Skip to Content

Best Paris Hotels to Use IHG Free Night

Share with a friend

What are the best Paris hotels to use an IHG free night certificate?

That’s what Traveling Well For Less reader Richard wants to know.

Every month our local San Diego group of frequent flyers meet for lunch to talk about flights and credit cards. At Sunday’s meetup, Richard asked,

I have an IHG anniversary free night from the credit card. My friend is visiting Paris and I’m going to give him my certificate. Do you know which IHG hotels in Paris I can apply my free night certificate?

Best Paris Hotels to Use IHG Free Night

One of the benefits of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is the annual free night certificate. As a cardholder, you get an anniversary night each year. And who doesn’t love free? 🙂

The yearly free night certificate is one of the reasons so many people keep their IHG card. My friend Jill and I used hers to stay in a suite at The Palazzo Las Vegas.

An $89 annual fee more than covers the value you can get from a free hotel stay. It’s worth paying vs calling to get a credit card retention offer.

The anniversary free night was valid at any of the 4,900 IHG hotels worldwide. But that changed earlier this year.

Your free night is valid at IHG hotels that cost 40,000 points or less.

Here’s the list of hotels where you can’t use your IHG free night voucher. You can still use points at those hotels, but not your annual free night.

Because you’ll probably want to stay more than one night, be sure you know when you should use points and when to pay cash for hotels.

Pro-tip: If you’re short on IHG points, you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points from a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card or any of these Ultimate Rewards earning cards to IHG. Points transfer on a 1:1 basis.

Where to Use IHG Free Night Certificate in Paris

There are 23 IHG hotels in Paris. You can use your IHG free night certificate at all but two of those hotels.

Anniversary free night vouchers aren’t valid at the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts Paris – Avenue Marceau and the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts Paris – Le Grand.

But you can use it at 21 other hotels including:

  • Hotel Indigo Paris Opera
  • Holiday Inn Paris – Elysees
  • Holiday Inn Paris – Notre Dame

These are the best Paris hotels to use an IHG free night certificate.

Hotel Indigo Paris Opera

The Hotel Indigo Paris Opera is a boutique hotel with 57 rooms and 12 suites.

Located minutes from the Paris Opera (Palais Garnier), shopping, and fine dining on a quiet street, you’ll be in the center of the action without the noise.

The hotel offers three accessible rooms of which two are wheelchair accessible. Service dogs are welcome.

Pro-tip: Each room includes a free smartphone for use during your stay.

Completely, non-smoking, the hotel offers private underground parking. If you’re using public transportation, a metro stop, and the airport bus stop are a five-minute walk from the hotel.

The airport is 49 minutes by metro and 40 minutes by car. Uber is easy to use in Paris. Use my Uber link to get free rides.

Pro-tip: Enjoy free views of Paris including the Effiel Tower from the rooftop deck of Galeries Lafayette (Lafayette Department store). The store is two blocks from the Hotel Indigo Paris Opera.

Holiday Inn Paris – Elysees

holiday inn paris elysees

If you’re coming to Paris for shopping, you’ll want to stay at the Holiday Inn Paris – Elysees. Ideally situated in the Golden Triangle, you’re steps from high-end shopping, the Champs Elysees, and the Louvre.

The boutique 43 room hotel is a short two-minute walk to the metro. You can be at the Effiel Tower within 15 minutes.

Each room includes free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, a minibar, tea, and coffee.

Pro-tip: The bar is open 24 hours.

Children ages 17 and younger stay and eat free when sharing a room with their parents (maximum of two free). Up to four kids 12 and younger eat free all day at any of the hotel restaurants.

The hotel is 38 minutes from the airport by car and 56 minutes by metro. Signup with Uber using my link to get free rides.

Pro-tip: On the corner of two busy streets so not the best choice if you’re a light sleeper.

Holiday Inn Paris – Notre Dame

The Holiday Inn Paris – Notre Dame offers 108 rooms and 1 suite.

Located in the Latin Quarter, the Holiday Inn Paris – Notre Dame is a short walk to the famous Notre Dame Cathedral, Saint Michel, and Louvre.

The closest metro station is one minute away. Using the metro, the airport is 42 minutes. An Uber to or from the airport takes 49 minutes.

Rooms include free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, tea, and coffee.

Pro-tip: Enjoy views of the Eiffel Tower from the rooftop bar.

Two kids aged 17 and younger eat and stay free when sharing a room with an adult. Kids 12 and younger eat free at the hotel restaurants – a limit of four kids per family.

An IHG Green Engage Hotel, when you stay at the Holiday Inn Paris – Notre Dame you’re helping to protect the environment.

Pro-tip: Ask for an upper floor room with a view of the Eiffel Tower.

Conclusion

If you have an IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card you get an anniversary free night certificate to use at almost any IHG hotel worldwide. The free night voucher is why so many people get and keep their IHG card.

The best hotels in Paris to use your annual free night are the Hotel Indigo Paris Opera, Holiday Inn Paris – Elysees, and Holiday Inn Paris – Notre Dame.

All hotels are within walking distance of famous Paris landmarks such as the Louvre, Champs Elysees, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Paris Opera. Each hotel is near a metro station so you can be anywhere in Paris, including the Eiffel Tower within minutes.

The best choice for families is one of the Holiday Inns because kids eat free (restrictions apply).

When booking your flight to Paris, here are the best websites to find cheap flights and how to get a refund on a nonrefundable ticket.

If you need points to stay extra nights in Paris, you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points from cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve to IHG.

Which is your favorite Paris hotel to use your IHG free night certificate?

Pin this to your travel hacks, travel tips, and travel boards:

You get an anniversary free night certificate with the IHG card to use at almost any IHG hotel in the world. Want to go to Paris? These are best hotels in Paris to use your annual free night. #travel #Paris #travelhacks #travelwell4less

Comment, tweet, or share this post.

Get the best credit card bonuses.

Follow us on Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | YouTube
Got a question? Or want help, suggestions, travel tips, learn how to travel for free, find out about travel deals, and maximize your miles and points? Use the subscription box below to sign-up and get post updates by email.

Photos courtesy IHG hotels

Traveling Well For Less has partnered with Your Best Credit Cards for our coverage of credit card products. Traveling Well For Less and YBCC may receive a commission from card issuers.


Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the best card to get started in the world of miles and points. It is the first card you should get to start traveling for free because the welcome offer is 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months.
 
My favorite perks about this card are earning 5X points on travel when booked through the Chase portal (2X if direct purchase), 3X points on dining, $50 yearly credit on hotels booked through the Chase portal, no foreign transaction fees, and transferring points to 13 airline and hotel partners like Hyatt, United, and Southwest.
 

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is one of my favorite cards for earning cash back card and travel rewards. It offers a welcome offer of an additional 1.5% cash back on all your purchases up to $20,000 your first year.
 
My favorite perks about this card are earning 5% cash back on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal, 3% cash back at drugstores and restaurants (including delivery and takeout), 1.5% cash back on all other purchases and no annual fee. When paired with cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card or Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, you can use your points to travel for free.
 

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.