InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is one of the world’s leading hotel companies which boasts a total of 17 brands, 6000+ hotels and 880,000+ rooms globally. There is no one rather than IHG’s customers who are benefiting from their diverse portfolio of hotels and brands. As a result, a loyalty program named IHG One Rewards (formerly IHG Rewards Club) has been create to manage and maintain connections with a huge number of customers. This blog will clarify What’s IHG Rewards Club, How does IHG Rewards Club work and my review about IHG Rewards Club.
Table of Contents
1. What’s IHG Rewards Club?
IHG One Rewards (previously IHG Rewards Club) is the loyalty program attached to the InterContinental Hotels Group.
IHG Rewards Club allows members to earn points for stays at almost 6,000 IHG Hotels & Resorts properties from a family of 17 brands, ranging from top norch to budget friendly.
You can find IHG’s hotel brand below:
- Luxury (5-star): Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, Regent Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Vignette Collection, Hotel Indigo.
- Premium (4-star): Hualuxe Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Even Hotels, Voco Hotels
- Essential (3-star): Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Avid Hotels
- Suites (Residences): Atwell Suites, Staybridge Suites, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Candlewood Suites
2. IHG Rewards Club benefits
2.1. IHG Rewards Club levels
There are a total of 5 levels for IHG One Rewards including: Club, Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite and Diamond Elite.
- Club: first level
- Silver Elite: Stay 10 nights
- Gold Elite: Stay 20 nights or get 40,000 points
- Platinum Elite: Stay 40 nights and get 60,000 nights
- Diamond Elite: Stay 70 nights and get 120,000 nights
- Spire Elite: This level is not public as the system will pick from 1% of the top IHG’s One Rewards members globally.
2.2. IHG Rewards Club benefits
You can find the complete list of benefits in IHG official website. Here is my short summary of IHG One Rewards’s benefit (I will also highlight some valuable benefits for each level).
Club:
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- Exclusive Member Rates & Promotion
- Earn Points for Reward Nights and More
- No Blackout Dates for Reward Nights
- Free Internet
- Late Check-Out to 2 pm (subject to availability)
Silver Elite:
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- Exclusive Member Rates & Promotion
- Earn Points for Reward Nights and More
- No Blackout Dates for Reward Nights
- Points Don’t Expire
- Free Internet
- Late Check-Out to 2 pm (subject to availability)
Gold Elite:
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- Exclusive Member Rates & Promotion
- Earn Points for Reward Nights and More
- No Blackout Dates for Reward Nights
- Points Don’t Expire
- Free Internet
- Late Check-Out to 2 pm (subject to availability)
Platinum Elite:
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- Exclusive Member Rates & Promotion
- Earn Points for Reward Nights and More
- No Blackout Dates for Reward Nights
- Points Don’t Expire
- Free Internet
- Welcome Amenity
- Guaranteed Room Availability (up to 72 hours)
- Complimentary Room Upgrades (subject to availability)
- Early Check-in & Late Check-Out (subject to availability)
Diamond Elite:
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- Earn Points for Reward Nights and More
- No Blackout Dates for Reward Nights
- Points Don’t Expire
- Free Internet
- Welcome Amenity and Free breakfast
- Guaranteed Room Availability (up to 72 hours)
- Complimentary Room Upgrades (subject to availability)
- Early Check-in & Late Check-Out (subject to availability)
| * NOTE:
– IHG will update benefits to compete with other competitors (like the addition of free late check out to 2pm recently). So customers was one who benefited from this change. – Each hotel brand will have different benefits policies. For example, Crowne Plaza hotels will offer free access to Club Lounge for Platinum Elite members and above, while that of InterContinental hotel starts from Diamond Elite. So make sure to double check with the hotel’s reception or guest relation before your stay (to avoid disappointment). – For 4-star or 5-star hotel brands, high status members will have priority check-in at a separate counter. |
3. How does the IHG Rewards Club work?
3.1. Is IHG rewards club free to join?
IHG Rewards Club is a loyalty program which means everyone is able to join without paying a fee.
You can sign up on the IHG website or hotel staff (normally receptionist or guest relation officer) will invite you. All you need to do is provide them your email address (and sometimes home address).
Once the application is submitted, you will receive an email which contains your IHG Rewards number.
3.2. How does the IHG Rewards Club work?
Like any other loyalty programs, IHG One Rewards uses point-based systems, where customers get rewards for room nights they stay (or money they spend).
After getting enough qualified points and nights, customers can redeem points for free room nights in any IHG hotel all over the world.
There are some way to earn points, including:
- Stay in a IHG hotel
- Buy points
- Transfer points
- Using IHG Rewards Credit Card
3.3. Do IHG rewards points expire?
Yes, all points will expire after 12 months if there’s no account activity. Points will remain unless you have Silver or higher status.
To keep your points, make sure to earn points by the aforementioned ways. And keep in mind you don’t need to pay a single fee to keep your membership “alive”.
4. IHG Rewards Club Review
4.1. Is IHG One Rewards worth it?
So is IHG One Rewards worth it? My answer is definitely YES and here is my reasons:
It costs you nothing but gives you many benefits when staying in any IHG’s property. Who would reject the exclusive member rate (cheaper than price shown on booking.com or Agoda) late check out, 10% discount on food and beverage…
And the second thing is free late check out to 2pm for every member. I remembered back to 2016, there was no late check out in the benefits list for the lowest member level. This “add on” makes it more valuable to become an IHG Rewards Club member.
Last but not least is IHG’s scheme towards loyal customers. Whenever a member stays in any IHG’s properties, they have to be greeted by the staff. Because IHG issue a specific SOP (Standard Operation Procedure) to receive IHG One Rewards’s member including:
- Check in manner (member level recognition, separated check in counter…)
- Welcome letter (with GM’s signature)
- Courtesy call (A call during your stay to check your satisfaction about check in process, room, services…)
4.2. My experience with IHG Rewards Club
In my opinion, IHG Rewards Club is such a good way to save money. At first, I was reluctant to give my email address when the reception offered me to join.
After spending some nights and gaining enough points, I redeemed the first free night at Holiday Inn Express Bangkok Siam (15,000 points) and the second one at Holiday Inn Salzburg (25,000 points).
It saved me up to 75 USD for the Bangkok – Hua Hin trip and 150€ for the Salzburg trip which is a huge number for my solo trip.
And the staff was so nice to me. During my stay in Salzburg, I read on the IHG website that IHG members will receive a voucher for free drink in, with advance mentioned by email. I forgot to send them an email. I mentioned that to the staff during check in time, and they gave me the vouchers immediately.
5. Summary: What’s IHG Rewards Club? An ultimate IHG Rewards Club review
5.1. Tips for IHG Rewards member
– It is better to use the IHG’s app than their website. I don’t know why but when I check on the IHG website, there is no room available. However, it is another story on the app. The room I wished for was available and then I made the reservation.
– Redeem a free night when traveling to expensive cities rather than cheaper ones. Although prices may different, points are the same for the same category hotel (but not always).
– Always present your IHG member number to the reception whenever staying in any IHG’s hotel. They have an SOP for welcoming IHG Rewards Club members (member greeting, welcome letter, courtesy call…)
5.2. Summary
It is nice to be an IHG One Rewards member and my experience with this loyalty program has been good so far. So don’t hesitate to join IHG One Rewards.
This is what I want to say in this IHG Rewards Club Review. If you need any further information, see other posts in my blog.
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– MUST-USE WEBSITE TO PLAN YOUR NEXT TRIP –
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