jcmitchell21

My boss asked me today to check out rates in nashville for local hotels/extended stay hotels for some 3-5 employees coming to our office on assignment for 4-5 months. Price and location all being irrelevant, which program would be the most beneficial for the employees?

In discussing it with hotel's revenue management, I hope to get a corporate code usable to on multiple stays instead of a manually adjusted rate requiring a single long stay.

dshargorodsky

Marriott reward program is the best one if you want to get points for the stays, although the Hilton HHonors program is better in terms of Elite benefits.

Ocn Vw 1K

One issue to watch out for with extended stays is whether the hotel program will give benefits and points for stays beyond a certain length. The Starwood Preferred Guest Program allows point accrual for consecutive nights stayed in a property up to 90. (Par. 5.11.)

Also there are corporate apartments available as an extended stay choice, although they may not have a frequent guest program.

pshuang

I negotiated a fixed price "corporate" rate amounting to about 30% off from the average best published discounted rate (e.g., AAA) at a suburban Holiday Inn and at a suburban Hyatt Place a few years ago with nothing more than a promise that I was expecting to be staying anywhere from 30-40 days over the next 3 months. (I made good on that promise, by the way.) The implementation of said rate was that I simply had to call the property's front desk to make my reservations and mention my company's name. No minimum stay length requirements, no onerous cancellation requirements (cancel by 6pm day of reservation start). I don't think they even bothered checking whether my company existed; it probably boiled down to the property's general manager making a judgment call, noting that I knew what I was doing and wasn't trying to negotiate with him in earshot of other guests who might be upset at paying a lot more than the rate I was asking for. I think perhaps only once or twice was the hotel sufficiently sold out that they were not able to make a room available to me at the agreed upon rate.

However, I suspect that with hotel occupancies generally having gotten better since 2008-2009, I might not be able to negotiate that again. However, you have reasonably more leverage.

MoreMilesPlease

Look at what Hilton and Marriott have as extended stay properties where you want them to stay. Try and get a proper extended stay place with some type of kitchen facilities and either separate bedroom or at least a couch and table. Think Residence Inn or Homewood Suites type places. Negotiate directly with the hotel's management. For 4-5 rooms continuously for 4 months you can do a deal. Tax usually goes away after a continuous 30 days so make sure and ask about that.

I would really recommend staying away from the Studio Plus/Suburban Lodge places. They have limited office hours and can get loud, noisy and scary after hours. The "roving security" really doesn't do much as they usually cover multiple properties. They have become very down market in todays economy. So unless you know for a fact that the limited service place has kept up their facilities and security then don't chance it. If you are seriously considering this type place book and stay over a Friday and Saturday night to see how it is from first hand experience,

Ancien Maestro

Another reason for extended stays we look into condos.. The monthly rate offered, is far more attractive than a nightly rate offered..

MoreMilesPlease

Another way to go is a corporate apartment. You should be able to get a reasonable deal for what you will be spending. A corporate apartment will be a proper one bedroom apartment with everything included, linens, cookware, ect. Many have a washer and dryer in the apartment. If these people are staying pretty much continuously for months then this is the most comfortable way to house them and probably the most cost effective.

Just GOOGLE Nashville corporate housing and you will get the big players.

jcmitchell21

I guess the rewards aspect was irrelevant. I negotiated a rate with the downtown homewood suites from $189/night to $89/night for an extended stay ... included internet, breakfast, light dinner including beer and wine. The hotel is very nice. But the boss went with the townplace suites near the airport without internet or dinner or proximity to decent eating or entertainment for $69/night. Pretty cheap move IMO. Thanks ya'll for the advice.

Ancien Maestro

Sorry to hear about that move.. Did you let your boss know about the internet, breakfast, light dinner, etc.. or is that something he doesn't expense, and have you pay for?

MoreMilesPlease

Hopefully the people will each have a rental car and an internet aircard for their laptops. There is a free breakfast included.

Townplace Suites are Marriott so you might ask the hotel about benefits for elites. There is free wifi in the lobby but you probably have to pay for in it the rooms. Make sure each person has a Marriott number and attach it to their room. They won't get points but may get stay credit. I would call the hotel and ask about free internet for evrybody because of the number of people and legnth of stay.