Reward nights and city tax

[matt1879464]

Does anyone know if you book a room using your points, if you then have to pay city tax at the hotel?

I ask because in my experience it is inconsistence. Sometimes I have had to pay and others not. For example on a recent trip I paid it in Paris Holiday Inn but not at the Bordeaux Hotel Indigo. Both were points stays.

Thanks

Matt

[AndrewT]

My recent experience in various locations is similarly variable. I’ve not paid too much attention as it’s typically only a small amount, but it might depend on how it is charged. A fixed rate per night would probably be due regardless of whether or not you are paying the hotel, whereas a percentage charge of nothing is also nothing.

[davefl]

City taxes generally aren’t collected at the point of sale when you prepay by either cash or points so yes you should have paid it both times but sometimes they forget, same with parking charges.

[John]

The IHG T&Cs say all taxes should be covered by reward nights, except at Iberostar.

However in practice it seems to be up to the hotel. I have had different IHG hotels in the same city charge and not charge the tax – on multiple stays so it wasn’t just an agent mistake

There are threads on this topic on Flyertalk IHG, recently relating to Amsterdam which now has a high tourist tax

[matt1879464]

Thanks all

[NorthernLass]

Resort fees aren’t covered on points bookings, so I would guess there’s no obligation for the hotel to cover city taxes, which are nothing to do with the hotel and levied locally on visitors.