A mattress run is a hotel stay made mainly to earn a loyalty-programme night, points or a milestone benefit. It can make sense when I am close to a benefit I will actually use and the cost of the extra stay is lower than its likely value. It still means a real stay: simply paying for a room and not showing up does not earn IHG points or a qualifying night under the IHG One Rewards terms.
Why would I book one?
My main reason in 2026 was IHG One Rewards Milestone Rewards. At 40 qualifying nights, IHG offers two selections, with an Annual Lounge Membership among the options. That membership can give the member and one guest access to participating hotels’ physical club lounges during eligible stays. I had future stays where that benefit could be useful, so two inexpensive local nights had more value to me than their points alone. IHG’s Milestone Rewards chart and lounge terms explain the current choice and limitations.
A mattress run can also help with elite-status renewal or a targeted promotion. These are separate goals: a bonus-point offer can increase the points earned without increasing qualifying nights or elite-qualifying points. I check each counter separately rather than treating all points as equal.
My two Holiday Inn Express Bristol – Filton stays
I booked two separate one-night stays in June 2026. Both credited a qualifying night. This is what I paid for the rooms and what had posted to my IHG account in the June records:
| Night | Room price | Stay points | Elite-qualifying points | Qualifying nights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14-15 June 2026 | £55.29 | 1,238 | 619 | 1 |
| 21-22 June 2026 | £60.14 | 1,346 | 673 | 1 |
| Both stays | £115.43 | 2,584 | 1,292 | 2 |
I had breakfast with both stays. That mattered to me: they delivered two useful breakfasts as well as the two qualifying nights and points. I also received 300 welcome-amenity points on each stay.
The first stay posted 2,000 promotional points as well. Across both stays, the total was 5,184 IHG points: 2,584 stay points + 2,000 promotion points + 600 amenity points. Only 1,292 of those points were elite-qualifying. I have not counted a further promotional 2,000 points, which had not appeared in the record checked on 24 June. The activity history showed zero-point “Overlapping stay” entries too; the two qualifying nights did post.
The rooms cost £115.43 in total. I also received a £75 Amex statement credit on the eligible hotel spend, leaving £40.43 after that credit, or about £20.22 per qualifying night. That credit was a particular offer I used, not a standing discount or a reason to assume someone else would get the same result. The breakfasts and points were additional benefits. I had both breakfasts, but have not assigned them a cash saving without a comparable amount I would otherwise have spent. Likewise, the points’ notional value should not be subtracted from cash spent without considering whether and how I will redeem them.
Related points & loyalty guides
- Hotel loyalty schemes for beginners
- Hotel elite status shortcuts
- When a mattress run can make sense
- Reward Night or cash?
- IHG Annual Lounge Membership
- IHG Confirmable Suite Upgrades
How I decide whether the extra night is worthwhile
- Identify the exact gap. How many qualifying nights remain before the benefit, and will already-booked stays close it anyway?
- Value the benefit realistically. I count lounge visits or upgrades I am likely to use, not a headline price for every possible visit. A milestone choice has alternatives and limits.
- Compare the total extra spend. Include the room, transport, parking and any food I would not otherwise buy. Count a card offer only if it is saved, eligible and ultimately credited.
- Check eligibility before booking. IHG says qualifying rates, eligible channels and an actual stay matter. A no-show earns no points or qualifying-night credit. One night per day counts even if two rooms are booked.
- Check what posted. I look separately at qualifying nights, elite-qualifying points, base and elite bonus points, and promotional bonuses. If a credit is missing, I keep the bill and follow up.
If the same nights would be earned naturally on upcoming travel, paying for a mattress run is unnecessary. If I am too far from the milestone or would not use the benefit, the extra room may be poor value even at a low rate. For my two Filton stays, the calculation was driven by progress towards the 40-night lounge choice, supported by the Amex offer and the points that actually posted.
IHG programme terms and Milestone Rewards can change. Check the current membership terms and benefits chart before making a new booking.
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