The rate may only be $9 more than you want to pay, but it is the corporate negotiaged rate, which I'm guessing is already a pretty good discount from the rate most folks are paying for 4 nights.

Just food for thought, but is it really worth it to credit all those nights at a residence inn for only 5 points/$. Might be better off with the other chain.

That's the reverse of my dilemma- there's a much-nicer TownePlace that's even closer to the client than this FI I'm in, but it's $15 more/night, which wouldn't be that bad but it's also only 5pts/$. Bet the Internet's faster there, too (certainly can't be any slower!).

I'm just looking forward to blowing all these points; I can now stay in a Cat8/RC anywhere in the world for over a week and still counting, plus making AmEx points for the flight, so I'm just trying to make the most of all this travel. :confused:

OP certainly didn't have a sense of entitlement...nothing wrong with trying to discount another couple of bucks.

At my current hotel, my company has a negotiated rate that's about $20 lower than rack...which I thought was pretty good. I watched a guy walk into the club lounge and I could see on that envelope (where they write your key and rate) that he was paying HALF the rack rate. So there's always room to negotiate (well...almost).

There's definitely nothing wrong with trying to get a better rate. I spend lots of nights with LNF rates that are half of what I'd pay otherwise.

Well, to be fair the poor training was the third choice in my list and I wasn't clear in my post but I wasn't thinking of Marriott training but rather the training the hotel managers give their staff.

To make sure we all have the correct facts, here is the Reader's Digest list.

I was looking to book 4 night stays for 6 - 12 months. Wild estimate of 100 - 150 nights.

Room rate my client was willing to pay was $9 less than the 4 night stay rate.

Room rate my client was willing to pay was $26 more than the 5 night stay rate.

If I were a property manager (and I'm assuming I would have the authority to do this) I would personally train my front desk staff to contact me if there is a chance to get a long term guest at a reasonable rate. What is a reasonable rate? I don't know, that would be part of the training.

That being said, if I went to the desk and told them I was only willing to pay half price I would not be surprised if I got the answer I did. I would not expect the front desk staff to have the authority to allow a half price rate.

But offering them 100 -150 nights at $26 per night above the rate they charge a transient staying only 5 nights a year is ........ well I was at a loss for words.

Please don't read my posts as being mad at Marriott. I've had way too many good encounters for this to spoil my relationship. As my first post said, I came to learn so the next time I'm faced with this I don't have a really dumb look on my face ;-)

I have contacted several other properties in the area and every one matched the requested rate on the phone. I told each one I was looking to book a 4 night stay with no guarantee of future business and all were fine with that.

So, as mentioned by a few people here, I'm going to try each of the various properties for the first several weeks and then choose which best fits my needs in location, comfort and points earning possibilities.

Thanks to all

Just out of curiosity, what is the difference between the TOTAL at the 4-nights price and the TOTAL for the 5-nights price? I would figure it myself, but everything is quoted in x+ and x- terms.

The reason I ask is that if x is less than approximately $165 (and assuming my math is not faulty), you are better off making 5-night reservations at the x-26 rate and leaving the room empty on the last night. You would also get more night credit toward annual and lifetime status plus flexibility to use the extra night in emergency situations to boot.

I had a similar though, but was too lazy to do the math ;)

A big part about hotel rates is weekday versus weenkend. Mon-Thurs they will probably always book solid or close, so they will get higher rates. That's oftern why they put a 5 day stay on lower rates, to get a sunday or friday overnight stay to help out the "shoulder nights". here's where the business mathematics comes in.

Indyscott,

I thought of that too and you are correct, it is a low rate (99 / 129) so 5 @ the 5 night rate is less than 4 @ the 4 night rate. I asked if I could book the 5 night rate and check out 1 day early. Told me they would back charge the 4 night rate.

That being said I could sneak out and let the 5th day charge stand but the difference is minimal and trying to explain to the client that it is a good thing to pay for a hotel night when no one is there ...... well with so many other choices I just weighed anchor and sailed on.

The other comment about lower rates on the weekends also made sense to me, I have seen that at some hotels but in this case it added to my amazement. If you remember, I was including Sunday night as one of my 4 nights. That would give the hotel the higher rate on my Sunday night stay and opened up a room for Thursday night. Also, I was there on a Wed night around 6 PM and I believe I saw 5 cars in the parking lot. Can't imagine the entire hotel went out for dinner at the same time .......

But thanks for everyone's comments, no matter how much I think I know about travel, each day here is a learning experience!