Choice Hotels Joins Velocity as its Latest Hotel Partner

[jazzamcc]

From the Velocity website.

Earn Points while you sleep.
Velocity welcomes Choice Hotels as the newest partner to the program.
Choice Hotels Australasia has more than 275 hotels, suites, resorts and apartments across Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region. Choice Hotels Australasia represents the Comfort™, Quality™ and Clarion® brands. Comfort... everywhere you need us. Quality... the name you can trust. Clarion... first class, full-service.
Velocity members can earn Velocity Points at Choice Hotels Australasia, and redeem their Velocity Points with Choice Hotels in Australia and New Zealand.

With more properties, it will be so much easier to earn points, than it was with The InterContinental Hotels group.

 

[oz_mark]

With more properties, it will be so much easier to earn points, than it was with The InterContinental Hotels group.

Being a member of Choice privileges, but not staying often enough to actually get anything, it may be more beneficial to put my stays toward the Velocity program.

While they may have more properties, they are not really at the same level as the ICH properties

 

[JamesF]

Hi All,

Has anybody had a stay and posted it to Velocity yet? I have a couple coming up and just wondering if they will credit you points to Choice Privileges and also swipe your velocity card?

The velocity points are probably more valuable to me than the hotel points at this stage, so dont want to miss out on the velocity points if i give them the choice privileges card as well.

anyway, good to see some more point earning opportunities!

cheers
james

 

[JohnK]

With more properties, it will be so much easier to earn points, than it was with The InterContinental Hotels group.

How many Velocity points do you earn for hotel stays? Is it dollar based or a set amount of points?

 

[oz_mark]

How many Velocity points do you earn for hotel stays? Is it dollar based or a set amount of points?

3 points per dollar spent at Choice Hotels within Australia and New Zealand
1000 points per stay at Choice Hotels properties at other Australasian Locations

(Make sure your card gets swiped at check-in)

 

[JohnK]

3 points per dollar spent at Choice Hotels within Australia and New Zealand
1000 points per stay at Choice Hotels properties at other Australasian Locations

Thanks oz_mark!

Is the points per dollar A$ or local currency? Do you know if the points earned is strictly on room rates only or all charges?

 

[JamesF]

Hi John,

From the velocity website:

For stays in Australia and New Zealand Velocity Points will be allocated for spend on hotel charges on your individual hotel room bill.

These charges include the cost of the room, food and beverages, telephone, laundry, "pay-per-view" charges and GST. Only Qualifying Stays are eligible to earn Velocity Points.

The details and fine print are at:

https://www.velocityrewards.com.au/content/earningHotels.html

cheers
james

 

[JohnK]

The details and fine print are at:

https://www.velocityrewards.com.au/content/earningHotels.html

Thanks James. I tried looking for it on the Virgin website.

It only mentions 3 points per dollar. So I guess if you stayed in Australia it would be 3 points per A$ or if you stayed in New Zealand it would 3 points per NZ$.

 

[oz_mark]

Thanks James. I tried looking for it on the Virgin website.

It only mentions 3 points per dollar. So I guess if you stayed in Australia it would be 3 points per A$ or if you stayed in New Zealand it would 3 points per NZ$.

Yes, this is correct

Scroll all the way to the bottom of:

https://www.velocityrewards.com.au/content/conditionsPopup.html

 

[JohnK]

Thanks again oz_mark. I skimmed about 3/4 of the way down before I got bored.

I am now trying to come to grips with the Choice website. Trying to find hotels in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland for January and the website does not have GST inclusive pricing.

 

[serfty]

That's normal for the SE islands; 12.5% in +++ generally.

It's legislated in OZ that the Quoted prices must be inclusive of GST.

 

[JohnK]

That's normal for the SE islands; 12.5% in +++ generally.

So whatever price I see on website then I add on 12.5% GST. What about service charge or gratuity?

I tried doing a booking on the Choice website but did not push the confirmation button as I could not see the final price even though it asked for credit card details.

On the IC website it mentions that room rates include tax. I would love to be able to compare one to the other.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

That's normal for the SE islands; 12.5% in +++ generally.

It's legislated in OZ that the Quoted prices must be inclusive of GST.

No it isnt normal in my experience. Legally GST must be included or clearly stated (not in fine print) that price excludes GST. In practice almost every place dealing with public quotes GST inclusive.

Wholesalers more often GST exclusive (but still have to disclose this prominently) since businesses claim the GST back.

And yes, GST is 1/8 of excl price, 1/9 of incl price.

 

[serfty]

No it isnt normal in my experience. Legally GST must be included or clearly stated (not in fine print) that price excludes GST. In practice almost every place dealing with public quotes GST inclusive.

Fair enough; my experience is generally through Hotel booking engines.

So whatever price I see on website then I add on 12.5% GST. What about service charge or gratuity?

My experience (again in booking hotel rooms) is that the 12.5% GST is the only addition. Such service charges are uncommon in NZ.

Perhaps I hould have used one "+" rather than three.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

No service charge, bed tax, gratuity in NZ. The only extras you pay for are things you requested yourself (eg room service, laundry, phone, etc) except for those few hotels that have the default voluntary donation (which you can remove but no one does because it makes them look cheap).

 

[oz_mark]

Stay at Choice Hotels and earn Double Points.

Velocity> Stay at Choice Hotels and earn Double Points. That's 6 Points per dollar

Stay at any Choice Hotel within Australia and New Zealand before 31 December and you'll earn Double the normal Points.

That's 6 Points per dollar spent*

Bonus Points apply for all nights of any qualifying stay that either begins or ends between 15 November and 31 December 2006..

 

[coco50]

While they may have more properties, they are not really at the same level as the ICH properties

I can vouch for the level, having ventured into the Quality Hotel Melbourne Airport last week while doing a job for an Australian Govt. agency. I f you have another choice don't stay there. Nothing wrong with it - it just seemed seedy to me and noisy in the early hours. I can't see ICH - even the Holiday Inn Melbourne Airport - being as bad or as noisy as that.

 

[oz_mark]

I can vouch for the level, having ventured into the Quality Hotel Melbourne Airport last week while doing a job for an Australian Govt. agency. I f you have another choice don't stay there. Nothing wrong with it - it just seemed seedy to me and noisy in the early hours. I can't see ICH - even the Holiday Inn Melbourne Airport - being as bad or as noisy as that.

Having stayed at the Holiday Inn at Melbourne Airport, and withouth being influenced by the fact they upgradedme to a suite , I certainly did not find it loud or seedy. Can't compare it to the Quality, as I tend only to stay at Choice hotels when I am in country towns.

 

[coco50]

Having stayed at the Holiday Inn at Melbourne Airport, and withouth being influenced by the fact they upgradedme to a suite , I certainly did not find it loud or seedy. Can't compare it to the Quality, as I tend only to stay at Choice hotels when I am in country towns.

I have stayed at the Holiday Inn Melbourne Airport a number of times, especially when returning from OS and I have always found it good. Even though it has been made over the standard of the rooms and the service, not to mention the restaurant is pretty good. BTW do you notice that after you have had a few red wines that your typing is off slightly?

 

[oz_mark]

BTW do you notice that after you have had a few red wines that your typing is off slightly?

My typing is off slightly before the red wine, and just proceeds downhill as I make my way through the bottle.