Background:

I wanted to visit Martha’s Vineyard with a friend as we had both never been before. Hotel options are extremely limited, and the only chain hotel that is bookable on points is the Edgar Hotel Martha’s Vineyard, Ascend Hotel Collection. This is part of the Choice Hotels Group, and their rewards program is Choice Privileges. You can check out my full review of the hotel here if you’d like!

My Booking:

I was looking for a June 2023 stay, and cash rates for the weekend at the property were just over $700 a night including taxes. But, I saw that with Choice Privileges points, it was available for 30,000 points a night.

Obtaining Choice Privileges Points as of June 2023:

Transfer from Credit Card Partners:

One option is to transfer from credit card partners. Choice Privileges is an American Express transfer partner with a 1:1 ratio. And, they are a Citi ThankYou Rewards partner at an enhanced 1:2 ratio. I don’t have any Citi cards part of the ThankYou program, so AMEX is my only option. Most of these transfers should be instant, but results may vary.

Buying Points Directly:

The other option was to buy points! You can buy a maximum of 180,000 points per year and you get a lower cost the more points you purchase. The standard cost to purchase points ranges from 1.28 cents per point when buying 1,000 points, to 1.03 cents per point when buying 180,000 points.

If you were to buy 30,000 points for a one-night stay at the standard pricing, that will cost you $309. Still quite a bit of savings compared to the cash rate of over $700.

But Wait! Are there any promotions?

Yes! Choice Privileges generally runs promotions throughout the year every month or two. They range anywhere from 25% discount on purchased points, to 40% bonuses on purchased points.

I was researching my stay during a 25% discount on purchased points. I wanted to go for 2 nights, so I needed 60,000 points which came out to $463.50 ($231.75 a night). What a good deal, and I saved over 60% off the cash rate from buying points!

I decided to purchase points, because my other option would have been to use 60,000 AMEX points for the 2 nights. I value 60,000 AMEX points for more than $463.50 (0.7 cents a point), so it was better for me to purchase the points on sale.

How Long Does It Take For Purchased Points to Post?

Bear in mind, the website says points will post within 24 hours. I made my purchase at 10:30 PM, and the points were posted at 2:30 PM the next day. The award space didn’t disappear during that time thankfully, but it is something to note as space could disappear. I checked my account + email constantly during that time period.

Things to Know about Choice Privileges Bookings:

  • The points can only be redeemed for hotel stays up to 100 days in advance, which is a bit restrictive.
  • Points don’t expire as long as you have account activity once every 18 months. Qualifying activity counts as pretty much anything where you are earning or redeeming points.

More Examples:

I even saw dates where you could potentially get even more bang for your buck. On a random weekend in July, cash rates at the Edgar Hotel Martha’s Vineyard including taxes were going for $1042 a night with taxes.

a screenshot of a hotel

Cash Rates Over $1000 with Taxes

But, points rates with Choice Privileges were available too, at 30,000 per night.

a screenshot of a hotel

30,000 Points!

The Verdict:

Overall, buying Choice Privileges points can actually save you money on your next hotel stay. The Edgar Hotel in Martha’s Vineyard is just one example where this holds true. Definitely consider comparing cash rates to reward rates when planning your next trip.

 

Have you redeemed Choice Privileges points before? Where did you stay? Share below!

 

Cheers,

Ty

Have any questions? Comment below or email me at takeofftotravel@gmail.com. I’ve also started working with a travel agency, Fora Travel, and can assist in booking hotel stays or planning trips. You can also view all my other posts here! Thanks for stopping by!