The Upgrade Blueprint

Fifth night free: what the stay really costs

Marriott Bonvoy gives every member the fifth night free on a points stay booked as one reservation. Hilton Honors does the same for Silver members and above. It is the single biggest discount in hotel points and most people never book to it. Put in your stay and see the real cost.

Nights six to nine cost full points. The tool shows when to book five, when to book ten, and when to pay cash for the odd night.

Your stay

Ten nights in the Maldives on points came from this rule.

The free UK Points Starter Guide covers which hotel programmes are worth collecting in, how the free nights work, and the first 90 days.

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Does the fifth night have to be booked as one reservation?

Yes. Five separate one-night bookings get no free night. Book the whole block in one go, and if you need to change dates, modify the booking rather than cancelling and rebooking night by night.

Which night is free?

The lowest-priced night in each block of five. If the rate is flat across the stay it makes no difference; if a weekend night prices higher, the free one will be a cheaper weekday night.

Does IHG do this?

Not as a programme benefit. Some IHG credit cards have offered a fourth-night-free perk; check the terms of any card you hold before relying on it.

What about cash-and-points stays?

The free night generally applies to full points stays only. A mixed cash-and-points rate usually does not qualify, which is one reason the tool suggests paying the odd night in cash separately rather than blending.

Hotel points are only half of a trip. The Upgrade Blueprint Playbook puts the flights and the nights together: every UK card worth holding, real redemptions with the numbers I paid, and ten nights in the Maldives costed out in full.
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Programme rules checked: September 2026. Marriott and Hilton can change the benefit, eligibility and exclusions without notice, and some resorts and property types are excluded. Confirm on the booking page before you rely on it. Nothing on this page is financial advice. All free tools.