I think government rate is probably your best you'll get. Long term are close to some corporate rates but hardly close to GOV.

I got below G rate at a property by calling and talking to the reservation (or revenue) manager. It was for a one month stay. Agree with the other suggestion of getting plat challenge if you're not already and signing up for Megabonus. The plat challenge might take a couple rounds of agent roulette but well worth it if you're at a FS property.

How to Maximize Long Term Stay
 

Looks like I have the opportunity to stay in a Marriott for up to two years. Having never experienced this long term stay what is the best way to maximize the points earned? Currently have a Visa cc and a gold member. Staying in Marriott Executive appears to count 2.5 vs 10 points per dollar spent. How to sign up to ensure I receive specials being offered? Things like submit for platinum challenge. This seems to be a great opportunity to earn points. How do the points at up? Thanks in advance.

Check closely how your stay is structured. Long stays may not qualify for program credit. The upside is many areas void the taxes for long stays as you become a resident and not a tourist.

See: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...term-stay.html for more details.

The Marriott Executive serviced apartment also earn elite and lifetime status nights as a slower rate too, IIRC one night's credit for every three nights stayed.

You should be aware that these are often just fully furnished apartments scattered in various large apartment buildings. Marriott seems to send a mobile cleaning team, but you're not getting Marriott service for other things.

This is a very different setup from extended stay properties, which are small apartment style accommodations with small kitchens, but have normal limited service hotel services provided by hotel staff. The extended stay properties also have free breakfast and generally some evening free F&B offerings (which might or might not function as dinner) about three nights per week. Extended stay hotels have long term stay rates which are negotiable.

I need advice as to whether or not this is crazy: I have a stay of 90 days coming up (could be double that, but minimum of 90). The "Long Term Stay rate" at the ideal property (a FFI) is $99 per night. My employer will only reimburse up to $76 per night. I am willing to pay some out of pocket in order to stay at this property. Do you think it's likely a manager would be open to negotiating down to $90 per night? Or even $80?

And this might be where I'm being really crazy, but would something like offering to receive housekeeping/maid service once a week be a potentially effective bargaining tool?

I don't think any of what you propose is crazy...Fairfield Inn isn't really a long-stay brand, so I'm guessing their typical "LTS" rate is tailored to the 2-week stay, not the 3-6 month stay.

I think the craziest part is actually living in a Fairfield Inn for that long. Are you so remote that there are no extended-stay brands available? (Marriott's or otherwise.)

Also: would local hotels be aware of your firm's $76 daily hotel rate? If you aren't the first traveler to this town for your company/client, it's possible that one or more hotels already have a 90-day $76 rate in their system. (I had a friend who deployed hospital software in little towns - even the mom & pop hotels had his "corporate rate", even though the hotels didn't really have a formal agreement with the company.)

My biggest priority on a stay like this would be getting some sort of livable studio unit, if not a full 1-bedroom suite. $80-90/nt should put you in range of a lot of different brands (many non-Marriott of course), if they're anywhere nearby...

Look into the local laws as well. Some jurisdictions call for no taxes on long stays. This can lower your effective rate by several % points.

Your best bet is to contact the revenue manager for the property, not reservations, and ask what they are willing/able to do. Have names of other properties in the area so he knows it is not a done deal regardless. Also, maybe check on ownership, unlikely you'll get a better deal at another property owned/operated by the same company.

Good point on the local laws - in addition to taxes, a 3-6 month stay might be covered by traditional tenant/landlord laws as opposed to innkeeper laws.

If you do end up in a chain hotel with a loyalty program, check the rules on long stays. Some may require you to settle up every 30 days to collect points/EQN, and in some it may be in your interest to settle up right as you reach each elite tier.

The hotel itself may want to settle every 30 days as well...either due to local laws or simply to keep their books up to date.

Although you didn't mention it and it would be seriously unpopular with most FTers, I suppose it's theoretically possible to negotiate a rate that earns no points. My hunch is that an experienced FTer would always come out ahead by receiving the points, so I doubt I'd explore it too much, but it's something else in the same vein as limited housekeeping that might get put on the table.

In some cases, there are point limitations per stay, so you might want to check out, stay one night elsewhere, and check back in to avoid those.

Correct. SPG, for example, requires stays shorter than 90 days I believe.

I'm trying to negotiate a long-term stay in Chicago this winter and am not having a ton of luck getting rates lower than $100/nt. At that price point a furnished apt may make more sense.

Depending on what kind of room (kitchen?) you get, and what meals the hotel provides, and location, and . . . either one might make more sense.

I'm contemplating a long to indefinite stay starting this summer. I looked through the MR (and HHonors) website and didn't find any limitation like this, but want to make sure I'm not missing something. Anyone know if either Marriott or Hilton has a similar restriction? I saw that you only earn half points staying at a RI, so I'm hoping that's their only limitation.

There have been folks posting here that they have had stays longer than a year and no issues with points posting.