InterContinental Hotels Group

InterContinental Hotels in Europe Summer 5th Night Free

InterContinental Hotels in Europe offers a “Summer Package†claiming 5th night free for stays from July 14 to September 11, 2011. My analysis of the “Summer Package†rates indicates the deal is about the same as Advance Purchase rates and 20% off the standard “Best Flexible Rateâ€. The basic difference is the “Summer Package†rate requires only a one night nonrefundable deposit for your stay compared to a fully prepaid nonrefundable deposit for the entire stay if you book the Advance Purchase rate.

One aspect of this deal that is different from what I frequently see when booking free night deals is the discount rate is already calculated in the ‘European Summer Package’ rate shown on the website.

For example, if the Summer Package rate shows 200EUR per night, then the total for a 5-night stay is 1,000EUR plus tax.

Many free night offers like Marriott’s 3rd night free in Europe show you the nightly rate and state in the terms that the free night will be credited back to your folio at checkout.

This InterContinental 5th night free Summer sale does not work like Marriott’s current sale. For example, in the Marriott promotion structure a 200EUR/night rate would be 1,000EUR for five nights and then at checkout the bill reduced by 200EUR. That is not how this offer works when booked. The 5th night free 20% discount is already calculated at the booking stage for this InterContinental European Summer Sale.

InterContinental Prague, Czech Republic Sun Aug 14 – Fri Aug 19

Best Flexible Rate for King Bed Deluxe Room = 219 EUR/night

Experience Europe Summer Package Rate King Bed Deluxe Room = 175.20 EUR/night

43.80 EUR is a 20% discount on the Best Flexible Rate. This is equivalent to the 5th night free over a 5-night stay based on the BAR rate. The Summer Package with a one night penalty for cancellation has a less flexible cancellation policy than Best Flexible rate which may be cancelled with no penalty up to day before arrival.

Advance Purchase Rate for King Bed Deluxe Room = 165 EUR/night.

The fully prepaid advance purchase rate is 51EUR less for this 5-night stay, but the guest risks losing the entire room deposit of 825EUR if the reservation is cancelled at any time.

a screenshot of a hotel

a screenshot of a hotel

Savings Vary at Different Hotels

Rate checks at InterContinental Berchtesgaden Resort indicate the European Summer Package rate is even lower than the Advance Purchase rate making this rate a good deal for this hotel. Something I have not seen in some time is a rate condition at the Berchtesgaden Resort requiring an extra 40EUR per adult beginning with the second adult in the room.

InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam offers the European Summer Package at the same rate as the Advance Purchase rate.

Loyalty Traveler Conclusion: This rate might be a usable offer for some travelers who are set on staying at a European InterContinental Hotel this summer. In my opinion, this is not a particularly attractive deal. The European Summer Package at 20% off Best Flexible Rate is not much of a discount. I would hold out and wait for a better offer between now and July/August. I think there will be better deals coming.

If there are no better deals, then the advance purchase rate at these hotels will likely not be any higher come June and July. These rates look quite high to me for early bookings for summer travel in Europe.

Discount Rate = Loyalty Traveler 1 to 2 key deal = Not enough savings to get this traveler excited.

Participating InterContinental Hotels in Europe

*’Summer Package’ for hotels marked is only bookable for stays between 1 August, 2011 and 4 September, 2011.

 

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