Extended Stay - Too Much to ask?
Oct 22, 2007, 7:46 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: MLI
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Extended Stay - Too Much to ask?
I've got an extended stay coming up at a Residence Inn for 175 days. The normal rate for the hotel is $139 for a Single Room. I'm staying at the government rate of $88, which is bookable through the website (not the entire stay, but just about every day). When I called and booked the reservation I asked to see if I could get a 2 bedroom room, as I would like a place to store boxes and things. The GM I talked to said they couldn't do that at the government rate. Obviously, its not a case that they can't, they just don't want to. Does it seem unreasonable to ask for such?
Oct 22, 2007, 8:13 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
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It is certainly not unreasonable to ask, but it is unreasonable to expect a yes answer to getting a $200 room for $88.
Oct 22, 2007, 9:21 pm
#3
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Location: Pittsburgh
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I agree that it's unreasonable to expect an upgraded room, at a low discount rate, for almost half a year.
Oct 23, 2007, 8:16 am
#4
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Most RI's are configured with a low percentage of 2-bedroom suites. We book them often for trips to visit family, and even in off-peak periods when the 1-bedrooms are $80-90/nt., the 2-bedrooms will sometimes be selling for high rates (near $200) or sold out. In a lot of cases, we book two one-bedroom suites for less than a 2-bedroom suite.
I also can't recall ever getting a Gold/Plat upgrade from a 1- to a 2-bedroom suite. Lots of studio to 1-bedroom upgrades, but not 1 to 2. That tells me that properties must have a pretty decent track record of either selling them out ahead of time or selling them to evening walk-ups even after a lot of Golds/Plats booked in 1-bedrooms have checked in.
So it makes perfect sense to me that they don't want to take one off the board for 175 nights. There simply aren't that many of them to go around.
I also can't recall ever getting a Gold/Plat upgrade from a 1- to a 2-bedroom suite. Lots of studio to 1-bedroom upgrades, but not 1 to 2. That tells me that properties must have a pretty decent track record of either selling them out ahead of time or selling them to evening walk-ups even after a lot of Golds/Plats booked in 1-bedrooms have checked in.
So it makes perfect sense to me that they don't want to take one off the board for 175 nights. There simply aren't that many of them to go around.
Oct 23, 2007, 8:56 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: ONT
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This may be of no help but...
We do not operate on Gov rates but I have, in the past, been able to get upgraded to a 2 bedroom from the one bedroom rate.
So, if there is a Gov rate for the 1 bd. that your branch will approve, the GM may be more willing to talk.
PS - I have had upgrades from studio to 2, but only for stays < 3 days.
So, if there is a Gov rate for the 1 bd. that your branch will approve, the GM may be more willing to talk.
PS - I have had upgrades from studio to 2, but only for stays < 3 days.
Oct 23, 2007, 3:57 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Posts: 194
If you want the two bedroom just because you need a place to store boxes, I would ask the manager if he has an extra closet or space to store boxes.
This would solve the problem.
This would solve the problem.