.43.55 AM\" width=\"943\" height=\"636\" srcset=\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.43.55-AM.png 943w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.43.55-AM-300x202.png 300w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.43.55-AM-506x341.png 506w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-9059\" src=\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/files\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.44.33-AM.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2015-07-16 at 9.44.33 AM\" width=\"949\" height=\"125\" srcset=\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.44.33-AM.png 949w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-9.44.33-AM-300x40.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 949px) 100vw, 949px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I wasn&#8217;t expecting anything additional from IHG, but I&#8217;m happy to have the extra points. \u00a0I do stay at the Even Hotels by IHG in an area where there are no Starwood hotels nearby and there are some nice redemption options with IHG like using points at non-IHG hotels<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-9065\" src=\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/files\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.06.26-AM.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2015-07-16 at 10.06.26 AM\" width=\"710\" height=\"633\" srcset=\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.06.26-AM.png 710w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.06.26-AM-300x267.png 300w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.06.26-AM-382x341.png 382w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 710px) 100vw, 710px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I searched for 1 night, October 24, 2015, during the Formula F1 race in Austin, Texas and found this:\u00a0<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-9066\" src=\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/files\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.10.05-AM.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2015-07-16 at 10.10.05 AM\" width=\"693\" height=\"210\" srcset=\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.10.05-AM.png 693w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.10.05-AM-300x91.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 693px) 100vw, 693px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Using Kayak I found some other hotels with rooms available that night:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-9067\" src=\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/files\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.10.37-AM.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2015-07-16 at 10.10.37 AM\" width=\"782\" height=\"632\" srcset=\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.10.37-AM.png 782w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.10.37-AM-300x242.png 300w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.10.37-AM-422x341.png 422w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>All Starwood hotels are sold out:<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-9068\" src=\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/files\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.13.16-AM.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2015-07-16 at 10.13.16 AM\" width=\"695\" height=\"573\" srcset=\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.13.16-AM.png 695w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.13.16-AM-300x247.png 300w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.13.16-AM-414x341.png 414w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 695px) 100vw, 695px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>And looking on the Hyatt website, there&#8217;s only 1 hotel with any availability using points or paying cash<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-9069\" src=\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/files\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.20.05-AM.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2015-07-16 at 10.20.05 AM\" width=\"507\" height=\"651\" srcset=\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.20.05-AM.png 507w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.20.05-AM-234x300.png 234w, http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/\/sites\/2\/2015\/07\/Screen-Shot-2015-07-16-at-10.20.05-AM-266x341.png 266w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 507px) 100vw, 507px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>So, it maybe worth it to me to spend the 103,000 IHG points on 1 night at the Hyatt Place since paying cash isn&#8217;t an option and no other good awards are available. I&#8217;ll have to figure out how badly I want to be there!<\/p>\n<p>In summary, I&#8217;m happy to have gotten Spire Elite status, but it&#8217;s yet to be seen if there&#8217;s any real perks or reason to move more nights to IHG hotels. \u00a0What do you think of Spire Elite?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Yesterday I was surprised to get an email from Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) welcoming me to their new Spire Elite membership rewards level. \u00a0I had only heard about Spire Elite status last week from a fellow traveler and didn&#8217;t really&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9061,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"jetpack_publicize_message":"Welcome To Spire Elite #IHG Rewards Club status & IHG hotels anywhere benefit","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[742,732],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v19.13 - 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