Choice Privileges - 5/17-8/15/12: 2 stays = 8,000 points or $50 gift card

Touted primarily as the $50 gift card, but it's for 8,000 points, which can be redeemed for the $50 GC. The expiry on choosing the latter path is 9/30/12. T&c don't say (yet?) if it's capped (screen shot time?) or the usual about elite booking channel flexibility.

Bravo, Choice! They must like this as much as we do. Only a week between rounds, this time. ^

Most of the (usual) t&c:

Member must register at ChoiceHotels.com before arrival and book their stays at ChoiceHotels.com or 800.4CHOICE at qualifying rates. Choice Privileges member number must be provided upon check-in. After a second qualifying stay with arrival between 5/17/12 and 8/15/12, you will be awarded enough bonus points to reach the 8,000 point level, which can be redeemed until 9/30/12 for one (1) $50 gift card at defined retailers on ChoiceHotels.com/giftcard. For Comfort Inn®, Comfort Suites®, Quality®, Sleep Inn®, Clarion®, Cambria Suites® or Ascend Collection® hotels, a stay is defined as any number of consecutive nights at one hotel regardless of check-ins or check-outs. For Econo Lodge®, Rodeway Inn®, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel®, or MainStay Suites® hotels, a stay is defined as two (2) or more consecutive nights at one hotel regardless of check-ins or check-outs. [...]

NB: This came through in an email today, but it didn't have a link to the promo yet. Probably so as not to confuse the two rounds. Perhaps if I'm otherwise engaged, the first person who finds the the new promo page might provide the link, and I'll add it to this OP.

So, another 8k/2stays promo after the current one ? ^

Um, minor and temporary glitch: Can't register for it yet, as the registration page for the 3/8-5/8/12 round is still up... Hopefully Choice catches up with itself in timely fashion. (Actually not a bad glitch if it's because of a very short hiatus.) Wonder why they wouldn't just say, "THIS JUST IN! 1+1=FREE EXTENDED THROUGH 8/15/12!" Market test?

Info on the last promo was out at least 2-3 days before signup was available.

Wonder why they wouldn't just say, "THIS JUST IN! 1+1=FREE EXTENDED THROUGH 8/15/12!" Market test?
Because they wanted to market the current one as a free night, but the next one as a $50 GC (even though it earns the same number of points which can be used the same way).

And also because they wanted a one-week gap, which they couldn't have if it was an extension! (The current one expires 5/8, the next one doesn't start till 5/17.)

Btw, I wonder how in the world they pick the days of the week to start and end these promos on? Both promos start on a Thu, but the current one ends on a Tue and the next one ends on a Wed! :confused:

Interesting. Sort of like a football team running a play from one formation and then, the next play, running the exact same play but disguised in a different formation or with a different man in motion.

Certainly not complaining as this type of promo does not require a lot of thinking. A lot of hotel hopping, yes, but thinking, no.

Certainly not complaining as this type of promo does not require a lot of thinking. A lot of hotel hopping, yes, but thinking, no.
Well, unless your hotel hopping requires a lot of thinking, as in "which way should I drive now", because "which hotel am I staying at tonight?" :D

To parphrase a classic movie ttile: If it's Tuesday, it must that Comfort Inn over there, not this Comfort Inn over here. :)

Well, unless your hotel hopping requires a lot of thinking, as in "which way should I drive now", because "which hotel am I staying at tonight?" :D

To paraphrase a classic movie title: If it's Tuesday, it must that Comfort Inn over there, not this Comfort Inn over here. :)

Um... you've called out my number (@SFO).

Does anyone know if this promo includes hotels outside of the US? Specifically, Australia and New Zealand? I couldn't find any info about it.

I'm trying to rack up enough points in my Southwest Rapid Rewards account to qualify for their companion pass. Just wondering if crediting my Choice stay to my RR account for the 600 points/night would alter or in any way effect this 2nights=8,000 points/$50 card deal?

I'm trying to rack up enough points in my Southwest Rapid Rewards account to qualify for their companion pass. Just wondering if crediting my Choice stay to my RR account for the 600 points/night would alter or in any way effect this 2nights=8,000 points/$50 card deal?

You must have points selected to earn the 8k. Note that it is 2 STAYS, not nights, to qualify. Also note that you earn 600 WN points per stay, but 6,000 Choice points can be converted to 1,800 WN points. That method nets you 1,800 WN points plus 2,000 Choice points per 2 stays vs. 1200 points when you choose to earn WN points directly.

You must have points selected to earn the 8k. Note that it is 2 STAYS, not nights, to qualify. Also note that you earn 600 WN points per stay, but 6,000 Choice points can be converted to 1,800 WN points. That method nets you 1,800 WN points plus 2,000 Choice points per 2 stays vs. 1200 points when you choose to earn WN points directly.

Excellent point. I didn't think about the transfer value of the Choice points. I'll definitely just stick with Choice earnings.
Thanks!

There hasn't been a signup link posted anywhere yet that I can find. I wonder if this promo is going to happen.

There hasn't been a signup link posted anywhere yet that I can find. I wonder if this promo is going to happen.

The promo doesn't start until May 17. Be patient.

go for $50

When they run these promos the reduced gift card redemption cost (50% off!) makes for some good opportunities to use up (expiring) points that one doesn't otherwise foresee using.

Well, it's the 16th. I haven't seen anything official on this or a sign-up yet. Has anyone else?

Well, it's the 16th. I haven't seen anything official on this or a sign-up yet. Has anyone else?
I see nothing on the web site yet. I guess check back on 5/17/2012.

I am currently at Quality Hotel Axel opera in Paris. Just saw flyers about a double point promo for summer... Hope it's just differents promo for differents area...

Anyone see where to sign up for this? thanks

Sign up is live. Simply go to choice home page

www.choicehotels.com

I read the T&Cs (what little there is of it), and it appears that previously booked reservations aren't excluded, but I'm unclear whether this promo is limited to hotels in the US and Canada (you have to be US- or Canada-based to participate, as usual), or if it's valid anywhere Choice has hotels. Does anyone know more?

For the points earned thru this promo, while the $50 gift card can only be redeemed until 9/30, what if I'd rather redeem the 8000 points for hotel stay?

Is there a time limit to that too?

Checking as not mentioned in the promo.

Thanks in advance.

Anyone see where to sign up for this? thanks
http://www.choicehotels.com/giftcard?intcmp=FPflash1SUMERPROMO

For the points earned thru this promo, while the $50 gift card can only be redeemed until 9/30, what if I'd rather redeem the 8000 points for hotel stay?

Is there a time limit to that too?

Checking as not mentioned in the promo.
I think they feel it doesn't need to be mentioned in the promo because redeeming for hotel stays is the normal (always available) method of redeeming. The redemption for gift cards, while it does generally exist, usually requires twice as many points, and thus it's the 8000 point price on gift card redemption which expired after 9/30.

Now, which hotels are 8000 points can come and go too, but the ability to use hotel points (at whatever rate it is) is not expiring in general (and when and if each hotel's rate changes is specific to that hotel, and thus not related to this promo).

Try not to think of it, though, strictly as redeeming 8000 for a hotel stay. You may or may not be able to do that when the time comes, depending on where you want to stay and when. Think of it as accumulating points at the rate of 8000 points for every two stays, and then redeeming them at whatever rate you do find you can redeem them at.

Curiously, the T&Cs don't explain whether you can earn the 8000 points an unlimited number of times during this promo. Now, once I registered, I did get a page which said that. But I'm Diamond Elite at Choice, and so I cannot tell whether this page was specific to me or not. (There have been some promos in the past where high-enough elites could earn unlimited, but lower elites and non-elites were somewhat capped.)

Can someone who's not elite and who registered for this promo please report whether their screen said they could earn an unlimited number of times? Thanks.

Can someone who's not elite and who registered for this promo please report whether their screen said they could earn an unlimited number of times? Thanks.

No status with Choice, but when I registered using the email that I received from Choice:

You can now begin to earn an unlimited amount of gift cards during the promotion

With this promo will the cost of the gift cards drop to 8,000 at some point? Right now they all still seem to be at 16,000 points. Thanks!

You will only be allowed to purchase the number of gift cards for 8,000 that you actually earn. So until you have stayed twice and received the bonus, you will not see any available at 8,000.

And is a stay REALLY for just one night ? If I stay four nights at the Comfort Inn here in town, will I get 16000 points or $100 in gas? Or do I have to check-in/check-out to trigger it.

Marriott says "regardless of check-out activity" in their promotions, too, but they don't really mean it.

And is a stay REALLY for just one night ? If I stay four nights at the Comfort Inn here in town, will I get 16000 points or $100 in gas? Or do I have to check-in/check-out to trigger it.

Marriott says "regardless of check-out activity" in their promotions, too, but they don't really mean it.

You will receive 16000 points, which can be redeemed for 2 $50 gift cards, or towards anything else Choice offers for points.

They do enforce the stay rule in the promos. If you check in to the hotel Friday May 25th and check out the 26th, you need to wait until Sunday the 27th to check back in. One way around this is if there is a second Choice hotel in town that you can use and alternate nights* between the two.

*Remember that Rodeway, Econo Lodge, MainStay, and Suburban require 2 night stays to qualify.

And is a stay REALLY for just one night ? If I stay four nights at the Comfort Inn here in town, will I get 16000 points or $100 in gas? Or do I have to check-in/check-out to trigger it.
If you stay four consectuive nights at the same Comfort Inn, you will only get the normal points (way less than 8000!), and no gift card option at all.

If you stay one night, don't stay the next night, stay another night, don't stay the next night, stay another night, don't stay the next night, and stay one more night, then you will get 16000 points, which you can then choose to redeem for one of a handful of different kinds of gift cards (including but not limited to gas).

But you have to check out of the hotel and wait one night before checking back in for it to be counted as a separate stay, and thus earn 8000 points (for each two stays).

If you have two Choice properties in town, the simple solution is to "hotel hop", ie, stay at hotel A the first night, hotel B the second night, hotel A the third night, and hotel B the fourth night. Then each hotel only sees you on alternate nights and thus each hotel sees each night as a separate stay.

In general: A stay is any number of consecutive nights at the same hotel, regardless of how many times you check in and check out.

Then specific to this promotion, there are stay minimums that vary depending on the brand: For the "mainline" brands (the ones that earn 10 pts/dollar normally), you only need 1 night minimum to count as a "stay" for this promotion. For the "low end" brands (the ones that earn 5 pts/dollar normally), you need a 2 night minimum to count as a "stay" for this promotion. Comfort, Quality, and Sleep are among the "mainline" brands, so 1 night is sufficient for a "stay" there. Rodeway and EconoLodge are among the "low end" brands, so a 2 night minimum is required at those brands to count as a "stay" for this promo.

Perhaps another way to do it is to split the stays between two members...a husband and wife, for example. Stay the first night on a reservation in her name, the second night on a reservation in his name; repeat for nights three and four. Four stays, two bonuses, no hopping. Most of the time the property will be happy to keep you checked in to the same room. The only hassle is that housekeeping may be confused, thinking you are leaving each of your four days. Also, if you don't inform the desk upfront that you are staying four nights you will have to get the card keys updated each day.

Caveat: I say "perhaps" because, while I have done this at another hotel group, I've not yet tried it at Choice. Has anyone else tried this at Choice?

Perhaps another way to do it is to split the stays between two members...a husband and wife, for example. Stay the first night on a reservation in her name, the second night on a reservation in his name; repeat for nights three and four. Four stays, two bonuses, no hopping. Most of the time the property will be happy to keep you checked in to the same room.
Except too much of the time the property will also be happy to merge the reservations, despite the different names, the moment you ask to stay in the same room! (They consider that a convenience, because to all non-points-collectors it is, and some properties require that to keep the same room!)

So, no, I think this is a terrible suggestion if your goal is to have it count as separate stays each night. The only way you should split the stay between two member is if you do not try to keep the same room, and do not allow the hotel to realize that it's the same people in both cases (ie, don't be together when the alternate people check in).

At any rate, since you can't count on 8000/night hotels, I wouldn't necessarily even recommend (all logistics aside) someone only doing 4 nights to split it between two accounts. That'll leave just a paltry 8000 points per account, which is not a whole lot. (Not that just 16000 points is a whole IMHO either, but still, if you want one night at a 16000 point/night hotel, say in Scandinavia, you can do it all 16000 points are in the same account but not if 8000 points are in one account and 8000 points in another account.)

So, no, I think this is a terrible suggestion if your goal is to have it count as separate stays each night. The only way you should split the stay between two member is if you do not try to keep the same room, and do not allow the hotel to realize that it's the same people in both cases (ie, don't be together when the alternate people check in).

I don't think there is a possibility that reservations will be merged if you go down to front desk in the morning, check out – pay for your room, get the bill and only afterwards say that your partner has a separate reservation and would like to stay in the same room.

I don't think there is a possibility that reservations will be merged if you go down to front desk in the morning, check out – pay for your room, get the bill and only afterwards say that your partner has a separate reservation and would like to stay in the same room.
Except that at many hotels you've "automatically" paid your bill (it's under/on your door), and there's only one step left: Turning in your key.

So there's no settling up your bill part!

Except: If you then say my partner would like the same room, they can reopen the bill!

Furthermore, what's the point of the same room if you can't keep your stuff in there? But you can't keep your stuff in there if you're only going to ask about having the same room after you already "checked out"!

Meanwhile, if you keep it totally separate, they can claim that they still have to clean the room, and that it's thus not yet available. Only by linking the reservations can they certainly keep the room not cleaned and issue it to someone else (your spouse is technically someone else until you reveal they're not!).

Gosh, seems like a whole lot of work for some high risk (losing 8000 points) and little reward (you may have to spend some time with no room at all after all).

It seems simpler (as well as safer!) to me to decide ahead of time to have the partner check in independently (so the staff has no chance to link you), you try to get a late check-out on your room, your parnter try to get an early check-in on their room, and move the stuff quietly between the rooms.


... On a side note, are you aware the "settling up" is never as final as it seems? No matter how much you think you "settled up", the bill is able to be re-opened, for example, if they later discover an incidental charge which had not yet hit at the time you checked out. (Including an erroneous incidental charge, which you discover only when your credit card statement shows a higher amount than you had "settled", and you call to find out why, and they research it. And, yes, that's happened to me!)

So if they can adjust your bill after you've "settled" it to add an incidental charge, they can re-open your bill after you've "settled" it to add "another night after all"! (I've done that too. In that case, there wasn't a downside to having the extra night be merged, so I didn't care. It was a case of me finding out my flight had gotten delayed a day right after I'd "settled" and they reopened the bill and added an extra night. But it proves they can do it!)

I am a Platinum with them and the T&C says: "Elite Diamond and Elite Platinum members can book through any channel" I thought to myself, wow, I can book through expedia, and get their points along with choicehotels! I called choicehotels customer support, and the agent said, that actually no, by "any channels" they mean that you call the hotel directly, or just walk-in. Well, isn't that not ANY channel?

Another thing: "you will be awarded enough bonus points to reach the 8,000 point level". Huh? Will they award 8000 points or bump you up to 8000 if you had, say, 7500 points? What if I have 400,000 points? If they give you 8000, why don't they just say so?

I am a Platinum with them and the T&C says: "Elite Diamond and Elite Platinum members can book through any channel" I thought to myself, wow, I can book through expedia, and get their points along with choicehotels! I called choicehotels customer support, and the agent said, that actually no, by "any channels" they mean that you call the hotel directly, or just walk-in. Well, isn't that not ANY channel?

Another thing: "you will be awarded enough bonus points to reach the 8,000 point level". Huh? Will they award 8000 points or bump you up to 8000 if you had, say, 7500 points? What if I have 400,000 points? If they give you 8000, why don't they just say so?

1. That 'book through any channel' is misleading, if not an outright lie.
If one books through other online travel agencies, one does not get any rewards.

2. For 2 stay if one earns 1200 choicepoints, then Choice adds the balance required of 6800 to get the total upto 8000 points.

I am a Platinum with them and the T&C says: "Elite Diamond and Elite Platinum members can book through any channel" I thought to myself, wow, I can book through expedia, and get their points along with choicehotels! I called choicehotels customer support, and the agent said, that actually no, by "any channels" they mean that you call the hotel directly, or just walk-in. Well, isn't that not ANY channel?


Yes, they should have said "Any channel which actually earn CP points"


Another thing: "you will be awarded enough bonus points to reach the 8,000 point level". Huh? Will they award 8000 points or bump you up to 8000 if you had, say, 7500 points? What if I have 400,000 points? If they give you 8000, why don't they just say so?


It means if you spend for example 100$ (50$x2) and so earn 1000 points they'll give you 7000 points as a bonus (plus, your Platinum bonus which should be 250 points in this case).

I am a Platinum with them and the T&C says: "Elite Diamond and Elite Platinum members can book through any channel" I thought to myself, wow, I can book through expedia, and get their points along with choicehotels! I called choicehotels customer support, and the agent said, that actually no, by "any channels" they mean that you call the hotel directly, or just walk-in. Well, isn't that not ANY channel?
The problem is in the definition of the word "channel". To the hotel industry, it means a means of booking a room, not the specific place you book the room online.

So channels includes:

booking through a website
booking through a central reservation number
booking through a corporate travel agent
booking through the hotel over the phone
walking up to the hotel

But "booking through a website" is only one channel. That channel, in turn, has restrictions on it: The website must be a Choice website. Other website are not other channels, there's other subsets of the same shannel (booking through a website).

Yes, it would be nice they defined the term "channel" somewhere online, rather than expecting you to know it (since most people don't know it correctly).

But their point in empahasing this (for people who understand the issue) is that they want to entire business people to stay enough with choice to earn high-enough status to be able to use corporate travel agents to book their Choice stays and still earn the promos. They want people who don't have enough status yet to have limitations, which makes them want to stay enough to get status. (But some corporate travel bookers -- who aren't technically travel agents -- at smaller companies use Expedia or whatever, in those cases it doesn't count either. So it's not all that easier to explain clearly exactly which "corporate travel agents" count.)

Choice assumes you understand that you can't earn a bonus if you don't earn points in the first place, and it already explains in the T&Cs that third-party online sites don't earn points.

Choice assumes you understand that you can't earn a bonus if you don't earn points in the first place, and it already explains in the T&Cs that third-party online sites don't earn points.

Silly assumption on their part. You just earned 0 points. And since this offer tops you up to 8K, they should give you 8K for 2 stays. 8K - 0 - 0 = 8K. If they meant point eligible stays they should have said so.

Silly assumption on their part. You just earned 0 points. And since this offer tops you up to 8K, they should give you 8K for 2 stays. 8K - 0 - 0 = 8K. If they meant point eligible stays they should have said so.
Maybe all sorts of companies should say all sorts of things, but to me it's perfectly obivous because I'm looking at the from the stand point of "what does the company probably mean by this", not "what do I wish they would mean this". Companies run promos because they work for them; it's your job to figure out how to make them work for you.

Companies love nothing more than people signing up for a promo the company won't have to pay out on because the people didn't figure out how to work the promo correctly. The point of the promo (from the standpoint of the company) was to drum up business, and people who didn't figure out how to work the promo correctly but stayed anyway achieve the goal of the promo (from the standpoint of the company)!

You're already ahead because you're reading FlyerTalk. All the information is here, even if it's not clear at choicehotels.com. I run into people all the time in line at Choice properties who misunderstand these promos completely, because just saw a TV ad, signed up, didn't read or research how the promo worked, and then booked a stay.

Perfect example: Durinag a verison of the promo that caled it "free nigh" (as opposed to "gas card") but of course again was just 8000 points: I was checking in (on a paid rate) at a hotel with is something like 20k/night, and the person in front of me asks the clerk that since this is her 2nd stay, will she but it's several nights, will she be able to use her free night later in this stay. The clerk had no clue was she was talking about, but I having heard this explained to her that, no, the points toward the free night won't post until several days after she checks out.

But what I didn't realize until later was that she also misunderstood that "Free night" didn't apply at that hotel, because "free night" was only really at 8000-point hoetls, and this was far from one! So that's at least two things she misunderstood about the promo.

But the "any booking channel" only applies to people who are elite enough, you would hope that by the time they reach that point (hopefully from actually staying at Choice hotels a lot, not from some status match), they already know much better how it works than leisure-only travelers who sign up only because of TV ads. (And Choice runs lots of those TV ads!!!)

In general, this points/miles based world is so full of confusing rules, I don't see how anyone can hope to maximize points/miles earning without doing reserach up front on what counts and what doesn't count, and/or using their "gut" and acting very conservatively (ie, if they think it possibly might not count, assume it doesn't count until you verify otherwise!), at least where spending of real money is concerned. (It's less seirious if you misunderstand the rules somewhere where you didn't spend any real money, but on hotel rooms you presumably are spending real money.)

Maybe all sorts of companies should say all sorts of things, but to me it's perfectly obivous because I'm looking at the from the stand point of "what does the company probably mean by this", not "what do I wish they would mean this". Companies run promos because they work for them; it's your job to figure out how to make them work for you.

Companies love nothing more than people signing up for a promo the company won't have to pay out on because the people didn't figure out how to work the promo correctly. The point of the promo (from the standpoint of the company) was to drum up business, and people who didn't figure out how to work the promo correctly but stayed anyway achieve the goal of the promo (from the standpoint of the company)!

You're already ahead because you're reading FlyerTalk. All the information is here, even if it's not clear at choicehotels.com. I run into people all the time in line at Choice properties who misunderstand these promos completely, because just saw a TV ad, signed up, didn't read or research how the promo worked, and then booked a stay.

Perfect example: Durinag a verison of the promo that caled it "free nigh" (as opposed to "gas card") but of course again was just 8000 points: I was checking in (on a paid rate) at a hotel with is something like 20k/night, and the person in front of me asks the clerk that since this is her 2nd stay, will she but it's several nights, will she be able to use her free night later in this stay. The clerk had no clue was she was talking about, but I having heard this explained to her that, no, the points toward the free night won't post until several days after she checks out.

But what I didn't realize until later was that she also misunderstood that "Free night" didn't apply at that hotel, because "free night" was only really at 8000-point hoetls, and this was far from one! So that's at least two things she misunderstood about the promo.

But the "any booking channel" only applies to people who are elite enough, you would hope that by the time they reach that point (hopefully from actually staying at Choice hotels a lot, not from some status match), they already know much better how it works than leisure-only travelers who sign up only because of TV ads. (And Choice runs lots of those TV ads!!!)

In general, this points/miles based world is so full of confusing rules, I don't see how anyone can hope to maximize points/miles earning without doing reserach up front on what counts and what doesn't count, and/or using their "gut" and acting very conservatively (ie, if they think it possibly might not count, assume it doesn't count until you verify otherwise!), at least where spending of real money is concerned. (It's less seirious if you misunderstand the rules somewhere where you didn't spend any real money, but on hotel rooms you presumably are spending real money.)

Bingo, bingo, bingo. Please folks, read this post and get the main point: hotels (and airlines and any other business that runs promos) do these deals to benefit their businesses--benefiting you is a (generally unintended) byproduct. It is your job to figure out the way to make this (or any other promo) work for you. And, if you're here on FT, the information is here; you just need the motivation to do the research.

It's why I get aggravated when I hear people dismiss Delta miles as SkyPesos (I agree that there's generally not much value, and it's one of the few FF programs in which I don't participate but there's some personal bias built in there because of my own bad experiences on Delta) or call BA's currency, Adios (a program I value, but at least partially because my personal experiences there have generally been good)--it's an easy way to say that these miles/points have no value when, in general, nearly every program has some sweet spot. Researching the resources here will help you find that sweet spot.

You wanna look smart? Use terms like SkyPesos and Adios. You wanna be smart? Figure out, from the resources here, how to make Delta, BA, and Choice (and any other program) work for you.

Compared to some of the other forums here, we seem to be blessed with some folks just brimming with common sense and the willingness to share it. ^

Maybe all sorts of companies should say all sorts of things, but to me it's perfectly obivous because I'm looking at the from the stand point of "what does the company probably mean by this", not "what do I wish they would mean this". Companies run promos because they work for them; it's your job to figure out how to make them work for you.

I agree that what the should do and what they do do are two different things and that it's your job to figure out how to make them work for you. Should is should and reality is different.

Being Elite doesn't mean someone understands the program, etc. A lot of business travellers don't bother learning all the ins and outs of the programs because they are more focussed on their job, not the hotel they are staying at. While they can learn lots at FlyerTalk, the learning curve is steep and doesn't always give an immediate payback. And if they are in different programs, they can get confused by the different meanings each uses. A "free night" from Best Western promos is a free night at any hotel. A "free night" at Choice is 8000 points which is a free night at certain hotels.

I also realize there are those who argue that if this were easy and anyone could do it, then the promotions would have to be less generous. So in their view, all the limitations of the the promotions *should* be hard to figure out.

Do they give you the difference between 8000 and the 2 stays total of points? Jim

Do they give you the difference between 8000 and the 2 stays total of points?
It depends what you mean exactly by "total".

If you have no status, that is what happens (the second stay posts as 8000 minus the points you earned from the first stay, so they gave you 8000 points instead of the points for both stays, and thus they added 8000 points minus the points for both stays.

But if you have any elite status at Choice, the "total" could be interpreted to mean the base points plus your elite status points (for example, 40% extra points for the top level of Diamond), ie, what actually posts as the total on the Choice website for a normal stay (or, during this promotion, for the first stay). In that case, those are computed separately. So the correct rephrase of what you said is:

They give you difference between 8000 and the base points that you would have earned for the 2 stays, then they add any elite bonus on the normal points that you would have earned for the 2 stays.

A simple example:

$100 rate, 1-night stays.

No elite status:

First night posts as 1000, second night posts as 7000. They gave you 6000 extra.

Diamond elite status:

First night posts as 1400, second night posts as 7400. They gave you 6000 extra because of this bonus, plus the 40% extra on both stays because of your Diamond elite status.

(Other elite levels work the same but with smaller percentages.)

As you can imagine, if your stay is "too expensive", there may be little or no difference (or even "negative" difference). For example, if each stay is $400 or more, you'd have earned at least 8000 points anyway (without any bonus!). In the past, they gave you some extra points (I don't remember by what exact formula) in some such cases (I don't remember what the exact threshold was). (I was never in this situation myself, knowing full well to hotel hop through such a promo :), but I do remember reading about it happening to someone else, long ago in this forum.)

Btw, what bonuses your earned on a stay is not explained super clearly on the Choice website. They only list the biggest bonus on each stay. So if you have 2 stays as a Choice elite during this promo, the first stay will say it includes your elite bonus, while the second stay will only say that it includes this gas card bonus, even though it also includes your elite bonus.

I agree that what the should do and what they do do are two different things and that it's your job to figure out how to make them work for you. Should is should and reality is different.

Being Elite doesn't mean someone understands the program, etc. A lot of business travellers don't bother learning all the ins and outs of the programs because they are more focussed on their job, not the hotel they are staying at. While they can learn lots at FlyerTalk, the learning curve is steep and doesn't always give an immediate payback. And if they are in different programs, they can get confused by the different meanings each uses. A "free night" from Best Western promos is a free night at any hotel. A "free night" at Choice is 8000 points which is a free night at certain hotels.

I also realize there are those who argue that if this were easy and anyone could do it, then the promotions would have to be less generous. So in their view, all the limitations of the the promotions *should* be hard to figure out.

Don't feel alone on this. When the Amex Daily Getaways Choice promo was announced in the spring of 2011, I couldn't figure out why some folks were buying such large stacks of Choice points. I did a little reading here and figured out maybe I should buy some.

Then, I started following the 8000-point redemption options in Europe. These come and go, but I began to understand that they are there enough to give you one of the sweet spots of the Choice program. I went to London in December 2011 and Rome in February 2012, two trips I would have been unlikely to make in the absence of this Choice redemption option. As a result, I began to feel that an "earn here, burn there" philosophy would work for me. Others, very logically, have found that Choice works as well in an "earn small, spend big" sense where you take advantage of a promo like this, which encourages the cheapest stays possible (thus, more likely smaller hotels in smaller towns) in return for redemptions in New York City or other major metropolitan areas.

This year, when the 2012 Choice Daily Getaways promo was announced, I was holding my breath because I was afraid the bloggers would get wind of the value of 8000-point redemptons. Although several bloggers plugged the Choice promo, most focused on the redemption ratio with Southwest in connection with the companion pass program. Maybe another logical use of the points bought, but I still find the best use of most points earned, no matter the program, is in the program in which they were earned.

I have found this section of FT a very reliable and helpful resource for learning the ins and outs of the Choice program. As with many of the forums at FT, there is a core of well-informed folks who are generally willing to help with questions (and generally without the snide attitude that unfortunately infects some of the other subforums here). I agree that most elites do not understand the ins and outs of this program, but I think that's true for most miles/points programs--the percentage of folks who really know what's the best way to earn and redeem is actually very small. I think you have to look at what we do here as a hobby, and like any hobby, the more time you spend on it, the better you're likely to get at it.

Yes, I just paid 10k Choice Points for a 2 bed room at the Bolivar for check in on Sunday 6/24 Check out on Monday 6/25.

This is a room that costs Euro 190 + taxes!

Worth every day I have to stay at a Choice Hotel to earn these points!

Good explanation by sdsearch.


As you can imagine, if your stay is "too expensive", there may be little or no difference (or even "negative" difference). For example, if each stay is $400 or more, you'd have earned at least 8000 points anyway (without any bonus!). In the past, they gave you some extra points (I don't remember by what exact formula) in some such cases (I don't remember what the exact threshold was). (I was never in this situation myself, knowing full well to hotel hop through such a promo :), but I do remember reading about it happening to someone else, long ago in this forum.)

I have no personal experience with this and it may not apply to this promotion, but Loyalty Traveler says for an earlier promotion like this that:
"Update March 26 – I received an email today from a Choice Privileges representative stating the minimum bonus points to be given for this promotion is 5,000 points after two stays. This term is not currently listed in the promotion FAQ."

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2012/03/07/choice-privileges-8000-points-for-2-stays-march-8-may-8-2012/

If anyone can confirm that, it would be nice.

Noticed in the fine print on the promo sign up page that there is a required time frame for making the reservation "7, 14, 21 or 30 days" prior to staying depending on the hotel. I have no idea how to know which hotels require what.

I am not sure how to even begin to explain this.

On the sign-up page it says:

Frequently Asked Questions
.....

**The reservation must be made on ChoiceHotels.com using your Choice Privileges number and must be made at least 7, 14, 21 or 30 days in advance, which will vary based on the hotel for which a reservation is being made.


Notice the ** at the beginning of the quote. It refers to the top of the page talking about 20% off for advance reservations, which are non-refundable prices. This has nothing to do with the get 8,000 points for 2 stays.

There is no advance booking needed to receive this bonus, if you have signed up prior to booking.

I'm sure you are right.

Has anyone received the points yet after staying 2 times? How are they identified in the online current activity statement?

I have many "adjustments" for reward nights cancelled and I am concerned about the promotion points being hidden (or not there).

I noticed the gift card has to be ordered by Sept 30? When with redemption at the 8000 point level be available on the website?

Has anyone received the points yet after staying 2 times? How are they identified in the online current activity statement?

I have many "adjustments" for reward nights cancelled and I am concerned about the promotion points being hidden (or not there).

I noticed the gift card has to be ordered by Sept 30? When with redemption at the 8000 point level be available on the website?

They do a weekly "sweep" and the points that were earned up to a couple of days before that usually post overnight when that happens. I can't remember the night. If things are working right, the make-up bonus points should post automatically along with the base points.

The 8,000 point hotels' availability is there now. But be aware that only some 1,500 of the ~ 6,500 Choice family of hotels go for 8,000 points. Also beware that Choice family properties change the required points more often than any other chain. They can change up or down seasonally, and not on a regular schedule. It pays to keep checking. Not fun, but regulars kind of get used to it and do our best to exploit it.

The 8000 point gift card, not hotel stay, is the availability of interest.

I noticed the gift card has to be ordered by Sept 30? When with redemption at the 8000 point level be available on the website?

The 8000 point gift card, not hotel stay, is the availability of interest.

You can order the gift card after the website sees that you have earned the 8000 points through this promo.

Since the 8000 points usually post at the same time as the stay itself posts, within a few days of the stay, and the last stay has to have an arrival date of Aug 15th, unless you are doing an extremely long stay for your last stay, you should have plenty of time (over 5 weeks) to order a gift card at that rate (by Sep 30th) after your 8000 points post (for the last pair of stays you have under this promo).

So just because the gift card has to be ordered (at this rate) by Sep 30th, I still see no reason to worry if it takes a few extra days before it can be ordered.

Has anyone received the points yet after staying 2 times? How are they identified in the online current activity statement?

I have many "adjustments" for reward nights cancelled and I am concerned about the promotion points being hidden (or not there).

I noticed the gift card has to be ordered by Sept 30? When with redemption at the 8000 point level be available on the website?

I have been getting the 8,000 points posted in my account after my second stay. The points post as bonus points at the same time my regular points post (usually a day or two after I check out). They are available to redeem immediately.

I am pretty new to this and so I am not sure how everything works. But I was concerned that Quality Inn changed the price of my reservations without notifying me.

One of the Quality Inns I stayed at had a rate that pulled up at $6 a night when you put in 2 adults and government rates. I stayed there several times and paid the $6 a night ($8.66 with tax) and got the stay two times bonus.

Before the last time I was going to stay, I pulled up my online reservation on the Choice site and saw they had changed my reservation to $66 a night. Choice did not notify me that they were changing my rate. They just changed it in the system.

I cancelled the reservation because I didn't want to drive there and get charged the $66 rate. If I had only booked one stay I would have probably fought to have them honor the rate. But since I had already stayed there several times at $6 a night (and got the $50 gas cards) I just cancelled the reservation.

The following day my other reservations were also changed to $66 a night - again without notifying me. I cancelled them also.

Though the price was obviously an error, it concerns me that Choice changes the rates they are charging for a room in their reservations system without notifying the customer.

I received this from customer service when I inquired about my bonus points;

Our summer promotion requires your reservations be made either through our website or through our reservation to qualify for the bonus points. I am showing that your reservation on 07/07/12 was made with the hotel directly.

I received this from customer service when I inquired about my bonus points;

Our summer promotion requires your reservations be made either through our website or through our reservation to qualify for the bonus points. I am showing that your reservation on 07/07/12 was made with the hotel directly.

Pretty consistent with the information posted about this promo at the website:

Book at ChoiceHotels.com or 800.4CHOICE and after your second stay with arrival between May 17 and August 15, 2012 you’ll receive enough Choice Privileges® points to redeem for a $50 gift card of your choice for gas, dining or shopping.

As I understand it, Diamond and Platinum members may book through "any channel," which would seem to cover bookings also made directly with the hotel. I book through the website, just to be sure, though.

I received this from customer service when I inquired about my bonus points;

Our summer promotion requires your reservations be made either through our website or through our reservation to qualify for the bonus points. I am showing that your reservation on 07/07/12 was made with the hotel directly.


While it doesn't affect me as a Diamond, I don't think this particular stricture should exist. I wonder why it does. Maybe because a lot more flexibility and accommodation are possible when a hotel works directly with a customer, and ChoiceHotels collectively feel they need to hold the line (at publicly offered rates) to cover the expense of the promo? Otherwise, it would seem that booking directly with the hotel ought to be on the legitimate side of the line.

[I was overwriting lwildernorva.]

While it doesn't affect me as a Diamond, I don't think this particular stricture should exist. I wonder why it does. Maybe because a lot more flexibility and accommodation are possible when a hotel works directly with a customer, and ChoiceHotels collectively feel they need to hold the line (at publicly offered rates) to cover the expense of the promo? Otherwise, it would seem that booking directly with the hotel ought to be on the legitimate side of the line.

[I was overwriting lwildernorva.]

I believe the hotel pays less to Choice when a reservation is made directly with the hotel, so Choice is probably trying to encourage booking through their more lucrative channels.