The game's afoot, Watson!
Oct 10, 2012, 6:39 am
#46
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: AZ FA+, A3 G, AB G | IHG RA, HGP D, FPC P, Accor P, BW D, HH D, Eleva, GHA P, 1862 Voyager
Posts: 1,852
Shhh... Europe on Sale again!
Happened to look for rooms in Munich, and everything is up for 8K
As is London, Paris, Zurich... you get this drift.
So I've booked for MUC and London - where I got some rooms with 175 GBP for 8K points.
Up till Nov 30, then it jumps to 25K
Paris Pavillion Opera looks great too!
As is London, Paris, Zurich... you get this drift.
So I've booked for MUC and London - where I got some rooms with 175 GBP for 8K points.
Up till Nov 30, then it jumps to 25K
Paris Pavillion Opera looks great too!
Last edited by ftnoob; Oct 12, 2012 at 7:44 am Reason: Solicitation not allowed outside CC
Oct 12, 2012, 11:15 am
#47
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
What do you mean "Shhh"? You let out the secret, by putting what is really happening in the thread title. 
It was previously kept secret by an obsucre thread title, but has been already discussed here (apparently too secretly for you ):
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/choic...ot-watson.html
It was previously kept secret by an obsucre thread title, but has been already discussed here (apparently too secretly for you
):http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/choic...ot-watson.html
Oct 12, 2012, 10:46 pm
#48
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oxford, Mississippi
Programs: Delta Silver thanks to Million Miles; Choice Plat., point scrounger everywhere
Posts: 1,595
It was previously kept secret by an obsucre thread title, but has been already discussed here (apparently too secretly for you ):
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/choic...ot-watson.html
):http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/choic...ot-watson.html
Oct 16, 2012, 11:37 am
#50
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,423
Interesting. I also currently have no European travel plans this winter, so there's nothing I can do with this information. I am planning a trip in June, and will also be in Australia during the (northern) summer, where the same crazy point fluctuations also take place. I guess all I can do is wait for my booking window to open and hope there's still a deal!
Oct 16, 2012, 7:43 pm
#51
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Quebec and Ontario, Canada
Programs: AC*E50, SPG/Marriott Plat
Posts: 1,917
Interesting. I also currently have no European travel plans this winter, so there's nothing I can do with this information. I am planning a trip in June, and will also be in Australia during the (northern) summer, where the same crazy point fluctuations also take place. I guess all I can do is wait for my booking window to open and hope there's still a deal!
All property are out of price (40k in Auckland...)
Oct 16, 2012, 10:02 pm
#52
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,423
Aw, that's too bad. Hopefully the 8K awards return for me next year. Otherwise, it's generally not a good deal to use Choice points in Australia/NZ -- unless the alternatives (like paying $200/night for 3 star accommodations) are worse.
Oct 26, 2012, 8:12 pm
#54
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Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Freeload Univ. Where are you sitting?
Posts: 14,818
A quick check shows everything in Dublin at 8000 points/night until the April 15, 2013. After that, who knows. But that's beyond my booking window anyhow.
Oct 26, 2012, 8:25 pm
#55
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Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,423
BTW, I wish there were more deals in the US. In some USA destinations, the redemption levels also make no sense. I just had to stay at a Days Inn in VT (14,000 Wyndham points), because I didn't want to pay 25,000 for a run-of-the-mill Quality Inn.
Oct 26, 2012, 8:49 pm
#56
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Freeload Univ. Where are you sitting?
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Back when I was staying at hotels on a regular basis, I don't think i ever used points for an ordinary stay ... the "earn here, burn there" mantra has never been more true than with Choice in Europe (and probably elsewhere, too - just not the US).
Of course, my whole purpose in staying in a hotel rather than renting an apartment or other approaches was to get dem points to spend in Europe. The fact that the Quality Inn was a little (a little?) run down didn't bother me much, as long as the roaches stayed out of sight.
Besides, I was usually hotel-hopping for some promo or other, and one night in Purgatory wasn't going to kill me.
Of course, my whole purpose in staying in a hotel rather than renting an apartment or other approaches was to get dem points to spend in Europe. The fact that the Quality Inn was a little (a little?) run down didn't bother me much, as long as the roaches stayed out of sight.
Besides, I was usually hotel-hopping for some promo or other, and one night in Purgatory wasn't going to kill me.
Oct 27, 2012, 7:51 am
#57
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORF
Programs: Amex Plat, AA, BA Silver, Marriott Plat, Choice Gold, HHonors Gold, IHG Diamond
Posts: 3,749
Back when I was staying at hotels on a regular basis, I don't think i ever used points for an ordinary stay ... the "earn here, burn there" mantra has never been more true than with Choice in Europe (and probably elsewhere, too - just not the US).
Of course, my whole purpose in staying in a hotel rather than renting an apartment or other approaches was to get dem points to spend in Europe. The fact that the Quality Inn was a little (a little?) run down didn't bother me much, as long as the roaches stayed out of sight.
Besides, I was usually hotel-hopping for some promo or other, and one night in Purgatory wasn't going to kill me.
Of course, my whole purpose in staying in a hotel rather than renting an apartment or other approaches was to get dem points to spend in Europe. The fact that the Quality Inn was a little (a little?) run down didn't bother me much, as long as the roaches stayed out of sight.
Besides, I was usually hotel-hopping for some promo or other, and one night in Purgatory wasn't going to kill me.
Oct 27, 2012, 6:28 pm
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,423
There can be some domestic US properties that I'd use points on--I found some in Northern California this year that were good 8K redemptions--but Choice has spoiled me to the point where I'm unlikely to redeem at properties for much above 10K unless the cash price is over $250, like in NYC. Even with the summer trip to NoCal, I ended up booking half my rooms with cash (strategically placed so as to hotel hop without really changing my travel plans) and earning back half the points I'd spent on redemptions. I figure I just made my dollar stretch further and spent some of the money I saved on redemptions on other things during my trip--like golf and dinners!
Nov 20, 2012, 9:16 am
#59
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: MSP
Programs: DL GM, AMEX Business Platinum, AMEX Delta Reserve, DL SkyClub Member, Choice PM
Posts: 2,218
I looked at some hotels in Paris in May, but the availabilities are limited... For example Clarion Collection opera has no room at all during the week I checked, and during the week-end they have just single bed room... although there is a lot of room available with the best available rate 
Anyway, thanks BigLar for the alert...
Anyway, thanks BigLar for the alert...
Nov 20, 2012, 9:49 am
#60
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORF
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Posts: 3,749
I had the same problem with a hotel in Rome. Plenty of Best Rate availability, but not one CP nite. Called and gently asked what was happening in Rome and whether they were sold out. Response was 'ooops, we forgot to load the CP nights in the system'. The receptionist did it immediately and at once plenty of 8000 points per night availability opened up.
Steve Martin once said that people could get out of a lot of trouble if they just remembered the two little words, "I forgot." "I forgot it was against the law to rob a bank." "I forgot that Choice might want us to load award availability."
I just wished the same phone calls might open up award availability on some of my favorite airlines. . .