(List?) hotels with variable point redemption rates
 

The regular redemption rate at the Rodeway in Rohnert Park is 8,000 points. When I tried to reserve with points a day ahead, it was 11,000.

I did not know that redemption rates varied. But if this is common, then this thread is moot, of course.

It is common in some areas, less common in others. I've run into with multiple hotels in Monterey CA and with multiple hotels in London UK, for example.

But are you sure it's because "days ahead"? It usually is based on a calendar, but it can change at whatever times the hotel wants, so it may have changed Sep 15, or be changing Oct 1, etc. Somewhere in the hotel listing you can find a near-term calendar which tends to cover at least the next half year or so usually. (Of course, they could change their minds I guess, but it seems most hotels with variable rates know ahead of time when they're going to change the rates, because of recurring seasonal patterns in their business I presume.)

It was one data point - the "day ahead" - but the first that I was exposed to the practice. So, I also didn't know that there's a pattern or a schedule.**

And this is good to know; I'll look for it:


** Is this practice unique to Choice? I have just used Hyatt, Hilton and Choice in recent years, and only see Hilton come close with their Point Stretchers.

Not at all - IHG has "Point Breaks" - the major difference is that Choice often has these 'scheduled' and more often than not you can see what the redemption rate is for a given season on each property's main page.

Well, at least in details (having the points redemption rates for each hotel change several times a year, between multiple -- not just two -- redemption levels in some cases, and having advance notice for about half a year ahead), Choice is unique.

I've seen Best Western redemption rates change apparently with the season (in Brfyce Canyon City in early July, Ruby's in was sometihng like 28kk/night while Grand was 16k/night, while in late September both were 20k), though it might have simply been a realignment for all I know.

As already mentioned, Priority Club's PointsBreaks (where it's always 5k/night) are way better than Hilton HHonors' PointsStrechers (which are only a discount from the regular rate, and thus hardly ever close to 5k or even 8k for most hotels since the "devaluation").

But, obviously, most other hotel programs have occasional promos using free night vouchers, and those are in a sense a different rate (since when they're offered, they often can be earned in a situation where you wouldn't earn that many points normally, but meanwhile they can usually be used at properties which normally charge a lot of points). Choice doesn't have that; they do everything (even gift cards earned via stays) via points!

Thank you, sdsearch and pmaddock. :)