Regarding taxes on award rooms. The hotels are paid a low and variable rate for the award booking by IHG. So, in the hotel's software there is actually a price associated with your stay and probably taxes are calculated on that. I have seen on the app where my stay was something like $27/ night. I never paid it, nor have I ever paid any taxes (other than an occasional city head tax), but there is money being used behind the scenes. The room is never $0.