Acting ethically is an easy solution.

I'm talking specifically about rates which specify an id is required, e.g. government rate. I don't know why you've never seen #3 as I cut and pasted it from the Marriott website. Of course as three member of my immediate family are government workers I see that particular rate often.:)

Regarding walking, your legal analysis is incorrect. The T&Cs by which Marriot agrees to take your resevation are part of your contract and among other things details the remedies should the hotel be unable to provide you with accomodations pursuant to that contract.

Unfortunately each person's ethics vary-and it appears the variance is quite wide

You are too kind. I would say "and it appears that some have none."

I realize you are talking about gov't rates but I thought the OP was talking about a corp rate.. sure Gov't rates have all kinds of disclaimers but the corporate ones vary quite a bit

back to the walking.. now lets say that before MR Accepts my reservation requests (by giving me a conf number), I input in the comments field that you (hotel) by accepting this contract and providing me with a confirmation are agreeing not to walk me or better yet, input, you (hotel) will reimburse me rack rate (it really should work two ways here).. why wouldn't that hold up.. btw, I'm not only not a lawyer, I'm not in the legal profession either.. just curious

I still have never seen that comment and I would say its a fair guess that I at least read 95%+ of the rate details for everything I book

Anyone else notice that this thread got sidetracked into the same ole, same ole re: id, when the actual topic asked if anyone had gotten busted after check-out. From reading through the thread I don't think anyone has. Probably because something like that is supposed to be caught up front.

So unless anyone waves their hand & says me, me, I'd say Bruce could just merge this thread w/ one of the gazillion others re: using rates not entitled to & the ethics ;)

Cheers.

PS - I'm assuming based on TrojanHorse's signature above that it's the first game of USC & they're playing UVA :D

I've gamed the system a couple ways. I used to travel a lot a decade ago, all on my nickel. I'd stay at Holiday Inns and at the time, they used to publish a Government directory showing properties offering the Gov't rate. In all the times I'd used the rate, I got asked once or twice about id. I'd say I'm a contractor for FDIC and throw around some technical garbage. I'd usually plop the directory next to my travel pouch/wallet, and I never had any issues. Another route is to find out who has HQ in the city where you're traveling and call front desk and ask for that rate. I did that at the Westin in Cincy and P&G rate at the time was $75. You just have to pick a large Fortune 500 outfit, i.e. Coke for Atlanta, GM for Detroit, etc. I've been using the IBM code for renting cars at Hertz for 10+ years and only once was asked for ID. I said I'd left it at the office, but would be happy to show a business card. Pulled out my wallet, made a feigned search and told the agent, I must have run out. She was like, no biggie, she was going through the motions anyhow. It largely depends on not looking like you're lying (shaking or nervous) and if you are nice and polite, they typically just want to get you going... The rental car thing is a real gem b/c typically they will negotiate a national contract and you really make out in high cost cities. I know it's off topic, but hope it helps someone.

An excellent question. The short answer is that you cannot make unilateral changes to a contract. Booking a room with the Marriott website or a regular agent is based upon you accepting the contract as is. When you make unilateral changes to a contract, depending on the circumstances either the changes themselves are void, or you've voided the contract. Now if you were negotiating with a live person who had contracting authority, say a manager, you might have some leeway.

As far as the comment about prevailing rate, I can't add anything useful. Its there.

+1

Its amazing what some will do to save a few dollars.

I do wonder what those would do if it were their company/their paycheck that was losing dollars.

Bragging about lying and cheating?

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 6.12) T-Mobile Dash)

yes, the nyc marquis is the only place i have ever been asked to produce id, which of course i could b/c it was legitimate. but i too have traveled extensively on rates of clients and have never been asked for id, except at the marquis.

Lotta people in here that are throwing stones who I'm sure are in glass houses as well as not being without sin. :rolleyes:

Agreed... I'm not for using corporate codes if you're not entitled to them but have any of you ever used your business' corporate code when travelling on leisure?!? That's against the rules. In fact some corporate rates even specifically speak against it (VIP rate for example). In terms of "sin" a sin is a sin is a sin...

You had quoted my original post. I just want to be clear that I don't think of what I'm doing as "gaming the system." I check out two rates: my company's and that of the company I'm going to do business with. I'm there at the request of and at no cost to my customer, so using the customer's rate would, IMO, be acceptable. Am I wrong about this?

My thought is that the rate has been negotiated for both the customer's own employees and those who come into town to do business with the company, making it less expensive to do business with the company. Why else would companies have great rates at hotels near the company. Granted, my company uses the local Marriott to house out of town employees who have to come in from time to time, but my assumption is the rate is as much for our company's customers. Is that incorrect??

I don't use a corporate rate for leisure travel, but, then again, almost all my leisure travel is done on the mountain of points in my MR or HH account.

Bingo ^