skunker

CCIE_Flyer

ch3ss

All:

I have several weekend trips that I use my govt rate for work that I have to accomplish.....

I realized that Marriott wont allow me to get govt rate, due to football games being in the town. Of course prices are jacked up, and the feds wont pay for that crap...

Has anyone ever had luck calling the hotel and getting them to honor it ?

I know for a fact they have blacked out the dates, and aren't allowing the booking via govt..... Not sure what I can do...

Thanks

This is in Morgantown, WV

nachosdelux

I have had luck getting a hotel to give a government rate when none was available online.

That said, if they have blacked out the dates due to a football game, odds are they will not offer the rate.

call the hotel directly and ask for the rooms manager (or general manager). good luck.

(not much you can do if they won't offer it other than pay the extra out of pocket, unless no rooms in town are available at gov't rate.)

DFWFairy

Just checked in at the Westin San Diego. Booked a state rate, nowhere in the reservation that states that it has to be a CA issued Id. Upon presenting a TX state ID, I was denied the rate. I was given a “federal rate” instead? WTH? Has anyone come across something like this?

SPN Lifer

I am a retired federal employee. When booking hotels during my former work travels, I sometimes noticed state government rates that were state-specific, limited to the state in which the property was located.

If they cannot give you that, the front desk is trying to do the best they can.

dayone

Is it really too difficult to assume that a California hotel's state employee rate is for use by State of California employees?

Often1

I would presume that a "state" refers to the state in which the property is located unless the rate terms expressly list other states or "any state."

estedman

It amazes me what some people think they can get away with.

DELee

Doubtful. Quite likely OP has booked and received "state" rate at other Marriott properties in the past. Assuming OP is affiliated with TX government, it would be appropriate.

David

DJ_Iceman

No, the property is quite correct here. Government rates are primarily intended for employees of said government when traveling on official business. Some hotels also extend the discount, when available and as a courtesy, to eligible government employees traveling on personal business. The requirements (including what types of ID will be considered acceptable) are clearly laid out, in part due to past abuse by many people that resulted in legitimate travelers being unable to secure said discounts.

The OP doesn't state what kind of "Texas state ID" he presented, e.g. whether it was a standard driver's license or one that identified him as an employee of the state of Texas. But unless he is traveling to California on California state business (in which case he should have "travel orders" or the equivalent), it's unreasonable to think that the state government rate in California is available to him. In fact, he should be grateful that they bumped his rate to the federal per diem and not the rack or other standard rate applicable for the dates of stay, which is what the T&C of government rates usually describe will happen if proper justification cannot be given.

I apologize, OP, if yours is an honest mistake but it sure comes across like someone trying to game the system, getting caught, and then whining about it on an internet forum.

mahasamatman

Woud you expect a federal government rate to apply to employees of any country's government? Or a military rate to apply to any country's military? I also expect that desk agents are only trained on what their own state's IDs look like, so a California agent would have no idea if your Texas ID is authentic.

LAX

Not trying to argue your point, but I have seen Marriott properties in Canada specify that "federal government" rate is for Canadian government employees while some offer and specify rates for both US and Canada governments. If it's a commonly accepted assumption that federal government rate in Canada is for Canadian government employees, do these properties really need to specify then, especially if a different US rate is not offered?

LAX

DavefromSt.Vital

The general federal government rate at Marriott flags for the US/Canada is usually titled, as it is at the Westin San Diego, "Govt/military rate, federal government ID required". The "Rate Details" are as follows:

Govt/military rate, federal government ID required
Additional Information
Non-Commissionable Rate
-US Government (GOV) Per Diem rate:
- Rate is based on the current applicable Federal government
(govt) Per Diem rate, and subject to increase if the US General
Services Administration increases the applicable Federal govt
Per Diem rate before or on the guests arrival date.
- Please refer guests to www.gsa.gov for details.
- Available to US Federal govt and active duty military only.
- Limit of two rooms per night.
- Must show valid Federal Govt or Military ID at check-in.
- Valid ID consists of:
- Federal Govt issued Visa, MasterCard, American Express
or Federal Govt picture ID (CAC or Common Access Card)
- Military picture ID or govt/military Travel Orders
- Federally Funded Research Development Corp (FFRDC) ID
- Canadian Govt or Military issued ID or credit card
- Native American Tribal Government ID
- If no valid ID, rate will be increased to best available rate.
- Govt Contractors, including Contractors working on govt Cost
Reimbursable Contract, are not eligible for the US govt rate.
- For reduced per diem requirement on stays longer than 30
days, please check in advance whether the hotel will
accommodate such rates or not.

I am an employee of the Canadian federal government. As you can see above, I can use this rate in the USA simply by showing my federal employee ID. I do not need to be on business, I do not need "travel orders", etc. I have used this rate on occasion throughout Canada and the USA for explicitly leisure travel. Westin is definitely the flag that most often asks for my ID, but all FDCs are satisfied once they see it.

However, other government rates have much tighter criteria. e.g. In Canada, "Canadian Government Rate" is usually much lower but explicitly excludes US government employees.

SPN Lifer

I would have upvoted your post, but for this final paragraph after the first nine words.

The state employee rate requirements can be quite particular, as you describe. There are also forms to be filled out, in some cities and states, for exemption from hotel taxes.