I agree with the first response that said to focus on the purpose of the travel and to frame those questions constructively and enthusiastically, not "why do I have to go there?". I would not ask any specifics about their travel policy until I received an offer in writing. And I wouldn't accept the written offer until I got satisfactory clarity on the policies that are important to you. Again, I would keep those questions as constructive as possible - not "gee, I am a Marriott guy, so can I stay there instead of at Starwood properties?". Find out if they use per diems. Find out what types of hotels they use and when they want folks to travel (i.e., on your time, like the weekends, or on their time, like during business hours). Find out if they allow employees to keep their points and miles. Find out if they have corporate cards for employees and how the reimbursement works on expenses. Make sure you're not floating them money for too long if you pay for company expenses on a personal card (or a corporate card, if you're responsible for payment). Stuff like that.