Choice Privileges - The competition: The "new" Motel 6?!

I recently stayed at a "new concept" Motel 6. I think it could give Choice Hotels a run for their money like not before.

The room had a wall-mounted 30"+ flat-screen TV with connections including UBS, a platform bed, wood floor (actually Pergo? Perko?), real black granite countertop with an inset white porcelain bowl sink (extending 4" above the counter) and modern fixture, a rain shower head, and a corner banquette (sp?) seating area. To me it felt like a scaled-down (sq. ft.) version of a Hyatt Place room. Definitely not your father's Motel 6.

I read about this in USA Today a few months ago. The article said it was an initiative by Accor to update the hotels to its other chains' European or at least modern standards, and that franchisees and managers were being dragged along kicking and screaming. The Accor powers said that it will happen. However, it likely will take a while for them to come online. And at least for now, it's random whether you'll end up with one.

I know that there are Choice people who would never stay at a Motel 6 (and Hilton/Hyatt/Marriott/Starwood devotees who would never stay at a Choice). But when the new concept is prevalent, if/when the economy comes back and Choice's prices come back up, they'll be serious competition to Choice.

OTOH, I am staying in the second Comfort property this week where the TVs had been upgraded to flatpanel and the crummy channel lineup has been updated to real digital cable, since my last stay at these properties a few months ago. (I didn't stay much at Choice since I maxed out the fall promo.* :) )

And these were not expensive ones: One (CI&S) I paid $59/night, the other (CI) $55/night, SOS rate.

*And that brings us to the other point: They need to improve not just the properties, but the frequent guest program, over at Motel 6/Accor.

Precisely.

On another thread, I reported the sudden screw-up in our family reunion plans, and as an alternative I can book 5 rooms for 7 nights at a decent place in London, all with the points I made on the last couple of promos with Choice. Not to mention the nights I got with the Preferred promo a few weeks ago.

Motel 6 does provide the basics, but at the end of the day, all you get is a receipt.

Given the choice (hee hee) between an M6 and a CP property, if the price was anywhere near comparable it would be Choice every time.

And now that they've included the bottom rung in the program, Motel 6 just drops off my radar screen.