Choice Hotels Offers Double Points for Winter Stays

Choice Hotels has gotten a lot of traction with travelers with its recurring promotion featuring a free night at any of 1,500 lower-priced Choice hotels after two stays. And that’s as it should be: It’s an unusually rich offer.

For travelers who were expecting more of the same, Choice’s new promotion, for winter stays, will be a disappointment. It’s neither generous nor imaginative.

Offer Details

Between December 15, 2016, and February 9, 2017, Choice Privileges members can earn double points for every qualifying stay, up to a maximum of 30,000 bonus points.

Qualifying stays must be booked at ChoiceHotels.com, via the Choice mobile app, or by calling 1-800-4CHOICE, although Diamond and Platinum members may book direct with the hotel, and corporate travelers may book through a travel agent or corporate booking system.

Registration is required.

Deal or No Deal

As bonuses go, double points borders on the insignificant. It’s a token offer, the very least a company can do to have a promotion to promote. And it may be just enough to keep Choice loyalists from defecting to other brands. However, it won’t be enough to change the booking behavior of travelers whose allegiance lies elsewhere or who base their purchase decisions solely on value.

The short promotion period, at around two months, is a negative as well. Although it could turn out to be a positive, if Choice gets back to offering its customers more substantial bonuses after this promotion ends.

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After 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.