Choice Privileges - Anyone know when the Europe sale ends?

I'm new guys, just bought some points with the Daily Getaways offer. Had only a handful of points prior to that.

If I understand correctly I can only book 60 days out. Currently Europe is showing availability with lots of 8,000, 10 and 16k rooms, even 90 or 120 days out, even though I know I can't book these yet. I'm just curious if anyone knows how long the sale is likely to last?

Thanks!

p.s. If a Europe hotel sells a "family" room for 2 adults and 2 children for 8,000 points, are they likely to turn us out on the street? Is this a glitch? Most hotel programs only allow two to stay in a room on award stays but I've noticed that with the Choice Europe sale some properties are offering the bigger rooms for the same price as the smaller rooms.

p.s. If a Europe hotel sells a "family" room for 2 adults and 2 children for 8,000 points, are they likely to turn us out on the street? Is this a glitch? Most hotel programs only allow two to stay in a room on award stays but I've noticed that with the Choice Europe sale some properties are offering the bigger rooms for the same price as the smaller rooms.

They have always managed to deliver for my stays. There have been a couple of incidents -- mostly in Norway -- where a hotel has ended up trying to get away with assigning something other than what I booked, but in the end have always gotten what I needed to be comfortable. Mostly, I generally get assigned what I booked, including "family rooms" and other "larger" accommodations.

I'm new guys, just bought some points with the Daily Getaways offer. Had only a handful of points prior to that.

If I understand correctly I can only book 60 days out. Currently Europe is showing availability with lots of 8,000, 10 and 16k rooms, even 90 or 120 days out, even though I know I can't book these yet. I'm just curious if anyone knows how long the sale is likely to last?

Thanks!

p.s. If a Europe hotel sells a "family" room for 2 adults and 2 children for 8,000 points, are they likely to turn us out on the street? Is this a glitch? Most hotel programs only allow two to stay in a room on award stays but I've noticed that with the Choice Europe sale some properties are offering the bigger rooms for the same price as the smaller rooms.

In the Choice program, all available award rooms go for the same redemption price--so, there's no glitch if a hotel offers a suite for an 8K redemption price. You are correct that European hotels tend to check occupancy levels so put in an accurate number of room inhabitants when you book, but you shouldn't have a problem otherwise.

The 8K redemptions are somewhat a mystery. They come and they go. My (wholly speculative and unsubstantiated) theory is that the European properties and Choice play a mutually beneficial game--Choice wants to hang their promos on the assumption that a significant number of properties in their family are available for 8K per night (thus, stay two, get one free, when you actually earn 8K points). I think we see the European and other foreign properties available at these amounts because most Choice members are American and aren't likely to take advantage of these values or even bother to check their availability. Thus, it's an offered benefit with very little cost to the chain or the individual properties.

The bottom line: redemption requirements can and do change dramatically on short notice. If you see a redemption available within your booking window, take it.

http://www.choicehotelsuk.co.uk/en/free-night/ shows a promotion end date of May 15th, though that is hopefully a lower bound. Are you seeing nights beyond that at the hotel(s) you want?

"After a second qualifying stay, enough Choice Privileges points will be added to reach the 8,000 point level, which can be redeemed for a free night at any participating hotel in Europe (excluding Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden) between 8 March 2012 and 15 May 2012 or can be used for any other redemption option. Following the promotion, a free night at most Choice Privileges locations in Europe will be more than 8,000 points."

http://www.choicehotelsuk.co.uk/en/free-night/ shows a promotion end date of May 15th, though that is hopefully a lower bound. Are you seeing nights beyond that at the hotel(s) you want?

"After a second qualifying stay, enough Choice Privileges points will be added to reach the 8,000 point level, which can be redeemed for a free night at any participating hotel in Europe (excluding Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden) between 8 March 2012 and 15 May 2012 or can be used for any other redemption option. Following the promotion, a free night at most Choice Privileges locations in Europe will be more than 8,000 points."

The US version of the stay two, earn one free promo has just expired in the US. Even without this promo, however, many of the European properties are and, at varying times in the past, have been available for an 8K redemption, not just during this promotion. A number of these properties currently show that these redemptions will extend beyond May 15 (in fact, even beyond the next redemption window that begins July 1, including one of particular interest to me, the Clarion Dubliin IFSC). The recent history of the availability of these awards has been somewhat volatile with properties suddenly jumping from 8K to 20 or 25K and then later dropping back into the 8-10K range.

(... including one of particular interest to me, the Clarion Dubliin IFSC).We spent a few nights there a couple of years ago. Very nice.

If you've been there before, you know all about it. If not, rather than hijack the thread, PM me if you want a mini-review.