Yes!! I am actually staying at a hotel right now at a lower rate brought down by the sales manager. I've been doing about 2 weeks a month In the DC area and have been staying at Hiltons and HGIs for the last year. I just moved offices and the HGI near my office is terrible so I booked a room online in DC for $249 a night but my company just cut hotel per diems and they said I had to keep it under $220 a day. I called up the front desk, told them my situation, they transferred me to the sales manager, told him I'm loyal to Hilton, diamond, and need to stay at a hotel under $220 and he gave me the gov't per diem rate of $209, transferred me back to the front desk, told them the sales manager approved the $209 rate, they changed the rate, and voila. This might not work for shorter stays but it worked in my case (I'm staying 8 nights). So, I saved my company some money AND this hotel upgraded me to a suite. It took about half and hour but I say, it never hurts to ask.