Quick answer
Does IHG accept crypto, debit cards or cash?
No crypto, as of October 12, 2026: IHG's customer care FAQ names no coin. It asks for a credit card to secure a booking, which makes it eligible for its Reservations Guarantee. Debit cards, cash and deposits are left to each hotel, since most IHG hotels are independently owned. StaySats can prepay the room in crypto.
IHG and crypto at a glance (checked October 12, 2026)
| Accepts crypto? | No |
|---|---|
| What the FAQ asks | A credit card to secure a reservation |
| Why a card | It makes the booking eligible for the IHG Reservations Guarantee |
| Reservations Guarantee | If the hotel can't honor the booking: another comparable hotel, transport there and the first night paid |
| Points | IHG One Rewards points can pay for Reward Nights |
| Someone else pays | A payment card authorization form, sent to the hotel at least 3 days before check-in |
| Deposit at check-in | No group-wide rule in the FAQ; set by each hotel |
| Ownership | IHG says most of its hotels are independently owned and operated |
IHG in our crypto acceptance index
| Type | Hotel group |
|---|---|
| Accepts crypto directly | No |
| Details | IHG's customer care FAQ names no crypto. It asks for a credit card to secure a reservation, which makes the booking eligible for its Reservations Guarantee. |
| Checked on | October 12, 2026 (official website) |
| Deposit at check-in | IHG's FAQ gives no group-wide deposit rule; deposits and accepted cards are set by each hotel. Someone else paying for your room uses a hotel payment card authorization form, sent at least 3 days before check-in. |
| Country | United Kingdom |
Why does IHG ask for a credit card?
To back its Reservations Guarantee. IHG's FAQ answers "Why is a credit card required for reservations?" this way: a booking secured with a credit card is eligible for the guarantee.
If the hotel cannot honor your booking, the host hotel finds you a room at a comparable hotel nearby and pays the transport there. It also pays the first night, plus tax, and refunds any advance deposit. No IHG page we read offers crypto, cash or a bank transfer at online checkout.
What can you use instead of a card with IHG?
Points, or someone else's card. IHG One Rewards members can book Reward Nights with points on the website, in the app or by phone. A Reward Night can also be booked for another person, by adding their name to the reservation.
If a friend pays, IHG hotels use a payment card authorization form. The example we read, from a Kimpton hotel in New Orleans, asks for the form at least 3 days before check-in. It covers room and tax, incidentals or other charges, as the cardholder chooses.
What deposit will a Holiday Inn or InterContinental ask for?
That depends on the hotel. IHG's FAQ gives no group-wide deposit rule, and IHG states that most of its hotels are independently owned and operated. So a Holiday Inn in one city may take a debit card, while another asks for a credit card only.
Ask the hotel by email before you arrive: the amount, whether a debit card or cash works, and when the hold is released. Paying ahead with StaySats does not remove the hotel's incidental deposit at check-in. Our check-in without a credit card table compares the published rules of 10 groups.
What ID does an IHG hotel ask for?
IHG publishes no group-wide ID rule, so the hotel and the local law decide. In China, the hotel registers foreign guests and sends the data to the police. In Thailand, the hotel notifies immigration within 24 hours of a foreign guest's arrival.
Bring the passport that matches your booking name. Country by country: hotel ID rules.
Is there an IHG gift card you can buy with crypto?
We found none for the whole group. On October 12, 2026, Bitrefill's travel list showed no IHG gift card valid across its brands. Gift cards also do not solve the credit card that IHG asks for at booking.
A booking site that takes crypto is the simpler route. Our crypto acceptance index lists which groups and sites accept crypto, with a date and a source on every row.
How do I book an IHG hotel with crypto through StaySats?
Search your city on StaySats; when a Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza or other IHG hotel appears in the live results, check out with your balance. Results show the prices found live for your dates, so no hotel is promised in advance.
We then book the room on request and confirm the final total with the hotel. You pay StaySats in crypto, and we pay the hotel in local currency. Our refund rule: if the hotel can't host you, you get 100% of the stay back: in USDT or USDC within 7 days of your request, or as balance credit if you choose it. A third-party booking may not earn IHG One Rewards points, so check with IHG if points matter to you. Steps: how it works.
Search hotels you can pay in crypto
Prices found live for your dates; we book each room on request. Hotel names and brands vary by date.
IHG and crypto: questions
Does Holiday Inn accept bitcoin?
No. Holiday Inn belongs to IHG. Its customer care FAQ names no cryptocurrency and asks for a credit card to secure a reservation (checked October 12, 2026). StaySats accepts BTC after 2 confirmations and can book a Holiday Inn when one appears in our live results.
Can I pay an InterContinental hotel in USDT?
Not directly. InterContinental follows IHG's booking rules, which list no stablecoin. Through StaySats, you can pay in USDT on TRC-20 or ERC-20, or USDC on ERC-20, when the hotel is in our live results. The total is held until the hotel confirms.
Can I book IHG without a credit card?
Rarely online. IHG's FAQ asks for a credit card to secure a reservation. You can use IHG One Rewards points for a Reward Night, or let someone pay with a card authorization form. With StaySats, you prepay in crypto, with no card at our checkout.
What is the IHG Reservations Guarantee?
A promise for bookings secured with a credit card. If the hotel cannot honor the reservation, it provides a room at a comparable hotel nearby and transport there. It also pays the first night's rate plus tax and refunds any advance deposit.
Does IHG accept cash at check-in?
Some hotels do, but IHG publishes no group rule. Most IHG hotels are independently owned and operated, so the front desk sets its own deposit and cash policy. Ask the hotel by email before you travel, and keep the written answer.
Will a Holiday Inn ask for a deposit if I prepaid in crypto?
It may. A prepaid room removes the room charge, not the deposit for extras. IHG leaves the deposit to each hotel. StaySats prepays the room and charges your balance only when the hotel confirmation number is issued. The deposit for extras stays between you and the hotel.
Is StaySats an IHG partner?
No. StaySats is not affiliated with IHG Hotels & Resorts. Our search shows the prices found live for your dates, so you can book an IHG hotel only when it appears there. Each booking is made on request, with the hotel. We pay the hotel in local currency; you pay us in crypto.
Sources (checked October 12, 2026) (5)
- Frequently Asked Questions — IHG Customer Care (checked 2026-10-12)
- Payment Card Authorization Form (Kimpton Hotel Fontenot) — IHG (checked 2026-10-12)
- Travel gift cards — Bitrefill (checked 2026-10-12)
- Regulations on Filing Accommodation Registration for Foreigners — National Immigration Administration (China) (checked 2026-10-12)
- The notification of residence of foreign nationals within 24 hours — Thailand Board of Investment (checked 2026-10-12)