Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2014 using hotel points

Talking to my mom on the phone in Albuquerque this weekend, I could tell this was a great vacation for my parents and sisters. She raved about the Holiday Inn Express and Suites Albuquerque Airport being one of the best service-oriented hotels in the brand. Their trip to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2014 using hotel points resulted in a deep hotel rate discount.

The 100,000 points my parents purchased during the Daily Getaways for $567 is one of the best investments she made in 2014. Reward nights at the HIX Airport in Albuquerque for 20,000 points per night saved her several hundred dollars on four room nights when hotel rates were over $200 per night while rooms were still available for the opening weekend of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta October 4-12, 2014. The cost for a reward night at the hotel was $113.40 per room night with the discount points purchased in May 2014 through Daily Getaways. Loyalty Traveler – Daily Getaways IHG Points Did Not Sell Out (May 26, 2014).

My parents bought IHG Rewards Club points with a specific purpose since they knew their travel plans included being at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta this week and there were reward nights available at the Holiday Inn Express Albuquerque Airport when they purchased the 100,000 IHG points in May.

My sister emailed some photos taken on her iPhone from Saturday morning’s Mass Ascension at the Balloon Fiesta.

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2014

This balloon seemed especially appropriate to receive on Saturday, October 4 when our local ‘hometown USA’ enclave of Pacific Grove staged the annual Butterfly Parade to welcome the Monarch butterflies who winter in a small grove of Monterey pines and eucalyptus trees a couple blocks from the ocean.

Monarch Butterflies of Pacific Grove is an article I wrote last year about the annual visit of Monarch butterflies to Pacific Grove, aka “Butterfly Town” on the Monterey Peninsula.

Another article by Keri Anderson of Heels First Travel appeared on BoardingArea today: 5 Tips for Attending the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta.

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Ric Garrido of Monterey, California is writer and owner of Loyalty Traveler.

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