The sleep inn and suites, and comfort suites tend to be newer and have more amenities. Valdosta Ga, off I-75 Sleep in and suites had hot breakfast items and happy hour with free drinks for 3 hours each evening, for example.

:D

I agree with the previous post: Sleep Inns and Comfort Suites are nice. I haven't had a bad experience at any of those properties. ^

Your presumably haven't been to the Comfort Suites near SNA (Orange County CA airport). It is NOT one of the "typically" newer ones (to use the wording of the poster you were agreeing with), and while it's not guarnateed to be if you just stay there once, if you stay there repeatedly you're bound to notice it's not likely to be anyone's first choice (at least if price is factored out):

The "suites" are simply dividers only a few feet long that stick out into the one and only room, between the sofa and the bed.

The breakfast is undependable. On more than one occasion the juice inside the juice machine has been spolled. There are very few breakfast items, and whether any of the ones I want to eat are there is hit or miss.

They've given me a key to an occupied room.

For my first half year of staying there, not a SINGLE post to an airline posted correctly. (Their whole system requires that they subsitute the airline FF number for the Choice Priveleges number at check-in time, but for a long time this particular location had a computer system that couldn't handle that.) Even after that was "fixed", it still doesn't post sometimes, because it's a manual process (and the result is not verified on my folio).

Almost every room I get there has SOMETHING that doesn't work right that night, but I can't predict what (unless I get the same room twice in a short period, then it's simply the same thing not repaired!).

... On the other hand, I've stayed at new-build Comfort Suites in a few other locations (lke the one next to OAK) and been very pleasantly surprised (after using this location as my "reference", because the SNA area is where I need to stay most often).

Thanks for sharing your experiences with us on this forum. What I dont understand is why you had to stay couple of times at Comfort Suites near SNA (Orange County CA airport).? One bad experince should be enough. :confused:

I am glad to hear about Comfort suites at OAK as I shall be staying there in early August. ^

I need to stay near SNA oodles of times a year, and it's on my own dime. The Comfort Suites there is $70ish a night (AAA rates), which no one except the even dumpier Red Roof Inn (which doesn't award miles, and which doesn't even TRY to offer breakfast) can match. (Best Western is next, for a few dollars more, then Candlewood Suites, then Holiday Inn, and after that the price goes three digits. To get an under-$$$ rate in HHonors, I have to trudge up to the Disneyland area -- Garden Grove/Anaheim -- and even then only non-convention weeks.)

I stay at the Comfort Suites only when it has a bonus that I need more than any other bonus at one of the other affordable hotels. (Sometimes they have triple miles/credits promos, other times stay twice and get minimum 6000 points promos.)

I wouldn't stay there if that was my only choice for breakfast, but I have dependable alternatives for breakfast at THAT location. (But it makes me wary of trying Comfort Suites at other locations if I don't have dependable alternative for breakfast lined up.)

Internet rate guarantee
 

I've been a member of the choice hotels program for about 18 months now, and overall I'm happy with what I'm getting.

As mentioned, the facilities obviously nowhere near top end, but the places I have stayed were clean and for the most part well maintained. There are an abundance of locations, and the points do add up.

I recently stayed 3 nights in PNS using points, and it worked out quite nice. Interesting that there is no tax to pay on a "free" room, but when I use FF miles to fly, there is always a tax, fee or something that has to be paid. The room in PNS really was totally free.

Having said that, my first problem I have had with them was tonight.

I made a res for 3 nights in Danvers, Ma...just north of BOS. Using my AAA rate, I booked at 93/nt. Then I checked expedia, and they had the same thing for 80/nt. So I filled out the form for the internet guarantee (where they will give you the lower rate with a 10% bonus).

They replied that because I booked a discount rate (AAA), under terms of the guarantee, my rate does not qualify.

Interesting. I found a rate that is lower than my discounted rate, and much lower than the standard rate, and it does not qualify for the internet guarantee. If I had booked the standard rate ( a higher rate) and then submitted the form, they would have to honor the expedia rate and the 10% bonus would have been more.

I get the feeling that the internet guarantee is just a way for those of us out there shopping for rooms on the internet to find lower rates on other sites for them to correct. For after I got their reply to my form submission (about an hour later), I checked expedia and now there was no availability for any of the 3 nights.

Perhaps just a coincidence, but I wonder.

This internet rate guarantee policy is very deceptive and one should always read the fine print. Same holds true for DL and other airlnies and hotels.

Once I tried to book a room at Rochester, MN and was quoted a rate higher then on the web site which was Mayo clinic special rate ($10 less per day). CSR happily obliged but with one catch: This rate does not qualify for airline miles or points.

Overall I think Choice properties are a good value for money specially for a person like me who appreciates breakfast factor as most of the time my travel is leisure with a party of five.

New Choice Visa Promo
 

Choice Privileges Visa Cardholders Earn Two Free Nights This Summer

Beginning June 1, travelers who apply for the no annual fee Choice Privileges® Visa Platinum credit card by August 31, and make their first purchase by November 1, will receive 16,000 Choice Privileges reward points. Keep reading about the Choice Privileges promotion.

Econo and Rodeway Promo
 

Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn Guests Earn Triple Miles This Summer

Beginning June 1, guests at Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn brand hotels in the U.S. will be eligible to receive triple Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® credits for stays through August 31. Find out more about the Triple miles promotion.

This is a very nice offer for those who value choice previleges program. Unfortunately I applied for this card two months ago for 6000 points bonus :mad: I am so mad now. I called them and asked to get the difference but no success. I have again applied for this card with the new promotion and then I will cancel my old card. I hope BOA is not that stingy for a second card with the promotion :confused: Anybody has any experience

Regarding the rate guarantee...
 

I have used the online rate guarantee twice with great success. In one case, I saved almost $120 over the course of 4 nights. ^ I always use their online form to get the matching rate and have never been told that I can't earn points (I don't opt for miles). Donna49, I would think that if they told you the rate you booked doesn't qualify, you could cancel and book at a higher rate then resubmit your request.

You are right.

After my OP, I sent choicehotels.com a request for rate clarification, and the person who responded this time said to do just that (canx and rebook using the internet users rate) and she would be happy to process the refund request.

I wish I had done just that, but at the time I was a bit worried about canx the res I had. I really needed that location.

After the first reply from choicehotels with the denial, I checked expedia and there was no availability for the 3 nights I needed. I should have checked choicehotels.com, and if I could, book a different rate, and THEN canx my AAA rate and had them process the refund.

Well, I learned from that. Glad to hear that they do honor the internet guarantee. If it comes up again, I'll know what to do.

BofA Declines 2nd Choice Card
 

I tried to get a 2nd Choice Hotels VISA to get the 16000 free points, but BofA turned me down.

This is unlike the United VISA situation, where Chase issues multiple cards to a single individual (I have 3 UA cards).

Well they approved mine. How come? I applied for my second card in less than 3 months. I hope I will get the bonus points :confused:

2nd Choice Card
 

Well, who knows. The letter hasn't arrived yet, but the on-line check reveals that the 2nd Choice card was not approved.

Maybe I finally have too many cards, or BofA thinks I have too many of their cards (Alaska, plus 1 Choice).

Or maybe they don't want to part with 16000 Choice points.