josmon10

For my last 2 stays at a couple of HIX I chose the rate that includes 1000 extra points. In both cases, upon check-out the folio had the following, only description "1000 Bonus Points NT". I asked them to write down something different because our Accountant needs to have a clearer explanation for my expenses at the hotel, and they quickly changed it to "Room charge" or whatever, that's fine.

I understand that they need some sort of internal code for every rate, but how legal is it to print this as the only description in the folio? According to that, the only reason for my stay at the hotel was to spend EUR 103 to get 1000 bonus points, ie, a terrible investment coming from a FTer!

scubaccr

If you book a rate at say $5 more to get 1000pts, that you charge to your employer, instead of rate without 1000pts at $5/night less, that is either theft or fraud and immediately sackable.
And nothing wrong with hotel description, hotel stated you booked the 1000pt bonus rate.

An ilegality is on your part, not the hotels, it just is not worth trying to fool your employer over 1000pts worth $5 or so. Surely your job and good name is worth more than that.

IAN-UK

Although i agree absolutely with your high-minded sentiments, I had thought hotels offer these rates precisely to tempt guests to milk their employers or clients, so its probably a pretty widespread abuse.

Indeed, it's odd the hotels are not further complicit, by camouflaging the nature of the transaction.

Often1

The question to OP is whether he booked a more expensive rate than his employer would prefer in order to get the kickback of a couple of thousand points.

If that is the case, why is OP expecting his employer to pick up the tab for the more expensive rate?

No different than asking to have a folio entry for "Adult Movie - Pay-per-view" changed to "state sales tax"

rubbernyc

Wrong.

It is not exactly illegal to book a rate that is 5 Euro/Dollar more just to get an incentive. With my company, if the reasonable charge for a room is $150 the nit really makes no difference whether I book a room for $110 or $115 to get a bonus. My employer knows that I always look to save them money and stay below guidelines. I fail to see how this is illegal or fraud.

Often1

All depends on what OP's travel policy is. Not illegal in any event, just a reason for discipline.

I'm surmising from OP's wording that he's not allowed to book a more expensive rate to get the bonus and then bill the employer for the expense.

IAN-UK

It's likely the rate for the bonus points is something above a $5 supplement to the cost of the room. But whether it's $5 or $500, it's cash the employer or client doesn't need to spend.

Certainly not illegal (noone said it was): but most definitely dodgy.

randidliyo

Seems to me that "1000 Bonus points" is more clear than the generic "room charge" or whatever. Face it, you're trying to milk it like many of us might, and you're annoyed that you might be foiled. Don't blame it on the accountants. It happens, be a man or woman and own it.

Sweet Willie

you are absolutely correct that it isn't illegal for the OP to book a rate just to get an incentive.

As for your employer, try this: send out a company wide email stating the potential benefits to others in your company, that when they travel for company business, go ahead & spend the company's $ on a more expensive rate to get bonus points or an incentive. My guess is you'd find out very quickly that this sort of spending would not be condoned or approved by your company and would likely result in disciplinary action if not termination of yourself. (unless you are family of the owners or have pics of management in a compromising situation) Just because your company doesn't ask about a rate that is under $150, doesn't mean it is the right thing to take advantage of.

scubaccr

I used the term 'ilegality[ beause OP booking room had the bare faced cheek to suggestv that it was illegal for the hotl to itemise their stay as the 1000 point bonus rate. Any ilegality is obviously the OP conning his/her company out of extra $'s at that hotel to benefit by 1000 points.

Choosing to eg stay at a different hotel (eg Hiltn) at the same +5$ rate would not be conning OPs company as Op is not then making/hiding a secret bribe/gain to stay !

The fact a company allows you un-reviewed stays to a maximum of $150 does not mean where room is onlyb $100 you can book same room for $150 to beneft from nnnn points

rubbernyc

In a black and white world, then that may be the case, but there are always shades (50?) of grey in there. My travel expenses get audited and approved at first by my manager so there is no room for abuse there. Everyone understands that travel is a sacrifice and I go out of my way to accomplish work. For example, if I travel somewhere on a Sunday afternoon and back on a Saturday to put in a full week somewhere, then my employer understands if I spend an extra $10 a night on a hotel room or have a nice meal somewhere. This is what I mean by shades of grey.

I have a trip next week to Vegas. The company has rooms booked in the host hotel on the strip. I hate Vegas and am not impressed my some fancy hotel on the strip so I am staying at my favorite chain. As long as I don't exceed the show rate, my boss does not care what or where I book.

So I hope that explains my position a little better. Some companies are more strict, but that is why we have human interaction and leniency to explain our choices at times.

kipper

Everyone is assuming that the OP works for and does not own the company. Perhaps the OP owns the company, and as such, is able to make a decision as to if the extra $5 or $10 is a big deal.

Likewise, I don't see asking for it to be changed to read, "Room Rate" as being horrible. The initial description doesn't indicate that the charge is for the room, and I know that, in some places, it would delay payment because they'd say, "It doesn't mention the room rate."

josmon10

You got it right, kipper. I wouldn't have minded a description like "Accommodation. 1000 bonus points rate", I was just saying that I didn't want the folio to literally state I had spent 103 euros on points alone.

And I have a very clear conscience on what I did. Please note I was staying at HIX, not IC or CP; I had a higher budget, but I thought I would be getting enough comfort staying there. On this occasion I thought I wouldn't squeeze my employer for paying 5 extra euros; other colleagues will have a couple of drinks from the bar on the company, whereas I always pay for them from my own pocket, for example...

The Mile Dog

Oh scubaccr what a black and white world you live in... In reality paying a few more dollars to get elite status may indeed be a good investment for the company as well as the EE. For example as a Platinum I get free internet (which my company would otherwise pay for) and free breakfasts and snacks in lounges. My company would otherwise pay for my breakfast or if I am busy sometimes the snacks are enough to satisfy me in lieu of dinner. I am fortunate to have a boss that travels more than I do and understands this stuff and how important it can be to travelling efficiently. In fact he was the one who told me early on that I should try to get status for the benefit of a guaranteed room (we sometimes travel on short notice to places such as western ND where it is tough to get a room due to the oil boom) He also told me to get a Delta Sky Club membership because "you will be travelling a lot and I want you to be happy"

So if I can pay $5/night for 20 nights and make Platinum, it may be well worth it for the company, not to mention make for a happier EE.

scubaccr

In my mind a bad example and invalid reasoning by yourself. Fast tracking to platinum by booking higher room costs for extra points, is not ok in my book, if you traveled that much you'd get on nights anyway.

Maybe a small company has more flexibility, large companies such as eg HP, IBM have strict, fixed and inflexible rules, and charging even $5 extra on room to get personal points would get one in big trouble.

Many companies also require any frequent-flyer miles accrued by company funded funded flights belong to the company not you, and company decides when to use, so can't use to upgrade, take vacation trips etc.

Like most I get a per-diem allowance per day, which is meant to mostly cover evening meal, the amount adjusted to country I am in, eg less money needed in eg India, more money in Europe.

So maybe meal with 1/2 bottle of wine, say us$50 in USA is my per diem, and business travel agency will book hotels without breakfast inclusive rates, or if I booked breakfast inclusive, I have to deduct breakfast value from per diiem whether I eat breakfast or not. Obviously with high hotel breakfast pirces I then prefer rooms booked w/o breakfast.

As such I never partake in hotel restaurant breakfasts preferring to use my per diem for dinner. I can manage in my room with coffee and muffin/croisant or similar.

Company reasoning is that funding my day/meals excessively is classed as extra income by tax authorities, leading to tax liabilities for both myself and the company, which is why large companies have these inflexible rules everyone has to follow.