Originally Posted by
catocony
Dulci, don't be condescending. When you call a hotel to "negotiate", they're probably just giving you a rate that's available on-line, like a LNF or Rewards rate, or a long-term rate (even if it's just for a few nights). A lot of us know how to play the game. Try a variety of corporate rates (the front desk never verifies them beyond some government rates), booking for 7 nights when you only plan for 2 then checking out early (they never increase your rate). Things like that. For people who stay in hotels all the time, there are far easier ways to get a better rate than spending time calling a hotel and being difficult with the desk staff.
I read nothing wrong with your comment catocony until I got to the words 'being difficult'. There is no reason for you to assume I am 'being difficult' when I call a hotel. Why did you feel it necessary to add that?
I call and negotiate, do you really think that I would expect that to go well if I were 'being difficult' with the FDA? The exact opposite is in what I do. I want the FDA to become personally engaged in helping me.
As for there being 'far easier ways' to gt a better rate than spending time calling a hotel, that is an opinion, not a statement of fact. You may believe there are easier ways, I believe it is easy to simply make a phone call rather than adopting practices like booking a week to get a lower rate and then checking out after 2 days. There are several words that might be used to describe such behaviour and none of them are flattering catocony.
A lot of you 'know how to play the game' in a certain way, using methods you describe. Some of us know of other ways which do not require, 'gaming the system' which is a very different thing than 'playing the game'. I don't try to game the system catocony, I try to 'change the rules' which is different again. If you change the rules, it then becomes 'your' game rather than 'their' game you are playing.