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The only thing I love more than a free hotel night is a free hotel night in Greece. I can never seem to go back often enough, and it’s impossible to get bored of the scenery, the sunshine, and Mediterranean food. That’s why my Greek passport stamps outnumber all the rest.
This time, I finally got to return and explore an island I hadn't yet visited — and I did it for almost nothing by redeeming five IHG free night certificates for an extended stay at the InterContinental Crete. And it was awesome.
Here are four highlights that made this stay one to remember.
Page Contents
Unbeatable Value for IHG Free Night Certificates
I didn’t book a trip to Crete and a stay at the InterContinental just for the value, but I can’t lie, that was definitely part of the equation.
A little under a year ago, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (Rates & Fees) rolled out a welcome offer that included five free night certificates (each worth up to 60,000 points) after meeting the minimum spending requirement.
Even without factoring in the card’s other perks, this was an easy sell. There's no shortage of ways to squeeze outsized value from certificates like these.
And that's exactly what I did. Crete has been on my bucket list for a while, so I searched for properties there with five consecutive nights available under the 60,000 point threshold for a stay in August 2025. That's when I first stumbled across the InterContinental.
On average, AwardWallet users redeem IHG points at about 0.68¢ each, which makes a 60,000 point certificate worth roughly $408 when redeemed for the max. Multiply that by five, and you would expect around $2,040 in value if used strategically.
In this case, though, I unlocked closer to $2,400 — even though the only rooms available with certificates were standard King Classic rooms retailing for about $330 per night. And that brings me to the next thing I loved about this stay.
Related: IHG Credit Cards Compared: Which One Is Right for You?
Recognition of IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite Benefits
One of the headline benefits of the IHG One Rewards Premier Card is the complimentary Platinum Elite status you get just for holding the card, and the InterContinental Crete was quick to recognize it.
Platinum Elite makes you eligible for space-available upgrades at check-in, which is how my standard King Classic room became a much larger Premium Sea View King room with a private plunge pool and a sofa bed.
August is still peak tourist season in Greece, so the rack rate for this room wasn't cheap. According to the IHG website, it was selling for about $470 per night during the week of our stay. That's how I managed to unlock nearly $2,400 worth of value from a single mid-tier hotel card welcome bonus.
On top of that, the hotel offered a welcome amenity of either 500 points per night or a food and beverage voucher worth 15 euros. We chose the latter, which gave us easy savings at the hotel’s fifth-floor restaurant, Knossos.
The voucher didn't cover the entire meal we ate there, but paying the remainder with Platinum Elite benefits meant the charge earned 16X IHG One Rewards points per dollar — plus another 10X points for putting the room charges on the IHG One Rewards Premier Card.
Related: IHG Elite Status Explained: Tiers, Benefits, and Fast-Track Shortcuts
The InterContinental Crete Itself
Value and elite recognition don’t mean much if the property itself isn’t inspiring, but that’s precisely what I found the InterContinental Crete to be. Starting with the obvious, the hotel is nothing if not geometric.
And its unique style carries into the lobby, where the reception desks are framed by a two-story rock wall and a surrounding water feature. I can’t say I’ve seen anything quite like it in a hotel lobby before, and it made for a memorable first impression.
The lobby itself is massive. All the couches and seating areas made it easy to grab a quiet spot to catch up on work. And more often than not, a friendly barista at the lobby bar was extremely eager to prepare a fresh cup of coffee.
When I wasn’t working or relaxing in the room, the fifth floor was the place to be. It’s home to the gym, the hotel’s main restaurant, and the larger of two infinity pools. The deck can get crowded, but it was made bearable by the sweeping views of Crete and Mirabello Bay.
The rooftop on the ninth floor offers similar views, though arguably even better. That’s where you’ll find the second infinity pool. It’s smaller and designated adults-only, but if you head up around 6 a.m., you’ll probably have the place to yourself. It’s an incredible spot to watch the sun rise over the Aegean.
For both value and views, this property was tough to beat.
Agios Nikolaos, Greece
Crete is a large island, but the neighborhood around the InterContinental Crete is pretty cozy. If you’re flying in, the easiest way to get there is to land in Heraklion and take a 50-minute transfer to Agios Nikolaos on the island’s east coast.
Agios Nikolaos is touristy without being overwhelming. It’s walkable, and there’s plenty to eat and explore without straying far from the hotel. And that’s ideal if you’ve spent a little too much time in the sun like I did and don’t feel like venturing far for Greek food.
Plus, exploring on foot led us to some excellent restaurants like Pelagos and To Mesogeiako, as well as Nontas for gyros. And we also found several cafés serving smoothies, snacks, and all-day coffee, the former of which was helpful for beating the heat.
If you’ve never taken a swim in the Aegean, Agios Nikolaos is a beautiful place to do it. The coastline is dotted with small beaches lined with resort-style chairs. Our favorite was a black sand (but more like black pebble) beach directly in front of the hotel. We happily cycled between our plunge pool, the infinity pool, and the nearby beaches for the better part of five days.
It’s also easy to explore beyond Agios Nikolaos. The nearby port offers plenty of boat tours, from half-day cruises to nearby islands to the Creta semi-submarine glass bottom boat that'll take you around Mirabello Bay.
For a stay of this length, the neighborhood was ideal. For a longer trip, though, it would’ve been nice to have a car to explore other parts of the island.
Related: How to Create a Travel Rewards Credit Card Strategy for Families
Bottom Line
The InterContinental Crete is a fantastic property for redeeming IHG free night certificates. Not only is the value hard to beat, but the property and location are as well. After five nights enjoying the hotel, its friendly staff, and the surrounding neighborhood, I wouldn’t hesitate to go back. The only challenge would be deciding between returning to this new favorite or exploring another part of Greece I haven’t visited yet.
- Earn 140,000 Bonus Points
- Enjoy an Anniversary Free Night at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Plus, enjoy a fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG® hotel stay.
- Earn up to 26 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts
- Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Automatic Platinum Elite status as long as you remain a Premier cardmember
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $120 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card
- IHG One Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at Hotels & Resorts such as InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Kimpton®, EVEN® Hotels, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- Earn up to 26 points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- 5X points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, gas stations, and restaurants
- 3X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
The earning for spending at IHG hotels breaks down as follows:
- Earn 10X points for being a IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card member
- Earn up to 6X points from IHG® with Platinum Elite Status, a benefit of having this card
- Earn up to 10X points from IHG® for being an IHG® One Rewards member (Being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG® loyalty program)
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
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