Picture this: you’re checking into a stylish hotel, and the bill is zero. That’s the beauty of IHG Reward Nights—free hotel stays you can unlock using your IHG One Rewards points. Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or a longer adventure, this guide breaks down everything you need to know about redeeming IHG points for hotel stays. From the benefits and rules to booking tips and value calculations, here’s how to make the most of your points.
Why Use IHG Points for Reward Nights?
Redeeming IHG points for free stays comes with some serious perks. Here’s what you’ll gain:
No Taxes and Fees
When you book a hotel with cash, taxes and fees often pile on at checkout. With IHG reward nights, those are waived (though service charges, resort fees, or tips may still apply). This keeps your costs predictable and can save you a chunk of change, especially in high-tax cities like London or New York.
Free Cancellation
Plans change, and IHG gets that. Most reward night bookings can be canceled up to a day before arrival—or even by 6 p.m. on check-in day at some hotels—with no penalty. Your points go straight back to your account, giving you flexibility to tweak your travel plans.
No Blackout Dates
Unlike some loyalty programs, IHG doesn’t block out dates for points redemption. If a standard room is available for cash, you can book it with points. This is a game-changer during busy seasons like summer holidays or major events when availability matters most.
Enjoy Member Benefits
Reward nights still include elite benefits like room upgrades or late check-out, except for ‘Guaranteed Room Availability’ for Platinum and Diamond Elite members. It’s a great way to enhance your stay without extra cost.
Count Toward Elite Status
Every reward night counts toward your IHG One Rewards elite status. Free stays help you qualify for higher tiers and better benefits.
Save Money with Smart Redemptions
IHG often runs points sales where you can buy points at a discount. Pair that with a reward night booking, and you might pay less than the cash rate. It’s a savvy way to stretch your travel budget, especially for pricier hotels.
Rules You Need to Know
Reward nights come with plenty of upside, but there are some rules to keep in mind. Here’s the rundown:
Credit Card Required
You won’t pay upfront, but you’ll still need a credit card to secure your booking. Miss the cancellation deadline, and while your points are refunded, the hotel might charge a fee—typically one night’s cash rate. Check the policy before you book.
Non-Qualifying Rate
Reward nights don’t earn you extra points or qualify for special offers tied to paid stays. That said, any extras you charge to your room—like dinner or a spa visit—will still rack up points.
No Fifth Night Free
Unlike Marriott or Hilton, IHG doesn’t give you a free fifth night on longer award stays. Some IHG credit card holders might snag a “redeem 3 nights and get the 4th night free” deal, so check your card benefits.
Booking for Others
You can redeem points for your own stay or book for someone else by listing a secondary guest on your reservation. They can check in without you, but they won’t get your elite member benefits.
Standard Rooms (Mostly)
The T&C say reward nights are for standard rooms, but some hotels let you book fancier options like suites with points. It’s worth exploring when you search.
Multiple Rooms
You can book up to 9 rooms for the same stay at one property, but each needs a separate reservation. It’s tricky for groups, so plan ahead.
Some Hotels Opt Out
A few properties—like certain Six Senses or IHG Army Hotels—don’t accept points. Double-check before you get your hopes up.
Are Reward Nights a Good Deal?
When it comes to using points for a hotel stay, many travelers face the same question: is it smarter to book with points or pay with cash? Figuring out which option gives you the best value can feel tricky, but there’s a straightforward way to decide.
I’ve dug into this topic in another post with a full breakdown, and here’s the key takeaway: if your points are worth more than 0.5 cents each when redeemed, you’re getting a good deal. Let me explain how this works and why it matters.
The 0.5 Cents Per Point Benchmark
The real value of redeeming points shows up when you can score a stay where each point is worth more than 0.5 cents. How do you know? It’s simple math:
- Check the cash price of the room (including taxes and fees).
- Look at how many points the same stay costs.
- Divide the cash price by the points price, then multiply by 100 to get the value per point in cents.
For example, imagine a hotel room costs $150 with cash or 25,000 points. Divide $150 by 25,000, and you get 0.006. Multiply by 100, and that’s 0.6 cents per point. Since 0.6 is higher than 0.5, redeeming points here beats paying cash.
Why This Matters: Points Sales Unlock Savings
Here’s where it gets interesting. IHG often runs promotions where you can buy points for as low as 0.5 cents each. If you spot a hotel where the redemption value exceeds 0.5 cents per point, you can buy points at that low rate and use them to book. Suddenly, your “cost” for the stay drops below the cash price.
Take that $150 room again. At 25,000 points, with a value of 0.6 cents each, you’re getting $150 worth of lodging. If you bought those points during a sale at 0.5 cents each, you’d spend $125 (25,000 × 0.005). That’s $25 less than the cash rate—a clear win.
Your Go-To Rule
Think of 0.5 cents per point as your baseline for IHG points value. When the redemption value tops that, it’s worth using points. If it’s lower, you might be better off saving your points for a better deal and paying cash instead. This rule keeps things simple and helps you stretch your rewards further.
How to Book IHG Reward Nights?
Booking IHG reward nights is something you can only do through official channels—think the IHG website, mobile app, or customer service hotline.
IHG has ditched award charts in favor of dynamic pricing. Points required vary by hotel, date, and demand, starting at 10,000 per night. A budget hotel might be 15,000 points, while a luxury spot could hit 50,000 or more.
Here’s how to find and book your reward night:
Head to the IHG website or app. Enter your destination (a city or specific hotel name), pick your check-in and check-out dates, and under rate preference, select “Reward Nights.” This filters results to show points pricing. Hit search, and you’ll see what’s available.
If you searched for a city rather than one hotel, the next page lists all properties in that area along with their points costs. It’s a handy way to compare options side by side.
Once you choose a hotel, you’ll see the room types available for points redemption. Some properties might only offer one basic option, while others let you pick from several—like a standard room or even something upgraded. It varies, so browse what’s on offer.
You can toggle between “Cash” and “Points” prices with a quick click to compare your options. For the InterContinental hotel shown above, the points price is 102,000, while the member cash rate is $722 (taxes included). Divide $722 by 102,000 and multiply by 100 to get roughly 0.7 cents per point. Compared to our baseline value of 0.5 cents each, this is a fantastic deal, making points the better pick here.
If you’re logged into your IHG One Rewards account, the system will show if you have enough points to cover the stay. Click “Select” next to your preferred room, and you’ll move to the booking page. Fill in the details—like guest info—and submit. One heads-up: even with points, you’ll still need to provide a credit card for incidentals or potential cancellation fees.
Book high-demand dates (e.g., New Year’s Eve or festivals) early, as points prices can jump from 30,000 to 70,000 overnight when availability tightens.
Sometimes hotels release extra inventory close to the date, dropping points prices if demand softens. Check back a week or two before travel—especially for shoulder dates—and you might snag a deal. Pair this with the flexible cancellation policy to swap bookings penalty-free.
Points & Cash: Is It a Good Option?
If you don’t have enough points for a full reward night, IHG offers a “Points & Cash” option to bridge the gap. It’s a handy backup, but it’s worth understanding how it works—and why it might not always be the best deal—before you jump in.
With this option, you combine points you already have with a cash payment to cover the rest of the stay. The cash portion essentially buys points at a set rate, which are then applied to your reservation. If you cancel, though, here’s the catch: IHG refunds everything as points—not cash.
Using the InterContinental hotel from above, where the full points price is 102,000, you can pay cash to cover the gap if you don’t have enough. IHG offers combinations like:
- 92,000 points + 69 USD
- 82,000 points + 134 USD
- 72,000 points + 194 USD
- 62,000 points + 249 USD
- 52,000 points + 299 USD
You’re effectively paying 0.6 to 0.7 cents per point—higher as the cash portion increases. Compare that to IHG’s frequent points sales, where you can buy points for as low as 0.5 cents each. For instance, 10,000 points at a sale price costs $50, but with the 92,000 + $69 option, you’d pay $69 for the same amount. Unless you’re in a pinch, buying points during a sale is the better deal.
Hack Flexible Date Searches
One downside of IHG’s website and app is that they don’t offer a built-in flexible date search tool, unlike Hilton or Marriott. Those competitors let you see a calendar of rates across multiple days at a glance, making it easy to spot low-point or low-cost options.
With IHG, finding the cheapest days for reward nights—or even cash bookings—can feel like a chore since you’d normally have to check one date at a time. Luckily, there’s a workaround to unlock a hidden calendar view and save yourself the hassle.
Here’s how to do it:
Start your search as usual on the IHG website or app. Enter your destination and choose a check-in date far in the future—like a year from now (say, March 2026 if you’re searching in March 2025). The exact date doesn’t matter much; the goal is to go beyond the hotel’s typical booking window, which is often 12 months or less.
Hit search. As shown above, since you’ve picked a date too far out, IHG’s system will respond with a message like “Rooms cannot be booked this far in advance.” Don’t worry—that’s exactly what you’re aiming for. Look for a link or button labeled “View Available Dates.”
Click “View Available Dates,” and voilà—a calendar pops up showing daily points rates (or cash prices, if that’s your search mode) for a range of dates. Each day will list the points needed for a reward night, letting you scan for the lowest options quickly. For example, you might see 32,000 points for a Sunday but 81,000 for a Wednesday at the same hotel.
This trick cuts down the time it takes to hunt for the best reward night deals—or cash rates—making your planning a lot smoother.
Bottom line
IHG Reward Nights are a fantastic way to enjoy free hotel stays with flexibility and value. Know the perks, play by the rules, and always check if points beat cash. With a little planning—and maybe a points sale—you can turn your IHG points into memorable trips without breaking the bank. Where will your next free stay take you?