Choice Privileges - Choice points or 10th night free at hotels.com

I've been a choice hotels regular the past few years, as the rewards program is pretty good in terms of free rooms.

Hotels.com has introduced (a while back) a program where you book a total of 10 nights with them, and you earn a free night at any of their price match hotels.

I've got several trips planned where I can use either choice.com or hotels.com locations. In one case it is the same hotel, so I'm trying to put a dollar value on the points earned with the choice rewards program.

Of course, a lot depends on the location where you spend your points. Some are mediocre and charge 20,000 a night while some are good for only 8,000. You have to spend a lot more to earn those 20,000 points. The hotels.com reward is rather simple; 10 paid nights earns you a free night almost anywhere you choose.

I'm trying to look for the best value in terms of maximum return for the money spent. Any thoughts on this? Does anyone have any experience with this program at hotels.com?

how many Choice points would you earn for your 10 nights?

how many Choice points would you earn for your 10 nights?

I use the choice hotels VISA card, and I have Diamond status, so if the average room cost runs $85/night, for a 10 night run I would earn something on the order of 14,000 points. Not bad, but if I wanted a night at a 20,000 point/night location, I'd be out of luck.

If I had booked thru hotels.com, those 10 nights would get me a free night anywhere, if I read their offer correctly.

If I had booked thru hotels.com, those 10 nights would get me a free night anywhere, if I read their offer correctly.
Yes, so long as the rate you pay is at least $40, the rate you redeem at is $400 or less, and all of the properties are "Price Match Guarantee" properties.

It does seem like a good deal.
Of course, when Choice is running their promos, that can be a great deal as well.

If Choice is running a big promo, I would probably have to go with them. On the three stay / 14,000 promo that just ended, one would have earned 42,000+ Choice Privileges points (I don't think it was capped, although I only earned one bonus).

In Europe, that could be close to $1,000 in hotel stays.

What is the expiration policy for the hotels.com deal? (Or are you planning to use this benefit so soon that it doesn't matter.) IIRC, Choice points expire two years after they are earned. Also, you can only redeem for a choice award within 30 days for US travel or 60 days for overseas travel (more if you are elite), so that should play in as well- how easy/convenient will it be to redeem your travel at a time/place you really want?

What is the expiration policy for the hotels.com deal?
"If you do not make any qualifying bookings or if you do not redeem any free nights in any eighteen-month period, your Account may be closed and you will any lose loyalty credits and unredeemed free nights that you have already earned. Hotels.com may modify any of the terms and conditions governing the Program — including, but not limited to, the rules for earning loyalty credits, the rules for redeeming loyalty credits, the hotels at which free nights may be redeemed, and the maximum value of a free night — at any time, with or without notice, even though these changes may affect your ability to use any loyalty credits or unredeemed free nights you have already earned."
One big downside I see is that you are limited to one free night per booking (though maybe you could just do back-to-back free night bookings).
http://www.hotels.com/termsAndConditionsPopup.do