sdsearch - Have only been to Scandinavia twice, but your description of Choice coverage in intriguing. Still in the end, I was trying to narrow the focus of discussion on best MC/Visa card for generating points exchangeable for hotel nights at quality hotels. The Choice brand as an option still seems iffy, particularly when,as you say, the best accrual method is spending my money in the hotels.... which is not my original premise. I do however agree that HH hotels can be extremely spotty (like just about any UK hotel), so maybe I shouldn't be too quick to judge. It seems like you could make a case that in certain locales, the Choice option could work, though it also seems clear that it would not be a consistent winner but might provide some nuggets.

That said.. 2 pts/$ and occasional bargain redemptions at nice hotels would be fine with me. I will continue due diligence on Choice hotel redemption offerings to see if it might fit my travels.