Stretch your points: The best international IHG properties bookable for 10k points

If you’re the type of traveler who prefers to get the most nights out of your hotel points, this article — and the entire “Stretch Your Points” miniseries — is for you.

It’s not a secret that my husband, JT, and I have stayed at a lot of IHG properties since giving up our apartment over two years ago. In fact, we’ve actually stayed at many of the properties described below. So, the list below isn’t simply a theoretical discussion of IHG’s best international properties that you can book for 10,000 points per night. Instead, it’s a compilation of hotels that we’re likely to visit (or revisit) due to their location and how far our points can take us there.

Property profiles

IHG currently has 366 10,000-point properties globally and 248 of these properties, or 68%, are outside the U.S. Here’s the breakdown based on brand of the 10,000-point IHG properties located outside the U. S:

And, here’s the breakdown based on country of the 10,000-point IHG properties outside the U.S.:

Now, let’s dive into some of the 10,000-point IHG properties outside the U.S. that are most likely to be appealing to travelers.

Europe

Some of my favorite 10,000-point IHG properties are in Europe. Here are some properties I’ve stayed at in the past, as well as some I look forward to visiting in the future.

Holiday Inn Berlin – City West (Germany)

The Holiday Inn Berlin – City West is just a short walk away from a U-Bahn stop in northwest Berlin. You can walk in the nearby parks, as well as to the fence around Berlin Tegal (TXL) where you can see an old Boeing 707. Although the hotel was in need of a renovation when I last stayed, photos indicate that the rooms have since been renovated. For 10,000 points per night, you can book a room with one double bed or two twin beds. Cash prices usually range from £70 to £90 per night including taxes and fees.

Holiday Inn Express Belgrade – City (Serbia)

The Holiday Inn Express Belgrade – City is well-located within Belgrade, Serbia. Although I recommend eating at restaurants that serve Serbian food such Drama ćevapi, one of my favorite comfort food restaurants is just a few blocks from the Holiday Inn Express: Agi Pasta Away. For 10,000 points per night, you can book a room with either one king bed, one double bed and a sofa bed or two single beds. Cash prices usually range from £50 to £70 per night including taxes and fees.

Holiday Inn Bratislava (Slovakia)

The Holiday Inn Bratislava is slightly outside the heart of Bratislava, but there’s a bus stop two minutes away that you can use to reach the city center. For 10,000 points per night, you can book a room with one king bed or two single beds. Cash prices usually range from £59 to £86 per night including taxes and fees.

Holiday Inn Skopje (North Macedonia)

The Holiday Inn Skopje is just a two-minute walk from the Stone Bridge and is across from a bus stop that provides service to the city center. For 10,000 points per night, you can book a room with one single bed, one queen bed or two single beds. Cash prices usually range from £48 to £110 per night including taxes and fees. But note that you’ll need to pay a 20 euro (£18) fee per guest per night for each adult guest beyond the first with cash bookings.

Related: Skopje is the cheapest European capital for travelers

Holiday Inn Express Madrid – Tres Cantos (Spain)

Although the Holiday Inn Express Madrid – Tres Cantos is a 28-minute train ride and four minute walk from Madrid’s city center and is in a strange complex that shares a stairway with an office complex, I have great memories of both of my extended stays at the Holiday Inn Express Tres Cantos last year. The city’s culture, public parks (you must try the zip line) and bars all left me with a strong desire to return. For 10,000 points per night, you can book a room with two single beds or a room with a double bed and a sofa bed. Cash prices usually range from £53 to £94 per night including taxes and fees.

Holiday Inn & Suites Mexico Zona Rosa (Mexico)

The Holiday Inn & Suites Mexico Zona Rosa is well-located in Mexico City’s Zona Rosa neighborhood, which is known for shopping and night life. For 10,000 points per night, you can book a standard room that will likely have one queen bed or one king bed — but note that award space is relatively limited for bookings within the next few months. Cash prices usually range from £73 to £100 per night including taxes and fees.

Related: 18 mistakes most tourists make in Mexico

Holiday Inn Express Merida (Mexico)

Mérida is a great non-beach destination in Mexico that you can combine with a trip to Cancun. The Holiday Inn Express Merida is on the northern side of Mérida, but the hotel offers transportation within four miles of the property during the day. For 10,000 points per night, you can book a room with one king bed or two queen beds. Cash prices usually range from £52 to £66 per night including taxes and fees.

Related: These are the best times to visit Mexico

Holiday Inn Express Managua (Nicaragua)

Whether you’re visiting Managua for extreme sports or a vacation, the Holiday Inn Express Managua is next to one of the city’s main avenues, so getting around is easy. For 10,000 points per night, you can book a room with one king bed or two double beds. Cash prices usually range from £65 to £109 per night including taxes and fees, but be aware that there’s an additional $10 (~£8) charge per adult after the first guest with any cash bookings.

South America

IHG has 10,000-point properties scattered throughout South America, but Brazil and Chile certainly have the most options. Here are a few of the most appealing 10,000-point IHG properties in South America:

Holiday Inn Fortaleza (Brazil)

The Holiday Inn Fortaleza is situated along the shore of Iracema Beach near Beira-Mar Avenue. The hotel has an outdoor pool, a fitness center, a “Baby’s Kitchen” where parents can prepare food for their children and two restaurants. And, unlike most Holiday Inn hotels, this property includes breakfast in your room rate. For 10,000 points per night, you can book a room with two double beds. Cash prices usually range from £66 to £89 per night including taxes and fees.

Related: 5 reasons Brazil should be your next mileage run

Holiday Inn Manaus (Brazil)

The Holiday Inn Manaus is on the outskirts of Manaus in an industrial area, but could be a good place to stay before or after a trip deeper into the Amazon. For 10,000 points per night, you can book a standard room that will likely have one king bed or two double beds. Cash prices usually range from £31 to £50 per night including taxes and fees, but be aware that there’s an additional $9 (~£7) charge per adult after the first guest with all cash bookings.

Holiday Inn Sao Paulo Parque Anhembi (Brazil)

The Holiday Inn Sao Paulo Parque Anhembi is in northern Sao Paulo, but has a free shuttle to a nearby metro station and mall. If you don’t mind using the metro, this could be a good location for exploring Sao Paulo. For 10,000 points per night, you can book a superior, premium or deluxe room with one double bed or two single beds. Cash prices usually range from £50 to £75 per night including taxes and fees.

Holiday Inn Express Puerto Montt – Patagonia (Chile)

Port Montt is known as the gateway to the Andes mountains and the Patagonian fjords. The Holiday Inn Express Puerto Montt – Patagonia is in the port town of Puerto Montt, and all of the hotel’s windows offer views of the bay and surrounding hills. The hotel is in the same building as a popular shopping destination, Paseo Costanera Mall. For 10,000 points per night, you can only book a standard room so you’ll be assigned a room type when you arrive. Cash prices usually range from £84 to £101 per night before taxes and fees.

Asia

Most 10,000-point IHG properties in Asia are in mainland China, but many of these properties aren’t in cities U.S. tourists normally visit.

Many of the 10,000-point IHG properties in Asia frequently offer cash rates well under £40 per night including taxes and fees — so make sure you’re getting good value from your points. This bring said, here are a few 10,000-point properties in Asia where you can usually get solid value from your points.

Holiday Inn Resort Batam (Indonesia)

The Holiday Inn Resort Batam is in Indonesia, but is a short hourly ferry from Singapore. The resort even provides free transfers to and from the Sekupang Ferry Terminal and Waterfront Ferry Terminal. The resort has four restaurants, two bars, three pools, a kid’s club, water slide and game room. For 10,000 points per night, you can book a one queen bed room or a one queen bed one-bedroom suite. Cash prices usually range from £62 to £73 per night including taxes and fees.

Holiday Inn Express Taoyuan (Taiwan)

I’ve stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Taoyuan multiple times on mileage runs, and enjoyed the friendly staff and upgraded views I’d often get as a Platinum Elite. The hotel is an inexpensive Uber from the airport (TPE), but Taoyuan is also an interesting city to explore for a couple days in conjunction with a trip to Taipei. For 10,000 points per night, you can book a room with one queen bed or two single beds. Cash prices usually range from £52 to £71 per night including taxes and fees.

Holiday Inn Express Shanghai Putuo (China)

The Holiday Inn Express Shanghai Putuo is in the western part of Shanghai, about halfway between Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) and downtown Shanghai. The hotel is a four minute walk from a metro station, which means you can reach attractions throughout Shanghai easily. For 10,000 points per night, you can book a room with one queen bed or two single beds. Cash prices usually range from £44 to £85 per night including taxes and fees. To get ready for your trip to Shanghai, check out 10 things no one tells you about Shanghai.

Related: TPG readers’ best tips for visiting China on points and miles

Holiday Inn Express Suzhou New District (China)

The Holiday Inn Express Suzhou New District is in Suzhou’s New District, within walking distance of two metro stations. The hotel is near Suzhou Amusement Park, and offers hot breakfast daily as part of your room rate. For 10,000 points per night, you can book a standard room with one queen bed or two single beds. Cash prices usually range from £44 to £62 per night including taxes and fees. Before landing in China, it’s a good idea to have these useful apps installed on your phone and a VPN installed on your computer.

Map of all 10,000-point properties

Here’s a map of all the 10,000-point IHG properties outside the U.S. Dark blue pins are Holiday Inn Express & Suites, light blue pins are Holiday Inn Express, green pins are Holiday Inn, dark green pins are Holiday Inn & Resort and purple pins are Holiday Inn Resort.

Bottom line

Whether you’re looking to travel to Brazil, China, Europe or beyond, there may be one or more 10,000-point IHG properties at your destination. IHG also has many domestic U.S. 10,000-point properties in the U.S. — some of which are even in large cities. So, whether you want to travel domestically or internationally, it’s worth checking whether a 10,000-point IHG property will fit nicely into your trip.

Featured image of the Holiday Inn Manaus courtesy of IHG.