Discussion: OUSA Choice Hotels promotion

I was trying to book something using the promotion just sent out from OUSA.

I get the following error: "Sorry, the rate you selected requires you to login in with your Special Rate ID."

That was after I selected the special rate from the dropdown and confirmed OUSA.

Has anyone else seen this?

Are you logged as a user of the Choice Hotels site? I don't know if that is the issue, nor why it wouldn't let you book as a guest, but I've always been logging in.

Also, the 15% off mentioned in the flyer is what we typically get with the OUSA discount 00228560; it's not a special one-time deal. Choice is offering better deals now than 15% off, at least in California, but it seems to be only for a few weeks in mid-November. The OUSA rate is reliably a good rate year-round.

Thanks T/D.

I created a login, reluctantly, established the OUSA discount with my login, and logged in. And I get the same error.

Off to Kayak I go...

I didn't see the described behavior when I just tried booking. It's probably browser-specific.

Probably operator error. Maybe because it doesn't work in Canada. In any case, same behavior in IE and Chrome.

@j-man: I had the same problem trying to book a Comfort Inn room in Canada, back in August (Moncton, NB).

I called the central Choice 800 number, and they were getting the same problem. After 15-min on hold, I was told that "that particular property does not accept the [SC15] discount code"...

Perhaps Glen could bring this up with his Choice contact...

All,

Thanks for the conversation. While Choice has offered a great range of properties at fair rates, the process has been more complex than it was with Motel 6.

First of all I will bring the items on this thread up with Choice....

Moving forward the best option to get the best deal is to go to the OUSA website, click on the Choice logo, and book through the website. While I am trying to get a clarification from Choice it seems to be the only certain way for you to get a good price and OUSA to get the commission (we have generated about $3500 in income so far this year in fees and commissions).

Moving forward for the Classic Champs and French Creek...rooms have been held. For these events you can contact the hotels directly (you will get the rate, but we won't get the commission...part of the learning process)...if they are sold out go to the website.

Did I mention go to the OUSA webisite?

Hi Glen, if I click on the Choice banner in the sponsor ghetto, I am taken to choicesporttravel.com, and the discount does not appear to be pre-filled in, I still have to enter it manually.

I have been able to get SC15 for all of my bookings with Choice this year, but then I wasn't going to where other people were going at the time.

All OUSA discounts/commissions, conveniently gathered on one page.

Did we pursue the issue with the code not being acepted at some properties? I was just trying to use it at a mainstay hotel in Port St Joe, FL, and not accepted...

All,

Thanks for the discussion point. The best way to do it is to:
1) Go to the ousa web page
2) Click on the Comfort Inn logo
3) This takes you directly to the sports page, where you fill out your information and submit. The rate published is 15% off that day's rate. Those daily rates float on demand.

If you go directly to the hotel OUSA receives no benefit.

Glen
OUSA

If you are still not successful, please let me know. I will check this thread over the next few days.

All.

One more thing. The only exception is the upcoming US Individual Champs in Rochester. In this case Rick Worner was able to negotiate a rate around $99/ night (if I recall). This is like $30 below the online rate per night. Call the hotel, take the deal.

Glen

Perhaps it's just me, but it seems like rates -- rack and otherwise -- for hotel/motel rooms are rising at a rate well above the rate of inflation. Like along the lines of college tuition...

Rooms at the QI in Geneseo going for $145/night -- with the OUSA discount -- seem like a really poor value. Almost makes Oxford, OH, rooms seem cheap by comparison. :-D

Perhaps that comparison with tuition is more reality than sarcasm -- lodging near colleges almost always seems too high.

BTW, the EconoLodge in Hornell, NY, has rooms in the $60-75 range (pre-paid or OUSA), and is only a mile or 2 farther from Letchworth. Only 3 non-smoking rooms left as of this writing...