FonzieBone

If you're just looking to max ROI, check out the Amstel IC in Amsterdam. There's also an IC on the southern coast of Portugal that is, well, expensive for Portugal that might be worth checking out. I haven't been to it but the region is gorgeous.

sdsearch

I used mine last year at the Staybridge Suites Times Square (NYC) which was going for $350 for weekend night in the summer. (You had to book ahead a while just to be able to find a room available for points/certs on some weekend nights, though.) Staybridge has no incidental costs; it's all suites hotel with free breakfast buffet.

This year I'm using it for the Crowne Plaza Anchorage, which is close to $300/night in the summer. That Crowne Plaza allows you to book "club" rooms with the cert, so you get lounge access to that through your room (though you'd get it from IHG Plat status from the credit card even if you didn't book that room, but then why not book that room if it's a free one?), and gives free breakfast to Plats downstairs (because they don't have a "real" breakfast in the lounge).

I don't care whether I could have gotten a more expensive hotel I didn't really need or didn't really want. The Staybridge allowed to do go visit NYC and see some temporary museum exhibits for a weekend; the Crowne Plaza is an extra night in Anchorage I needed between my 5-nights-for-the-cost-of-4 Marriott Rewards redemption also in Anchorage on one side and 5-night night redemption with Best Western (the only chain hotel in town any more, since HIX went poof) in Seward, on my 11-night total Alaska vacation.

So pick some place you actually want to go (and that you can affordably get to) and pick a "nice enough" and "practical enough" IHG hotel and don't worry about whether the cash cost is the highest it could be or not.

(Gosh, some people fortunate enough to live close to a nice IHG hotel just use their certificate for a "staycation" weekend away from home but very near home. That's not my personal cup of tea, but I'm mentioning it to be more complete.)

evergrn

Looking to use the free night for some family fun on the West coast. Immediately thought about Mark Hopkins in SF, then realized they don't have a pool, let alone a big pool.
I'm looking for a true 4+ star (preferably 5 star) property in either BC, WA, OR, Bay Area, LA, San Diego or Phoenix that has an impressive pool. Pacific NW would be a plus... is there such place up here? Otherwise I'm thinking of IC Century City.

nacho

I think HI is partnering with Eagle Crest Resort in PNW area - looked into it a when we were there during Easter - didn't have the time go that far.

Used 25k to redeem a night at Staybridge Everett - a nice indoor pool there and the manager reception was nice (better than the RI). I like Staybridge a lot more than IC - a lot more spacious and I don't need all those services anyway - I can carry my own stuff up to my own room, I can park my car and walk to the hotel - wish they have them in Europe.

baroqen

As some others have stated, the best place to use the certs is where you want to go.

That said, I used my cert this year at the IC Hong Kong. Imagine my surprise when they upgraded me to a harbor view junior suite when I checked in on the free night. The online rate for the room was around 7200 HKD (about 900 USD) so talk about bang for the buck! The entire stay was amazing, I got full Ambassador benefits including the 4 PM check out and my family had a simply amazing stay. Another good place to consider is the Da Nang Sun Peninsula. Last year I needed a place to stay in San Francisco anyway so I used my BOGO and free night at the IC SF during Pride weekend. I think rates were in the high $300 range then but I needed rooms anyway.

patmcpsu

I regularly redeem my free-night vouchers (and points) at Intercontinentals and have never felt fleeced. With the exception of remote resorts (i.e. Bora Bora, which I've never visited) nobody is coercing you to order room service or drink at the lobby's bar. You're perfectly free (and strongly encouraged) to eat/drink elsewhere and immerse yourself in the local culture.

As others have said: start by deciding where you want to go. Is it a beach? Is it a city? What continent? Once you narrow it down that far, you may be able to let specific IHG properties sway you somewhere within those bounds.

patmcpsu

Perhaps the Intercontinental in Monterey?

evergrn

I'll have to look further into that. But I just had a quick peek at the hotel's photo gallery and their pool looks TINY.

I used to live in PHX, and I swear there was an Intercontinental there in Scottsdale. Did they go bankrupt, or is that my imagination?

evergrn

What?! I'm just a Plat, but I have stayed there many times (fully paid every time, no points) and have never ever been upgraded. All I've ever gotten from them is late check-out and holiday gingerbread house.

demue

It deflagged a few years ago. Now independent I think.

baroqen

It was my first time staying there. Are you just regular IHG Plat or a Platinum Ambassador? I'm an Ambassador. From what I've read on other forums, most ICs don't offer much to non-Ambassadors. The BOGO certificate makes the annual fee worthwhile.

I don't know if I was upgraded prior to arrival, I just nicely asked when I was seated at the Ambassador check in desk.

patmcpsu

The old Intercontinental in Scottsdale (Intercontinental Montelucia) is now an Omni: Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia

Happy

Used ours at Amstel Amsterdam one year. At Staybridge London another year. At IC Hong Kong 3 years in a row.

All happened to be places we needed hotel stays.

Amstel while it is the Grand Dame of lux hotel in Amsterdam, the style is not really our taste.

We like Staybridge London very much. It is very modern and well-designed, in the residential neighborhood in Vauxhal, practically right by a neighborhood park.

No need to talk about the well-known IC HK. They generally treat us quite well even on the free night certs even though we are just lowly Plat (no paid Ambassador). Got upgraded to Deluxe and Executive Deluxe rooms, and fruit plates / drink coupons on each stay. We passed thru Hong Kong for a few days to a couple weeks several times a year so can always use the certs at IC HK.

VOSGP

my family and I enjoyed ourselves at IC Danang, Vietnam.

https://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Hotel..._Province.html

Concerto

But you must agree, Hong Kong has been utterly destroyed by the property developers, compared to what it used to be.

I would say any expensive US city would provide enough bang for buck.