Originally Posted by
m0hamed
Firstly, similar to government rates you must work for the company in order to get the contracted rate, or prove that you are contracted to the company. Some properties will ask for ID, some may not.
I actually used to work for the Park Hyatt Sydney several years ago, in sales and marketing. Every year corporate rates are negotiated based on the number of room nights from the previous year. I can assure you that the abuse of these codes will not go unnoticed. While a chainwide code may apply, it wouldn't be difficult for IBM to see that rates were being used at a property they may not utilise, such as the Park Hyatt Sydney due to the high average room rate, and realise that the code was being abused. They will also notice a significant spike in room nights booked.
And as mentioned, Hyatt have lurkers on flyertalk, so I have no doubt that the are completely aware that the code is being abused. If you don't have the right to use the discount code, then it is fraud by deception.
Apart from the ethical perspective, the legal one is that you are making reservations in your own name, with address details and credit card details, fully identifying you. Frankly doing so and taking advantage of something you shouldn't is sheer stupidity.
this is not really true. i am able to use my corporate rate even when not traveling on official business. so therefore, whether IBM is not using the park hyatt sydney for employees on official business, employees on vacation can still utilize the code as long as they have the appropriate ID. and my girlfriend has been able to use my corporate ID and has been asked for ID and has provided my business card and there has never been a problem. the children of the owner of our business frequently use their dad's corporate code for their own travel, and again, there has never been difficulty with using it when asked for ID.
i am not advocating the improper use of corporate codes- our group's corp code is under 300 USD/night at PHT, and i wont share it, but I think that legally, fraud is a very strong word, and in no way applicable to this instance. when i was a struggling college student, i would frequently order pizza and say i had a coupon. when the delivery guy came to deliver the pizza, i would say my roommate had it but he stepped out to pick up a 6pack. never a problem. did that constitute fraud also? same scenario- different monetary amount- NOT fraud. the hotel reserves the right to ask for ID- if they do and you cannot provide it- you are stuck paying rack. that should serve as a deterrent for those risk-averse. but fraud involves a criminal act, and i think the police would laugh if you called them to arrest a person who booked a hotel with a corporate code and could not provide corporate identification. let's stop being so dramatic.