goliath

From their website:

iahphx

Continuing the old thread, thanks GUWonder, for that tip about Choice and Scandinavia. I haven't redeemed in Scandinavia in a few years, but I have a trip planned for 2017. I guess I'll need to review the "carnage" -- which isn't necessarily so easy to do given that Choice (unlike all the other programs) doesn't let you book a stay more than a couple months in advance. Obviously, another reason to be "conservative" with Choice points buying. Of course, we don't even know yet what price they'll be selling those points for.

Frankly, in general, I doubt that Daily Getaways will have blockbuster deals this year. I might just wind up with a few Alamo certificates.

miadukes

I'm quoting you since we were talking about choice points but yes for me, it doesn't matter for use in scandinavia (although I would love a trip anywhere there) choice points for me are still the best bang for the buck for my local stays as well as for my weekend getaways, i can often redeem 6k and 8k nights so i will be stocking up on these no matter what. The most I spend is 16k and even that is a good deal, considering if they sell them more or less like last year. Let's see. I am glad to see that competition will be less but I still plan on stocking up on these as these get me about 75% of my nights throughout the year.

GUWonder

Choice hotels that used to more or less have last room availability using Choice points in Scandinavia now limit availability using points to a minority or slight majority of rooms when before it was basically 90-100% of regular paid rate rooms were available if wanting to use Choice points.

The cash+points-and-then-cancel to buy Choice points on the cheap has become my strategy to balance the reduction in available Nordic Choice hotel deals using the US Choice points. So even if I were to want to buy the USTA Daily Getaway packages for Choice hotels, it would be for the minimum to intelligently play the points+cash-and-refund-for-points method to avoid stocking up a huge stash of points subject to devaluation and unlikely to be as valuable going forward as they used to be.

I still have some Universal and Seaworld tickets left from the last USTA-DG deal. Have to use those soon too. I still have leftover Choice points from prior USTA-DG deals, and that is despite being around Nordic Choice hotels a bunch each month for years now.

My suggestion for Choice points is to buy no more than one package from the USTA-DG deal and then buy the points via the cash+points method within (or near) the 30/60/75/100 day window within which award redemptions are allowed. Given Choice points can mostly not be used to book stays more than 60 days in advance, it's not a great idea to have too huge a collection of points that could be subject to yet another devaluation on rather short notice at that.

My suggestion for things like the Universal, Busch Gardens and Seaworld tickets is that they can be a great deal, if you are going to use them for sure.

michael_v

How much do Choice points cost using the cash and points trick?

Just a reminder that some (most?) Nordic Choice hotels offer both breakfast and dinner for free.

GUWonder

Most all -- perhaps now even all -- Nordic Choice hotels include breakfast for all guests. Amongst Nordic Choice hotels, only the "Clarion Collection" hotels include breakfast and the light evening meal for all guests. The Nordic Choice's regular "Clarion" hotels do not include the light evening meal. Only a small minority of Nordic Choice hotels are "Clarion Collection" hotels.

$15 for each set of 2000 points using the cash+points trick, and it works for those having at least 6k points. Buying the USTA DG packages has a substantially lower cost, but then you are also buying a bundle and facing the devaluation risk and issues with the very limited booking window to use points that messes up people who like to plan their trips well in advance of 30-60 days.

michael_v

Thanks for the detailed information!

iahphx

What Choice hotels are you staying at for 6,000 or 8,000 points these days? There aren't many of them. And the number I would willingly stay at is extremely small. Most plausible properties are 2x that, and a lot of properties, even $100 ones, are 25,000+ points.

miadukes

Actually there's quite a few for me that are great value like that for quick weekend and are actually decent hotels. There is one that usually is 10k-12k that ia also nice when we do a one night staycation but I think now its up to 16 for winter.

Yellowjj

Anyone have luck using a non US credit card to purchase?

lwildernorva

I think it's a seasonal thing. I stayed at a Quality Suites just off International Drive for 6K points between Christmas and New Year's, but that property is 12K this spring, and the Quality I used to stay at in Winter Park is now apparently 12K as well all year round. Given that I don't see much use in staying on points at a 12K hotel I can get for $100/night, I generally will pay the price, especially during a "stay twice, get one free" promo.

Like with a lot of loyalty programs, there are sweet spots, but like a lot of loyalty programs, they're getting increasingly difficult to find. I now tend to survey spots I'm likely to visit on a regular basis even if I don't have current plans to visit, like Ireland, Italy, Orlando, Myrtle Beach, NYC, the DC area, and Northern California, just to see if any properties have dropped their award redemption requirements before I invest heavily in points purchases.

iahphx

Could you give an example?

I try to book lots of Choice hotel stays. I don't see many (any?) for 6,000 or 8,000 points these days. In general, you're going to get a poorly rated econolodge for that price -- if you can get anything at all. It's hard to find decent places to stay for 16,000 in the program.

goliath

Yes, I have used various non-US credit cards for years.

tassojunior

The Clarion Prague City Center. I stay there a lot buying points for less than half what the lowest rate is for rooms. A great hotel/location.

muji

Comfort Hotels in Tokyo go for 8,000 points/night.