Originally Posted by pinniped
I know that is true for most chains (the airline rates don't earn points). I have done a handful of stays on the airline rate as a bumped passenger and I have never received points for the rate (whether I was paying for a weather layover or the airline was paying for a VDB or a mechanical) - even though the hotels always did honor my status and credit points for incidentals.
I know the crew is a bit different from a bumped passenger, but I've seen the rates on some of those vouchers and I get the sense it's pretty similar. Around $60/nt. for the DCA Courtyard, for example. Basically a Priceline-like rate.
Not entirely true. Many hotels do not bill individually like that. They total up the number of rooms after a set amount of time and send the bill to the carrier. The contract most times calls for the rooms to be blocked and paid for, regardless if the crew uses them. It will work out to a much lower rate than what the distressed passenger rate is, or what the airline voucher rate is...all very different rates.