And a few others are on a crazy horse.

Maybe it's because you're on here boasting about using corporate codes for companies for which you don't work.

never ceases to amaze me that the ones who are constantly bragging about gaming the system, along with their supports, are the same ones who resort to personal attacks to try and defend their actions.

Yeah, but Marriott explicitly forbids contractors from using Government rates. I don't like that rule, but it is their game, we just play it.

I never boasted about using code x or code y, spoke about using code x to save the client money. You don't want to use the code, that's nice. I use any code I can to save the client money and never worry about it. If x is cheaper than y and z is cheaper than x, I use z. Simple.

Some folks here sit on some high horse when it comes to FT and I call bull crap since we all cheat the system on taxes, or whatever makes your their life easier. The restaurants I support local to the Marriott and the taxis and the whatever is around all benefit. You all need to get off your high horses is what it comes down to. Don't bash me cause I use the codes and you don't. Stop whining already about folks using codes that they shouldn't. Stop letting liberals scare you.

Take your own advice.

Never mind.

Allow me to paraphrase:

I have never cheated when doing my taxes, why are you assuming I do. In grad school didn't they teach you, 'Don't Assume', you have no to little future in business or a long business career. When did I state I cheat on my taxes?

Point 1- Do not assume that all of us cheat. I have higher morals than that

Point 2- I thought conservatives followed the rules and liberals cheated. Glad I understand how things work better now.

I wonder if that is actually part of the contract or a misinterpretation? Heaven only knows who can answer this question with any authority, but we know some CSRs make up rules to justify saying no, could this be the same?

Without verbiage to the contrary, I would think using a company's rate (government or otherwise) when on that company's business should be acceptable, especially when billing that company for the expense. Probably easily resolved if direct billing would be allowed, but an accounting nightmare if not handled properly.

While I agree with the "it is their game" statement, I actually don't think Marriott forbids anyone directly from using any rate. It is up to each hotel to decide who they want or don't want to allow for any rate that they are using.

I have used both the Travel Industry and the Gov't rates before even when the T&Cs said something like "only airline employees" or "only Fed employees" (I was technically neither though I was working as a vendor for each). But in all those cases, either I (or someone at the client I was visiting would contact the local hotel and work out our use of that particular rate.) As long as the hotel management says "we will allow it", we are good to go. Marriott doesn't really care.

http://www.marriott.com/File%20Block...eals/chart.htm

This seems pretty clear. Again I really don't like it, but I don't see what is unclear about it.

Marriott may provide some guidelines that the hotels can choose to use (or not), but it is still the hotel that really decides, not Marriott.

Now Marriott probably does enforce some minimum requirements around a hotel's use of a particular rate (i.e. Gov't rate). If they are going to offer it, then listing the Federal Rate means that have to allow Federal employees on official Gov't business with the appropriate forms of ID use that rate. Of course the hotel in question could also allow non-Federal Gov't employees to use it as well (if it wanted to.)

In a similar manner, Marriott enforces CL rules. There are minimum requirements around those, but a hotel is free to add to those and provide more. So one hotel may provide more food offerings than required. Another hotel may allow more than just a Gold/Plat+1 to have entrance, etc.

So the moral of the story, is one can always call up the hotel in question and ask if they can use a specific rate. The hotel may not have to allow it, but I've seen a few be more than willing to expand the available pool of those who can use that rate. Just be willing for the hotel to say no, if you aren't in that specific pool.

I didn't assume you, specifically, I said we as a collective group. You said I previously not we so you assumed me specifically. We as a collective sum;

we - definition
I and the rest of a group that includes me : you and I : you and I and another or others : I and another or others not including you —used as pronoun of the first person plural — compare i, our, ours, us

Listen if you want to cast the first stone go for it Honest Abe. Don't me mad because others do it and you don't. None of your business what others do. Use the code or don't use the code but don't gallop in here on a high almighty horse thinking your morals and ethics are higher because others use a code they shouldn't.

If there is $1 airfare to Hawaii of course it's wrong but thousands jump on it. I did not, should of but I didn't. That one is way to good to be true. If the code I use saves the customer $20 a night, then I use it. Like I said before, see you next week or someone else will. No sweat off my back, a million beds to chose from out there.

If there's an available code for me to use and Marriott checks me on it, I lose. I assume all the risks and I know it. Guess I'm crazy and rule breaker. So be it. See you next week.

I'm authorized to use many rates. I might have one contract rate per my employer, if I'm contracting another rate per the company I'm contracting to, a AAA rate, AARP rate, . . .

I'll use whichever of those seems best (typically, cheapest, if the other terms are the same). I've never had a company say "Our contracted rate was $225, but you only paid $175 AAA rate and we don't like that."