You can book these Six Senses hotels and resorts with IHG points

Six Senses hotels and resorts offer a unique style of friendly, lifestyle-focused luxury. The two Six Senses resorts I’ve stayed at – Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives and Six Senses Yao Noi in Thailand – easily sit among my top five places I’ve stayed because of their luxurious, accessible luxury in beautiful, remote locations. However, since Six Sense opens up more urban areas, even those who are used to living in cities may enjoy the genre.

Stays at the top Six Senses resorts often cost upwards of $600 per night. But you can earn IHG points at select Six Senses locations. And even if premium stays are out of your budget, you can redeem IHG points for stays at select Six Senses hotels and resorts. After all, InterContinental Hotels Group acquired Six Sense Hotels Resorts Spas in 2019 and added the first Six Senses properties to its IHG One Rewards program in March 2021.

Unfortunately, IHG has not yet integrated all Six Senses properties into IHG One Rewards. So, here’s what you need to know about Six Senses hotels and resorts that participate in IHG One Rewards.

How to decide on participating Six Senses hotels and resorts

IHG does not publish a list of Six Senses properties that participate in IHG One Rewards. However, you can find a list of all hotels and resorts on the Six Senses website.

To determine if a particular Six Senses property participates in IHG One Rewards, you’ll need to enter dates and search rates on the Six Senses landing page. Only at this point will you see if the location is shared.

For example, when I search for accommodation at Six Senses Krabey Island, I see that “IHG® One Rewards is not valid for this Six Senses hotel at this time” in the box on the right side of my screen.

But when I’m looking for accommodation at Six Senses Laamu, I see an option to log in and use IHG points for certain room types.

Related: How to increase redemptions with the IHG One Rewards program

20 Six Senses properties participate in IHG One Rewards

I looked at each of the 26 places listed on the Six Senses website while writing this essay. Here are the Six Senses hotels and resorts participating in IHG One Rewards:

• Six senses in Bhutan (Bhutan)
• Six Senses Con Dao (Vietnam)
• Six Senses Crans-Montana (Switzerland)
• Six Senses Fiji (Fiji)
• Six Senses Fort Barwara (India)
• Six Senses Calling (Spain)
• Six Senses Kanuhura (Maldives)
• Six senses in Kaplankaya (Turkey)
• Six Senses in Kyoto (Japan)
• Six Senses Laamu (Maldives)
• Six Senses La Sagesse (Grenada)
• Six Senses Ninh Van Bay (Vietnam)
• Six Senses Rome (Italy)
• Six Senses Shaharut (Israel)
• Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea (Saudi Arabia)
• Six Senses Uluwatu, Bali (Indonesia)
• Six Senses Vana (India)
• Six Senses Yao Noi (Thailand)
• Six Senses Zil Pasyon (Seychelles)
• Six Senses Residences Courchevel (France)

Since these hotels and resorts participate in IHG One Rewards, you can earn and use IHG points for stays at these properties. You will also enjoy certain benefits if you have an IHG senior status or choose another membership, which I will discuss in the next section.

Related: Six Senses opens 3-island resort in South Carolina — and the journey starts at Hilton Head

6 Six Senses properties that do not participate in IHG One Rewards

Unfortunately, the following Six Sense hotels and resorts do not participate in IHG One Rewards:

• Six Senses Douro Valley (Portugal)
• Houses of the Six Senses in Kocatas, Istanbul (Turkey)
• Six Senses Krabey Island (Cambodia)
• The six senses of Qing Cheng Mountain (China)
• Six Senses Samui (Thailand)
• Six Senses Zighy Bay (Oman)

You cannot book these properties with IHG points, you will not earn IHG points or special night credits for stays, and you will not receive benefits as an IHG member at these Six Senses hotels and resorts.

Related: IHG’s new CEO on the next chapter of Six Senses, InterContinental, all-inclusive resorts and beyond

What you need to know about redeeming IHG points for Six Sense stays

As discussed above, you can redeem IHG points for stays at participating Six Senses properties. As with other IHG One Rewards properties, award nights at these participating Six Senses hotels and resorts use variable rates.

Some Six Sense properties have minimum occupancy requirements on select dates. However, members with select IHG One Rewards credit cards can get every fourth award night free at Six Senses properties when they use IHG points to stay four nights or more. This free fourth award night benefit can help you get more value from your IHG points.

Note that many Six Senses hotels and resorts offer special packages that can offer more value than redeeming IHG points. For example, for a four-night stay at Six Senses Laamu next month, I can redeem 570,000 points after receiving the fourth reward night for free as a benefit of my IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card. However, I was able to book an extended half-board rate for $3,528, which includes daily breakfast and dinner for two and 25% off round-trip sea flights. Redemption points would give me a redemption value of 0.62 cents per point, but the half-board extended stay rate offers additional value with daily dining and a 25% discount on seaplane transfers.

So, check the premium rates before taking IHG points that will give you the best value.

Related: Why you should get (and keep) the IHG One Rewards Premier card

IHG benefits from Six Senses properties

Six Senses properties tend to be relatively small. And many offer unconventional methods of service delivery. As such, some IHG One Rewards benefits may differ or may not even be available at participating Six Senses properties. For example, member rates are not available at Six Senses hotels and resorts.

International Ambassador, InterContinental Royal Ambassador and Kimpton Inner Circle members receive additional benefits when staying at participating Six Senses properties. In particular, these members can expect:

• Delicious daily breakfast for two in the main restaurant (not applicable to Six Senses residences)
• 50-minute Six Senses Spa signature massage service for two or one local experience per stay (varies by hotel; subject to availability and confirmed upon arrival; not valid for business or negotiated rates)
• One-level room upgrade (subject to availability; does not include residences and two-bedrooms or master suites and villas)
• Extended check-out time of 4 pm (subject to availability of Embassy members and all members of Six-person Residences)
• 10 am early check-in (subject to availability of Embassy members and all members of Six-person Residences)
• Free internet access
• Complimentary Wellness platter (subject to availability at Six Senses properties)

However, these benefits are only available to eligible members when booking directly or through an authorized travel agent.

Related: How much value does IHG One Rewards offer when you book directly?

Bottom line

I love that IHG has added more Six Senses features to their system. However, despite the program beginning to add more hotels three years ago, Six Senses has yet to participate in IHG One Rewards. It is not yet clear if these Six Senses properties will join IHG One Rewards.

Getting a fourth award night for free can be a compelling reason to redeem IHG points for your stay. But if you have the travel budget to pay for a Six Senses stay, double-check the fares to see which packages offer better value than spending points.