Ive been an IHG Rewards Platinum Elite member since 2005 and not sure why. The main perk of membership is a free annual reward night. However I've lost more than I've redeemed because every time I try to use them the hotels I am going to will not take them. Knowing that I had an event coming up on the 27th of April in a not so touristy town that will take it but the event was one week after my expiration date. I called IHG rewards to see if I would be able to use it. The gentleman I spoke with said yes, as long as I reserved the room before the expiration date. Today is April 14th and I'm trying to use it and I am being told no I can't redeem it because I have to use it before the 21st. Very sad nobody including the manager who I have been on the phone with for the past 30 minutes was able to help. My 19 year platinum elite membership is not worth one earned free night exception to them, which says a lot. I went on Trustpilot to see if others had similar experiences and they had a rating of "BAD" so mine is not unique. Today, I am discontinuing my relationship with IHG and will make a concerted effort to never stay in an IHG property again. I'm pretty sure this in not the customer service experience that founder Kimmons Wilson's Holiday Inn success story was built on. Another great American Company that will eventually go by the wayside sadly.
