ilovemiles

My wife just stayed a few days at the BW Inn on the Park in Madison Wisconsin on a business trip. She brought along a check from her employer to pay for the room. When she tried to give either her GC# or WP#, the clerk said that you can only earn the points/miles if YOU pay for the room. My wife went back to the desk later and talked to two other people. Both said that she would not earn points because she didn't pay for the room (even though she stayed in it).

How many business travellers pay for their own room? I sure don't. While I usually use a personal credit card (to earn airline miles) and get reimbursed, what would happen if I used a corporate card? Would they say the same thing?

It sounds to me like Best Western doesn't like business travellers.

TRVLRZ

That is a great example of why I stopped staying @ BW. First of all they program is anemic at best and then they kick your butt when you try to get points.

choster

Is this a new policy? I got points at the BW O'Hare last October, paid for not even by my employer but by a training company paid for by my employer.

wldtrvlr

No, it is not a new policy. Here is the clip from the terms and conditions:

Members are eligible to receive points for staying at Best Western brand lodging establishments if (1) the room is reserved in the Member's name, (2) the room is occupied by and paid for by the Member and (3) the Member has presented the Card or number at the time of check-in.

I think the hotel might have interpreted this rule a little to harshly though. I believe the intention of this rule is so that I don't pay for my parents stay somewhere and then expect to get the credit for their stays.

I have always had good luck with customer service posting points that I felt I deserved. I would give them a call and explain that I stayed in the room and my employer paid the bill. All programs, airlines, hotels, rental cars allow employers to pay the bill and the traveler to get the miles/points. I think maybe they should re-write the rule to say the person earning the points needs to occupy the room and remove the "paid for by the member" part.

twarr

I'm a GCCI Platinum member and stay at BW all across the country. I almost always pay with my company CC and have never had a problem getting the points. I've had some problems redeeming the points but that's a different thread. I think the particular property where you stayed is being unreasonable. Perhaps you should call, or better yet write, GCCI customer service and complain. I would say she did pay for the room. It isn't the desk clerks concern where the funds came from.