jeffandnicole

If corporate is paying, wouldn't you want the HIGHEST priced room they allow you to get, so you can accure additional hhonor points??

PayItForward

A definite NO to this.
(To another earlier comment, organisation does not sniff through our emails but if audited and it surfaced that I negotiated for a better room without declaring it, that will be viewed poorly in terms of "integrity"). In the event of an audit, I heard staff will be given a form to allow the company to request for stay details from the property.

By policy, we are required to get a basic (single pax) room at the cheapest rate (aka no breakfast as we are on per diem) in the vicinity of the meeting / conference / event / project.

It is however OK to book slightly further away if it results in cost savings.

As mentioned, it is also OK to accept FD upgrades that are given freely by the property or complimentary upgrades given by airlines.

Accommodations that serves free breakfast (e.g. Hampton) are ok as they do not incur additional charges

Organisation does random audits, especially when we dipped into different department budgets e.f. Facilities staff on IT budget for training

Submissions for travel are done
(1) Before event with the projected cost (room rates, travel cost) - for pre-approval
(2) After event with actual receipts and invoices - for reimbursement

When travelling for business, I have been advised by my boss not to make unnecessary changes to reservations once stage 1 is over and the reservation is firmed.

Fortunately, we are not required to monitor / renegotiate for lower rates.

Similarly, booking a more expensive room when a cheaper rate is available is a definite violation of the organisation policy and grounds for disciplinary actions.

Flight controls are even stricter nowadays. We have recently changed to a different TA and they locked up the reservations. No changes allowed unless through them regardless who is footing the charges. I only got to know it when I attempted to call up the airline to modify my reservation. Was advised by airline they may only make changes to the reservation after the travel has commenced. I wanted to arrive 2 days earlier.

Previous TA did not have this in place. Hate this as going through the TA incurred additional admin fee on top of airline fees. I scrapped the plan.

I have not been audited (as far as I can tell) but if I ever am, with these warnings already given, I do not want to be caught in an awkward situation.

The only time I see myself ever negotiating in situations like this while on a business trip is likely getting the property to allow an additional guest in the room at no additional charge and have one more colleague join the trip. No point getting a better room or even food credits or free movie and then ends up answering to an audit. This is my own view though. Am pretty sure there is at least one co-worker who throws cautions to the wind but that is his career.