Stop Wasting Points - How To Use Your Hilton, Hyatt, IHG and Marriott Points The Right Way

[@nncadi1]

Didn’t know about the hotel calendars. Thanks for the tip.

[@kimberlyparker2704]

They did a video where they show you how to find and search the calendars for almost every major brand. Very informative video take notes 😅

[@JayandTanyaTravel]

@@kimberlyparker2704 I searched their channel for the video on booking calendar info. Do you remember the title?

[@FotosLostnFound]

can you please post a link to those videos we just tried to find it on IHG and we can't figure it out ! ty!

[@Flaoutdoors]

Great information! Your channels have made a very positive impact on our lives. We have traveled to Ireland (8 nights), New Orleans (4 nights), Grand Cayman (4 nights). All IHG properties. Also we are scheduled to go to South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore (4 nights). Thank you 😊

[@darylellis1550]

If you stay at Marriott in Bangkok you should stay at the one on Soi 57 in Thong Lor. This hotel has the best food for evening drinks that I have ever had anywhere. Stayed here 4 times over a two year period and the quality stayed the same. The lounge isn’t huge or exceptionally fancy, but staff and food are exceptional.

[@justsmy5677]

Thanks. On a similar note, concerning things like Hyatt (or other property, similar items) Club Access Awards, Guest of Honor Awards and Suite Upgrade Awards, they are good for a seven night stay. So try to use them on longer stays in order to max out the value. I will just do without Club access before I burn a Club Access Award for a 2-3 night stay (unless it is expiring soon). I recently stayed and the Manila Grand Hyatt for seven nights, used points and a Club Access Award. I was not at that time a Globalist, but got a small room upgrade on the 55th floor, corner room. Had a great stay, really took advantage of the club. Morning breakfast was great, usually surfed the morning news, had a couple coffees and watched planes land at the airport. The staff was courteous and efficient.

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Yes, always 7 for Hyatt!

[@PrimeTimeTravelers]

So many people mess up the IHG 4th night thing. The booking calendars are SO helpful! If you are flexible, this is the way to go! Great video guys!

[@JayandTanyaTravel]

I tried to find the IHG booking calendar but can't figure out how to locate it. Any suggestions? Thank you.

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

There is a link in the app when you are on the hotel page

[@allent1034]

Great info for full-time travelers. Maybe someday!

[@ronnyb9416]

I have found you tend to receive better point value on overseas stays. With IHG Diamond, you get free breakfast also. That on top of our IHG lounge access is great. IHG has worked well. Marriott thinks very highly of themselves and everything seems to be at a points premium. Hilton is middle of the road and sometimes points are better and sometimes not.

[@downsizetoupsize]

❤❤🎉🎉SUCH A PERFECT VIDEO FOR ME❤❤🎉🎉 I’m new to understanding how points work. I needed a video like this.

[@JaxsunBlu]

Great job. Plain and to the point. Good reminder for new and experienced travelers.

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Thank you! We appreciate it!

[@kimberlyparker2704]

I have been listening to you guys for well over a year. I have a notebook full of notes from every video I have watched. I leave in two days. With four months of hotel stays booked with points including Japan during Sakura season. Thank you for all of the advice and videos!!!

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Wow, that is awesome! Have a great time!

[@OasisHoldings]

Absolute love your channel. You mention getting lounge access in many of your hotel point videos. Could you do a video on how to know if a hotel has a lounge offering afternoon tea or heavy hors d'oeuvres?

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

There is no way to know other than watching KZbin reviews of the lounge, that's what we do!

[@lynnbutler2826]

I agree with this request! Help! (I've been following you for over a year now & took your KZbin course) We're full-time traveling in SE Asia but we can't seem to find a hotel where 1)the hotel has a Lounge and 2) the difference in points for a hotel with lounge access vs without a lounge is a good value. For example: HI Express KL is 7k points and includes full breakfast (no lounge) vs Crowne Plaza is 14k per night with a Lounge. How do you find good values with Lounge access?

[@dianesalvatore5018]

For Marriott, you only get the 5th night free if the entire stay is paid with points. We made our reservation with partial points initially and then had entire for the full stay but they wouldn’t change it. I think IHG seems better and more flexible.

[@markakira8988]

Wow, I never knew this. Not a joke, my rarely used Marriot Bonvoy membership earns me...a free bottle of water upon check in.

[@harnesshouse]

Leaving for Rome and Florence in a week or so. Lodging for a thirteen night stay will cost us nothing (other than those daily 7.5 Euro fees). Only one hotel in Florence would take all IHG points, but it's close to the train station so that worked out pretty well.

[@shaziaijaz5863]

Can you share which IHG hotel in Florence?

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

That Hotel Indigo is in an area we liked!

[@kaytee1617]

Good tips. Thank you.

[@jimmyjames6492]

Thanks for the info + video!

[@obfrazier]

great info

[@noramosqueda1268]

Thank you for your valuable tips. You guys are awesome!

[@rowanmulvey8632]

Helpful information, thanks!

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

You're welcome!

[@JS-ir7wh]

Did you guys get a new camera for your birthdays? Looking high res today!

[@SHYsArt]

hugs

[@sharonrichardeasley7521]

Love you guys! Thanks for the great content. For the calendar feature to find best time/lowest points, is it just in the hotel's app or also when logging into the hotel's website? Thanks!

[@hrock9134]

I can’t figure out the high/low seasons in the IHG calendar app area for a specific hotel. Need more guidance😢

[@le_th_]

Look how beautifully lit both of your faces are in this video! No more interrogation lighting 🙂 For this program, if people are going to book 3 nights, I agree, they might as well try to book 4 in a row if they have the time. I also have a feeling this 4th night free is going to change in the coming years to a 5th night. Regarding burning season, it can be *very detrimental* to your long term lung health because it is the invisible particles smaller than 2.5m...that you can't see in the air...that do the most long-term damage to your lungs. You can do your own internet search about that. In California, we learn this due to forest fires that occur around the state. Sadly, I think I lived here for 15 years *before* learning that. I sure a heck would NOT have been out rollerblading on the strand in Hermosa Beach while Topanga and the Palisades burned had I known that. Still need to look into this for solo travel & see if it's worth it. I'm not much of a drinker, so I'm not sure about the savings for me as a solo traveler. I also don't want to be out exploring and have to return to the hotel early to have tea or cocktail hour just to make it worth my while to stay. For 2 or more people this sounds worth it. For daily drinkers, it also might be worth it. I'm still looking at houses in Japan 1.5 hours (by train) outside of Tokyo. 4 things holding me back: -I don't want to spend 7 years trying to become fluent in a language spoken no where else in the world. - I don't want to spend 6 months out of the year eating Japanese food. -I don't want to spend $1400/year on flights to/from NRT to the US every 6 months when my 180 days of visiting is up - I don't want to to have to pay a management company to take care of my home the 6 months a year when I can't be there. - Possibility of getting thrown out of the country if there is another pandemic like happened to many people on student/cultural visas is a 5th concern I'm going to make an appointment at the Japanese embassy soon to check visa possibilities. Safe travels!

[@jeffb1650]

Really apprecciate this informatiopn. For IHG, do you receive a 4th night free if you book with points? Or, do you have to pay with money for three to get the fourth night free?

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

With points

[@Mikesadventures-m2q]

Do you have to do anything at IHG. I'm staying 8 nights. I'm planinng on adding 4 more nights. I'm in Kuala Lumpur at the holiday inn express.

[@DarrellHoughton]

The Intercontinental brand is typically what you need to book to take advantage of IHG lounge access, but will run you anywhere from 25k to 35k points per night. If you use a bunch of your points on Holiday Inn stays to reach the 40 night rewards level, that doesn't leave a lot left over for the Intercontinental stays. What do you think about paying cash for the cheaper hotels (Holiday Inn Express Kuala Lumpur is only $41/night, for example), and saving your points for the nicer brands?

[@reeseandladonnameadows1291]

We just recently got the IHG card. When we booked our stay for 4 nights, we paid for 4 nights. Does the free night come after the stay? Like a credit or something?

[@elizabethchamberlain6893]

When I made a reservation for 4 nights I found out the points were averaged over the 4 nights. Perhaps that is what happened in your case as well.

[@lynnbutler2826]

Yes- they pro-rated them over 4 nights. You can comparison check by looking at points for 3 nights vs 4

[@tika-b9j]

thanks for the info. But do you think is it worth it to get IHGif I don’t travel for retirement? meaning i only travel at least 2 times a year

[@ElizabethCasperite]

We are just working vacation traveling and love the IHG card

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

IHG yes, it is

[@randall8379]

To my surprise IHG charged me an amenity fee on a NYC hotel stay. Ironically the hotel was pretty basic.

[@11Bravo84]

1st