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Can’t decide between a stay with IHG or Marriott for your next global trip? We put both hotel chains under the microscope to see how they compare with each other in terms of everything from hotel locations and loyalty schemes, to value for money and pet-friendliness.
| Feature | IHG | Marriott | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where are its hotels? |
|
| IHG |
| Is there free breakfast? | At some hotels | At some hotels | Neither brand offers free breakfasts across the board |
| Is there a loyalty program? Is it free to join? | IHG Rewards Club – free to join | Marriott Rewards – free to join | Both brands offer free loyalty schemes |
| Which chains is it partnered with? | IHG has 12 brands: | Marriott has 30 brands:
| Marriott |
| Is there free Wi-Fi? | IHG Rewards Club members get free Wi-Fi | Marriott Rewards members get free Wi-Fi | Both hotels offer free Wi-Fi as part of their loyalty schemes |
| Is there an executive lounge? | In some hotels. These are open to certain levels of Reward Club customers | In some hotels. These are open to Gold, Platinum and Platinum Premier rewards members | Lounge access for certain club members with both brands |
| How many stars does it have? | Up to 5 stars | Up to 5 stars | Both have 5-star hotels around the world |
| Are hotels pet friendly? | Some | 1,400 pet-friendly hotels worldwide | Marriott |
| Where is it headquartered? | Denham, UK | Bethesda, USA | |
| Is there online chat? | Yes, but it's slow and it times out easily | No. | IHG |
| What are my payment options? |
|
| Marriott |
| Can I price match? | Yes. | Yes. | Both offer price match |
| Does it allow for cancellations/changes? | Yes, most hotels offer a 24-hour cancellation policy | Yes, you can cancel without charges 48 hours before the stay | IHG |
| Does it have smoking rooms? | Yes. | No. | IHG |
| Ready to book? | Book with IHG | Book with Marriott |
Marriott’s Look No Further-Best Rate Guarantee means that if you find the same hotel room on the same date for cheaper, you qualify for a price match and a further 25% off. You have to submit your claim within 24 hours of booking.
IHG’s Best Price Guarantee states that if you find a lower room rate somewhere else on the Internet, you’ll get your first night free and the rest of your stay for the lower price-matched fee. Again, you have to submit your claim within 24 hours of booking.
If you booked a $100 per night hotel with Marriott for two nights and found it for $80 elsewhere, you’d end up paying $120 for your stay thanks to the price-match promise. The same stay would cost $80 with IHG.
A seven-night stay with the same rate discrepancy would cost £420 with Marriott and £480 with IHG.
Both Marriott and IHG publish the results of customer feedback questionnaires, aka reviews, on their websites. All Marriott reviews are published in English, where IHG reviews are posted in several languages.
Both Marriott and IHG have deals pages on their websites offering 10–35% off hotel stays. Marriott’s deals tend to rely on the number of nights you stay whereas IHG's deals sometimes require you to take an extra step, such as downloading an app.
Both IHG and Marriott offer some great, seasonal deals if you book direct.
Up to 35% off weekend escapes + an extra 10% off members
Earn up to 5,000 bonus points on stays
Crowne Plaza getaways from $157 per night
Kids stay and eat free on Holiday Inn stays
Up to 35% off escapes for 2 with breakfast
Up to 25% off getaways + an extra 5% off for members
Up to 5% extra savings on stays
Up to 10,000 bonus points on getaways
Up to 25% off worldwide stays
Major names in health insurance and travel have moved fast to offer rewards to people who've received the COVID-19 vaccination.
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