As the oldest chain of hotels/motels, Choice Hotels are found in 35 countries with over 6,500 hotels. Of those properties, one can find something from every star rating and price range.
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The Good
- Great website
- Brands
- Pet friendly
- Customer service
Great Website
ChoiceHotels.com operates a high quality website which is easy to navigate and filter unwanted options from search results. Their hotels are part of a large network, giving convenience, quality and many choices from longer-term suites to a place to sleep while passing through a city on a road trip.
Choice Privileges Program
The Choice Privileges program gives frequent travelers rewards points back for staying in a Choice Property. Additionally, ChoiceHotels.com offers several rate and discount options such as AARP, AAA, business, senior and government/military rates.
Brands
Choice hotels consists of twelve different brands. Each brand offers its own franchising rights so amenities and other services are not necessarily standard simply because a hotel is part of the Choice umbrella. Choice Hotels are found internationally and the number of properties and locations are disclosed on each of the brands company profiles. The twelve brands that make up Choice Hotels are:
- Ascend Hotel Collection
- Cambria Hotels and Suites
- Clarion Hotels
- Clarion Suites
- Comfort Inn/Comfort Inn and Suites
- Comfort Suites
- Econo Lodge
- Mainstay Suites
- Quality Inn/Hotel/Quality Inn and Suites
- Rodeway Inn
- Sleep Inn/Sleep Inn and Suites
- Suburban Extended Stay Hotel
Pet Friendly
Many Choice Hotels are pet friendly, making traveling easier when family pets are along. (There may be additional fees for traveling with an animal and service animals are always welcome.) For pet owners, the ability to search for properties which are pet friendly is very helpful.
Customer Service
Customer service representatives for ChoiceHotels.com have been rated as very good/excellent in comparison to the competitors. They are available 24/7, professional and able to answer questions with ease. Booking for a Choice Hotel property can be done online or over the phone.
ChoiceHotels.com is able to help travelers find lodging at any one of their properties as well as offering vacation packages in many cities. Being a member of Choice Privileges allows frequent travelers to earn points on hotels stays as well as receive discounted pre-paid rates. (These rates are better than the standard rates but come without the options to change or cancel rooms after the reservation is made and the room is paid for).
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The Bad
- Terms and conditions
- Limits of cancellation policy
- Pet policies
Terms and Conditions
One of the biggest lacks for this website is that of not having a page with terms and conditions for changing or canceling reservations. Many of their competitors have this information explicitly documented on their websites, yet ChoiceHotels.com does not. Their policies are stated on their pricing pages, and for the non-refundable/non-changeable rates, there is a statement in red at the top of the page giving this information. We would like to see this spelled out more plainly on the site itself.
Limits of Cancellation Policy
If a guest books a hotel room in advance for a discounted rate, they are 100 percent stuck with that reservation. The cancellation policy does not apply. Additionally, the rate is non-changeable and non-refundable. A guest's credit card will be charged for the total reservation amount within 24-48 hours of booking the reservation. That means if guests are not entirely sure about their plans, they should probably avoid using the discounted option. Other limitations regarding Choice Hotels policies include:
- Choice Privileges Expirations: all points will expire on December 31, two years after the year in which they were deposited to the guest's account unless forfeited or canceled earlier due to membership inactivity or other outlined reasons
- Advanced cancellation: guests will need to cancel their reservations 48 hours prior to their check-in time
Pet Policies
While Choice Hotels claims to be "pet friendly," guests should be aware that the policy actually varies depending on the location. Some hotels allow pets for free, others charge a service fee, and then there are those that prohibit pets from staying in their hotel rooms. Guests will need to contact the actual hotel they will be staying at to confirm the pet policy.
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The Bottom Line
We recommend using ChoiceHotels.com for your travel needs because of the superior customer service, the extent of the choices in searching for a room, and their superior rewards program. The website could use more informational articles about different destinations, but even with this missing, the site does what it is intended to do - find a room at the best rate in the chain. Those that decide to book a room with any of the Choice Hotel chains can expect the following from their stay:
- Best internet rate guarantee: guests do not need to worry about getting charged outrageous fees for high quality internet
- Thousands of locations: guests can choose from over 6,300 locations globally
- Discounts: those who book their stay in advance can save on their trip
- Cancellation policy: there are some restrictions associated with canceling that guests should be aware of
- Standard amenities: while it varies at each location, guests can typically enjoy the traditional amenities and services