Virgin Hotels vs I Prefer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Virgin Hotels
Manage your hotel stay from arrival to departure. Features include mobile check-in, digital room keys, in-room controls, and easy service requests. "In The Know" members can access exclusive perks and earn loyalty points.
- Mobile check-in
- Digital room key
- In-room controls
- Room service ordering
- Service requests
- Seamless check-out
- Loyalty program integration
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The Virgin Hotels app allows you to seamlessly control your experience before you even arrive. From mobile check-in and keyless entry to in-room controls, room service at your fingertips, and seamless service requests, everything you need is effortlessly within reach. MORE PERKS FOR KNOW MEMBERS Want to be in The Know? Join our personalized loyalty program to unlock exclusive perks like room upgrades, member-only rates, and daily cocktail hour when you sign up. And if you're in The Know, the Virgin Hotels app gets even better. Update your preferences (sweet or salty?) and unlock exclusive member perks that make your stay even more rewarding. As a Know member, you can now earn and redeem Virgin Points on stays at participating Virgin Hotels when you sign up to Virgin Red - Virgin's rewards club. Connect your accounts in the Virgin Hotels app and build up your points balance to unlock a treasure trove of rewards. ARRIVE ON YOUR TERMS Pre-Arrival Check-In – Get ahead of the game and check in before you even land. Available anytime after 3 PM the day before arrival—then skip the desk or grab your key when you’re ready. Your Digital Key – Access your chamber, elevator, and key-protected amenities—all from your device. YOU’RE IN CONTROL Room service, reimagined – Browse, order, and return to your chamber with your meal waiting. Requests, without the calls – Extra pillows, valet, turndown? Done. Lights, thermostat, TV? Check. – Set the vibe without leaving bed. Hotel & Dining reservations – Book a table or your next stay with ease. SEAMLESS CHECK-OUT Check out from your phone, review your bill, and have it emailed instantly—no stop at the desk required. Download the Virgin Hotels app and let your stay be as effortless as it is unforgettable.
I Prefer
Explore and book stays at over 650 unique hotels worldwide. Manage your rewards account, access exclusive rates, and earn points on eligible stays. Enjoy benefits like early check-in and complimentary Wi-Fi.
- Discover and book hotels
- Manage member account
- View reservations and points
- Redeem points for rewards
- Save favorite destinations
- Access exclusive rates and offers
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The World Awaits Your next rewarding trip starts here. With the official I Prefer Hotel Rewards app, you can easily explore and book stays at more than 650 distinctive hotels and resorts around the world, manage your Member account, and access exclusive rates and offers. Features Discover and book hotels with great rates and exclusive offers View upcoming reservations, past stays, and points activity Redeem points for rewards, including free nights and more Manage your Member account and personal information Save your favorite destination for yourself or to share with friends Not a Member of I Prefer Hotel Rewards? Enroll free today to enjoy Members-only hotel offers and instant travel benefits including: Points Earned on Eligible Stays Early Check-in & Late Check-out Exclusive Rates & Offers Complimentary Wi-Fi Enhanced Room Upgrades
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: I Prefer at 4.7 against Virgin Hotels's 2.3. I Prefer also leads on ratings volume (4.3K vs 3) and review sentiment (14% vs 5%). Virgin Hotels's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
I Prefer holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: I Prefer has 4.3K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 5% of Virgin Hotels's written reviews are positive against 14% of I Prefer's.
Virgin Hotels ships an update every 2 weeks, I Prefer every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Virgin Hotels | I Prefer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.3 (3 ratings) | 4.7 (4.3K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 5.3% of reviews | 13.6% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 4.3K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 67 MB | 52 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Virgin Hotels | Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. |
Customer experience
Virgin Hotels
I Prefer
User reviews
Virgin Hotels
From 3 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- ⭐ Great hotel ambiance
- 🤩 Excellent guest services
Room to improve
- 🔒 Invasive privacy concerns
- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🤯 Completely non-functional
- 😤 Frustrating user experience
- 🤔 Missing key features
I Prefer
From 4.3K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Beautiful view
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 🚀 Searching for hotels is now more intuitive and fast
- 💡 Love the options of nights with points and nights with points + cash
Room to improve
- 🐛 Difficult to navigate
- 🐛 Not user friendly
- 🐛 Glitchy
- 🐛 Crashes upon opening
- 🐛 Doesn't show points or past stays
Bugs and requests
Virgin Hotels
Reported bugs
4 issues- ID verification not working
- Reservation management issues
- Inconsistent app behavior
- Compatibility problems with devices
Requested features
4 requests- Add support for more hotel locations
- Improve app stability and reliability
- Implement better user authentication methods
- Provide more self-service options for guests
I Prefer
Reported bugs
4 issues- Login issues
- Constant crashes
- Doesn't show upcoming stays
- Doesn't sync with hotel stays
Requested features
3 requests- Integrate with Apple Wallet
- Add mobile check-in functionality
- Improve points tracking and management
In-app purchases
Virgin Hotels
No in-app purchases
I Prefer
No in-app purchases
