Choice Privileges - When can we expect the next promotion?

I was a huge fan & benefactor of the choice program promos last year. Will it be spring before we see another?

I would expect a promo by mid-February. (The current promo advertised on the site is the Preferred Hotels promo, which expires Jan. 29.)

The longer they don't give a hint of what the next promo will be, let alone when exactly it will be, the longer I wait to book any Choice stays for the next few months (because I can't tell if the promo will be better for points or miles, and I can't change from one to the other after I make a reservation online!).

(While not last year, in previous years they had a "triple" promo that also worked for miles/credits, where if you were doing hotel hopping at ultracheap hotels it made much more value sense to earn miles -- or Southwest credits -- than points. But obviously, at times when they do "stay X earn XXk bonus points" promos then it only makes sense to earn points!)

It is possible to change your preference from miles to points or points to miles at check-in. I did it just last weekend.

The longer they don't give a hint of what the next promo will be, let alone when exactly it will be, the longer I wait to book any Choice stays for the next few months (because I can't tell if the promo will be better for points or miles, and I can't change from one to the other after I make a reservation online!).

(While not last year, in previous years they had a "triple" promo that also worked for miles/credits, where if you were doing hotel hopping at ultracheap hotels it made much more value sense to earn miles -- or Southwest credits -- than points. But obviously, at times when they do "stay X earn XXk bonus points" promos then it only makes sense to earn points!)

The longer they wait for the new promo, the less business they get from me. An award of just base Choice Privileges points is not worth it, especially when Priority Club started their new promo on 1/12.

To be honest, I'm surprised that they haven't announced their next promotion. Even though they have one going with the Preferred Hotels, they don't have a stay based promotion. I was looking at my stays last year and they started a Triple point promotion on the first of February. As stated above, I would think mid February at the latest.

I'm told a "stay twice, get extra points" promo will be beginning mid-February.

I'm at one of my "normal" Quality Inns. I see that they've jumped the gun & put up all of the paraphernalia for the upcoming promotion. As shown in the title, this one is called Freeville & as stated in the last post, it is another stay 2 times - get enough points for a free night. I don't see any of the details for the extra points - i.e. balance adjusted to 8k on the second stay or a 8k bonus?

The dates on the promo items around the property are Feb 5th to Apr 30th.

Kudos to Choice for their continued points earning bonus' - now lets hope they don't have any more unannounced devaluations for redemptions in '09 & beyond.

As shown in the title, this one is called Freeville & as stated in the last post, it is another stay 2 times - get enough points for a free night. I don't see any of the details for the extra points - i.e. balance adjusted to 8k on the second stay or a 8k bonus?
Now that the 20009 point booking promo is over, they've finally put Freevile on the main site. Here is the link to the Freeville-specific page which has the T&Cs:

http://www.choicehotels.com/ires/en-US/html/StayTwoTimesPromotion

Interesting "loophole" possible: Although you only earn 6000 points total if both of your stays (of a pair) are at 5-point-per-mile properties (EconoLodge, etc), it sure sounds like you would earn 8000 points total if just one of your stays (of each pair of stays) was there while the other was at a 10-point-per-mile property (Quality, Comfort, etc). Some people may be able to save money by alternating between a 5-point and a 10-point property while still earning 8000 points every time, which is I think the first time (since these properties got integrated just over a year ago) that we've had a promo where we can do just as well with at least some of our stays being at those "downscalest of all" properties.

And it's not capped this time. Yaay!

I have a very convenient EconoLodge nearby where I can get a 60+ rate of $32/night. I'll have to do the math, but I think it'll be much better for me money-wise to do that.

Also working the Marriott Megabonus and Hilton double-points, and I'll be out of the country for the best part of April. Got some serious calendar/spreadsheet work to do. :)

I already have three nights booked at different hotels during the promotional period. I made the reservations on the official website. Do I need to cancel and rebook to take advantage of this offer?

I already have three nights booked at different hotels during the promotional period. I made the reservations on the official website. Do I need to cancel and rebook to take advantage of this offer?

It looks like you should be fine. The terms speak only of stay dates, not reservation dates.

The free night is based on an 8,000 point Choice Privileges reward night level. Bonus points will be added to points earned from every two qualifying stays at eligible rates with arrival between Feb. 5 and April 30, 2009, to reach the 8,000 point reward level; however if both stays are at Choice's 5 points per dollar earning brands (MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn), only enough bonus points will be added to reach the 6,000 point reward night level. Members may use bonus points for a free night at our hotels, recognizing the 6,000 or 8,000 point award level, as applicable, or may be applied toward a higher award level. Although members can redeem 6,000 points for a free stay at many of our hotels, the majority of our hotels require a higher award level. Qualifying stays at Ascend Collection hotels are also eligible for this offer. Choice Privileges number must be provided upon check-in for the stay to be eligible. A stay is defined as any number of consecutive nights at one hotel regardless of check-ins or check-outs. Allow 72 hours from check-out for points to post to your account. You must maintain an address in the U.S. (including U.S. territories), Canada or Mexico to be eligible for this promotion. For program details, eligible rates and point redemption rules, visit choiceprivileges.com.
http://www.choicehotels.com/ires/en-US/html/StayTwoTimesPromotion

That's as long as you booked them with the earnings preference for Choice, rather than an airline. If you did the latter, you can ask the person checking you in to change it, but to be surer it's done right, you could cancel and rebook as long as there isn't a rate increase. I did this and found that the rate had gone down, which I wouldn't have looked for.

I have a very convenient EconoLodge nearby where I can get a 60+ rate of $32/night. I'll have to do the math, but I think it'll be much better for me money-wise to do that.

I found one for less than $32 including tax on a trip scheduled for next month :eek: I was taking the trip anyway and the free continental breakfast doesn't hurt ...

I was taking the trip anyway and the free continental breakfast doesn't hurt ...Don't get all excited about the 'continental breakfast'. It's likely to be yesterday's doughnut and a cup of coffee-like liquid.

But it is free, and the price is right, so...

Don't assume EconoLodge is the cheapest tho. (It's only the one with the cheapest name. :) ) In the Anaheim area for next week, there's at least one Quality Inn (that's reasonably decent) for less than most of the EconoLodges (some of which get horrid reviews in TripAdvisor). It's actually Rodeway's that are the price bottomers there...

The EconoLodge free breakfast is pretty meager even by motel breakfast standards.

I won't stay at EconoLodge or Rodeway properties without seeing solid reviews on Trip Advisor. There are some incredible dumps in those chains.

1) Can anyone confirm the alternating m.o.? Or are we better off leaving that one alone (e.g., no answer)?

2) BigLar, have you done the b/e, or a rough one? Seems a rough indicator might be the distance between $30 stays and 6,000 points, and $60 stays and 8,000. Though I did have several Quality stays (and a Clarion!) at <$40, last month.

3) I would never earn miles directly into an airline program from ChoicePrivileges, unless it's just to keep an account alive. Isn't accumulating Choice points and then converting them over always better leverage? (I haven't spent much time looking beyond the Southwest RR conversion -- albeit not what it was.)

If there's no special promotion going on, and your main objective is Southwest RR credits, I think for a stay of under $150 getting the half RR credit is better than getting Choice points.

1) Can anyone confirm the alternating m.o.? Or are we better off leaving that one alone (e.g., no answer)?

2) BigLar, have you done the b/e, or a rough one? Seems a rough indicator might be the distance between $30 stays and 6,000 points, and $60 stays and 8,000. Though I did have several Quality stays (and a Clarion!) at <$40, last month.I have a stay at an EconoLodge coming up, and I'll follow it with one at a Quality Inn.

According to the T&C's, that should be good for 8000 points, since they specifically state that:

"...however if both stays are at Choice's 5 points per dollar earning brands (MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn), only enough bonus points will be added to reach the 6,000 point reward night level."

Seems pretty clear to me.

Unfortunately, this time I won't be able to hit it for more than 5 or 6 bonuses because of other stuff going on, specifically the Marriott Megabonus. Much as I like these Choice points, 50K Marriott points are worth considerably more to me. :)

1)I would never earn miles directly into an airline program from ChoicePrivileges, unless it's just to keep an account alive. Isn't accumulating Choice points and then converting them over always better leverage? (I haven't spent much time looking beyond the Southwest RR conversion -- albeit not what it was.)
It depends on your stay patterns, and whether there's a promo going on, and if so what that promo is.

Certainly during this promo period (or any similar one) where the promo gives you tons of bonus points, and works only with points, it certainly makes sense to earn points and then (if you wish) convert to miles/credits later.

But when there's no earning promo going on (like was the case all January), if you are doing cheap one-night stays, you can earn a flat 250 miles or 0.5 Southwest creidts for even the cheapest (qualifying) shortest stay, but in points you would earn signficantly less if your stay is well under $100. For example, with Southwest, you'd earn 2.0 with only 4 stays, but with cheap one-night stays, you'd likely take 6 or more stays if your stays are under $100 and you have no status, or 6 or more stays if your stays are under $65 and you have Platinum status. (If your stays are even cheaper -- and at least two posts in recent days talked about $40ish Quality stays -- then it'd take even more stays to earn the same amount of credits/miles through earning points.)

And if the earning promo happens to be double points/miles/credits, the math works out the same as no promo at all. So it has to be a promo that works better (or only) with points before the math changes to make points get you more on cheap one-night stays.

Points all taken (the double entendre is entendre).....

:o:o:o:o:o:o:o (Sleeps or points of embarrassment at $40 or less.)

I really goofed, last month. Stuck in a rut. But thanks. Really.

Figured the trip was gonna happen... the price was right... even if no promo... might as well bank the stays for Gold. At least it wasn't too bloody (easy to say now, tougher at the other end when verging on a RR or CP, and kicking myself) or too painful in the doing. And, hey, as I said in the other thread, at these prices, it's like a free night after every two or three nights, points aside...

I have a stay at an EconoLodge coming up, and I'll follow it with one at a Quality Inn.

According to the T&C's, that should be good for 8000 points, since they specifically state that:

"...however if both stays are at Choice's 5 points per dollar earning brands (MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn), only enough bonus points will be added to reach the 6,000 point reward night level."As advertised, the 8000 point bonus showed up.

So, my path is clear ... a night in the EconoLodge, followed by a night in a Quality Inn.

I also got the 40% Diamond bonus for the EL stay (big whoop :)) but I haven't seen the cc bill yet. I assume it will be 5 points/$, same as any Choice property.

After blowing through nearly 300K points (and getting what I consider very good value for them; see other threads), I'm going to continue sliding in Choice stays whenever I can. In fact, that EL is so cheap (~$32/night), it lends itself to mattress runs.

As advertised, the 8000 point bonus showed up.

So, my path is clear ... a night in the EconoLodge, followed by a night in a Quality Inn...

...I'm going to continue sliding in Choice stays whenever I can. In fact, that EL is so cheap (~$32/night), it lends itself to mattress runs.

In sync. Thanks for confirming. And especially as I see QIs still < $40, too. :)