IHG One Rewards is not glamorous, which is part of why it can work. It covers road trips, family stays, airport nights, and the occasional InterContinental splurge without demanding that you turn hotel loyalty into a second job.
Milestones are the real prize
Do not stare only at the status name. Milestone rewards can be the better value: lounge access, confirmable suite upgrades, food and beverage rewards, and bonus points. If you are close to a milestone, one cheap stay can make sense. If you are nowhere close, do not manufacture nights like a maniac.
Use points where cash gets stupid
IHG award prices can be friendly in some markets and ridiculous in others. Compare every stay. Points are best when a basic Holiday Inn Express is charging event-week prices or when a nicer InterContinental redemption avoids a painful cash rate.
Do not assume breakfast
Some IHG brands include breakfast, some do not, and elite benefits are not the same across the portfolio. If breakfast matters, book a brand where it is built in or confirm the benefit before you arrive hungry and disappointed.
Best play
Use IHG when the location is right, promos stack, milestones are within reach, or points save you from a cash rate that has lost contact with reality.