dhuey

For over a decade, I've been posting in various threads how one of the benefits of membership in the American Bar Association is the hotel deals. Non-lawyers can join as "Associate" members for $181/year: https://www.americanbar.org/membership/

You might consider this if you are trying to get a 4-5 star hotel room or suite on dates with very high demand (e.g., major convention in town that week). The deal with hotels that sign up for the ABA Preferred Rate program is that they must give you the ABA rate if a room of that category (standard, deluxe or suite) is available. They call it "last room availability". The difference between the ABA rate and the lowest rate you can find might be much more than $181/night in some high-demand situations.

Here's the pdf of the hotels and their ABA rates for 2019: https://www.americanbar.org/content/...p-brochure.pdf As you can see, all of the big luxury hotel groups have some of their properties in the program.

Be aware that the hotel might try not to honor the ABA rate, claiming that the date(s) you want are blacked out. They can't do that. You send an email to the ABA travel people, they remind the hotel, and you get the ABA rate. This is a bit of a hassle, so you have to decide if they savings are worth it to you.

Fire away if you have any questions.

Martellus

Woah, this is great. I imagine that these are qualifying rates in terms of points and benefits-earning?

dhuey

Yes, when you make a reservation on the special Egencia site for ABA member reservations, there's a field in which you put in your loyalty number. In my experience, you always get the normal points, and you also get the same benefits if you have elite status with the hotel.

Usually when I've compared Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts with these ABA rates, FH&R is a better deal when you factor in the benefits. The big deal with these ABA rates is, as I mentioned, high-demand situations. You get the normal price in abnormal circumstances.

Kagehitokiri

has come up here before a few times (long ago) , always worth comparing rates

including for example these luxury hotels >

RC - atlanta , boston , chicago , cleveland , dallas , denver , ft lauderdale , los angeles , marina del rey , coconut grove , bal harbour , south beach , new orleans , central park , westchester , philadelphia , san francisco , sarasota , st louis , georgetown , washington , pentagon city , tysons corner , dubai IFC , tokyo

FS - baltimore , chicago , dallas , houston , vegas , westlake , palo alto , san francisco , st louis , bogota , buenos aires , london trinity

st regis - atlanta , houston , new york , san francisco , washington , florence , rome
MO - boston , miami , DC , taipei
peninsula - chicago , new york
rosewood - new york , bangkok
montage beverly hills
mark new york

seems to vary some year to year, dont recall if i listed participating hotels in a past year

presumably some hotels participated in past (but not anymore) when revenues down

dhuey

Downside: Hotel staff might think you're a lawyer even though you're not. There goes any special perks they might have given you out of kindness.

Kagehitokiri

dhuey

And like I said, when they do, you sometimes have to twist their arm to give you the ABA rate. I've had to do this three times. Not too bad of a hassle -- one email to ABA travel did the trick each time. They then contact the hotel and remind them of the contractual terms -- no blackouts. Not under any circumstances.

Kagehitokiri

can even be less than $181, if one is not renewing >
"Members joining after October 1 receive prorated dues."
americanbar.org/membership/dues_eligibility
americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/marketing/Membership/Associate-Enrollment-Form-2018-2019.pdf

FS ten trinity london
£305 standard = superior
£325 deluxe = deluxe
£995 suite
£400 club (residence guests have access to members club?)
seem to recall rates there can be much higher

susanjane

Very helpful. Thank you!

jp-mco

chinmoylad

Yes, heard about some companies that are essentially consolidators that do this but forgot the names.

Kagehitokiri

my question is what about getting FTers together and prepaying at one luxury hotel

along the lines of those who do 50 nights a year for discount at luxury hotels

GetSetJetSet

Wow, I am a lawyer and had no idea

tessy143

any exotic resorts on this list for lower rates?

Four seasons Seychelles
four seasons Maldives
four seasons bora bora

tessy143

yes I have corporate rates for Marriott PM me