14 Choice Hotel Brands: Economy, Midscale & Upscale [2023]

Q: Is La Quinta a Choice Hotel?

La Quinta is not a Choice Hotel. It is a Wyndham hotel.

Choice Hotels International, often abbreviated as Choice Hotels, is one of the largest hospitality companies in the world. Choice Hotels is one of the bigger competitors to mainstay hotel chains like Hilton, Marriott, and IHG.

With headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, Choice Hotels has some 7,000+ hotels in its portfolio, spread out across more than 40 countries.

Although the parent company may not be well-known, its constituent properties enjoy an unexpectedly high level of brand recognition, offering names like Comfort Inn, Sleep Inn, and Rodeway Inn.

Although Choice Hotels’ focus has always been on the midscale/economy traveler, it is possible to stay at upscale properties. Best of all, there are lots of ways to redeem Choice Privileges points!

Let’s examine Choice Hotels’ 14 brands, including a “dual brand” that combines 2 brands under 1 roof! As you’ll find out, there are economy lodging accommodations, spacious midscale choices, and even boutique upscale properties.

Table of contents

Choice Brand Overview
Choice Privileges® Visa Signature® Card
Choice Privileges Loyalty Program
14 Choice Hotel Brands
Final Thoughts

Table of Contents

Choice Brand Overview
Choice Privileges® Visa Signature® Card
Choice Privileges Loyalty Program
14 Choice Hotel Brands
Final Thoughts

Choice Brand Overview

Choice Hotels’ massive portfolio makes it a larger company than IHG and Hilton by number of properties, which is a feat that is certainly difficult to surpass!

Choice Hotels separates each brand and buckets it into economy, midscale, or upscale accommodations.

Brand Name	Tier	Properties	Countries
Ascend Hotel Collection	Upscale	374	22
Cambria Hotels	Upscale	50	1
Clarion	Midscale	319	24
Clarion Pointe	Midscale	13	1
Comfort	Midscale	2,397	24
Econo Lodge	Economy	894	1
Everhome Suites	Midscale	1	1
MainStay Suites	Midscale	228	2
Quality Inn	Midscale	2,081	17
Rodeway Inn	Economy	647	2
Sleep Inn	Midscale	585	5
Sleep Inn/MainStay Suites (Dual Brand)	Midscale	123	2
Suburban Extended Stay Hotel	Economy	77	2
WoodSpring Suites	Economy	412	1

Choice Hotels focuses on offering affordable rooms, as evidenced by its 4 economy brands and 8 midscale brands. Meanwhile, there are 2 smaller but formidable upscale brands: Ascend Hotel Collection and Cambria Hotels.

Choice Privileges® Visa Signature® Card

Barclays is the exclusive credit card issuer for Choice Hotels, and offers the Choice Privileges® Visa Signature® Card.

The Choice Privileges card comes with no annual fee, complimentary Gold Elite status, an anniversary points bonus, a welcome point offer, and the ability to earn Choice Privileges points with regular spending.

When you have the Choice Privileges card, you can earn 15 points per $1 spent at eligible Choice Hotels, 5 points per $1 spent on the purchase of Choice Privileges points or Choice Hotels gift cards, and 2 points per $1 on all other purchases.

The biggest benefits of Choice Privileges Gold Elite status over entry-level Member status is early check-in, late checkout, elite reserved parking, a dedicated elite customer hotline, and even an elite welcome gift!

Lastly, you will receive a 10% elite bonus on points accrued during your Choice Hotels stays.

If you need to top off your Choice Privileges points, you can transfer from:

American Express transfer partners and Capital One Miles (coming soon) at a 1:1 ratio
Citi ThankYou Points at a 1:2 ratio
Diners Club at a 1,250:2,400 ratio
Amtrak 5,000:15,000

Hot Tip: It makes a lot of sense to buy points because there are often bonus promotions you can take advantage of.

Choice Privileges Loyalty Program

Choice Hotels banner — Choice Hotels’ rewards program is known as Choice Privileges. Image Credit: Choice Hotels

The points you earn in Choice Privileges, Choice Hotels’ loyalty program, can be redeemed for hotel stays (or transferred to airline partners). Note that you can only book stays up to 100 days in advance.

Award prices will range from 8,000 points to 75,000 points per night. You’ll only experience pricing between 35,000 and 75,000 points per night at Choice Hotels in the Asia-Pacific region or Preferred Hotels & Resorts locations.

You won’t experience any variable pricing structures — your property will either be available with points at a set price or it will not be available.

To figure out how much your stay will cost using points, you’ll want to:

Visit Choice Privileges’ Redeem Points page.
Enter your destination and travel information in the search box. Make sure the special rate field says Reward Points.
Click Find Hotels.
For each available hotel, you will see the points cost on the right-hand side.
Click Check Availability to proceed with your booking.

Lastly, you can use points partially for a stay via the Points Plus Cash program, provided you have at least 6,000 Choice Privileges points.

14 Choice Hotel Brands

Choice Hotels Brands Logos — Choice Hotels has 14 brand offerings. Image Credit: Choice Hotels

Choice Hotels’ 14 brands are heavily weighted towards the affordable or value end of the spectrum. With seminal brands like Sleep Inn, Quality Inn, Rodeway Inn, and Comfort, it’s easy to see why Choice Hotels enjoys incredible brand recognition.

This isn’t the end, however, because Ascend Hotels Collection and Cambria Hotels offer a hint of luxury thanks to their position as the upscale brands in Choice Hotels’ portfolio.

Lastly, Choice Hotels offers a unique “dual brand”, which combines Sleep Inn and MainStay Suites under 1 roof and property.

1. Ascend Hotel Collection

envision Hotel Boston Everett An Ascend Hotel Collection Member — envision Hotel Boston-Everett, An Ascend Hotel Collection Member. Image Credit: Choice Hotels

Ascend Hotel Collection is one of 2 Choice Hotels brands falling into the upscale bucket. Ascend Hotel Collection is Choice Hotels’ boutique brand focusing on historic and culturally rich accommodations.

Each property is unique, but expect to find the most technologically-advanced amenities, excellent service, unique food and beverage choices, and lots of historical artifacts at each Ascend Hotel Collection property. Pick between nature adventures, sprawling resorts with golf courses, or even artsy city properties with unbeatable locations.

There are nearly 400 properties spread out across 22 countries, so you’ll be able to find something posh that fits your needs.

Hot Tip: A new alliance in 2021 with Penn National Gaming, Inc. will offer reciprocal earning and redemption benefits for Choice Privileges members and members of Penn’s mychoice loyalty program.

2. Cambria Hotels

Cambria Hotels New Orleans Warehouse District. Image Credit: Choice Hotels

Cambria Hotels is Choice Hotels’ other upscale brand besides Ascend Hotel Collection. Cambria’s focus seems to be on business travelers, but it will definitely appeal to leisure travelers as well.

Within each property, you’ll find free Wi-Fi, tech-friendly rooms, plenty of meeting spaces, full-service dining, bars that feature local craft beer selections, and even Cambria’s Contactless Concierge Service.

Choice Privileges members enjoy a $10 Cambria credit for the on-site restaurant and bar and a benefit called Double Your Extras.

Double Your Extras doubles your welcome gift on weekday stays (Sunday through Thursday) so you can pick between:

$10 coffee gift card
$5 Uber credit
$5 Amazon gift card
800 bonus Choice Privileges points

Lastly, you’ll get a Diamond Elite Status Jump, which offers top-tier Choice Privileges Diamond Elite status at Cambria stays provided you have elite status at another hotel brand.

Overall, Cambria Hotels offers a mix between business travel utilitarianism and casual leisure indulgences at each of its 50 properties in the U.S.

3. Clarion

Clarion Hotels. Image Credit: Choice Hotels

Clarion prides itself on being able to accommodate different customer/traveler archetypes under 1 roof, whether it’s business travel, special events, celebrations, vacations, or just a simple weekend staycation.

Ultimately, Clarion helps business and leisure guests mingle by providing meeting/banquet facilities, hot breakfast, a simplified menu, free Wi-Fi, a pool, fitness center, and a 24-hour business center. Amenities may vary at each location, so keep that in mind.

Overall, there are around 319 Clarion properties in 24 countries.

4. Clarion Pointe

Clarion Pointe is the sister brand of Clarion and is positioned as a convenient and affordable brand with premium touches in just the right places.

Hotel essentials like contemporary design, crisp bedding, free Wi-Fi, on-demand streaming connectivity, a modern fitness center, and free breakfast with premium coffee every morning are among the perks of staying at Clarion Pointe properties.

The first Clarion Pointe property opened in 2019, and there are currently 13 of these hotels in the U.S. across cities like:

Fresno, CA
Rochester, NY
Columbus, OH
Greensboro, NC

Clarion Pointe always has 6 hotels in the pipeline in cities like Louisville, KY and Salt Lake City, UT.

5. Comfort

Comfort is Choice Hotels’ largest brand. Positioned as a midscale limited-service brand, Comfort is designed to offer consistent, high-value accommodations for both leisure and business travelers.

With 3 distinct sub-brands — Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, and Comfort Inn & Suites — Choice Hotels has gone to great lengths to revamp and revitalize the Comfort brand, previously associated with tired, no-frills motels.

Each of the oversized rooms has separate areas for working and relaxing, and some rooms are equipped with a sleeper sofa, refrigerator, microwave, and high-speed internet. Comfort properties have also been upgraded with new design elements, free Wi-Fi, refreshed bedding, a hot and hearty breakfast, and improved fitness centers.

There are nearly 2,400 properties across 24 countries, making Comfort the largest hotel brand within Choice Hotels’ portfolio.

6. Econo Lodge

Econo Lodge is Choice Hotels’ flagship economy brand. By providing an “easy stop on the road,” this value-oriented brand is a favorite for travelers seeking affordable accommodations.

To give you an idea of what it might offer, Econo Lodge competes with brands like Days Inn, Super 8, and Red Roof Inn.

At Econo Lodge, you’ll find clean rooms that are equipped with free Wi-Fi, premium movie channels, bedside electrical outlets, and most importantly, free continental breakfast. Many of these properties are pet-friendly, as well.

Overall, there are nearly 900 Econo Lodge properties in this brand, all of which are located in the United States.

7. Everhome Suites

Everhome Suites is Choice Hotels’ newest brand, offering midscale extended-stay comforts. This brand offers a refreshed perspective on value-oriented efficiency tailored to long-staying guests. For discerning travelers, its 3 pillars are convenient amenities, modern spaces, and flexible design.

In the main lobby area, you’ll discover contemporary locally-inspired gathering areas to blend work and play. Within each room, you’ll find smart, apartment-style suite layouts featuring separate work and living spaces, including a fully-equipped kitchen with a dishwasher.

The first location for this new brand is in Corona, CA. Additional locations are planed for Georgia, Montana, Idaho, and New Jersey.

8. MainStay Suites

MainStay Suites is one of Comfort Hotels’ midscale brands, specifically for extended-stay travelers. MainStay Suites emphasizes a homey experience by delivering on the “Live Like Home” motto.

Typical customers include those who are relocating, leisure travelers, employees attending training, or even temporary job assignments.

Each of these all-suite rooms contains free Wi-Fi, a sleeper sofa or lounge chair, a fully-equipped kitchen with a 2-burner cooktop, dishes, utensils, a dishwasher, a sink with disposal, a microwave, and a full-size refrigerator, an ergonomic chair, and comfortable work areas.

On-site amenities include a well-equipped fitness center, business center with computer and printer, and complimentary access to small kitchen appliances including blenders, toasters, slow cookers via the Things I Use at Home program.

You’ll enjoy a free continental breakfast including a hot oatmeal station at each of these properties, in addition to on-site laundry rooms, regular housekeeping, and even a marketplace to pick up snacks.

There are currently around 228 MainStay Suites properties in the U.S. and Canada.

9. Quality Inn

Quality Inn Middletown Rhode Island — Quality Inn Middletown, Rhode Island. Image Credit: Choice Hotels

Quality Inn is another one of Choice Hotels’ midscale properties. As the second-largest brand in Choice Hotels’ portfolio, Quality Inn helps both guests and hotel owners “get your money’s worth.”

By delivering value on both sides of the equation, Quality Inn has cemented itself as one of the best go-to midscale brands, particularly in the United States. Whether you’re a business traveler, looking for a vacation, or just desperate for a weekend getaway, Quality Inn will deliver excellent value.

The 5 tenets of Quality’s philosophy, also known as Value Qs, are:

Q Bed: Deliver crisp bedding
Q Breakfast: Deliver hot, fresh, and healthy complimentary breakfasts including eggs, waffles, and pancakes
Q Shower: Deliver a refreshing shower experience with multi-setting shower heads and energizing bath amenities
Q Service: Deliver professional, responsive, and friendly service
Q Essentials: Deliver amenities like free Wi-Fi, an in-room fridge, local phone calls, a daily newspaper, and coffee and tea facilities

There are over 2,000 Quality Inn locations in 17 countries, all of which are affordable and enjoyable.

10. Rodeway Inn

Rodeway Inn is one of Choice Hotels’ economy brands. Perhaps the most “no-frills” brand, Rodeway Inn offers the basics at a competitive price-tag.

Essentially, Rodeway Inn is for those who need a bed to sleep on and a refreshing shower. The 3 main amenities you’ll find are free coffee every morning, free Wi-Fi, and a free premium movie channel.

This sensible lodging option is great for travelers on a budget, so you can get rest and use the room as a launchpad for your area excursions. “Good night. Great savings.” is the motto here, which makes Rodeway Inn one of the best deals on a simple stay you can get.

There are 647 Rodeway Inn locations in the U.S. and Canada.

11. Sleep Inn

It’s easy to see why Sleep Inn is so popular — getting a good night’s rest is the focus here, so these stylish hotels are designed as a sort of sanctuary for your wellness.

Sleep Inn’s midscale position offers plush bedding, relaxing design elements, calming colors, and thoughtful lighting to optimize your sleep in a spa-like atmosphere. Also, free amenities include a hot breakfast and high-speed Wi-Fi. On-site, you’ll find facilities such as a fitness room and/or a pool.

Furthermore, Sleep Inn has entered into a partnership with Better Sleep, a renowned mobile app, to help you maximize your sleep even more with gentle sounds, meditations, and even bedtime stories. Sleep Inn will offer complimentary premium, ad-free access to this app for guests.

Sleep Inn has 585 locations across 5 countries.

12. Sleep Inn/MainStay Suites (Dual Brand)

Sleep Inn/MainStay Suites dual brand. Image Credit: Choice Hotels

This next brand is a new concept that premiered in late 2018. This dual brand combines the functional style of Sleep Inn with the homeyness of the MainStay Suites.

For hotel-goers, the key amenities are free breakfast, increased facilities, and a single front desk/lobby. You can choose which of the brands you’d prefer to stay in depending on the feel, facilities, amenities, etc.

There are 123 Sleep Inn/MainStay Suites properties, all of which are in the U.S., either open or under development at this time.

13. Suburban Extended Stay Hotel

Suburban Extended Stay Hotel is in the economy category, and it offers extended-stay lodging for travelers.

With value-conscious guests in mind, all of the apartment-style suites offer in-room kitchens. This includes a full-sized fridge, a 2-burner cooktop, a microwave, a kitchen sink, free Wi-Fi, and 24/7 on-site laundry facilities. Common amenities include a basic exercise room, free local calls, a business center, free coffee, and even truck parking! Plus, you’ll get a free hot breakfast at each of these properties.

Offering primarily weekly and multi-week pricing with bi-weekly housekeeping, you can begin to see how Suburban Extended Stay Hotels can offer some of the most competitive extended-stay pricing by removing the services that guests don’t need.

In total, there are 77 properties in the U.S. and Canada.

14. WoodSpring Suites

WoodSpring Suites is one of Choice Hotels’ most exciting brands, aiming to maximize guest comfort via a welcoming environment, friendly staff, clean practices, and more.

You can book nightly, weekly, and even monthly stays at WoodSpring Suites. The longer you stay, the cheaper the nightly rates you’ll receive. Typical guests include those who are relocating, those on traveling medical assignments or crew projects, as well as those experiencing life changes. Housekeeping is done bi-weekly and you can purchase additional bedding replacement/housekeeping services as needed.

Each of the pet-friendly rooms (exclusions apply) is a suite with separate sofas and chairs, a free premium movie channel, and well-designed kitchens including a full-size fridge, 2-burner stove, and microwave oven. You’ll enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking, 24/7 laundry room access, and vending machines, as well as additional kitchen items available. Some locations also offer lobby coffee service, dishwashers, and fitness centers.

All located within the U.S., there are a total of 412 WoodSpring Suites locations.

Final Thoughts

Choice Hotels is one of the world’s largest hotel chains, managing more than 7,000 properties across 40+ countries globally. By number of properties, Choice Hotels is larger than Hilton and Marriott!

As a general rule of thumb, Choice Hotels skews much more towards the economy/midscale traveler with brands like Rodeway Inn, Quality Inn, and Comfort. However, it does have a position in the upscale hotel market, thanks to the Ascend Hotel Collection and Cambria Hotels.

Choice Hotels’ rewards program, Choice Privileges, offers opportunities to earn and redeem points for free hotel stays. Still, paying cash for Choice Hotels properties is not a bad deal at all, considering how value-packed each of these stays can be.

Featured Image Credit: Choice Hotels

Frequently asked questions

What hotels are part of Choice Hotels?

Here are the hotels that fall under the Choice Hotels portfolio. Ascend Hotel Collection, Cambria Hotels, Clarion, Clarion Pointe, Comfort (includes Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, and Comfort Inn & Suites), Econo Lodge, Everhome Suites, MainStay Suites, Quality Inn, Rodeway Inn, Sleep Inn, Sleep Inn/MainStay Suites (Dual Brand), Suburban Extended Stay Hotels and WoodSpring Suites.

How many Choice Privileges points do you need for a reward stay?

If you're booking a hotel stay outright without any cash, you can redeem anywhere from 8,000 to 75,000 points per night for a hotel stay. If you're paying with a mix of points and cash, you can use Points Plus Cash to redeem as little as 6,000 Choice Privileges points plus cash for a hotel stay.

Which credit cards earn Choice Privileges points?

Currently, the only credit card that earns Choice Privilege points directly is the Choice Privileges card. You can also transfer from:

American Express Membership Rewards and Capital One Miles (coming soon) at a 1:1 ratio
Diners Club at a 1,250:2,400 ratio
Amtrak at a 5,000:15,000 ratio

Is La Quinta a Choice Hotel?

La Quinta is not a Choice Hotel. It is a Wyndham hotel.

Which Choice Hotel brand is the best?

The most upscale brands are Ascend Hotel Collection and Cambria Hotels. While the "best" is subjective, these are the most luxurious properties. On the other hand, some properties can offer spectacular value even if they're not luxurious, such as WoodSpring Suites and Sleep Inn.

Is Best Western a Choice Hotel?

Best Western is not a Choice Hotel. Best Western is its own hotel company.

Which Is better: Quality Inn or Comfort Suites?

The 2 brands are different. Comfort is generally regarded as better than Quality Inn. With its recent brand refresh, one would have to agree with the sentiment that Comfort slightly edges out Quality Inn, despite the value both brands offer.

Which is better: Comfort Inn or Sleep Inn?

Sleep Inn is usually the better brand compared to Comfort Inn. As a rule of thumb, Sleep Inn properties are newer and nicer. Additionally, the focus is on offering a most comfortable stay and a restful experience. Both properties offer a complimentary hot breakfast.

Is Marriott a Choice Hotel?

Marriott is not a Choice Hotel. Marriott is its own hotel chain and hospitality company, just like Choice Hotels.

Do Choice Hotel points expire?

If you don't have any qualifying activity for 18 months, your points will expire. One of the easiest ways to extend your points if you have no upcoming travel planned is to transfer 1,000 Amex points to Choice Privileges, just to keep the rest of Choice Privileges points alive.

How many Choice Hotels are there?

There are over 7,000 Choice Hotels in the world across 40+ countries.

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About Stephen Au

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Stephen has been privileged to enjoy many premium cabin products and 5-star hotels. As one of the foremost experts in credit cards, over the past 4 years, he has amassed a portfolio of over 70 credit cards, both personal and business. Stephen has personally tested, first-hand, almost every major rewards credit card on the market today, spanning banks such as American Express, Bank of America, Barclays, Brex, Capital One, Chase, Citi, City National Bank, U.S. Bank, and more.

Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.

7 comments

Edward Gutierrez July 4, 2021
What is the going rate to exchange Bluegreen points to Choice points?
Reply
- Jarrod West July 6, 2021
  Hi Edward,
  Based on its website, it does not appear that Bluegreen points can be transferred to the Choice program.
  Reply
  - John Smith December 26, 2022
    We stayed at a Comfort Inn in Pueblo, Colorado. Looks like whomever owns it is letting it run down. The windows were so filthy it was hard to see outside. Only thin blanket on bed, but too many pillows. Bed was comfortable. Website to book is badly done. Many, many promotions, very confusing and we don’t seem to get most of them. If this is better than a Quality Inn, I’m surprised. Breakfast is low quality and most people seem to avoid it, but then this place is never close to full.
    Reply
Don Kenyon September 10, 2022
A stay on night of 9/6/22 @ EconoLodge Downtown – Salt Lake City, (Room #125) left my party of 2 greatly disturbed due to horrible check in staff, check in policy, room issues, & general run down appearance, to wit: (photos are available)
1. Forced to stand in o/s alcove in 100*+ temps
2. Rude desk persons
3. Taking & keeping ID of each “guest” overnight until checkout. (We weren’t even aware they kept our ODLs), possibly due to our “melting” in sun, while they did the check in their a/c office.
4. Drug use on property, people next to us were smoking “weed” o/s our door
5. Litter was everywhere
6. Bathroom door wouldn’t shut at all (bad framing), & couldn’t be locked
7. Toothpaste cap stuck in sink drain.
8. Spiders on walls
9. Toilet not secured to the floor, no seal at the bottom, not bolted down, toilet seat not attached
10. Bathtub faucet was running
11. No cereal bowls, “we ran out”, it was only 1 hour after breakfast opened, no apology.
12. Desk lamp inoperative, I took it upon myself to trade one from another room, where maids were cleaning. They didn’t object, & I told them my room #, if management?? hah), had any issues with that.
13. Long list of motel policies: $100 cash deposit only
Reply
Don Kenyon September 10, 2022
See my long, previous comment re: EconoLodge, 715 W North Temple, Salt Lake City 84116
The below msg is a “paste” of a copy of motel policies, (effective I think it was 3/1/2022), many other photos of the room are avail upon request.
There were landscaping trucks in the parking area w/multiple workers adjusting their weed trimmers & other landscaping equipment, even though there is no grass at the property.
Upon checkout, we were again told to wait outside in 100* weather, behind what was possibly bullet proof glass. Even their own maintenance man had to wait o/s the bolted door, for desk person to finish up with our check-out! We had to show deposit slip, for our $100 cash refund, as well as ID, and we couldn’t find our ODLs. It was then that we told desk person, through the slot in wall, that they had never given us our ODLs back. Sure enough they still had them, luckily. I will doubtfully book an Econo Lodge property on-line (Choice App) again. I’m a Diamond Member, and book Choice properties, if avail where I am vacationing, but this place left a bad “taste” in my psyche. Thanks for reading & Passing this info on to EconoLodge & Choice Property Management.
Reply
- ajaynejr February 14, 2023
  What is an ODL?
  Reply
Don Kenyon September 10, 2022
See 2 previous remarks re: Econo Lodge, Downtown Salt Lake City:
If I hadn’t booked on-line, I would have & should have (anyway), just cancelled & lost my room charge…. Hoping to get it back from Choice, due to the way we were treated when trying to check in.
I chose this location due to ease of getting off I-80 & close proximity to Mormon Temple Visitors Square area, also easy access back onto I-15 S.
Reply