Fun Speculation Thread: Does Choice Participate in Daily Getaways & If So, Worth It?
Jun 19, 2013, 12:48 am
#16
Join Date: Mar 2000
Programs: Hy-Vee Fuel Saver
Posts: 404
I would never purchase points...but I would like to mention that there is a new brand in the Choice portfolio called Ascend -- which includes some independent and more upscale properties. I am not familiar with any of the hotels included but they may be of interest to some people. Ascend also includes a few hotels in Scandinavia.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/choic...n-program.html
The name change from Clarion Collection to Ascend hasn't happened everywhere. For example:
Welcome to the Clarion Collection Hotel Tapto, a Stockholm hotel near the Museum of National Antiquities
http://www.clarionhotel.com/hotel-st...m-sweden-SE018
Jun 19, 2013, 12:57 am
#17
Join Date: Mar 2000
Programs: Hy-Vee Fuel Saver
Posts: 404
Jun 20, 2013, 2:21 pm
#18
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
The Ascend name was first used by Choice in 2008. Before then, Choice used the name Clarion Collection for those hotels. See:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/choic...n-program.html
The name change from Clarion Collection to Ascend hasn't happened everywhere. For example:
Welcome to the Clarion Collection Hotel Tapto, a Stockholm hotel near the Museum of National Antiquities
http://www.clarionhotel.com/hotel-st...m-sweden-SE018
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/choic...n-program.html
The name change from Clarion Collection to Ascend hasn't happened everywhere. For example:
Welcome to the Clarion Collection Hotel Tapto, a Stockholm hotel near the Museum of National Antiquities
http://www.clarionhotel.com/hotel-st...m-sweden-SE018
Jun 24, 2013, 2:03 am
#21
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,459
You can use them for any Choice Privileges purposes. If you are asking about using them in the current promotion of stay twice and get a $50 card for 8,000 points, the answer is no. The card will be 16,000 points - the normal amount. You can only get the card for 8,000 points if you stay twice. However, you can buy any of the normal items with those points.
Jun 27, 2013, 8:59 pm
#22
Join Date: May 2006
Location: BOS and ...
Programs: UA 2MM, AA 600k, DL 500k, Hyatt GP 1M, HH Gold, Rad. Gold, CP Gold, Miracle Fruit-su Club
Posts: 9,950
Sooo... How did our little coven do? I notice a couple of us over in the thread on the Hotel Deals board. I picked up one, but otherwise was too late... How did you do?
Jun 28, 2013, 1:40 am
#23
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
It was relatively easy compared to last year, but more difficult than it used to be. The increased quantities for sale helped with our results.
Jun 28, 2013, 5:23 am
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORF
Programs: Amex Plat, AA, BA Silver, Marriott Plat, Choice Gold, HHonors Gold, IHG Diamond
Posts: 3,749
As noted upthread, I expected to get nothing because I was scheduled on a flight from LHR to IAD at the exact time of the auction. It turns out my sister could not be near a computer at 1 p.m. yesterday, and I knew that several days ago. So I got nothing.
Except, my flight was delayed. Now, there were plenty of things still happening right around 6 p.m. that might have kept me from participating, but I think right at 6 p.m. London time, I was on my computer in the BA lounge--and simply forgot about it until around 7:30 p.m. when I made an attempt and saw everything was sold out.
So, as John Housman said in the old Smith Barney commercials, I'll have to get my Choice points this year the old-fashioned way--I'll have to earn them.
For those too young to have seen the commercials (or know who John housman is) or for those who'd like a refresher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAMRXqQXemU.
Except, my flight was delayed. Now, there were plenty of things still happening right around 6 p.m. that might have kept me from participating, but I think right at 6 p.m. London time, I was on my computer in the BA lounge--and simply forgot about it until around 7:30 p.m. when I made an attempt and saw everything was sold out.
So, as John Housman said in the old Smith Barney commercials, I'll have to get my Choice points this year the old-fashioned way--I'll have to earn them.
For those too young to have seen the commercials (or know who John housman is) or for those who'd like a refresher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAMRXqQXemU.
Jun 28, 2013, 2:37 pm
#25
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oxford, Mississippi
Programs: Delta Silver thanks to Million Miles; Choice Plat., point scrounger everywhere
Posts: 1,595
A credit card glitch screwed me on this one.
There were a lot more packages for sale this year. Plus, the Daily Getaways deals have been less attractive, so I think fewer people were sitting by their computer.
I purchased two sets of points times two for 136,000. I was successful in getting another but my credit card failed. Apparently, the attempt to make three purchases on one website in three minutes set off a fraud alert.
I switched to another card and again got two packages. BUT, I forgot that I had changed my address to our new home from our post office box. So this sale got kicked out, too.
So I should have gotten around 250,000 points, but instead I got only 136,000. I'm still happy. Last year I only got 100,000 points, and that was with no glitches and getting about a third of those 15 minutes after the sale by repeatedly pressing the "buy" key (somebody was in my shape and couldn't pay).
There were a lot more packages for sale this year. Plus, the Daily Getaways deals have been less attractive, so I think fewer people were sitting by their computer.
I purchased two sets of points times two for 136,000. I was successful in getting another but my credit card failed. Apparently, the attempt to make three purchases on one website in three minutes set off a fraud alert.
I switched to another card and again got two packages. BUT, I forgot that I had changed my address to our new home from our post office box. So this sale got kicked out, too.
So I should have gotten around 250,000 points, but instead I got only 136,000. I'm still happy. Last year I only got 100,000 points, and that was with no glitches and getting about a third of those 15 minutes after the sale by repeatedly pressing the "buy" key (somebody was in my shape and couldn't pay).
spending the last batch as we speak.
Jun 28, 2013, 5:45 pm
#27
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: AA, UA, SQ, VA, QF, AF, BA
Posts: 2,865
I only bought enough to cover next year's trip to Italy as I didn't want to get stuck with more points than I could use. 2 x 32k - 64k should be worth 6-8 nights hopefully they don't devalue them. We're doing an Eastern Med cruise, then taking trains around Italy.
For several minutes afterwards, I experimented with adding other packages in my cart, I could have easily bought more if I had wanted to. At least the people who are less fast-fingered benefited from me releasing the packages!
For several minutes afterwards, I experimented with adding other packages in my cart, I could have easily bought more if I had wanted to. At least the people who are less fast-fingered benefited from me releasing the packages!
Jun 30, 2013, 1:23 am
#28
Join Date: May 2006
Location: FRA
Programs: MR Gold, IHG Gold AMB
Posts: 262
Got a couple of 32k for me, then tried to get the same for my spouse, but even after entering a different loyalty number, at the final screen the page complained that I have already used this credit card to buy maximum of 2 packages and kicked me out… 
Didn't get anything after that.
Quite disappointed, nowhere did they say the limit is per credit card.
Didn't get anything after that. Quite disappointed, nowhere did they say the limit is per credit card.
Jun 30, 2013, 6:06 am
#29
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,459
I guess you might say it is in the fine print
The purchase of offers is limited to 1 purchase per offer (quantity restrictions differ by product), per day, per card (e.g., you may not purchase the same exact offer more than once with the same credit card on the same day.
Jul 1, 2013, 3:11 am
#30
Join Date: Jul 2008
Programs: Greyhound Vermillion Mithril
Posts: 693
Have you guys received the points yet? I saw the charge on my AMEX but haven't seen the points yet. I haven't even gotten an acknowledgement email from Daily Getaways.
Last edited by swy; Jul 1, 2013 at 7:19 am Reason: typo