by Earlier this year, Choice Hotels launched a new Sweet Spot Rewards promotion. This promotion allows Choice members to enjoy discounted award nights at select hotels during select stay dates.
Featured hotels and stay dates change every few months. Currently, Featured Properties will have discounted redemption rates for nights spent between December 1, 2022 and January 31, 2023. Here’s what you need to know to maximize this promotion.
Choice of Sweet Spot Rewards properties
Choice members can book discounted Award Nights at select hotels for nights spent between December 1 and January 31. Here’s a look at the featured hotels and their discounted redemption rates:
- Comfort Inn Camden in Camden, Arkansas: From 12,000 points per night.
- Sleep Inn & Suites Niceville — Destin in Niceville, Florida: From 10,000 points per night.
- The Port Inn and Cottages, Ascend Hotel Collection, in Port St. Joe, Florida: From 25,000 points per night.
- Sleep Inn Wesley Chapel – Tampa North in Wesley Beach, Florida: From 12,000 points per night.
- Comfort Inn & Suites Jacksonville — Orange Park in Jacksonville, Florida: From 12,000 points per night.
- Quality Inn in Elberton, Georgia: From 10,000 points per night.
- Comfort Inn & Suites in Tifton, Georgia: From 12,000 points per night.
- Comfort Inn & Suites in Goodland, Kansas: From 12,000 points per night.
- Comfort Inn & Suites in Lexington, Kentucky: From 12,000 points per night.
- Quality Inn in Great Barrington, Massachusetts: From 10,000 points per night.
- Comfort Inn in Iron Mountain, Michigan: From 16,000 points per night.
- Studio Z, Ascend Hotel Collection, in St. Robert, Missouri: From 12,000 points per night.
- Quality Inn Homestead Park in Billings, Montana: From 10,000 points per night.
- Norfolk Lodge & Suites, Ascend Hotel Collection, in Norfolk, Nebraska: From 16,000 points per night.
- Quality Inn in Tucumcari, New Mexico: From 8,000 points per night.
- Comfort Inn & Suites in Greenville, NC: From 10,000 points per night.
- 17 West Hotel, Ascend Hotel Collection in Tulsa, Oklahoma: From 10,000 points per night.
- Comfort Inn & Suites Mount Rushmore in Keystone, South Dakota: From 10,000 points per night.
- Clarion Inn Willow River in Sevierville, Tennessee: From 16,000 points per night.
- Quality Inn Bryce Canyon in Panguitch, Utah: From 10,000 points per night.
- Comfort Inn & Suites in Grundy, Virginia: From 12,000 points per night.
- Jackson Park Inn, Ascend Hotel Collection, in Pulaski, Virginia: From 16,000 points per night.
- Clarion Pointe Beckley in Beckley, WV: From 10,000 points per night.
- Sleep Inn Winfield – Teays Valley in Hurricane, West Virginia: From 12,000 points per night.
- Comfort Inn Mount Pleasant — Racine in Racine, Wisconsin: From 10,000 points per night.
As you can see, this promotion includes some hotels near popular destinations. For example, the Quality Inn Bryce Canyon is 17 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park and the Comfort Inn & Suites Mount Rushmore is 3 miles from Mount Rushmore. Additionally, the 17 West Hotel, Ascend Hotel Collection, is located in downtown Tulsa and offers a free 24-hour airport shuttle.
As is typical when redeeming Choice Points, various room types can be booked for the same number of points at many hotels. For example, at Norfolk Lodge & Suites, Ascend Hotel Collection, you can book many room types, including golf course view suites and rooms with kitchenettes, for 16,000 points per night through January 31.
It’s also worth mentioning that each of the featured hotels I clicked on had good reviews from guests. Choice could use this promotion to highlight some of its top-rated properties.
Related: Sign up for Choice Hotels Your Extras to earn gift cards and other perks on weekday stays
How is Choice price rewarded?
Choice Privileges does not have a typical reward table, nor does it use standard dynamic pricing. Instead, Choice sets reward rates for each property based on the date range and day of the week you stay.
Therefore, Choice may have lowered the clearing rate for these properties even without the Sweet Spot Rewards promotion. Additionally, some properties will continue to maintain the discounted award rate after January 31st. For example, Studio Z, Ascend Hotel Collection, will charge 12,000 points per night for stays through April 15, 2023.
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Please note that the Sweet Spot fare shown is the initial fare. Also, the Sweet Spot rate is not available every day of the week for some properties. For example, you can book the Comfort Inn & Suites Jacksonville – Orange Park for 16,000 points on Friday and Saturday nights and 12,000 points on other nights for stays through January 31st.
Related: How to earn points with the Choice Eat & Earn restaurant program
How to earn Choice Points
You have several options if you want to earn more Choice Privileges points.
If you need to earn points quickly, you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points or Capital One miles to Choice at a 1:1 ratio. Alternatively, you can transfer Citi ThankYou points to Choice at a 1:2 ratio if you have one Citi Premier® card o Citi Prestige® Card (no longer open to new applicants). You may also consider purchasing Choice Points.
If you don’t need the points to reach your account quickly, you could open a card that earns the transferable rewards mentioned above and meet the minimum spending requirements to earn the welcome bonus. Alternatively, you can open a Choice Privileges co-branded card and earn Choice points directly.
Additionally, you can earn points through a variety of other methods, including the Choice Eat & Earn dining program and stays at Choice properties. If you have an upcoming paid stay with Choice, check to see if Choice Hotels’ current promotions can boost your earnings.
Related: Choice Hotels plans to acquire Radisson’s US business for $675 million
The information for the Citi Prestige card was independently compiled by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Bottom line
The list of Sweet Spot awards is worth looking at every time Choice announces a new set of featured hotels. After all, featured hotels are often well-rated properties. So if someone fits into your next travel schedule, you’ll save a few points and likely have a good experience staying at a highly rated property.
However, since Choice doesn’t use a rewards table and frequently changes the point price of its properties, I’m not convinced this promotion should be called a “sweet spot.” I recommend that you check the rates you pay and calculate your potential redemption rate before redeeming points.
It’s disappointing that Choice is only offering this promotion to US residents and, at least currently, US properties. I tend to get excellent value from Choice Privileges points in Europe and Asia, so I’d like to see some of my favorite properties in these regions appear on the Sweet Spot awards list periodically.
