stan1162

Husband has a IHG card free night that expires in October. I won't be able to use it, but daughter will be traveling to Nashville, so we thought we would let her use it... It says "non-transferable" when he went to book. Its under husbands name. Can he book it for her, and will she have a problem checking in??? Thanks!

Brendan

Officially, NO. "Non-transferable" means that the person named on the cert must personally check in. But many of us have had good luck listing the real guest as "second" & then checking in "first," saying that the cert holder will be arriving "later." If your daughter still shares Dad's last name, it should be a low-risk deal.
IHG points, by contrast, can officially be used for "anybody."

strickers

Just out of curiosity Brendan, I can't find anything in the T&Cs that prevent points based rewards being used for anyone but I also can't find anything that implicitly allows it.

strickers

Found it in the FAQ:

Can I use my points to book a reservation for someone other than myself?
Ask IHG:It is possible to use your points to book a reservation for another person. However, at this time you will need to contact us directly to book the reservation as there is no way to do this from our website.

Crofton138

I have booked for another person, added them as a named guest on the booking and put a note to say that they will be checking-in first and I'll be arriving later. I've had no problems any time I've done this.

strickers

Thanks, I've done it before but was looking for something official.

stan1162

Thanks so much for the quick replies. Will add her as addition guest. Her last name is the same as well.

stillontheroad

I have done this several times for my daughter, and usually call the property the day before to let them know she will be arriving before me and she will be the one checking in. Never had a problem when I called prior to arrival

tom_MN

This is definitely allowed, booking a reservation for someone else, done it many times and made no secret of doing so. Just put the other name in the reservation, or called the hotel and added the name later. No need to lie about the other person checking in first.

Brendan

Tom, I believe that points ressies do allow that officially, but the special free-night certs from Chase do not. Of course, maybe most IHG hotels don't notice the difference.

manucanuck

scubaccr

Strictly speaking, to use your points too book award night for A.N.Other, relative/close-friend/stranger-even, one is supposed to contact IHG DESK, who after security check, will book in other guests name under other guests ihg member-id, and deduct points from ihger ringing up

In practise IHG simply turn a blind eye to donating paid/award night res to another who is named in 'additional guest field'. Although for China members, t&c's state must contact ihg and provide other guests details for such donated award nights at least 7days before start of a stay

Reason donors do not contact ihg is mainly 2fold a)hope elite bennies go to unentitled non elite add'l guest b)takes far less time to simply book online

dordal

Does anybody know how much this 7 day thing is strictly enforced? Looking at the IC Hong Kong, booked by a friend's Chase cert, but the booking would be for this Saturday.

dordal

To answer my own question, called both the main rez line and the hotel directly, and neither would even allow the second guest to be added to the free night certificate reservation. Hotel said they'd happily do it if we booked another way, but not on a cert since we were within 7 days.

So they're clearly pretty serious about it, at least in China.

Also found this: https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...-award-nights/

scubaccr

for points/award yoiu can book for A N Other.

Ringing IHG is actually the official way to use your points to book for someone, Unofficially IHG (and other chains) typically turn blind eye, but with award nights being sold by China IHG accts, IHG brought in the 7day upfront registration for awards
If you contact IHG as required
a)points get debitted from your acct (after answering acct security questions)
b)a pts reservation gets created with other guest as primary guest name
c)your status/membership number/status is removed (so guest can't receive your elite benefits, if hotel gives on award nights)
d)guests ihg membership gets associated, ie memberno, elite (if any) status

for free night certs, these certs are non-transferrable. You thus can not use to book for another person. As such in Greater China, where you would need register with/tell IHG 7days out the alt guest name, you can't with a cert as not transferrable so the guest can't become the primary guest

Note
You can check IHG t+c's, but from memory the initial restriction (Nov 2017 ish) specifically applied to Chinese Registered IHG Accts booking awards, booked anywhere in the world, rather than to any actual stay/award nights in Greater China by any acct holder living worldwide (ex-China). It could have changed by now