Credit Card Free Night – status benefits?

[barb404]

I have a free night (thanks to soon-to-be-defunct Creation Card). Please can someone tell me, when redeeming this, do my benefits as Diamond Elite and Ambassador apply? Thank you.

[NorthernLass]

Diamond, yes. Ambassador only guaranteed if you book an IC with it.

[barb404]

Thank you for quick response.

[mkdoc]

I found my free night certificate by chance when logging on to my IHG account. It was very close to expiry so booked something which I now can’t make. IHG will now not move it as it has expired and the hotel are referring me back to IHG Rewards. Is my only option to cancel it and lose it?

[NorthernLass]

Do you know anyone else who could use the booking? Unfortunately, once the voucher has expired you do lose it if you then cancel the stay. I think hotels can’t actually make any changes from their end which is why they refer you back to IHG.

[mkdoc]

I could gift it to someone. Would I still need to check in, or should I tell the hotel someone else is staying?

[NorthernLass]

If it’s a UK stay it’s not usual to ask for ID so as long as they had a screenshot of the booking it should be fine (though the HIEX Heathrow T4 asked for both our passports when we stayed recently!). However, I have previously enquired if a free night can be used by a family member and was told it was absolutely fine. If the hotel is aware that you’re not staying, however, they can reasonably be expected to refuse any status benefits if they chose to do so.

[CamFlyer]

mkdoc wrote:

I found my free night certificate by chance when logging on to my IHG account. It was very close to expiry so booked something which I now can’t make. IHG will now not move it as it has expired and the hotel are referring me back to IHG Rewards. Is my only option to cancel it and lose it?

Try contacting the hotel and see if they can do anything, such as move the stay to a date that works.

I had this happen when i couldn’t stay due to contracting COVID, for a booking on the expiry date of the voucher. The hotel (not IHG global) wouldn’t move the stay, but did give me some points as compensation. This was far less than the value of the forgone stay , but better than nothing.

[nwoody2001]

Has anyone else notice a delay in the issuing of the Creation Free Night Voucher? My Creation App confirms i hit the £10k spending target this year, and my normal anniversary is May when the vouchers have been issued for the last 2 years, but this year, im still waiting…. Has anyone else experienced this? are they waitinf till the end of June for the CC to close and they issue all final vouchers?

Thanks in advance,
Neil

[barb404]

I too hit the £10K spending limit and haven’t seen the free night hit my IHG account. I plan on cancelling the IHG Creation credit card before 27 June but don’t want to risk not getting my free night.
Barbara

[NorthernLass]

You both might want to have a look at the “Creation Bashing” thread in case they don’t appear at all!

[barb404]

Thank you Northern Lass. The free night voucher has just appeared in my IHG account. I will be cancelling my Creation card immediately.

[alig4th]

[wobblywings]

I still do not have the certificate. I qualified for it 2 cycles ago. Suggestions?