I'm brand new to the program, but I could easily get 100 nights in this year.

On checking out the website, I see they have a lot of properties in Europe, which is where I like to spend hotel points.

What is availability of award nights like, both in general and in Europe in particular? Do they have blackout dates? Is it a real pain or what? I'd like to know I can spend the points before I go through the trouble of earning them.

I'm not 100% sure about Europe, but I know that in the US there are no blackouts and no capacity controls. If a room is available, you can get it with points.

I'm brand new to the program, but I could easily get 100 nights in this year.

On checking out the website, I see they have a lot of properties in Europe, which is where I like to spend hotel points.

What is availability of award nights like, both in general and in Europe in particular? Do they have blackout dates? Is it a real pain or what? I'd like to know I can spend the points before I go through the trouble of earning them.

So ... how do they treat you on an award stay? I notice that many of the hotels have standard rooms, executive rooms, suites, and so on. They just state that an award is so many points per night.

Given that their elite program is a bit low-key, do you just get a standard room, or is their any provision for upgrading, or what?

I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I'm used to other programs (Marriott and Hilton) and we take all these things into account.

I agree Choice is great about if there is any availability, you can get a reward night. One downside is that you can't book a reward night anymore than 60 nights in advance for international (& only 30 days domestic). I've read where other FTers have booked a regular room in advance, then canceled it when the time period to book a reward was available (to ensure a room would be available.) I've never had the need to try this though.

Also, be sure to pay attention to their stay twice, get one free (8,000) promos Choice runs a couple of times a year. There's one going on right now.
Its really easy to rack up the points, especially if you are creative and don't mind hopping around a little. Good luck.

I've booked a lot of award stays. It seems that any room (including suites) shows up on the list you pick from when you are booking award stays. Everything on the list is the same amount of points.

So ... how do they treat you on an award stay? I notice that many of the hotels have standard rooms, executive rooms, suites, and so on. They just state that an award is so many points per night.

Given that their elite program is a bit low-key, do you just get a standard room, or is their any provision for upgrading, or what?

I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I'm used to other programs (Marriott and Hilton) and we take all these things into account.
This is a squarely midline chain family. None of these midline-only chain families that I'm aware of (Choice, Best Western, La Quinta, Cendant, etc) even have the concept of "upgrade" unless it's at an individual hotel where they know you, or if it's random due to a slow night (in which case it has nothing to do with elite status, it's just as [un]likely to happen on your first stay as your 100th).

In me experience, there's far more variation from month to month as the management constantly changes at many of these properties than there is from being a member to not being a member! :)

These chains do not focus on the "pamper-seeking" traveler, they at best focus on the "reliable basics" traveler. As such, they expect the frequent guest program to be more interested in saving money (free nights of any kind) than in pampering (upgrades and such).

I stay at Choice frequently for purely two reasons: One of their properties is the lowest cost hotel VERY NEAR where I need to be where I can earn miles (or points that I can turn into miles), plus after the devaluations at chains like Priority Club their promos like 8000 points for two stays or triple SWA credits are in some months the best promos I can find for me.

But even when I stay at HHonors it's most often at HGI where every room is pretty much equal, so there's no upgrade there either. (However, there is a FAR better breakfast there than at the average Comfort. At the Comfort Suites I've been staying at lately, the only "juice" for breakfast is "mini juice packs" of fruit punch! Honest, that's the ONLY "juice"!!!)

I appreciate the info, guys.

Where I'm going to be for a while has about a half-dozen Choice hotels in the area -- hotel-hopping is not a problem (in fact, it's a way of life for me :) ). I know about the 8000-for-2 promo, and I've applied for the card.

With my stay schedule, racking up 100K or more points should not be a problem.

I tend to use award stays in Europe. These guys seem to have a lot of properties in Western Europe. When we travel, it's easy to rack up $100 or more a night, even at B&B's, especially in the UK. Having stayed at several mid-level hotels over there, a safe and warm place to stay with a restaurant nearby for brekkies is all we need.

I'm astonished at the point redemption level for a lot of these places. I mean, Lisbon, Portugal for 6000 points/night? Unbelievable!

Time to wind up the old point machine. This could be fun.

I think you should also book through a referral site such as ebates or fatwallet.com. Both offer 3% cashback.

Although i have no experience with their elite levels, La Quinta does include an upgrade scheme. With Laquinta you get 2 upgrade certificates with Gold (10 nights) and unlimited with Diamond (25 nights).

I've been Choice Platinum since they created such status about 4 years ago.

Yup I stay a LOT at Choice properties. As one poster wrote, there are two within a mile of where I need to be 80 days a year, and I choose them because A) they are just so convienent and B) they fit well in my per diem budget.

I rack up the points and have been known to hop nightly during promotions like the one going on now. Since I'm per diem based, any money I save goes straight into my pocket. As such I tend to use points in the same two properties where I earn them. Perhaps for this reason, I see no distinction in treatment between award stays and paid stays.

I have however used points elsewhere and noticed no inferior service as a result. So if there is a negative bias towards points users I haven't seen it. I wonder if anybody would even ask this type of question about for example *wood? My assumption is hotel, car and airline companies know that they get a lot more in the form of loyalty and revenue than they every give in rewards. It'd be silly for example to give you an arbitrarily bad room just because you use points. In the same way that it'd be a bad idea for an airline to have two classes of F service, one for 'real' F customers and one for those on free 'F' awards.

Award stays are no problem if there's a room you'll get it. Yes, there's a 30 day advance limit, but I've never had that be a problem. Though, as I say, I'm typically booking business hotels about 30 days in advance. I'm sure you would have more difficulty in sun country during summer vacation season.

Lihue1k

Out of all the rewards programs I participate in, this one seems to have the most availability.

One more thing to note: The number of rewards points required for a free night seems to have little, if any, relation to the price charged when paying money. Some of the most expensive only require 6000, and then a $50 per night location will require 20,000.

The best way to answer your question is to simply go to their reservations site, run a search for a location and hypothetical date, then click on the hotel name to see the number of points required. As noted, any available rooms require the same number of points. I have always used mine for a 2-bedded room, which is really nice.

I haven't tried Europe, but they are a very good value in Japan for a 2-bedded room for 6000 or 8000--most Japanese hotels charge exactly double for 2 people.

The breakfasts vary. Some are excellent, with several kinds of juices, different fresh rolls, hot eggs, and waffles. Others, less so.

Out of all the rewards programs I participate in, this one seems to have the most availability.

One more thing to note: The number of rewards points required for a free night seems to have little, if any, relation to the price charged when paying money. Some of the most expensive only require 6000, and then a $50 per night location will require 20,000.

The best way to answer your question is to simply go to their reservations site, run a search for a location and hypothetical date, then click on the hotel name to see the number of points required. As noted, any available rooms require the same number of points. I have always used mine for a 2-bedded room, which is really nice.

I haven't tried Europe, but they are a very good value in Japan for a 2-bedded room for 6000 or 8000--most Japanese hotels charge exactly double for 2 people.

The breakfasts vary. Some are excellent, with several kinds of juices, different fresh rolls, hot eggs, and waffles. Others, less so.


As for the breakfast.. as of March 31st, the waffle breakfast is standard at all Comfort Inns and Hot Eggs and Sausages are standard at Comfort Suites.

I found this thread in a search, and I'd like to confirm: if any rooms are available when award booking opens up, an award stay is available? For a stay in Porto, Portugal in late summer 2007, it looks appealing to use 6000 points for a room priced at 90-100 euros.

I found this thread in a search, and I'd like to confirm: if any rooms are available when award booking opens up, an award stay is available? For a stay in Porto, Portugal in late summer 2007, it looks appealing to use 6000 points for a room priced at 90-100 euros.Funny you should mention Portugal. Check out the all-suite hotel in Lisbon. Last time I checked, I could book a 3-bedroom suite there for 6000 pts/night! The reviews on Tripadvisor aren't bad, either.

BTW, to answer your question; yes - you can book whatever is available when the window opens up.