Firewind

The cash portions of these seem to me to be pretty high for Choice properties, but maybe it's just a matter of getting used to this. I appreciate BigLar's and GUWonder's rigor. (sdsearch must be out of range...)

I've used the C+P to advantage, IMO (I'm pretty sure), at Carlson and Hyatt.

GUWonder

This can be a great deal or it can be a lousy deal. You have to look at what the regular (cash-only/non-award) night rates are (inclusive of taxes) in deciding whether or not it is a good value for any particular travel.

For my historical redemption pattern, it's a good deal overall but a lousy one for some properties. It varies and needs investigation on a case by case basis.

8000 points+$15 for a night costing $200+? Great value.

8000 points +$90 for a night costing $200? I'll skip that and instead use those points for another $800+$15 night costing $200+ otherwise.

8000 points +$60 for a night costing $80? No thanks; that is a bad value unless I've just been robbed of my last penny and desperately need a room for the night.

Firewind

Right. Since Choice varies the points-only requirements from time to time, one might anticipate that the C+P will vary, too. At least until we learn otherwise. (For example, and probably of no import here, Carlson varies both from night to night. Hyatt doesn't.)

GUWonder

I think that is how it indeed will work (unless this also marks the end of seasonal award price discounting that seems to hit one geographic region or another from time to time).

Firewind

...Such as our favorite. But that already may have been obsoleted before the advent of this.

iahphx

LoyaltyTraveler has done a write-up on this:

http://loyaltytraveler.boardingarea....-cash-rewards/

As I commented in his thread, this isn't an interesting opportunity for those of us who have enough Daily Getaways-bought points for our needs, as the "cash" component is too high. But if you're short of points, for some hotels in some situations, it will be worthwhile.

So, bottomline, not a gamechanger, but another travel option to consider.

GUWonder

Not a brag, but I doubt that anyone has bought more Choice points via Daily Getaways than I have. And yet I'm still interested in this option and find it a game changer for me. Not because I run out of Choice points -- although I have come close -- but because it results in one or more things that I find useful: less need/desire to ration points as much; less need/desire to concern one's self as much with grabbing daily getaway packages; more accounts can buy 20k points and combine that with points and cash to reduce my costs to house people in one of the geographic regions where I get huge value out of Choice points.

iahphx

Well, I've bought more than a million Choice points with Discover America, but perhaps you've bought more.

For me, there's little value to this deal. That's because if I had to pay the C+P rate, there's not much value to these redemptions. Oh, sure, there would still be a few lucrative properties (Norway, anyone?), but the "bread and butter" USA Comfort Inn in a small town or near an airport wouldn't be very attractive to me at the C+P price. Kind of how the Wyndham program -- which was very competitive to Choice -- became WAY less attractive when they significantly raised the cost of points on Discover America. The Choice Discover America deal is good because the hotels on points are cheap. Raise the cost 50% or so, and it's usually not much of a deal.

EDIT: I happen to need a room next month near MSY. It looks like a busy night, and room rates are relatively high. That said, for most Choice properties in the area, the amount of cash you need for a "Cash + Points" reservation (where you're also supposed to contribute 8,000 points) is MORE than the regular room rates! Obviously, this concept is going to have to be tweaked, or will largely function as a "what the heck" feature of Choice.

sdsearch

To put it in perspective:

An extra 8000 points costs $60.

8000 points is typically also available as the earning from staying two one-night stays (much of the year). Now, in that case, you're probably paying more than $60 for the 2 nights (since 1-nights stays only work at the Comfort/Quality/Clarion/Sleep types of properties), but you're also getting two nights of stays out of it. Unless you're paying $60 more than you would otherwise for those 2 nights, or unless those nights are actually mattress runs (because you didn't need 2 one-night stays at all), I doubt that paying $60 for 8000 points is as good a value as steering stays to Choice during those promos so as to earn 8000 points instead.

But for people who have trouble finding "natural" stays at Choice during those promos, it could be worth it.

satori

Original terms and conditions posted last week on Choice Privileges stated Cash + Points award nights did not count for elite status. Those terms have been corrected to now read C+P awards do count for elite status.

15. Points Plus Cash reward nights do not:
a. Qualify for bonus points offered as part of any other promotion through Choice Hotels. This includes, but is no limited to, the national promotions such as Take Two Separate trips, Earn One Night Free.

b. Earn elite bonus points.

16. Points Plus Cash reward nights count toward Elite status.

http://www.choicehotels.com/en/choic...lations#cp_PPC

GUWonder

Award nights at Choice hotels have counted toward elite status for as long as I've been buying their points on Daily Getaways. It would have been bizarre if points+cash didn't count for elite status when points-only stays have been counting toward elite status for years and years. Even award stays in the Nordic Choice properties count for elite status.

jsammerman

I think the most interesting part of this program are the two portions below.

If you cancel your reservation in accordance with the hotel’s cancellation policy stated on your reservation confirmation, all points used for the reward night, including those purchased through Points Plus Cash, will be re-deposited into your Choice Privileges account.

A maximum of 250,000 points can be purchased in a calendar year through Points Plus Cash.

GUWonder

Works the same way as Intercontinental Hotel Group Rewards Club, except Choice has a calendar year limit while IHG has no cap on such approach.

Exiled in Express

Any field reports if P+C stays earn points/miles on the cash portion? I know the terms say they won't but this site is largely based on reality not match the terms.

pbd456

given that the refund is points only. i would expect that point + cash is a way to buy points using cash to make an all points redemption