I stayed at Marriotts for about 120 nights last year with no issues having them giving me the PD rate (as a contractor). If it is a hotel I haven't stayed at before I always call the front desk and ask if they have any issues with me using the rate. I have no issues using it in Sacramento, Denver, Southern CA, Hampton Roads VA, DC, Macon GA, Boston, Guam and Hawaii.

The only hotel that has said they wouldn't give it to me is Newport News Marriott so I stay in Norfolk or Hampton. My coworker did travel to the NN Marriott with a gov't coworker and when they gave him a hard time and he said both he and the gov't lead were going to switch hotels for the week they ended up giving him the gov rate.

With low occupancy rates I can't see why they would want to lose the room for a week. Also, where I generally stay the gov rates aren't that much lower than the posted rates. For instance the DIA Airport Marriott is like $154 for the long term weekly rate where as the PD rate is $141 and the SHS in Roseville CA is like $90 PD vs $110ish - not a big difference. The NN Marriott was like $150 for normal rate and $77 for PD, so maybe that is why they are a bit more reluctant to give it.

Where are you staying and have you called the front desk prior to check-in to see how they fee about contractors using the rate.