Why you should keep 6,000 Choice Privileges points in your account

One of my best tips for Choice Privileges members is keep 6,000 points in your account for a simple reason. You do not need points or even be signed into your Choice Privileges account to check reward rates for Choice Hotels in cities worldwide.

You must have at least 6,000 Choice Privileges points in your account to see what kinds of rooms are available as reward nights. One of the primary competitive advantages for Choice Privileges members is the opportunity to find hotels with reward nights for all kinds of room types, some hotels even include suites for nights using the standard number of points.

6,000 Choice Privileges points are needed to search room types available for points at any hotel. A look at Choice Hotels in and around Rome, Italy provides several insights into how Choice Privileges operates in the real world.

4 Choice Hotels in Rome, Italy

Comfort Hotel Bolivar

• 10,000 points Sun-Thu; 20,000 points Fri-Sat to April 15, 2019;
• 20,000 points Sun-Sat April 16-June 30, 2019.

Quality Hotel Rouge et Noir

• 8,000 points Sun-Sat to April 15, 2019;
• 16,000 points Sun-Thu; 8,000 points Fri-Sat April 16-June 30, 2019.

Clarion Collection Hotel Principessa Isabella

• 25,000 points Sun-Sat to April 15, 2019;
• 20,000 points Sun-Sat April 16-June 30, 2019.

Comfort Hotel Roma Airport Fiumicino

• 25,000 points Sun-Sat to April 15, 2019;
• 20,000 points Sun-Sat April 16-June 30, 2019.

Choice Privileges will show you if a hotel is unavailable for booking reward nights for your dates. Two Rome area hotels below were not available for reward nights on the March 12, 2019 date I checked.

Anyone can search reward nights and find the amount of points for a reward night over the next 100 days. Choice Privileges members are limited to booking reward nights only 100 days before your planned check-in date. When booking a reward stay using points on February 22, 2019 then June 2, 2019 is the latest check-in date you can book a reward stay using points.

Why you should keep 6,000 Choice Privileges points in your account

You can check reward night availability without Choice Privileges points, however, you need a minimum 6,000 points if you want to see different types of rooms available for reward night room availability at any specific hotel.

If you do not have 6,000 points in your account when you check reward night availability at a specific hotel, then Choice Privileges returns this message:

‘You do not have enough point to make this reservation using points. Please choose another rate.’

The message shown is one I received due to not having 25,000 points in my Choice Privileges account.

Since I have more than 6,000 points in my account, I can still check reward night availability through Points Plus Cash reward rate for 6,000 points + $143. Whether this is a good deal depends on the types of rooms available and the prevailing room rate being charged for the room type.

Clarion Collection Hotel Principessa Isabella Rome provides an example of these different room categories available for 25,000 points per night on March 12, 2019.

• 1 single bed €114
• 1 double bed €143
• 3 single beds €171
• 2 single beds, 1 double €238

Each of these room types are available as reward nights for 25,000 points. One of these rooms is a double bed with room capacity of 2 persons for €114, while another room rate available for 25,000 points is a room with 2 single beds and one double priced at €238, which can be booked for 2 adults and 2 children or even 4 adults.

Choice Privileges Points Plus Cash reward rates are available for any room that is available for standard reward points. This is important since 6,000 points allows a member to check room types available for points at any Choice Hotel worldwide. Many hotels offer more than standard room types as reward night options.

Clarion Collection Hotel Principessa Isabella Rome

Saturday May 18 – Sunday May 19 rate check for 4 adults

• 20,000 points Standard Reward (Double Bed + 2 Single Beds)
• 6,000 points +$105 (Double Bed + 2 Single Beds)
• $377 Double Bed + 2 Single Beds for 2 adults + 2 children; 6,000 points saves $272.
• $434 Double Bed + 2 Single Beds for 4 adults; 6,000 points saves $329.

$434 room rate for 4 adults. Family-friendly rate is $377 for 2 adults and 2 children. Or 6,000 points + $105 to buy 14,000 points needed to reach 20,000 points standard reward rate.

Choice Privileges Points Plus Cash reward booking sells points for $7.50 per 1,000 points to allow purchase of 14,000 points needed for each reward night at Clarion Collection Principessa Isabella as long as the member has 6,000 points per reward night available to make a points booking.

Pay $7.50 per 1,000 Choice Privileges points

Since Choice Privileges Points Plus Cash reward reservation cancellation puts the purchased points back into your account, these type of reservations allow a member to buy tens of thousands of points throughout the year at a rate of $7.50 per 1,000 points. Choice Privileges points normally cost $11.00 per 1,000 when purchased through regular method.

20,000 points for a May 18 room night at Clarion Collection Principessa Isabella Rome, Italy is essentially a room a member can buy for $150 in points.

Paying $150.00 for a room night in Rome, Italy buying Choice Privileges points offers a competitive room rate for a family of four needing a larger room or 4 adults willing to share a room and share expenses while in Rome.

Always maintaining a minimum 6,000 Choice Privileges points in your account allows the purchase of more points at any time through a Points Plus Cash reservation. You can grow your account balance for $7.50 per 1,000 points with strategic planning to book highly competitive hotel deals using Choice Privileges points in many cities around the world.