IHG Credit card free night

[iamfugly]

Hi,
Does anyone know if IHG have changed the t&c’s of the free night credit card voucher? Since the update of the IHG Rewards app, the free night appears to be no longer “book by” but now “stay by”.

[iamfugly]

Following up, I think it is possibly an error on the app. When logged into my account on a browser website, I am still able to “stay by” past the voucher expiry date if I reserve before the expiry date.
I have messaged IHG to point out the error in the app. Hopefully, they will agree and fix asap.

[Thegasman]

American CC free night vouchers are stay by so imagine the App is worded with them in mind. The backend IT to use them won’t have changed with the App so presumably that’s why it wasn’t an issue booking a later stay.

[Charles Martel]

I have an IHG free night voucher to use/book by June but I can’t find a single room available, not even a mid week Holiday Inn Express. Am I being unlucky or is the website malfunctioning?

[NorthernLass]

That doesn’t sound right, although a lot of properties do seem to to have pulled reward nights at busy periods recently (though free nights are a different inventory). How are you searching and what are you looking for? Usually it will only show availability for one or two people, for example, so if you’re searching for a family room you probably won’t get any results.

[Green Plastic]

When redeeming a free night voucher, is it possible to make the booking (presumably into the lowest category room) and then pay an upgrade fee into a superior room?

[Thegasman]

Not via the IHG website at booking although you may be offered online upgrades at a later date. I’d suggest contacting hotel directly though, many will be happy to do paid upgrade at attractive or unattractive levels depending on predicted occupancy levels.

[Molly]

Green Plastic wrote:

When redeeming a free night voucher, is it possible to make the booking (presumably into the lowest category room) and then pay an upgrade fee into a superior room?

Yes, I recently upgraded my room at the IC Park Lane by contacting the hotel directly. My upgraded room now shows on the booking. Hoping for an upgrade to a suite with my Diamond Status as the current upgraded room is one level below.

[NorthernLass]

Once you make the booking you may well get an upgrade offer, either on the booking page when you open it in your account, or on the confirmation email (click on where it says “view more reservation details”. Some of these have been excellent value recently.

[Green Plastic]

Very interesting! Thanks guys