How to claim a hotel best-rate guarantee

What makes a lower rate eligible for a claim?

A claim compares an existing IHG direct booking with a lower rate for the same IHG-branded hotel room shown on a non-IHG website. [2] That lower rate must be available, bookable and comparable at the moment IHG reviews the claim, and it must meet the guarantee's requirements. [2] IHG verifies the rate independently, so screenshots or other information sent with a claim can help the review without deciding the outcome. [2] IHG charges no booking fee on reservations made directly with it, which leaves the direct room price as the figure being compared. [2]

Login walls. Some China-based travel websites, including Ctrip, Meituan and Fliggy, ask users to log in before hotel rates become visible. [2] A login step on its own does not make a rate ineligible when it exists only to reach the site and the rate is open to any standard registered user. [2] In IHG's wording, a rate is available to the general public when anyone who creates a standard account and logs in can view and book it without paying a fee, using a special account, applying a coupon or meeting another eligibility requirement. [2] A rate that needs special membership access, loyalty-tier benefits, student verification, a particular account type, a coupon or discount, or any other condition the general public cannot meet may be refused. [2] Closed rate types such as a member rate therefore need checking before a claim is built on them. Eligibility depends on how the rate is shown and accessed, not on the claimant's residency, nationality or location. [2]

Can a coupon or a currency difference disqualify a claim?

Coupons. An automatically applied discount is judged case by case, because coupon rules and the way websites display prices vary. [2] A coupon can count toward the comparison only if it is applied automatically, needs no code entered by the guest and cannot be removed during the booking process; a discount that requires a code, special access or any additional action may not qualify. [2]

Currency. The comparison must be made in the same currency as the IHG booking: if the direct reservation is charged in US dollars, the rival rate has to be available and payable in US dollars too. [2] A currency mismatch can sink an otherwise workable claim even when the login requirement is acceptable. [2]

How do you file an IHG Best Price Guarantee claim?

1. Book through an IHG direct channel. A valid reservation at an IHG-branded hotel, booked on the IHG website, through the call centre or on the mobile app, is required before a claim can be submitted. [2] Booking with the hotel itself or through the IHG Central Reservation Office also works, but the online claim form is still required. [2]
2. Submit the online claim form. Every claim must go through the online claim form, and a claim sent by email is not eligible. [2]
3. Allow 24 hours for processing. If no reply has arrived after that, the guarantee team can be reached at [email protected]. [2]
4. Have your membership number on the booking before check-out. The 5× points award cannot be granted once the stay has been checked out. [2]
5. Wait for the stay to finish. The 5× points are credited on completion of the stay, under the IHG One Rewards terms and conditions. [2]

Points above what the stay would otherwise earn are credited as bonus points, so they do not count toward IHG One Rewards membership level, and they can expire under the IHG One Rewards terms. [2] If the number of points credited looks wrong, the guarantee team reviews the query, and all bonus point awards are determined in IHG's sole and absolute discretion with its decision final. [2]

Exceptions and limits

• Four markets are excluded. The Best Price Guarantee does not apply to hotels in the Chinese mainland, the Macao Special Administrative Region of China, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China and the Taiwan Region of China; in other participating locations, claims and any connected rewards remain subject to eligibility requirements, verification procedures and limits set out in the guarantee terms. [2]
• The bonus is member-only and capped. Bonus points cannot exceed 40,000 per claim, and only IHG One Rewards members receive them. [2]
• Timing matters. A membership number added after check-out cannot secure the 5× award, which is why the number belongs on the reservation beforehand. [2]
• The decision sits with the programme. Bonus point awards are made in IHG's sole and absolute discretion and its decision is final. [2]

Comparing totals before booking makes a claim easier to judge: see how booking platforms display fees and OTA vs direct booking total cost.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a reservation before claiming?

Yes. A valid reservation at an IHG-branded hotel booked through an IHG direct channel is required to submit a claim. [2]

Can you email a claim instead of using the form?

No. All claims must be submitted via the online claim form to be eligible. [2]

Can a rate behind a login still qualify?

It can, if the login only unlocks the site and any standard registered user can see and book the rate. [2] Rates needing a coupon, special membership access or student verification may not qualify. [2]

How long does a claim take?

Allow 24 hours for processing, then email [email protected] if no response has arrived. [2]

Does the guarantee cover hotels in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China and the Macao Special Administrative Region of China?

No. The Best Price Guarantee is not applicable to hotels in the Chinese mainland, the Macao Special Administrative Region of China, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China and the Taiwan Region of China. [2]

Related pages

More on price checks: booking platform price display and fees, OTA vs direct booking total cost, member rate and the frequent flyer glossary.

Sources

Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. This guide covers the IHG Best Price Guarantee for IHG-branded hotels; best-rate and price-match schemes published by other hotel groups and by online travel agencies are not covered, and each scheme is decided by its own terms.

1. IHG Best Price Guarantee terms and claim questions and answers, checked 18 October 2026