Comments on: A government rate for a weekend stay? http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bill http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/comment-page-1/#comment-82162 Bill Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:49:44 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/#comment-82162 wife and I are taking a leisure trip to Ithaca and staying at the Hampton Inn. Made reservations and received confirmation on MARCH 1, 2011 for a government rate of $102/night for this weekend. Just received a call yesterday from them that our trip scheduled in 3 days will be charged $169/night because they don't honor government rates on weekends! Are you kidding me-they tell us this 3 days before we are leaving? We booked in March. Tried to complain to 1800hampton but they referred us right back to the hotel. They said the general manager will call me in 3 business days....probably after our trip is over. Any help out there? wife and I are taking a leisure trip to Ithaca and staying at the Hampton Inn. Made reservations and received confirmation on MARCH 1, 2011 for a government rate of $102/night for this weekend. Just received a call yesterday from them that our trip scheduled in 3 days will be charged $169/night because they don’t honor government rates on weekends! Are you kidding me-they tell us this 3 days before we are leaving? We booked in March. Tried to complain to 1800hampton but they referred us right back to the hotel. They said the general manager will call me in 3 business days….probably after our trip is over. Any help out there?

]]> By: Francine Goldberg http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/comment-page-1/#comment-7410 Francine Goldberg Wed, 26 Dec 2007 14:25:15 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/#comment-7410 I've stayed at some 5-star resort hotels on weekends on a government rate. Most of them are perfectly happy to charge that rate and fill up their rooms. And most have no problem if it's leisure travel. So long as you have the government ID, they are happy to oblige. I got a wonderful $129/night on a $349/night room at the Vinoy Renaissance (Marriott) in St. Petersburg last fall. It was a beautiful hotel and I always wanted to stay there when I passed it before. What a nice experience. And because of the nice rate, I used many of the (costly) hotel facilities rather than going out or elsewhere. So it's a win-win situation for the hotel. They don't have that empty room and they have more revenue than they would have had. I’ve stayed at some 5-star resort hotels on weekends on a government rate. Most of them are perfectly happy to charge that rate and fill up their rooms. And most have no problem if it’s leisure travel. So long as you have the government ID, they are happy to oblige. I got a wonderful $129/night on a $349/night room at the Vinoy Renaissance (Marriott) in St. Petersburg last fall. It was a beautiful hotel and I always wanted to stay there when I passed it before. What a nice experience. And because of the nice rate, I used many of the (costly) hotel facilities rather than going out or elsewhere. So it’s a win-win situation for the hotel. They don’t have that empty room and they have more revenue than they would have had.

]]> By: Jason Zions http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/comment-page-1/#comment-7063 Jason Zions Wed, 12 Dec 2007 23:49:22 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/#comment-7063 A hotel absolutely can say "We're sold out of gov rate rooms for that night" at the time of the reservation. But if they give you a reservation for a gov rate, they have to honor it. Government employees are required to stay at hotels that offer gov rates, even if lower non-gov rates are available elsewhere. Part of the deal between hotels and the GSA (and there are deals, as I understand it) is that gov't employees will actually stay there instead of at the competition which doesn't offer gov rate. A hotel absolutely can say “We’re sold out of gov rate rooms for that night” at the time of the reservation. But if they give you a reservation for a gov rate, they have to honor it.

Government employees are required to stay at hotels that offer gov rates, even if lower non-gov rates are available elsewhere. Part of the deal between hotels and the GSA (and there are deals, as I understand it) is that gov’t employees will actually stay there instead of at the competition which doesn’t offer gov rate.

]]> By: Richard http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/comment-page-1/#comment-7024 Richard Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:11:38 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/#comment-7024 Just to note that the government rate is not a guarantee, but a courtesy. It's a marketing strategy that hotels use to attract government travelers, and there is no contractual obligation between the hotel and the GSA (the government's travel arm). If a hotel is nearly full, they're free to charge the "market rate," whatever that may be - that said, however, most managers have been willing to offer the government rate, because it's better than having an unsold hotel room in your inventory at the end of the night. Some will even extend the rate if you decide to extend your stay for personal travel. Just to note that the government rate is not a guarantee, but a courtesy. It’s a marketing strategy that hotels use to attract government travelers, and there is no contractual obligation between the hotel and the GSA (the government’s travel arm). If a hotel is nearly full, they’re free to charge the “market rate,” whatever that may be – that said, however, most managers have been willing to offer the government rate, because it’s better than having an unsold hotel room in your inventory at the end of the night. Some will even extend the rate if you decide to extend your stay for personal travel.

]]> By: Mayr Dillon http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/comment-page-1/#comment-7020 Mayr Dillon Tue, 11 Dec 2007 13:51:21 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/#comment-7020 I am a government employee and book the government rate on week-ends, etc. The only thing I've ever been asked (rarely) is to see my id. Shame on Hampton!! I am a government employee and book the government rate on week-ends, etc. The only thing I’ve ever been asked (rarely) is to see my id.

Shame on Hampton!!

]]> By: Leo http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/comment-page-1/#comment-7019 Leo Tue, 11 Dec 2007 13:44:43 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/#comment-7019 I had a similar thing happen to me at a Hampton last year. I was attending a trade show in Chicago and the show rate was $189/night. I went through the HHonors website for my reservation and it was $139/night. When I get to the hotel, they had trade show stuff to give out and when I checked in, the person changed my rate to the $189. I then balked at the change and had to speak with a manager, then the Hilton Diamond Desk to get it resolved. Eventually, it was resolved by the Diamond Desk and the manager and they even comped me one night out of the five I was staying there for. I had a similar thing happen to me at a Hampton last year. I was attending a trade show in Chicago and the show rate was $189/night. I went through the HHonors website for my reservation and it was $139/night.

When I get to the hotel, they had trade show stuff to give out and when I checked in, the person changed my rate to the $189. I then balked at the change and had to speak with a manager, then the Hilton Diamond Desk to get it resolved. Eventually, it was resolved by the Diamond Desk and the manager and they even comped me one night out of the five I was staying there for.

]]> By: Adele http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/comment-page-1/#comment-7010 Adele Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:08:38 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/#comment-7010 The same thing happened to me in a hotel in Tucson. They decided to change the government rate and did not inform me until I arrived. The manager had already left for the night. I disputed the rate with the manager the next day. He said it was "hotel policy" to change the government rate, even if a confirmed rate had been quoted in a reservation. I got nowhere with the hotel. However, I made a complaint with my credit card company, and I was able to get a refund. The same thing happened to me in a hotel in Tucson. They decided to change the government rate and did not inform me until I arrived. The manager had already left for the night. I disputed the rate with the manager the next day. He said it was “hotel policy” to change the government rate, even if a confirmed rate had been quoted in a reservation. I got nowhere with the hotel. However, I made a complaint with my credit card company, and I was able to get a refund.

]]> By: Gretchen http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/comment-page-1/#comment-6993 Gretchen Mon, 10 Dec 2007 02:00:05 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/#comment-6993 Why would you have bothered? There are plenty of other hotel rooms in the Asheville area that would have been happy to receive your business and treat you like a valued customer at a rate much lower than that... Why would you have bothered? There are plenty of other hotel rooms in the Asheville area that would have been happy to receive your business and treat you like a valued customer at a rate much lower than that…

]]> By: Kango Suz http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/comment-page-1/#comment-6992 Kango Suz Mon, 10 Dec 2007 01:12:07 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-government-rate-for-a-weekend-stay/#comment-6992 Elliott, This is what I love the BEST about reading your site, hearing about the times when you go to bat for your readers and get results. Thanks so much for sticking up for readers when we can't get the industry to listen to us! Elliott,
This is what I love the BEST about reading your site, hearing about the times when you go to bat for your readers and get results. Thanks so much for sticking up for readers when we can’t get the industry to listen to us!

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