If you are a frequent traveler in India, you know the “Big Three” drill: Marriott, Accor, and IHG. Globally, they are peers. But here in India? It feels like a two-horse race, with IHG watching from the stands.
I’m not talking about property counts or service quality—Holiday Inns and InterContinentals are solid. I’m talking about marketing, loyalty, and the ecosystem. Marriott and Accor have realized that in 2025, you don’t just market a hotel room; you market a lifestyle currency. IHG, meanwhile, seems uninterested in the Indian market.
Here’s why IHG needs to wake up if it wants to capture the Indian traveler.
The Credit Card Math Is Embarrassing
This is where the gap is most glaring. In the Indian credit card “miles game,” your loyalty currency needs to hold value to be relevant.
- Accor: Won the transfer partner lottery. If you transfer Axis Bank points to Accor, the value is unbeatable. Since Accor points have a fixed revenue value (~1.8 to 2 Euro cents), 1 point transferred to Accor is worth approximately ₹1.80–₹2.00.
- Marriott: Is the primary hotel transfer partner for American Express. They are also a partner with Axis.
- IHG: You can transfer Axis points to IHG. But should you? Absolutely not. IHG points are dynamically priced and often valued around 0.5 cents (US). That means 1 Axis point transferred to IHG is worth approximately ₹0.40–₹0.50. Compared to the ₹2 value you get for the same point when transferred to Accor.
The Result: A savvy Indian traveler would have to be crazy to transfer bank points to IHG. Accor is handing out 3x–4x the value for the same spend.
The “Free” Status Game
This is the invisible battleground where IHG is losing badly. Marriott and Accor have partnered with Indian banks to give away their premium memberships for free as credit card benefits.
- Accor: If you hold the Axis Reserve, Axis Magnus (Burgundy), Amex Platinum Metal, or Amex Platinum Reserve, you often get a complimentary Accor Plus membership (worth ₹12,000+). This gives you dining discounts and Silver status instantly. Axis cards come with free nights as well.
- Marriott: If you hold the HDFC Infinia, HDFC Diners Black, or SBI Aurum, you typically get a complimentary Club Marriott membership. This locks you into their dining ecosystem.
- IHG: Does any Indian credit card give you free status? No. Does any card give you free “IHG Dining” membership? No. You are expected to pay full price (~$200) for Ambassador, with zero local promotions.
Additionally, Accor Plus comes with Gold status, Amex Platinum users get Marriott Gold, and HDFC Marriott card holders get Silver Elite and 10 Elite Nights. Options for IHG loyalists? None.
Paid Memberships: Local vs. Global
Even when you are willing to pay, IHG ignores local market nuances.
- Accor Plus: This is a localized beast. It has India-specific pricing (in INR), frequent sales, and bundle offers. It works across brands and is aggressively marketed.
- IHG Ambassador: This is a solid program even if you stay at non-InterContinental properties, but it feels completely foreign. You pay a fixed $200 USD (no local pricing), and I have never seen a single India-specific promotion for it. Accor Plus feels built for the Indian market; Ambassador feels like a generic global product they just “allowed” us to buy.
Dining: The “Phantom” Benefit
This is arguably the most frustrating part. For years, Accor Plus was the gold standard. Recently, they devalued it to a flat 30% dining discount, leaving a massive opening for a competitor to swoop in.
IHG has “IHG Dining Deals,” but instead of capitalizing on this, they have made it a confusing mess:
- It feels temporary: The program is often marketed with an “expiry date,” making it feel like a limited-time promo rather than a core benefit.
- Staff are clueless: Walk into an IHG restaurant without a room booking, and half the time the staff doesn’t know if you are eligible. Some insist it’s only for staying guests (it isn’t).
- The “Phantom” Points: You are supposed to earn points on dining even when not staying. I have dined at IHG properties multiple times, shown my ID, and had them note down my number. Not once have the points actually been credited.
If I have to chase the hotel for 130 points every time I buy a coffee, the system isn’t a perk; it’s a chore.
The Partnership Void
Marriott has built a fortress of partnerships in India. You can transfer ITC Green Points to Marriott Bonvoy. You can earn points on Flipkart. They have deep tie-ups with United, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines.
Accor also has similar airline partnerships.
IHG? Crickets. No local airline transfer bonuses, no retail tie-ups, no reciprocal status with Indian conglomerates. They are operating as an island in a connected world.
The Ripple Effect: Losing the Global Indian Traveler
The biggest tragedy isn’t just IHG losing bookings in India; it’s the knock-on effect for Indians traveling abroad.
Indian outbound travel to Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore is booming.
- Accor dominates this corridor because Indians know their Accor Plus membership and Axis bank points work seamlessly at Sofitels and Novotels across Asia Pacific.
- Marriott captures the rest with consistent elite recognition and familiar benefits.
- IHG? Despite having stunning properties and arguably much better service and hotels than Accor, they are invisible to Indian planners.
Because I don’t earn valuable points or status in India, I have no incentive to stick with IHG when I fly to Kuala Lumpur. I stick to where my loyalty is rewarded—Marriott or Accor.
The Verdict
IHG has excellent hardware. But their software (loyalty ecosystem) in India is running on an outdated version.
I am fond of IHG properties, their rewards program, and their service. But their lack of interest in Indian market is just disappointing.
Indian travelers are sophisticated. We calculate redemption values, we stack credit card offers, and we look for transfer bonuses. Until IHG gives us a reason to engage with their program beyond just “booking a room,” they will remain a distant third in the minds—and wallets—of Indian travelers.
