SylviaCaras

I used reward points to stay at an off-site location for a two night conference I am attending on short notice. Now a colleague is suggesting sharing the room in exchange for … ?

I would like your ideas about what would be a fair share.

And before everyone yelps at me, yes it was a most inefficient use of points which I'm guessing I acquired with Chase Priority Club credit card bonuses. (I've been working towards zeroing out my miscellaneous accounts.)

I used 25K points for one night and 20K points plus $40 for the second night, leaving 700 points in the account which I'll just let lapse.

The senior rate for the room is $69 plus tax; the 'regular' rate is $125 plus tax.

How much should I ask my colleague to give me?

And an aside, since the web site wouldn't let me, in one reservation, book one night all points and one night points and cash, I phoned to make the reservation to see if customer service could do it. No. Can't do points and cash over the phone – only on line. As the system processed though, what it did was buy 5K points for $40 (non-refundable) and then issue a $25K reward. I guess I could have done it that myself too, if I'd realized.

Sylvia

srt8-blue

So. 1/2 of 25K, 20K and $40 is 22,500K and $20. Priority Club points are worth $0.006, so it would be $135.00 (22,500 X 0.006) + $20 for a total of $155.00.

martyYYZ

If one of you is a Senior, I would book the senior rate for $69 and keep your points - they are worth at least $125 per night.

chunky649

This is easy: We know that you can buy 5000 points for $30, you can directly and accurately calculate your cost and charge your co-worker half.

Of course, 10% discount for the one having to sleep beside the noisy AC. :-)

Banko

Hmm - surprised by the answers here.. comes down to personality perhaps, and the relationship you have with your colleague.

I would:
Ask colleague to pay the 40 $ + taxes, that way you both get a "good deal".
Especially if you could book the senior rate of 69 $, which would be 69 $ per person if shared.

Certainly I would not go by the amount you have to pay to buy the points as a guidance of what you should charge, as those converters are not fair in my view.

MattGreenfield

I second Banko's answer. Having your co-worker pay for your out-of-pocket expense on the room is fair. Especially when you're looking to zero out your miscellaneous accounts so the points you used don't hold any intrinsic value to you.

IAN-UK

Simple.

If it's a colleague, he pays half of the cheapest rate you could book the room for.

If it's a friend he sleeps for free: or simply follow whatever initiative he offers.

zerafa

you pay for the room, he pays for the food and beverage, or flights, gas, drive, or something like that seems like a good deal all around

SylviaCaras

srt8-blue - thanks for the clear numbers; that's more straightforward than the calculations I was making; zerafa - that does seem balanced, and there won't be any additional costs; IAN-UK - the relationship is friendly, but not (yet) friends ; Banko - that's what was in my mind this morning, before I logged in to see what the suggestions were.

I'm going to suggest my colleague pay my out-of-pocket, the $40.

I appreciate the various perspectives - it helped me come to a comfortable choice.

Sylvia

simairlinenet

More generally, what's a fair share when using points and splitting the room with friends?

My general thinking is that something like airport transportation or a meal is appropriate, depending of course on the cost of each and the number of points used.

JBa

+1

cdfinney

I would like your ideas about what would be a fair share.

My answer, unless its a 2 bedroom suite, would be just NO. go ahead and book your own room. The money wouldn't be worth it to me. Unless it was the Mrs. then she can stay any time. I might not be the right person to answer this as I have 100 nights in HOtels so far this year.

mikew99

The OP has received some truly helpful replies, so I can chime in to say that I agree with the above. For me, the OP's situation would be a purely hypothetical one.

Either:

(1) I know my colleague well enough that I would be willing to share a hotel room with him (or her), in which case I wouldn't charge anything, because my costs are the same whether s/he stays with me or not; or

(2) I don't know my colleague well enough, in which case I wouldn't share my room with him (or her) at all!

Sweet Willie

BINGO !! The winning answer IMO.

SylviaCaras, is this conference a business function you would normally be reimbursed for? If so, why are you burning the points?

htb

I would say

(1) I know my colleague well enough, so both get a monetary advantage by staying together (why only the colleague?)

(2) I don't know my colleague well enough, in which case I would try to get a better deal.

HTB.