frugal_flyer

I was looking to book a room at one of the Choice properties in Atlantic City over Easter weekend. I noticed that the point requirement for Friday and Saturday nights was higher than for Thursday. As far as I can tell, this day-of-week point pricing is only in Atlantic City for now; I checked New York, Chicago, New Orleans, etc, and did not see similar point differentials.

If this is a way forward for the Choice program, it is essentially a devaluation.

I only bring this up because I did not see this mentioned elsewhere. In other words, beware of this weekend pricing possibly turning up in a city *you* wish to stay in.

Cyberian

It's happening on at least one in Las Vegas also- Comfort Inn & Suites on Marks St. in Henderson. 12K weekdays, 16K weekends.

Haven't seen any in LAX yet

GUWonder

They've had seasonal pricing differences before, but weekend price differences over weekday pricing had never caught my eye before this.

When Choice introduced cash+point stays and decided to overhaul the website, I took it as a sign that the program was on a path of innovation that was going to put at risk my ability to do with this program what I've been able to do before. Higher weekend point rates is a sign of that.

Firewind

Also, more points earned for Sun-Thur night paid stays after registering and choosing points in the new Extras program.

Dadofsix

I think these changes were made in conjunction with Choice's new "FlexRewards" program:
https://www.choicehotels.com/choice-...s/flex-rewards

It appears that Reward Night Redemption "point prices" have increased at some properties (especially for Friday & Saturday nights), while some have decreased.

Dadofsix

From the new FlexRewards page:
"You can also see the number of points needed for a free night by date on each property page."

I will say, this is an improvement to the current site.
However:
1) From what I recall, I believe the old site used to display this information anyway and I think it was basically "lost" when the current site was launched
2) Based on what I've seen so far, they're showing point prices only out to June 30th (I suppose since even Diamond Elites have a booking window of only 100 days, Choice doesn't feel the need to go very far out into the future)

ChoiceHotels

To clarify, FlexRewards is meant to decrease the point levels required to redeem for a free night at select hotels during either a weekday (Sunday – Thursday) or weekend (Friday – Saturday) stay. This means that you can get to a free night faster at these participating hotels during these select time periods. When our hotels have more availability either during the week (like those in a leisure destination), or on the weekend (like those in a business destination), we are proactively lowering the required points from the standard level for that season. In the Comfort Inn & Suites on Marks St. in Henderson example, you originally needed 16k points for a free night, regardless of day of week. Now through April 15, 2016, with FlexRewards, you only need 12k points if you’re staying on a weeknight (Sunday – Thursday).

- Jennifer, Choice Privileges Team

Firewind

Any chance we will see any properties go below 6,000?

Cyberian

As recently as my last stay there on points, 4/21/2015, NV070 was 10k per night, any day of the week. I'm fairly certain that was the points rate offered on my last two paid stays there in 12/15 also.

I'm not feeling the Flex.

edit to add that folios and past stays work again ya'll

Dadofsix

I would agree based on my stay there last year.

From my 2nd Quarter 2015 statement:
6/20/15 - 6/21/15 NV070; Comfort Inn & Suites; Henderson, NV -20,000
Note: 20k was for two rooms.

So this property obviously changed redemption levels at some point recently. It might have been shortly before the introduction of "FlexRewards" or possibly along with it. In any event, it's frustrating to me when deval's/reval's occur and members aren't informed of it in advance.

Firewind

...demand pricing is taking hold:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...226-story.html

While Disney uses it mainly to raise prices, Universal only uses it to discount lighter demand.