Originally Posted by
Cathay Dragon 666
I have talked to a management I know in China, and he has asked me to keep his name and property name out, but he told me it's "common" for establishments, at down times, to have low fare rooms booked out in masses for 30-50 nights, and asking no questions. He told me he knew a few properties that would be under "Premium" category, that would post rates of 300-400 RMB per night, and rent them out for 30-50 nights. He said owners hate empty rooms sitting there, and are motivated to ask management to get them rented "whatever it takes". Even if audited, they would threaten to switch brand, and corporate usually back off; in the rare cases that corporate wouldn't back off, then they would simply switch brand, and knowing full-well Chinese government is on their side and the corporate can't do anything about it.
i don’t get why selling the rooms for half the price knowing no one will stay there is a contract violation (unless contract explicitly states no selling rooms below certain threshold for certain brand levels). Marriott gets a cut either way and the properties are actually paying individually for the night credits and points. Unless the number of room nights sold for an individual night is a lot greater than the number of rooms at the hotel, then I can see it catching the eye of the Marriott auditors. I’m seen crew rates at these premium hotels go for as low as 350rmb when they cater to at least 30-50 crew members a night.