Choice Privileges members residing in Europe have a promotion for 12,000 points after two hotel stays from February 27 to May 14, 2014. This is basically like the U.S. offer for 8,000 points after two stays, but limited to residents of countries in Europe.
You can earn Choice Privileges points at any Comfort Inn®, Comfort Suites®, Quality®, Sleep Inn®, Clarion®, Ascend Hotel Collection®, Cambria Suites®, MainStay Suites®, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel®, Econo Lodge® and Rodeway Inn® location in the U.S., Canada, Europe (excluding Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden), the Middle East, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and Australasia (including Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Papua New Guinea and Fiji). Choice Hotels in Brazil, Japan, China, India are some places excluded from earning points.
Note: this offer is not 12,000 bonus points for two stays, but 12,000 total points after two stays. For example, if you spend the equivalent of $200 on two stays, your base points earned = 2,000 points (10 points/$1) and you will receive 10,000 bonus points. If you spend $500 and earn 5,000 base points for two stays, you will earn 7,000 bonus points to reach 12,000 points. This promotion favors low spend hotel stays.
Global Choice Privileges operates regionally
Choice Privileges runs its global program regionally which impacts promotion earning and redemption depending on where you reside. More than 80% of 6,300+ Choice Hotels are located in the USA. Residents of the USA have a Choice Privileges promotion for 8,000 points after two stays during this same time period of February 27 to May 14.
In Europe, there are two different Choice Hotels programs with Choice Privileges for most of Europe and Nordic Choice Club for hotels in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden.
Choice Privileges members may redeem points for stays in Nordic Choice Club hotels, however, no Choice Privileges points are earned for stays in these hotels. This means European residents earning the bonus for two stays is available for stays at Choice brand hotels worldwide, except for hotels in Scandinavian and Baltic region countries that are members of Nordic Choice Club and hotels in Brazil, China, India and Japan.
Nordic Choice Club is open to residents of other countries outside Scandinavia and Baltic region. I have been a USA member of Nordic Choice Club for the past few years. In another post I will share earning and redeeming sweet spots for Nordic Choice Club compared to Choice Privileges.
Choice Privileges Redemption Rules for European members
Redeeming points for free reward nights is one of the primary effects of regional membership. Choice Privileges members without elite status may only redeem points for reservations within 30 days for hotels in their own region. This means a Choice Privileges member in the Europe region residing in the UK can only book a Choice Hotels reward stay in Germany within 30 days of arrival. Members from the USA can book Choice Hotels reward stays in Europe within 60 days of arrival. The advantage for European members is hotel stays in the USA and Asia Pacific can be booked within 60 days of arrival, whereas, USA members without elite status can only book hotel reward stays for USA hotels within 30 days of arrival.
Another aspect of Choice Privileges rewards are seasonal reward rates that change every three months. In the past week Choice Privileges added the seasonal reward rates at hotels for July 1-September 15, 2014. Some hotels in Europe will have lower cost reward nights beginning July 1. Some go up.
There are over 500 Choice Hotels in Europe in Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, Clarion and Ascend Collection brands. The promotion for 12,000 points after two stays states there are 125 hotels with reward nights at the 12,000 points or lower level.
Terms and Conditions:
Promoter is Choice Hotels International, Inc. 1 Choice Hotels Circle, Rockville, Maryland, USA. Promotion is open to members of Choice Privileges Reward Programme only. If you would like to participate, enroll as a member at your next stay at a participating Choice Hotels property, or through www.choiceprivileges.eu. Reservations must be made at qualifying rates and Choice Privileges member number must be provided upon check-in at a Choice Privileges location (excluding Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden) to be eligible.
After two separate qualifying trips at Choice Privileges locations, each with arrival date between 27 February 2014 and 14 May 2014, enough Choice Privileges points will be added to your member account to reach the 12,000 point level, which can be redeemed for one (1) free night at any one of over 125 participating hotels in Europe (excluding Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden) or can be used for any other redemption option in accordance with the Choice Privileges Reward Programme.
A free night trip comprises one (1) free night in a standard room at a participating hotel and will be subject to availability at that hotel. Standard terms and conditions relating to the participating hotel will apply, including cancellation policy. A free night at non-participating Choice Privileges locations under the general Choice Privileges Reward Programme in Europe will require more than 12,000 points.
For Comfort, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites or Ascend Hotel Collection hotels, a trip is defined as a stay that is any number of consecutive nights at one hotel regardless of check-ins or check-outs.
For Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, or MainStay Suites hotels, a trip is defined as a stay that is two (2) or more consecutive nights at one hotel regardless of check-ins or check-outs.
To be eligible to earn the bonus, members must set their earning preference to Choice Privileges points in their online account. Any change made to earning preference will remain in effect after the promotion has ended. Allow 20 days from the date of check-out for points to be added to your member account, prior to which it will not be possible to redeem your points.
You must maintain an address in Europe to be eligible for this promotion. Choice Hotels reserves the right to amend these terms or stop this promotion at any time. Number of participating hotels is subject to change. For full Choice Privileges programme details, participating hotels, qualifying rates, eligible countries and point redemption rules, visit choiceprivileges.eu.
Choice Privileges Seasonal Reward Rates
Seasonal reward rates at Choice Hotels are typically 2.5 months long.
- February 1 – April 15, 2014
- April 16 – June 30, 2014
- July 1 – Sep 15, 2014
There are some European hotels reducing rates in the July 1 – Sep 15 season. I noticed some hotels in Munich, Germany with lower rates.
Italy has reduced many of its hotels to low levels for the next six months.
Venice, Italy has two Choice hotels. Comfort Hotel Diana is centrally located in the city islands and offers reward nights at 10,000 points per night from today through September 15, 2014.
Comfort Hotel Diana, Venice, Italy near St. Mark’s Square is 10,000 points per night until September 15, 2014.
- February 1 – April 15, 2014 = 10,000 points per reward night
- April 16 – June 30, 2014 = 10,000 points per reward night
- July 1 – Sep 15, 2014 = 10,000 points per reward night
Six night stay from May 13-19, 2014 is 60,000 points.
Comfort Hotel Diana in Venice, Italy is $403 per night or 10,000 Choice Privileges points per reward night. 60,000 Choice Privileges points are an incredible value for this $2,418 hotel stay.
There is value in Choice Privileges points if you find yourself in the right location for a good reward stay.
*****
Ric Garrido of Monterey, California is writer and owner of Loyalty Traveler.
Loyalty Traveler shares news and views on hotels, hotel loyalty programs and vacation destinations for frequent guests.
Follow Loyalty Traveler on Twitter and Facebook and RSS feed.
