I don't know why I've always asked CS at Choice- it finally hit me tonight I'd probably get a better answer on here....

Anyway, Is there a way anyone has figured out to search Choice hotels for only a certain awrd level? Could care less where (well, almost <g>). At Choice they simply tell me to pick a city and they'll check for me... what a waste of time.

Has anyone made an awards chart like those in SPG or HH?

As a last resort, does anyone know of any 8k redemption properties, that are either in a city, or reasonably near (taxi), or on a subway line. Weather is not a factor, actually would prefer it a little cooler- so Anc/Fair are TOTALLY accepatable if not actually desirable.

Thanks folks,
Mike

I've never found a way, no. I've always had to check by city. Most properties also have changing redeption levels (ie - it may be an 8K property half of the year and a 10K property the other half.

I don't know of any way to do it, but why is it so important? I can't believe you just want to go to a cheap hotel in a random location and just stay there because it's cheap, do you?

I select the location and look for award redemption and examine the list for the redemption level. Once I settle on a couple of places (and this is especially important in Europe), I check with someplace like Tripadvisor to get a read on the place. Lots of, uh, less than desirable properties out there, and quite a number of gems.

They make it so easy to scarf up points, the fact that a place is 6000 or 8000 or 10,000 or whatever isn't usually a big factor.

Just my opinion.

Edit: It's not clear from your post that you're using the website, which is certainly the most efficient way to do it. You're not actually calling them up are you? :)

Where do I start?

Yes, everything Lar can't comprehend in my wanting to do is EXACTLY what I want to do. I don't choose my hotels by standards, but by what I can do nearby. As to how he decideds where to stay......uh, that's nice? but it applies to my question how?

The 8,000 reward level IS a major consideration in my hotel search...not because I'm looking for a run-down hovel but for mathmatical reasons (either you understand or you don't)!.

Back to my question, has anyone figured out how do limit searches at Choice to a single catefgory WITHOUT a destination, or is there a list out there as exists with SPG and Hilton where properties are broken down by category.

I called Choice to ask them this same question. As to 'did I try the website'. I'll give you the benefit of doubt and simply consider your statement a misguided attempt at helping as opposed to the condescendence your letter reeks of!

You can search for hotels by entire state (go through Advanced Search), but in that case it makes you click through two levels before you see the price (whether in points or money), so I don't think that helps you that much.

Have you considered the most old-fashioned way? If you can still find a printed directory (they used to be in all rooms a couple years ago, but I no longer see them in my rooms, but perhaps they're still available on request), I think it may have mentioned the point requirements in there? (I don't have one handy to check, though.)

Have you tried calling them and saying "your promo states that the 8000 points I earn for 2 stays is valid for one night at over 1000 hotels, how do I find those 1000 hotels" and let them kick it up and kick it up until you get to someone who can admit that this claim is a bit bogus if there's no way to find those hotels? (If you wanted any other level, that approach wouldn't work, but they do advertise specifically that 8000 is "good enough" for over 1000 hotels!)

Doing the math, "over 1000" is roughly around a quarter of their properties, right? Given that few properties near big cities (except maybe EconoLodges :) ) are 8000, that implies that a substantial portion of small town properties are likely to be 8000. If you make that assumption, the "by state" search might actually be slightly useful (you could look over the list of locations in each state that sound interesting and "sound cheap", and then click through to see if my theory is right). FWIW, I can't click through to check how many points a hotel takes because I don't have enough points for any hotel right now (having just done a transfer to miles the other day, and no stays posted since).

[QUOTE=sdsearch]

Have you tried calling them and saying "your promo states that the 8000 points I earn for 2 stays is valid for one night at over 1000 hotels, how do I find those 1000 hotels" and let them kick it up and kick it up until you get to someone who can admit that this claim is a bit bogus if there's no way to find those hotels?

LOL, good idea, if nothing else it might ne fun to call them on that.


Doing the math, "over 1000" is roughly around a quarter of their properties, right? Given that few properties near big cities (except maybe EconoLodges :) ) are 8000, that implies that a substantial portion of small town properties are likely to be 8000.

I on your oage with that one, but of course they always like to throw a wrench in just to make it difficult to peg them (Palm Springs best location of the 'normal' hotels is only 8k in the off season, but over the winter 20k.

Thanks for the idea, though, will definitely try that route.

Mike

Have you considered the most old-fashioned way? If you can still find a printed directory

I have a directory and no, it doesn't give points required for redemption. It is quite handy to have in the car on a road trip though.