IHG Hotels & Resorts has launched an app in ChatGPT that allows travellers to search, compare and explore more than 7,000 hotels across over 100 countries using conversational prompts.
The new tool brings real-time availability, pricing, interactive maps and hotel amenities into the discovery process. Once travellers select a property, they are guided to IHG’s direct booking channels to complete the reservation.
The launch gives global travellers a faster way to move from inspiration to practical planning. Instead of relying only on fixed destination fields and filters, users can describe what they need in natural language, such as a family-friendly hotel near attractions, a business stay close to an airport or a resort suited to a longer holiday.
For IHG, the development marks a major step in the hotel group’s digital strategy as artificial intelligence becomes more influential across the travel-planning journey.
Real-Time Details Support Faster Hotel Comparison
The app is designed to help travellers compare suitable properties without leaving the conversational experience during the early stages of planning.
Real-time room availability and pricing make the search more useful for travellers who are ready to narrow their choices. Interactive maps add location context, while amenity information can help guests compare practical details such as dining options, wellness facilities, meeting spaces and proximity to transport or attractions.
This matters for travellers planning unfamiliar destinations. A hotel may fit the budget but sit far from a city centre, airport or event venue. Map-based discovery can help users understand those trade-offs earlier and make more confident decisions.
The technology also has value for multi-destination trips. Travellers exploring several cities can refine their searches by location, trip purpose and preferred experience before moving to IHG’s official channels for the final reservation.
Direct Booking Remains Central to the Journey
Although the app introduces a new way to discover hotels, the booking itself remains within IHG’s direct ecosystem.
After choosing a property, travellers are directed to IHG’s official booking channels. This approach keeps the reservation process connected to the hotel group’s own platforms and supports access to official property information, booking assistance and loyalty benefits where applicable.
The strategy is significant for the hospitality sector. Hotel companies are increasingly competing not only on room quality and location but also on how easily travellers can find relevant properties and complete bookings.
By combining AI-led discovery with direct booking, IHG can engage guests earlier in the planning process while maintaining a direct relationship through the reservation stage.
Conversational Search Will Expand Across IHG Platforms
IHG also plans to introduce AI-powered conversational search within its website and the IHG One Rewards app.
The upcoming feature will allow travellers to search using their own words rather than depending only on standard filters or keywords. A guest could ask for a quiet weekend stay near cultural attractions, a practical airport hotel for an early departure or a family property with convenient dining and nearby activities.
That shift could make the booking journey more intuitive for leisure and business travellers alike. It also gives IHG One Rewards members a more personalised way to explore the group’s portfolio.
IHG One Rewards has more than 160 million members, while the company’s global network spans 21 hotel brands and more than one million rooms. The scale of that portfolio makes conversational search particularly useful because travellers often need help identifying the right property, location and stay type.
AI Is Reshaping Hospitality Competition
The launch reflects a broader change in travel behaviour. Artificial intelligence is moving beyond inspiration and becoming part of the practical booking journey.
For travellers, the benefit is reduced search friction. Instead of scrolling through long lists, users can describe their needs and receive more relevant options. For hotels, better discovery can improve visibility and help match guests with properties that suit their plans.
The impact can extend across tourism economies. Easier hotel discovery may support city breaks, resort stays, business travel and event tourism by helping visitors find accommodation more efficiently.
IHG’s latest move shows how hospitality brands are adapting as travellers expect faster, more personalised digital experiences. With the app in ChatGPT now available and conversational search planned for IHG’s own platforms, hotel booking is becoming more natural, more direct and more closely aligned with the way people describe their travel needs.
