Every year on the anniversery of your IHG credit card, you get a free night certificate. What’s unique about this benefit is that the annual fee is low ($49), and the “free night” has no limits. You can use it at any hotel. So you might as well use it for the nicest hotel you run across on your travels.
Really, I’m just getting excited thinking about the places I can use my “Free Nights” from the IHG Into The Nights promo. You get two free nights when completing your personalized offer. So we’ll each have two free nights from the Into The Nights promo and a free night from the credit card. That’s 6 free nights anywhere! Now to get my family involved. 😀
Here are some of the nicest IHG hotels and the prices people regularly pay for these hotels…
InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso = $900
The incredible thing about this hotel is that it books straight into an overwater bungalow, which is awesome… if there were more award nights. This hotel is nearly always sold out of basic rooms.
InterContinental Bora Bora Le Moana = $700
The other option in Bora Bora (and I believe there is a free ferry between the two ICs in Bora Bora) is the IC Le Moana. While it doesn’t book straight into an overwater bungalow, it’s only one room category away, and many Ambassador members have reported free upgrades.
Both ICs in Bora Bora have similarly great reviews, but this one has way more award availability. But if you’re not looking to pay the $500 roundtrip monopolized flight from Tahiti, then try InterContinental Moorea or the InterContinental Tahiti. Moorea is also incredibly beautiful, but a cheap ferry ride away from Tahiti.
If you’re interested in more information about overwater bungalows, check out Free Overwater Bungalows Infographic.
InterContinental London Park Lane = $550
London is not only known as an incredible city to visit, but an incredibly expensive city to visit. Plus, it’s a huge city so while it’s nice to be near a subway, I’d much rather be right downtown. Obviously, the hotels downtown are expensive both with cash and points, so to use a free night certificate is a huge saver.
The IC Park Lane is a renowned hotel in a shwank area, so it would be quite an experience. Although I’m a little disappointed that the other InterContinental in London, Westminster, is now becoming a Conrad. It’s probably my favorite area in London, although Park Lane is still really close.
InterContinental Hong Kong = $350
One of my favorite hotels, period. The views of Hong Kong central are incredible. The incredible and huge skyline with peaks of tropical islands over top of the skyscrapers, it’s awesome. However, the Kowloon side has the best views of Central, not being in Central itself. And the IC is over the Harbour. And Kowloon is more of a hip fun side, and central is more business.
And hotels in downtown Hong Kong aren’t cheap, so the ability to stay here with my certs is awesome.
InterContinental Sydney = $350
We haven’t stayed at this IC, but we stayed near it, and it really is a cool part of town. It’s a short walk from the Sydney Opera House, and you may get a great view of it and the harbor. But I should also mention that there will be a new IC there, the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay, which I assume will be very nice.
InterContinental Paris Le Grand = $400
When we were in Paris with my mom, we happened to be in a suite down the hall from the president of South Korea. This is an indicator of what kind of place this hotel is, or many of the luxury hotels in Paris. It’s a classically styled hotel, which is more of my mom’s thing than mine, but it was in a great location, right across the street from the Paris Opera House.
InterContinental Davos = $200 – $500
We were at the IC Davos when it first opened (at the beginning of the year) and the rates were insane. I believe over $600 a night. I can’t help but notice the rates are a little more reasonable, and spring rates are as low as $170, but ski season is their peak season. (Read about our stay: The InterContinental Davos).
Regardless, the hotel is incredible and Switzerland is incredible, and there are few affordable ways to do Switzerland. At the time we had “Royal Ambassador” status and were given a huge suite, free breakfast and lounge access. But the hotel itself is incredible. True alpine luxury.
Heated bathroom floors, heated outdoor pool, it’s incredibly modern, and every room has a balcony. It’s in some ways nicer than Berchtesgaden, but you don’t feel as “in the middle of nowhere” as Berchtegaden. Which I might as well mention…
InterContinental Berchtesgaden = $300
A sad day is coming as this beautiful Bavarian resort is switching over from InterContinental to Kempinski. It’s currently a steal for 35,000 points and usually has decent award availability. However, you still have a little while to book stays with IHG points. So if you’re hoping to check out the InterContinental Berchtesgaden with IHG points, better do it in the next 6 months.
A few others to mention:
- ANA InterContinental Tokyo = $250
- Intercontinental Carlton Cannes = $350
- InterContinental Melbourne = $400
- InterContinental Singapore = $300
- InterContinental Willard Washington DC = $400
- InterContinental Clement Monterey = $300
- InterContinental New Orleans = $300
- InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco = $300
I hear only good things about the IC Singapore, and absolutely loved the IC Mark Hopkins in San Francisco, however, I personally wouldn’t use my free night there as rates can get below $150 on slower weekends. I also left out the IC NYC Time Square because I don’t care for the hotel (or Time Square for that matter). Also, the Willard InterContinental DC looks pretty classy.
Nice Hotels I Didn’t Mention:
So, if you have a free night, I’ll mention a couple of great hotels that are also cheap on points. One of my favorite InterContinental hotels, the InterContinental Koh Samui, Thailand is only 25,000 points or $350. So it’s a great points redemption that you could use a free night for.
Similarly, the InterContinental Danang, Vietnam is a new stunning hotel with a similar style (and the old Koh Samui GM) and is $300 or 25,000 points.
I distinguish here, simply because I would rather use points at these hotels. Use points here and save your free night for London where the IC is 50,000 points.
Conclusion
If I end up going to Bora Bora, that’s a no brainer. Right? Personally, there’s an endless number of cities I can’t afford hotels in, so finding a use isn’t an issue. However, I’ll try to save my free night certs for really expensive cities like London and Sydney. While I enjoy hotels like the InterContinental Budapest, I can’t imagine using my free night cert there when I can get a 5 star hotel there for $100. And actually, this winter I see rates at the Radisson Blu and Courtyard for $50. Similarly I wouldn’t use it in Dubai where the Holiday Inn Downtown is 15,000 IHG points.
Can we just forget about the free night certificate and cancel the IHG then churn it to open a new one for a new 80,000 IHG points?
Also is there a business version of the IHG card so we can just open a business card to get another sign up bonus?
Mike,
There isn’t a business version of the card per se, but I managed to call up Chase last year and convince them to give me a second one so that I could keep business and personal expenses separate while staying at IHG hotels. Annual renewal is coming up soon, but I don’t expect a problem with both free night certs posting.
Using mine for an overnight in NYC to see the Xmas show at Radio City Music Hall in a few weeks. I am getting about $275.00 worth of value. Good use not a great use but I am not traveling anywhere soon where I could get a great value.
Hey, better than paying the cash rates in NYC.
Was @ the IC Koh Samui last month, and the GM told me that he knew 25k/night was wayyyyyy to low, and that they planned on raising it “soon”.
And as sad as it makes me, I agree with his “wayyyyyy to low” assessment. It’s an absolutely wonderful hotel.
Hmm… interesting news. He didn’t tell me that. 😀 But doing anything “soon” with IHG seems like a joke. Plus, IHG doesn’t often change their prices. So interesting, but I hope he’s wrong.
the word is “too”
I think this isn’t the right way to just “value”. In many of the major cities (HongKong, SanFran, London etc), you can easily find cheaper hotels so using the cert is basically a waste. Even in NYC you can stay outside Manhattan for cheaper.
The best value is using the cert when you absolutely are unable to find any reasonably priced accomodations (e.g. Bora Bora is a good example, or very small ski-towns during high season where you can’t stay further from the ski lift etc)
Sure, that’s true. I certainly agree that the “value” of a points night is not the cash night. I’m not willing to pay $200 to get a free night at the IC HKG, when I can pay $150 at the Hyatt Regency sometimes. But most people aren’t going to Bora Bora, and London would be the next most expensive hotel, because it’s the most expensive city. And really, you can’t get good hotels downtown for cheap. There are only so many examples of towns where all the hotels are obscene. Bora Bora, Maldives. London, Hong Kong, these would be next on the list.
The bogus “value” theory pokes it’s head out again. Just because you are not willing to spend $200 a night for a certain room, doesn’t make that room not worth $200. Just because you would never pay $200k for a Ferrari, because you can only afford a Yugo, doesn’t make the “value” of the Ferrari the same as the Yugo or lower the sticker price of the Ferrari one dime. This “value” theory has been shot down at the highest levels and is usually brought up by the dawdler’s who are trying to be the smartest person in the room.
Great list full of amazing destinations here, but I don’t know if I’d fully agree with putting the IC New Orleans on there. I’m sure rates peak up to $300 sometimes, but you can commonly find them for nearly half of that. They were doing some renovations earlier this year, at least on the exterior of the property, but glancing at prices for the next few months and into next year shows a lot of $150-$200 rates.
Being based in Florida, New Orleans is one of my absolute favorite “nearby” destinations. If we’re talking IHG, I actually prefer the Crowne Plaza for its great location at the corner of Bourbon and Canal. Even though the IC is just a few blocks away, every step counts after a long night in the French Quarter!
I felt the same way, but wanted to include some US destinations. Even NYC you can get the IC for $200 sometimes. So in general the US isn’t as expensive as London or Paris.
Would you have any opinion on the Crowne Plaza in Key West by any chance? Not that florida is a small place…
I haven’t personally stayed there, but it’s historic and right in the heart of all of the Duval St. action, so you won’t find an award hotel with a better location. Except maybe the Westin that is next to Mallory Square. Preference though I guess – depending on if you want a relaxing view over the water, or if you want to be within stumbling distance for the “Duval Crawl”.
Pretty much anything in the “old town” of Key West is going to be really pricey, both dollars and points. Being the frugal person I am, I normally stay in the “new town”, the far side of the island, because it’s *significantly* cheaper. Most hotels will have a free shuttle down to Duval Street, and worst case scenario you wind up paying for a $20 taxi back following a late night of drinking after the shuttles have stopped.
I personally don’t think the value is there for the Crowne Plaza La Concha, but if you’re overflowing with points or your acquisition cost is low enough, it may be worth it for the location.
Just have to chime in that I totally agree about the Crowne Plaza New Orleans. We had a great time there. Can’t speak to the IC, but I’d return to the CP in a heartbeat.
Yeah, it’s a beautiful hotel both inside and out.
For whatever reason, legitimate BRG opportunities seem to come up for that hotel *a lot*. If you’re like me and tend to visit New Orleans for 2-3 nights at a time, getting the first night free can really cut down on accommodation costs. Another great perk of the Crowne Plaza ;-).
Although I can’t say I haven’t been so cheap that I hop between there and one of the Choice hotels to make accommodations even more “affordable”.
I would not have struck off IC NY Times Square. This is a very nice, modern IC in the heart of NYC and the location is not that bad, TS is very easy to avoid and you are a stones-throw-away from cooler spots like Bryant Park.
Saw a copy of a completed terms and conditions on Loyalty Lobby that seemed to state participating Hotels only. Anybody else completed promo and read through T & C’s?
Man, you weren’t kidding about the availability at InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso. Nothing all the way to May 2015, at which point I stopped looking.
Hoped to use my free night certs there. 🙁
Is there an update on using someone else’s annual free night certificate by adding my name to the reservation? Can this be done?
@ Eugene. Yes. One of the ICs in Seoul.E-mailed the hotel directly telling them that I would be arriving late at night and asked for the additional guest on the reservation to be checked-in first. They replied that they did not mind and the person(s) had no issues during check-in,stay and check-out at all.
I have a slightly OT and “it depends” question: with no immediate plans, better to take 2 nights or 50,000 points from Into the Night promo?
Crowne Plaza Time square on New Year’s Eve. I just burned 2 free night certificates for 2 rooms. 1 room goes for $3,999 and the other goes for $4,099 not including the 14.75% tax. Cost to obtain the 2 free nights was two stays for $250.00.
impressive
Does anybody know whether an Ambassador status gets you a guaranteed room upgrade on a free night cert?
It’s totally dependent on the hotel. Most all hotels give ambassadors a 1 cat upgrade on points or cash. Although a few hotels don’t upgrade on points. In my experience though, the majority do give upgrades on award nights.
There is a thread on flyertalk that discusses experience as Ambassadors at different hotels. Maybe you can search in there (just click “search this thread”. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/intercontinental-hotels-ihg-rewards-club-intercontinental-ambassador/811838-please-post-your-ambassador-experiences.html
I have a free night annual award that states that the booking time is 3/3/15 – 3/13/15. Can I change that booking period?
OOPS! I meant to type 4/3/15 4/13/15.