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Spring 2013 promo: 2 stays = 1 free night (8000 points)

Spring 2013 promo: 2 stays = 1 free night (8000 points)

Old Feb 22, 2013, 5:26 pm
  #1  
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Exclamation Spring 2013 promo: 2 stays = 1 free night (8000 points)

Take two separate trips. Earn one night FREE at over 1,500 hotels

Register before your first stay below to earn unlimited free nights
Book at ChoiceHotels.com or 800.4CHOICE and after your second qualifying stay with arrival between February 28 and May 15, 2013 youll receive enough Choice Privileges points to redeem for a FREE night at over 1,500 hotels; corporate travelers can book through a travel agent or corporate booking system
Elite Diamond and Elite Platinum members can book directly with a hotel; however, if they book through ChoiceHotels.com these members will receive 100 additional Choice Privileges points with every qualifying stay
Stays at Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel or MainStay Suites hotels must be a minimum of two consecutive nights

*Free night is based on an 8,000 point Choice Privileges reward night level. Members must register at ChoiceHotels.com before arrival and book their stays at ChoiceHotels.com or 800.4CHOICE at qualifying rates. Members may also book through a travel agent or corporate online booking system. Choice Privileges member number must be provided upon check-in. After a second qualifying stay with arrival between 2/28/13 and 5/15/13, you will be awarded a minimum of 5,000 and maximum of 8,000 points, depending on how many points were earned from your two (2) separate qualified stays. These bonus points will allow redemption for a free night at the 8,000 reward night level at over 1,500 hotels. A free night at most Choice Privileges locations requires more than 8,000 points. Choice Privileges Diamond and Platinum members who register and book through ChoiceHotels.com will receive an additional 100 Choice Privileges bonus points with every qualified stay during the promotional period.
For Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites or Ascend Hotel Collection hotels, a trip is defined as a stay that is any number of consecutive nights at one hotel regardless of check-ins or check-outs. For Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, or MainStay Suites hotels, a trip is defined as a stay that is two (2) or more consecutive nights at one hotel regardless of check-ins or check-outs. Allow 72 hours from check-out for points to post. You must maintain an address in the U.S. (including U.S. territories) or Canada to be eligible for this promotion. For Choice Privileges program details, eligible rates, eligible countries and point redemption rules, visit choiceprivileges.com.

link : http://www.choicehotels.com/en/arearnafreenight
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Old Feb 22, 2013, 7:30 pm
  #2  
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The good news (possibly) is that if they're running the "free night = 8000 points" again, there might well be a good chance that all our favorite hotels in Europe will again show up as 8000 points/night this Fall -- which is when I like to vacation in Europe.

O frabjous day!
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Old Feb 22, 2013, 9:39 pm
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Given the recent changes in many other hotel programs and the relative value of doing two nights in the US at relatively low cost hotels to earn a (as BigLar notes, possibly) free night at a European (and other areas around the world) property, Choice is now my number one program for actual stays at hotels (despite the recent changes, Hilton is still not a bad program to earn points through credit card signups--so long as you're not staying in "aspirational" properties, like the Maldives or Koh Samui).

As with all things, this will change eventually (and there are a number of ways it can), but I am happy to keep riding this horse as long as I can. Given my travels, there's a good chance I can spend about $600 at Choice properties to earn enough points to get four nights at properties in Ireland this summer that would probably cost $1200.

For me, I just aspire to save some money. . .
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Old Feb 22, 2013, 10:17 pm
  #4  
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Originally Posted by lwildernorva
... four nights at properties in Ireland this summer that would probably cost $1200.
Not to derail the thread, but I know you've spent time at the Clarion IFSC in Dublin (as did I). Was wondering if you were planning on hitting the other Choice props in the auld sod?

I know there are a couple I've had my eye on, but it would be nice to get one of your incredibly detailed and useful trip reports.
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Old Feb 23, 2013, 2:48 am
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They're ba-ack... Springtime with Choice Hotels.

^

Side note: Interesting that simply clicking on the "Register Now" button in the email brings up the "Thanks for registering for the promotion, ----!" confirmation page directly, no entering username and PIN. Was this the case before? Anyway, it's efficiency I'd love to see in their booking engine.

Last edited by Firewind; Feb 23, 2013 at 2:56 am
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Old Feb 23, 2013, 6:40 am
  #6  
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Originally Posted by lwildernorva
Given the recent changes in many other hotel programs and the relative value of doing two nights in the US at relatively low cost hotels to earn a .
What is a "relatively low cost" hotel in your opinion? Isn't it cheaper to purchase the points?
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Old Feb 23, 2013, 6:55 am
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This promotion will bring me back to points from miles. I took miles on the last promotion because I saw it as a better value.
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Old Feb 23, 2013, 8:06 am
  #8  
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Originally Posted by TallestHotelInJapan
What is a "relatively low cost" hotel in your opinion? Isn't it cheaper to purchase the points?
It's not hard in many areas (especially outside of city centers) to find $60/night or even less (it helps a bit if you can use one discount or another). Where can you (more than once a year for a few seconds) buy 8000 Choice points for $120ish???

Besides, it's not "buying" 8000 points for $120 if actually needed those two $60ish/night stays, is it??? So it's only if you're "mattress running" that this would be a comparison, I would think...
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Old Feb 23, 2013, 12:32 pm
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Originally Posted by sdsearch
It's not hard in many areas (especially outside of city centers) to find $60/night or even less (it helps a bit if you can use one discount or another). Where can you (more than once a year for a few seconds) buy 8000 Choice points for $120ish???

Besides, it's not "buying" 8000 points for $120 if actually needed those two $60ish/night stays, is it??? So it's only if you're "mattress running" that this would be a comparison, I would think...
Might be confused a bit by your presentation of facts here although I certainly agree with your overall argument. Standard price for Choice points is $11 for 1000, so you can buy 8K for $88 (currently there's a 10% bonus promo that would actually make that 8800 points). But the annual purchase cap is set at 20K. So, of the eleven routes (that I can think of) to get points (purchase, receive via a purchase/transfer from someone else, transfer from Amex MR, purchase during the Discover America promo, transfers from e-miles/e-rewards, credit to Choice for renting a vehicle rather than to the rental car program, a possible wildcard transfer from an airline/hotel program through some sort of barter site at a horrible exchange rate, make a purchase through the Choice mall, credit card bonuses and spending, pure mattress runs, and necessary stays), buying points is exhausted the quickest, is certainly more worthwhile than using a barter site, and seems only a little more efficient than a pure mattress run.

My stays are exclusively necessary stays. I guess if I were on 19 stays at the end of a year, I'd consider doing a mattress run to get the twentieth night (perhaps that miserable Rodeway Inn in Virginia Beach could still serve some purpose for me), but the last two years, I've stayed enough for Platinum but well short of Diamond. In some instances, Choice is my first choice anyway; in some instances, I will consider trading out a stay at another chain that might be more conveniently located for a Choice property, especially when this promo is running.

And BigLar stay tuned. I may stay at the Irish properties in Limerick and Sligo when I go this summer in addition to the Dublin IFSC--more likely Sligo as the world-class County Sligo Golf Club is nearby but possibly Limerick if my travels take me that way.

But first, my March trip to Italy and stays at the Choice Fiumicino and the Clarion Hotel Principessa Isabella plus a return to the Bolivar to see if there are any significant good or bad changes.

And, maybe all of those stays for little more than a one-night redemption at a top-level Hilton property under the newly announced changes to HHonors.

Last edited by lwildernorva; Feb 23, 2013 at 12:37 pm
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Old Feb 23, 2013, 12:46 pm
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Originally Posted by lwildernorva
Might be confused a bit by your presentation of facts here although I certainly agree with your overall argument. Standard price for Choice points is $11 for 1000, so you can buy 8K for $88 (currently there's a 10% bonus promo that would actually make that 8800 points). But the annual purchase cap is set at 20K. So, of the eleven routes (that I can think of) to get points (purchase, receive via a purchase/transfer from someone else, transfer from Amex MR, purchase during the Discover America promo, transfers from e-miles/e-rewards, credit to Choice for renting a vehicle rather than to the rental car program, a possible wildcard transfer from an airline/hotel program through some sort of barter site at a horrible exchange rate, make a purchase through the Choice mall, credit card bonuses and spending, pure mattress runs, and necessary stays), buying points is exhausted the quickest, is certainly more worthwhile than using a barter site, and seems only a little more efficient than a pure mattress run.
I think they're referring to the Discover America promo. Last year I bought 32,000 points for something in the $150 range. At 8K/night, that's cheap stayin' in Europe.
Originally Posted by lwildernorva
And BigLar stay tuned. I may stay at the Irish properties in Limerick and Sligo when I go this summer in addition to the Dublin IFSC--more likely Sligo as the world-class County Sligo Golf Club is nearby but possibly Limerick if my travels take me that way.

But first, my March trip to Italy and stays at the Choice Fiumicino and the Clarion Hotel Principessa Isabella plus a return to the Bolivar to see if there are any significant good or bad changes.

And, maybe all of those stays for little more than a one-night redemption at a top-level Hilton property under the newly announced changes to HHonors.
Good on you.

I seem to recall a property (near Limerick?) that seemed more like a B&B than a hotel, and it looked really nice and quaint. Not sure if we'd ever get near Sligo, but my ancestors go back somewhere near Shannon - I'll really have to brush up on my Irish history/geography, especially with the cheap BOS-DUB flights available with my BA Avios. Ireland is a wonderful country.

Finally, as I said before (I think), I have part of my family going into Rome for a couple of days this Fall. Hate to have to pick a hotel blindly. Your reviews are much appreciated.
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Old Feb 23, 2013, 2:27 pm
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Originally Posted by BigLar
I think they're referring to the Discover America promo. Last year I bought 32,000 points for something in the $150 range. At 8K/night, that's cheap stayin' in Europe.
Good on you.

I seem to recall a property (near Limerick?) that seemed more like a B&B than a hotel, and it looked really nice and quaint. Not sure if we'd ever get near Sligo, but my ancestors go back somewhere near Shannon - I'll really have to brush up on my Irish history/geography, especially with the cheap BOS-DUB flights available with my BA Avios. Ireland is a wonderful country.

Finally, as I said before (I think), I have part of my family going into Rome for a couple of days this Fall. Hate to have to pick a hotel blindly. Your reviews are much appreciated.
Your interpretation of sdsearch's post makes sense. I got 76K last year and hope to replenish my stash if Choice participates again in May--although it's clearly ironic that I'm using points purchased through Discover America to discover areas around the rest of the world.

I think Sligo might be the B&B property; at least, it's nice and quaint:


The Limerick property looks more modern, like the IFSC: .

I'm sure neither is worth 8K points.
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Old Feb 23, 2013, 3:19 pm
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Actually, this is the property I was thinking of, in/near Limerick. Some of the Tripadvisor reviews were interesting, IIRC.

Edit: Although this is an all-suite hotel and gets good reviews, I was unable to find any dates available between now and October. On the Google search bar, the suggestions "Clarion suites limerick closed" came up. Though I couldn't get anything specific, I fear the place may have gone - and not just from the Choice program. A pity - seemed like a right nice little place.

Last edited by BigLar; Feb 23, 2013 at 3:41 pm
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Old Feb 23, 2013, 4:13 pm
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Originally Posted by BigLar
Actually, this is the property I was thinking of, in/near Limerick. Some of the Tripadvisor reviews were interesting, IIRC.

Edit: Although this is an all-suite hotel and gets good reviews, I was unable to find any dates available between now and October. On the Google search bar, the suggestions "Clarion suites limerick closed" came up. Though I couldn't get anything specific, I fear the place may have gone - and not just from the Choice program. A pity - seemed like a right nice little place.
I had seen that one on the Choice website but noticed the "Not Available" as well. Checking TripAdvisor, the last review is nearly a year old. The most recent one for the Clarion Hotel Limerick is less than ten days old. Makes you wonder. . .
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Old Feb 24, 2013, 7:28 am
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Well, the Sligo property is huge. Luckily, they have maps in the wings, so you can find your way back to the reception. We were allowed to book suites for our 8,000 points - for all 4 rooms. The suites were very large. Some of the walls were thin, as we heard the people next door to us, but only in the living room. The hotel has a chapel on site and seems to do a brisk wedding business.

We also stayed at the Clarion in Cork. It is very well located and we enjoyed the hotel. The parking is not easy to find. You have to go down a street marked with no entrance in order to get into the garage entrance. We did not have the opportunity to book suites at the this hotel, but the rooms that we had were spacious.
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Old Feb 24, 2013, 12:26 pm
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Originally Posted by KathinJax
Well, the Sligo property is huge. Luckily, they have maps in the wings, so you can find your way back to the reception. We were allowed to book suites for our 8,000 points - for all 4 rooms. The suites were very large. Some of the walls were thin, as we heard the people next door to us, but only in the living room. The hotel has a chapel on site and seems to do a brisk wedding business.

We also stayed at the Clarion in Cork. It is very well located and we enjoyed the hotel. The parking is not easy to find. You have to go down a street marked with no entrance in order to get into the garage entrance. We did not have the opportunity to book suites at the this hotel, but the rooms that we had were spacious.
Well, now you've given me a reason to swing by Cork. The money I save on my accommodations might allow me a return visit to the Old Head Golf Links just outside Kinsale about 30 miles south of Cork:
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