InterContinental is reprising its so-called Priceless Surprises promotion from last year.

Offer Details

Between December 1, 2016, and February 15, 2017, IHG Rewards members who use a MasterCard to pay for two stays, one of which is at least two nights, can earn a MasterCard gift card worth up to $100, as follows:

• $50 gift card for stays at Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Holiday Inn Resort, Hualaxe, Staybridge Suites, or Candlewood Suites hotels
• $75 gift card for stays at Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, or Even hotels
• $100 gift card for stays at an InterContinental brand hotel

To participate, IHG Rewards members must be at least 21 years old and have a U.S. mailing address, and must have had an open MasterCard account as of November 15. Registration is required.

The promotion is combinable with IHG’s current Accelerate offer, in effect through December 15.

The gift-card offer is pretty straightforward. The Surprise part of the promotion is a sweepstakes. Registered members will automatically be entered into the sweepstakes after every qualifying stay, but may also participate without making a purchase.

Five grand prize winners will receive three-night trips for two to Chicago, including air, hotel, a helicopter tour, a wine tasting, a $600 gift card, and a $5,000 check to cover taxes. There are a host of lesser prizes on offer as well.

Deal or No Deal

Earning a gift card worth between $50 and $100 for three nights is a decent rebate, depending of course on the rate paid for the qualifying stays.

And while the odds of winning are miniscule, the sweepstakes does add a smidgen of excitement to the overall promotion.

Worth a look.

After 20 years working in the travel industry, and almost that long writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.

This article first appeared on SmarterTravel.com, where Tim is Editor-at-Large.