You check in. Late checkout is on the table. Points land after you leave. Next time, maybe a better room.
That is what a hotel club is for.
IHG One Rewards is the club behind IHG Hotels & Resorts. It costs nothing to join. More than 160 million people have. And it works at over 7,100 hotels, from InterContinental Dubai Festival City to Crowne Plaza Nairobi Airport.
Right now, members can earn up to three times the points. Until December 31.
Table of Contents
What IHG Members Get Right Now
- Up to 3X points. Register first. Stay between October 1 and December 31, 2026. Booking direct earns double. The IHG One Rewards app earns triple. Bonus kicks in from your second qualifying stay.
- Destination Deals. Members save up to 30%. Booking opens October 27 and closes November 1. Stays run from October 30 to December 13. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Muscat and Kuwait City are on the list.
- Best Price Guarantee. Booked direct and found it cheaper within 24 hours? IHG matches it. Then adds 5X points, up to 40,000.
- No code needed. IHG does not publish promo codes for these. Register and book as a member.
Rules worth knowing for the 3X offer: The room must cost over US$30 a night, and stays from travel sites do not count. Neither do Reward Nights.
Tip: Is Kuwait City or Muscat on your calendar before mid-December? Set a phone alarm for October 27.
Five Levels, and How You Climb to Each
Every member starts at the club. Then it goes up with nights, or with points.
| Level | How to Get There | Bonus Points | Stand-Out Perk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Join free | None | 2 p.m. late checkout, when available |
| Silver | 10 nights | 20% | 2 p.m. late checkout |
| Gold | 20 nights or 40,000 points | 40% | 2 p.m. late checkout |
| Platinum | 40 nights or 60,000 points | 60% | Room upgrades and a welcome amenity |
| Diamond | 70 nights or 120,000 points | 100% | Upgrades, plus breakfast as a welcome amenity choice |
The points path matters. Not everyone stays 40 nights a year. Some stay fewer nights at bigger hotels. Points count for them too.
Milestones: The Extra Gifts at 20 Nights and Up
Hit 20 nights in a year. You get to pick a reward. Then again, every 10 nights, up to 100.
What can you pick? It changes as you go. Some of the choices:
- Bonus points. 5,000 or 10,000.
- Food and drink. A food & beverage reward to spend at the hotel.
- A bigger room. Confirmable suite upgrades.
- Lounge access. An annual lounge membership.
A two-night trip every month is 24 nights a year. That clears the first milestone.
The Paid Add-On: InterContinental Ambassador
The free club covers a lot. Stay at InterContinental often? Look at this one.
| Perk | What You Get | Good to Know |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | US$225 a year | Or pay with 45,000 points. Lasts 12 months. |
| Status | Platinum Elite in IHG One Rewards | 60% bonus points, room upgrades and a welcome amenity |
| Room upgrade | One guaranteed upgrade | Save it for the stay that matters most |
| Late checkout | Guaranteed at 4 p.m. | Free levels get 2 p.m., and only when available |
| Food and drink | Up to US$20 credit per stay | Per stay, not per night |
| Free night | One weekend night certificate | In the Middle East, ‘weekend’ means Thursday to Saturday |
Do the math with your own hotel. Check what one weekend night costs at the InterContinental you use most. Compare it to US$225.
A Brand for Every Kind of Trip
Same club. Same points. Very different stays.
| Brand | The Kind of Stay | In This Region |
|---|---|---|
| InterContinental | Classic luxury | Dubai, Riyadh, Doha, Cairo, Cape Town |
| Kimpton | Design-led boutique | Kimpton KAFD Riyadh |
| Hotel Indigo | Neighbourhood character | Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown |
| voice | Relaxed upscale | Voco Cairo Arabella Plaza, Voco Nairobi Airport Suites |
| Crowne Plaza | Business trips | Crowne Plaza Nairobi Airport |
| Garner | Simple midscale | Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah, arriving in 2026 |
Hotel names from IHG’s destination pages and IHG news releases.
Five Cities, Five Ways to Use the Club
Where members in this region tend to stay. Hotel names from IHG’s city pages.
- Dubai. 33 IHG hotels on the city page. Hotel Indigo Downtown for the city. InterContinental Festival City for the creek.
- Riyadh: 16 hotels. Kimpton KAFD for something new.
- Cairo. 8 hotels on the city page. InterContinental Cairo Semiramis is the classic pick. Voco Cairo Arabella Plaza is the relaxed one.
- Cape Town. InterContinental Table Bay, on the waterfront.
- Nairobi. Two airport options now. Crowne Plaza and Voco’s new 112 suites.
Booking any of these in the app before December 31? That is triple points after your first stay.
Why Consider IHG One Rewards?
- Costs nothing. Joining is free.
- Free nights. From 10,000 points. IHG says no blackout dates.
- Status in two ways. Nights or points. Your pick.
- Wide reach. 7,100+ hotels. 100+ countries.
- Big in the Gulf. 39 hotels open in the UAE. Egypt has 10. Jordan has 8.
- Right now. Up to 3X points until December 31.
- Long track record. IHG says its Priority Club, from 1983, was the hotel industry’s first loyalty programme. IHG One Rewards grew out of it.
Who Should Join
- Gulf commuters. Dubai for one week, Riyadh the next. Those nights stack up.
- Families planning a December break in the UAE.
- InterContinental fans, who should do the Ambassador math.
- People flying through Johannesburg or Nairobi who need a bed near the airport.
- Travellers who stay a few times a year but book bigger rooms. Points-based status helps here.
Questions Before You Join
Which cities are in the member sale?
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Muscat and Kuwait City are listed, among others. The booking opens on October 27.
Does it cost anything?
No. Joining IHG One Rewards is free.
How do I get Gold?
20 nights in a year. Or 40,000 qualifying points.
Do bookings on travel sites earn points?
Not for the current 3X offer. Book on IHG’s site or app.
Is Ambassador worth it?
Price your usual InterContinental weekend night first. Then compare it to US$225, or 45,000 points. You also get Platinum status and 4 p.m. checkout.
Can I use points for part of the bill?
Yes. IHG offers points and cash. Those stays do not count toward the 3X offer, though.
Is there a price match?
Yes, on direct bookings. Claim within 24 hours of booking. IHG matches and adds 5X points, up to 40,000.
What does a free night cost in points?
From 10,000. Busy dates and bigger hotels cost more.
Final Verdict
IHG One Rewards is an easy club to join. No fee. No card needed. Points from your first stay.
The timing helps too. Up to 3X points through December 31. Members deal up to 30% off starting October 27. Free nights from 10,000 points when you are ready to spend.
Join first. Register for the offer second. Then book your next Gulf or Africa stay directly.
