10 Great IHG Hotels for a Ski Trip

As we head into winter, plenty of folks are itching to plan a ski trip; it’s a great excuse to get out of the house and get moving after a summer that probably felt more stagnant and stationary than usual. With that, here are a few IHG properties that can offer reasonable redemption rates you should consider for your next escape to the slopes.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites: Hood River

Located on the shore of the Columbia River in the valley of majestic Mount Hood, Holiday Inn Express & Suites: Hood River is a great home base for hiking the foothills of Oregon’s favorite stratovolcano. While this property is excellent during the summer, it is ideally placed for winter sports as well. Head south to the ski resorts for a variety of Nordic and downhill trails.

While you’re up on Mount Hood, visit the Timberline Lodge; you may recognize it from the film adaptation of Stephen King’s “The Shining”. Regardless of the season, this property is perfectly located for an exciting mountain adventure. This hotel starts at 17,500 IHG points per night.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Fraser: Winter Park Area

For your Colorado ski trip accommodations this winter, Holiday Inn Express & Suites Fraser: Winter Park Area is a convenient choice if you aren’t interested in staying at one of the major ski lodges, nor are you wanting to stay in downtown Denver.

This property is located roughly 100 miles west of Denver International Airport and lies just a few miles north of Winter Park Resort. Enjoy quick and easy access to an impressive variety of slopes via a complimentary shuttle from the hotel, whether you’re stepping into skis for the first time or ready to conquer the most intense downhill routes. This hotel starts at 20,000 IHG points per night.

Holiday Inn Steamboat Springs

If you’re more interested in skiing Steamboat Springs than Winter Park, not to worry! You can head up to the northern Colorado Rockies and redeem your IHG points at Holiday Inn Steamboat Springs.

Steamboat is a fun place to ski for plenty of reasons but it’s especially nice because experienced skiers don’t have to make their way all the way towards the peak of Mount Werner to get to decent black and blue slopes.

On the flip side, green routes aren’t confined to the base. All of the skiers in your crew can find something to do in Steamboat. This hotel starts at 22,500 IHG points per night.

Crowne Plaza Lake Placid

Located adjacent to the beautiful Mirror Lake, Crowne Plaza Lake Placid provides a perfect home base for your Adirondack ski adventures. There are plenty of opportunities to ski the surrounding peaks (such as Whiteface Mountain) but Lake Placid is also the center of an exciting and storied winter sports history.

As the town that hosted the Winter Olympic Games twice, both in 1932 and 1980, visitors have access to several Olympic landmarks including the Olympic ski jumping complex. This would be an ideal destination for families or groups of friends with a variety of interests; there are slopes for all levels of skiers and educational attractions for those interested in sports history. This hotel starts at 20,000 IHG points per night.

Holiday Inn Express South Burlington

Not far from the shores of Lake Champlain’s Shelburne Bay, Holiday Inn Express South Burlington is a good choice for travelers wishing to spend their IHG points on a ski trip to Stowe. Although Burlington lies west of Stowe in the borderlands between New York and Vermont, access to the natural areas surrounding Stowe is relatively quick.

Along the base of Mount Mansfield lies Smugglers Notch State Park and Stowe Mountain Resort, where one can find lots of family-oriented activities perfect for nature lovers. There are plenty of beginner and Nordic routes by length, but Stowe has an impressive network of fun intermediate and expert downhill slopes to choose from. This hotel starts at 12,500 IHG points per night.

Kimpton Hotel Vintage Seattle

If you’d like to split the difference between hitting the slopes and hitting the town, Seattle ticks those boxes pretty well. Redeem your IHG points at Kimpton Hotel Vintage Seattle and then head to Snoqualmie Pass for a day of skiing. Snoqualmie Pass plays host to relatively short slopes, but there are certainly plenty of them. Plus, these ski areas at Snoqualmie Pass are very well accessible from Seattle; just hop on the I-90 and head east for about an hour. Take the lifts up to the downhill slopes or head to the Summit Nordic Center for cross-country lessons. This hotel starts at 22,500 IHG points per night.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Belgrade

Many powder buffs claim that Montana is home to the nation’s best slopes, and who are we to argue? If you’d like to check out the skiing scene in Big Sky, your best IHG bet is to stay in Bozeman or in the surrounding area. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Belgrade will put you just west of Bozeman in the town of Belgrade, which is just outside of the airport for quick entry and exit.

You’ll also be near the roads that head south into the Big Sky peaks. Prepare for a stunning mountain drive into Big Sky and an impressive selection of slopes, from lengthy Nordic trails to thrilling networks of chutes and gullies. This hotel starts at 12,500 IHG points per night.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Kalispell

If Bozeman isn’t far enough north for you, head up to northwest Montana and book in with the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Kalispell. Kalispell puts you just north of Flathead Lake and 15 miles south of Whitefish, where you’ll find access to the area’s most accessible and exciting slopes.

Hop on Highway 93 and head into Whitefish proper, then enjoy a winding, scenic mountain drive up to Whitefish Mountain Resort. This set of slopes has a similar vibe to Big Sky, offering both Nordic and downhill routes in a nearly untouched mountain paradise. This hotel starts at 17,500 IHG points per night.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Bishop

Lauded as one of California’s go-to spots for outdoor adventures, Bishop is a mecca for hikers, climbers and skiers alike. If you’d like to check out the slopes of Mammoth Mountain, redeem your IHG points at Holiday Inn Express & Suites Bishop.

Mammoth Lakes is an easy 45-minute drive from this property along Highway 395, which takes you along the base of the Sierra Nevadas and finally up towards Mammoth Mountain. This mountain is best for beginner and intermediate downhill skiers as well as cross-country skiers, but there are a few expert downhill slopes as well. This hotel starts at 20,000 IHG points per night.

Holiday Inn Express South Lake Tahoe

Comfortably nestled between the California and Nevada border lies the Holiday Inn Express South Lake Tahoe. This property is ideally located for a ski trip to Monument Peak, a border mountain featuring plenty of intermediate and expert slopes on both sides as well as a few Nordic trails.

This Holiday Inn Express doesn’t come with the requirement for a long drive to the peak; the Heavenly Mountain Resort is just two miles from this accommodation giving guests easy access to the lifts. Plus, skiing two states in one day isn’t a bad deal! This hotel starts at 22,500 IHG points per night.

COVID Safety

As the travel industry continues to adapt to the pandemic protocol, hotels around the US are open and ready for travelers who need them. IHG properties are no exception with updated COVID-19 travel policies and the IHG Way of Clean promise, aiming to ensure a stay that is as stress-free as possible for all guests and employees. You may notice a few property-dependent modifications such as closed fitness centers and grab-and-go breakfasts, but IHG’s commitment to customer care remains unchanged.

IHG has teamed up with Cleveland Clinic, Ecolab and Diversey in order to provide the best possible commitment to efficient cleanliness, so a stay with IHG is ideal if you are in need of a weekend getaway but you aren’t looking to camp or rent a home share.

Dynamic Pricing

It’s important to note that, following Marriott’s lead, IHG has introduced its own dynamic pricing model and done away with the awards chart. This means that awards redemptions won’t be consistent throughout the year, but the impact of COVID-19 on dynamic pricing trends remains to be seen.

From a cursory search, though, it seems as if the redemption rates are decent if you are booking relatively last-minute, i.e. within a month of your stay. This won’t apply to every property and seems not to apply to luxury-category properties (i.e. Category 11) but finding a decent redemption should not be too difficult during a time when folks are not traveling as much.

Bottom Line

Ski trips can get expensive. After you’ve gotten your rental car, lift tickets and ski rentals, it may seem like there’s not much left over to book a place to stay near the resort. Luckily, your IHG points can come in handy. There are great IHG properties close to ski resorts in a number of popular destinations across the U.S.