My recent trip to Scotland allowed me to stay at a new IHG brand of hotels—voco. We had actually checked into an Airbnb that was smaller than anticipated. My first night’s sleep there was so horrible. Luckily, with points and miles I was able to remedy that! Just another reason I love this game! I have a fair number of IHG points, so I looked into where I could stay in Edinburgh and noticed voco hotels by IHG. I was so tempted to return to the Kimpton Charlotte Square that I adored, but curiosity won, and I ended up at the voco hotel in Edinburgh.

Evidently, this new brand of hotels began in 2018 and are situated in many locations around the world. They are branded as “lifestyle” hotels and are more modern and sleek than some of the other IHG brands.  “Where each hotel has its own character and style, and our attentive hosts make you feel right at home. Come on in.” That sounds like they are more boutique (like Kimptons maybe)? They were definitely friendly and inviting when I checked in!

 

Booking Costs

The stay here was much less than the stay at the Kimpton. I was able to book a large room with a queen bed for 26K IHG points. That is a great deal in my book! They upgraded me at check-in to a Queen Premium with a jetted bathtub. I also received breakfast with my reservation due to hotel elite status. This room would have cost me $198/night without breakfast. If I had an annual free night certificate, I would have saved it for a more expensive room because they are good for nights that cost up to 40K points.

 

My Experience

This was obviously a fairly new hotel, and the vibes were sleek, modern, classy, and calming. From the minute I walked in, I knew that I would like this brand. Maybe not as quirky as Kimptons, but still really nice.

 

Bottom Line

I would definitely stay at a voco hotel again. For one thing, they launched in 2018 so the chances of being outdated are slim. Even those hotels housed in older buildings look updated (like the Franklin New York voco). Based on what I experienced and the hotels I looked at online, this just might be a great way to use IHG points. Let us know if you’ve stayed at one and what your experience was in the comments!