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Thread: Choice Hotels

  1. #1
    Over on Wov, Mission told what he knows about hotels from the management perspective. I think he was running a Choice Hotel, most likely an Econo Lodge. So I thought I would tell what I know from a Choice Hotels longtime regular customer's perspective.

    There are about 6200 hotels nationwide under the Choice Hotels umbrella. They include:

    Cambria
    Ascend
    Main Stay Suites
    Comfort Inns and Suites
    Suburban Lodge
    Quality Inn
    Econo Lodge
    Rodeway.

    As far as quality goes the Econos and Rodeways are at the bottom of the heap but they also have the cheapest prices. Quality Inns and Suburban Lodges are a little better. The Comforts, Main Stays, Ascend and Cambria are very good quality but you also pay a premium price.

    Econos and Rodeways serve a cold breakfast. The rest serve a hot breakfast except for Suburban which doesn't serve breakfast at all. And....during covid they have all seen fit to quit serving a hot breakfast so all we are getting is cold now.

    The rewards program is called Choice Privileges. You start out getting 10 points per pre tax dollar you spend on rooms. It takes at least 8000 points to get a free room night. So if you buy a room at $75 but pay $85 after tax is added you will average only about 9 points per dollar spent.

    So on average you will spend about $889 to get 8000 points. What will you get for 8000 points? Not much. You will generally get either a Rodeway or Econo room for 1 night that normally sells for $55 or less. A Quality Inn will generally run 10,000 points. The hotels higher up the quality ladder can go even higher, 12,000 to 20,000 points, maybe even higher.

    The good news is when you ascend up the membership ladder you get more points per dollar spent. It takes 25 nights to become a diamond member, the highest level. They advertise that you get 25 points per pre-tax dollar spent but I don't average that much, maybe 23 points, then after tax it's even lower, about 21 points. So I average 8000 points per every $380 spent, 10,000 points per every $476 spent.
    "More importantly, mickey thought 8-4 was two games over .500. Argued about it. C'mon, man. Nothing can top that for math expertise. If GWAE ever has you on again, you can be sure I'll be calling in with that gem.'Nuff said." REDIETZ

  2. #2
    deleted
    Last edited by mickeycrimm; 08-08-2020 at 05:26 AM.
    "More importantly, mickey thought 8-4 was two games over .500. Argued about it. C'mon, man. Nothing can top that for math expertise. If GWAE ever has you on again, you can be sure I'll be calling in with that gem.'Nuff said." REDIETZ

  3. #3
    The good thing about Choice Hotels is they frequently run a promotion called BOOK TWO NIGHTS EARN A FREE NIGHT*

    The asterisk is a warning. First, you can't run two consecutive nights at the same hotel. The two nights have to be at separate hotels. 2nd, if you buy a night at a high quality hotel like Cambria and a night at another one like Main Stay you will probably close to $300 but only get enough points to qualify for a free room night that normally sells for $70 or less.

    The value with the promotion lies at the bottom of the totem pole, the cheaper hotels. The best I've had it is paying about $45 plus tax per night for two nights which gets me about 9000 points then getting a free room night from a similar quality hotel for 8000 points. This takes my hotel bill down to about $100 per three nights or about $33 a night.
    Last edited by mickeycrimm; 08-08-2020 at 05:24 AM.
    "More importantly, mickey thought 8-4 was two games over .500. Argued about it. C'mon, man. Nothing can top that for math expertise. If GWAE ever has you on again, you can be sure I'll be calling in with that gem.'Nuff said." REDIETZ

  4. #4
    The bad thing about Choice and some of those hotel cards is that if you book 3rd party like Hotwire then those stays aren’t good for points and it’s often easiest to find the better deals by checking Hotwire, Priceline express etc.

  5. #5
    Choice Hotels runs the STAY TWO NIGHTS promotion several times a year. They usually run for two months with a one month gap between them. You can run the STAY TWO NIGHTS promo over and over again. In a two month period you can get a lot of free room nights. Sometimes I won't use my points much during the promotion. I wait until the one month downtime when the promotion isn't running to use the points. I've banked as many as 200,000 points.

    The current STAY TWO NIGHTS promotion started June 5th and runs until Sep 7. I just used my 3rd consecutive free night with one more coming before I have to bank points again.
    "More importantly, mickey thought 8-4 was two games over .500. Argued about it. C'mon, man. Nothing can top that for math expertise. If GWAE ever has you on again, you can be sure I'll be calling in with that gem.'Nuff said." REDIETZ

  6. #6
    I have the Choice Hotels app on both my laptop and iphone. It stores your information so makes it real easy to book a room. The good thing about Choice Hotels is you can find them in the small towns and they usually have many hotels in a major town.

    When on the road I usually do same day reservations. I rarely have a problem finding a hotel for the night on such short notice. If I'm long distance driving I check the towns ahead for the best rates. Some towns are much cheaper than others.

    If I think a hotel is sketchy (downtrodden) I'll drive to it and take a look before booking the room. It's an instant reservation so I can book the room on my iphone then immediately walk in the door. All Choice Hotels have a 3 PM check-in which I like.
    "More importantly, mickey thought 8-4 was two games over .500. Argued about it. C'mon, man. Nothing can top that for math expertise. If GWAE ever has you on again, you can be sure I'll be calling in with that gem.'Nuff said." REDIETZ

  7. #7
    After my first trip thru New Mexico and Oklahoma I started getting free night offers from some of the hotel/casinos:

    Buffalo Thunder in New Mexico, 4 nights a month.
    Winstar in Oklahoma, 6 nights a month.
    Indigo Sky in Oklahoma, 4 nights a month
    Buffalo Run in Oklahoma, 2 nights a months.

    I didn't used every free night available every month but those free nights cut my hotel bill even further. It got down to where I was spending maybe $500 a month.
    "More importantly, mickey thought 8-4 was two games over .500. Argued about it. C'mon, man. Nothing can top that for math expertise. If GWAE ever has you on again, you can be sure I'll be calling in with that gem.'Nuff said." REDIETZ

  8. #8
    Another point collector is the Choice Privileges credit card. I use it almost exclusively to pay for the hotel nights. I get 5 points per dollar spent on Choice Hotels. They dump the points into my Choice Hotels account every month. The good thing about this one is I get the points on the entire price, not just pre tax dollars. I rate this as about 4% cashback.
    Last edited by mickeycrimm; 08-08-2020 at 06:30 AM.
    "More importantly, mickey thought 8-4 was two games over .500. Argued about it. C'mon, man. Nothing can top that for math expertise. If GWAE ever has you on again, you can be sure I'll be calling in with that gem.'Nuff said." REDIETZ

  9. #9
    Originally Posted by mcap View Post
    The bad thing about Choice and some of those hotel cards is that if you book 3rd party like Hotwire then those stays aren’t good for points and it’s often easiest to find the better deals by checking Hotwire, Priceline express etc.
    I have Trivago on my iphone. I've never seen Priceline with a cheaper price than the Choice Hotels app. Never checked Hotwire.
    "More importantly, mickey thought 8-4 was two games over .500. Argued about it. C'mon, man. Nothing can top that for math expertise. If GWAE ever has you on again, you can be sure I'll be calling in with that gem.'Nuff said." REDIETZ

  10. #10
    Originally Posted by mickeycrimm View Post
    Another point collector is the Choice Privileges credit card. I use it almost exclusively to pay for the hotel nights. I get 5 points per dollar spent on Choice Hotels. They dump the points into my Choice Hotels account every month. The good thing about this one is I get the points on the entire price, not just pre tax dollars. I rate this as about 4% cashback.
    I forgot to mention that I pay the card off every month so I never get stung for interest
    "More importantly, mickey thought 8-4 was two games over .500. Argued about it. C'mon, man. Nothing can top that for math expertise. If GWAE ever has you on again, you can be sure I'll be calling in with that gem.'Nuff said." REDIETZ

  11. #11
    Originally Posted by mickeycrimm View Post
    Originally Posted by mickeycrimm View Post
    Another point collector is the Choice Privileges credit card. I use it almost exclusively to pay for the hotel nights. I get 5 points per dollar spent on Choice Hotels. They dump the points into my Choice Hotels account every month. The good thing about this one is I get the points on the entire price, not just pre tax dollars. I rate this as about 4% cashback.
    I forgot to mention that I pay the card off every month so I never get stung for interest
    Great information. This forum (and others) could use a lot more information sharing like this. We do Bonvoy which is Marriotts program. Maybe I’ll take some time and do a write up on the airline program I use as well.

    The nice thing about this type of AP, which it is to a degree, is in most cases you are not sharing anything that hurts others. Unlike AP gambling which usually gets someone pissed off when information is shared and can hurt someone’s play.

  12. #12
    Mission has never officially confirmed, he managed Econo Lodge, I asked about a week ago. For a guy whose been very transparent in his ups and downs, of day to day life, he must have his reasons for not confirming this.

  13. #13
    Not sure if or how mickey handles his taxes, but as a professional gambler all those hotel and other travel expenses get claimed as a direct deduction from profit on schedule C. There are also a number of other very legal "AP-type" maneuvers that professional gamblers can utilize to maximize their net income. Some are little known.

  14. #14
    Gold LMR's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by Ozzy View Post
    Mission has never officially confirmed, he managed Econo Lodge, I asked about a week ago. For a guy whose been very transparent in his ups and downs, of day to day life, he must have his reasons for not confirming this.
    Ha. I guess the corrupt bugger just buggered off. Either way, no big mysteries here. Just more paranoid or whatever AP gobbledygook. As old Mickey would say, psychobabble. As MrV would say, a crock.

    Originally Posted by Ozzy View Post
    Originally Posted by mickeycrimm View Post
    LMR's AKA Onehitwonderwas banned by Druff and is a coward that keeps creating sock puppets to circumvent his bannings. A MAN would take his medicine and disappear. But not the crying little coward, Onehitwonder, LMR, Garnaby, Billyung. This guy has no useful purpose on a gambling forum. I've had him on ignore forever and it was a mistake to take him off to see his frivolous, get his rocks off, trashing of people. Back on ignore he goes and everyone else should do the same. Not one word he writes is worth reading.
    He's the only poster on this forum, that's completely useless. Tasha/Nathan even adds more value.
    What's this you're going on about?
    Lustin' lutins (from) NUTS:LI (Lichtenstein), unlist insult, until's sunlit!


    p
    M
    u
    r
    taRd

    ---> MR. L(osing).


    Shut it down, LMR. = Low Mind thRust, (invar.)

    555 = 111 + 4*111 = 15*37, or 37*15, as 153, and 7, or, 371, and 5. As 153 on 371, to 5/7 left, as 6 +/- 1.

    3/21 to 8/22 is 153 + 1 days. 321 = 107*3 + 0; 123 = 3*71 + 0. To 1/0. 822 = (-1 + 7)(37 + 100); 228 = 57[6 - (1 + 1)], ---> 11411. 15[3^2] = 153 + (5 + 1). 154 days is ~ 42.08% of year 2020. 451 = 11*41^1.

  15. #15
    Gold LMR's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by Rob.Singer View Post
    Some are little known.
    Good. All this bullshit will make some nice fertilizer for your gravesite.
    Lustin' lutins (from) NUTS:LI (Lichtenstein), unlist insult, until's sunlit!


    p
    M
    u
    r
    taRd

    ---> MR. L(osing).


    Shut it down, LMR. = Low Mind thRust, (invar.)

    555 = 111 + 4*111 = 15*37, or 37*15, as 153, and 7, or, 371, and 5. As 153 on 371, to 5/7 left, as 6 +/- 1.

    3/21 to 8/22 is 153 + 1 days. 321 = 107*3 + 0; 123 = 3*71 + 0. To 1/0. 822 = (-1 + 7)(37 + 100); 228 = 57[6 - (1 + 1)], ---> 11411. 15[3^2] = 153 + (5 + 1). 154 days is ~ 42.08% of year 2020. 451 = 11*41^1.

  16. #16
    It looks like LMR is in wrecking another legitimate thread. It has to stop. I'll be letting Dan know that LMR is previously banned Onehitwonder and ask him to prevent LMR from ruining serious threads.
    "More importantly, mickey thought 8-4 was two games over .500. Argued about it. C'mon, man. Nothing can top that for math expertise. If GWAE ever has you on again, you can be sure I'll be calling in with that gem.'Nuff said." REDIETZ

  17. #17
    Gold LMR's Avatar
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    No proof equates to bullshit. Teasing it out equates to more bullshit.

    I would take the truth from wherever you can get it.

    Mickey, you're just another Wizard, in his own little world. No balls, some little boy.
    Lustin' lutins (from) NUTS:LI (Lichtenstein), unlist insult, until's sunlit!


    p
    M
    u
    r
    taRd

    ---> MR. L(osing).


    Shut it down, LMR. = Low Mind thRust, (invar.)

    555 = 111 + 4*111 = 15*37, or 37*15, as 153, and 7, or, 371, and 5. As 153 on 371, to 5/7 left, as 6 +/- 1.

    3/21 to 8/22 is 153 + 1 days. 321 = 107*3 + 0; 123 = 3*71 + 0. To 1/0. 822 = (-1 + 7)(37 + 100); 228 = 57[6 - (1 + 1)], ---> 11411. 15[3^2] = 153 + (5 + 1). 154 days is ~ 42.08% of year 2020. 451 = 11*41^1.

  18. #18
    Get rid of Tasha too while you’re at it

  19. #19
    Originally Posted by House of Orange View Post
    Get rid of Tasha too while you’re at it

    Why did you bring me up in a thread I didn't even post in until this post?
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/Zk2WAFzDcrJ7pjNB7

    Take comfort in the fact that no one is actually backing up his wishes to have you permanantly banned.


    Smart is knowing a Tomato is a fruit.

    Wise is knowing a Tomato doesn't belong in a fruit salad.



    I am glad to get my full posting rights back! Thank you Dan!

  20. #20
    Originally Posted by Ozzy View Post
    Mission has never officially confirmed, he managed Econo Lodge, I asked about a week ago. For a guy whose been very transparent in his ups and downs, of day to day life, he must have his reasons for not confirming this.
    What difference does it make to you? Would you also like the address of the hotel?

    If you must know, my concern is that I open myself up to potential doxxing by volunteering too much in the way of specific information.

    But, more immediately, I hadn't logged into this forum since 7/21 (prior to a few minutes ago) and don't even read here everyday or even weekly. I don't even read WoV every day. I did read here yesterday, but was quite busy, so did not have time to respond here yesterday.

    ADDED: Also, I kind of dumped on the owner (of that hotel) a little bit in the WoV thread, so it seems like it might not be appropriate to give too many specifics anyway.

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