Hi, longtime reader / firsttime poster. I was wondering, do people ever get "busted" after the fact for using inelligible marriott rate codes? i have heard of people getting "carded" at time of check-in, but have not heard of people getting busted later on. Does this happen? What are the consequences?

I know someone (not Me) who used a code that they had no ID for, got to the Hotel way after cancellation time and was carded. W/o the ID they said OK we will charge you the reg rack rate and when you fax us in your ID we will refund the difference. So he went on a song and dance and said If you dont trust me then I dont want to stay here. They answered fine, you can leave but since its way after the deadline to cancel you will be charged the rack rate for the room anyway.

He stayed and ended up paying the full rate

So as many have said all over the Forums if you use a Code that you arent entitled to be prepared to have to pay aheck of alot more then you ever would have agreed to in the 1st place.

Post stay I havent heard of anything, But theres always a 1st time for everything

Some of the best corporate codes are for companies which tend to employ a lot of sub-contractors. In those cases, I have found that one can just say, "I am a contractor so I do not have a company id badge".

Or spend a little time in Photoshop (or your choice of graphic tool) and get some logo's off the company's website and voila, a badge you can fax to them. How are they going to know what an official badge looks like? I work for a company with over 300k employees worldwide and the degree with which all our badges look different is simply amazing.

I often travel on business for a customer on contract. I never have one of their badges and have never had a hassle getting their rate at any hotel.

Re: the original question about getting nicked after checking out. I've not heard of that & not sure how they could do it after you've checked out. Not saying it can't be done, but not heard of it. More the norm to be asked for id at check-in & possibly get hit w/ rack rate if you don't have it.

Also, check the rate rules. If there is an exclusion for sub-contractors (which happens w/ some gov't rates), it should say it in there & so you'd know in advance if that line was going to work or not.

Cheers.

what would you do if they say "Oh OK, can I please have your biz card". If you have card that says sales rep GM, how do you explain using Cokes code?

You just say that you are out of biz cards at the moment. In my case, as an actual independent contractor, my card would back up my statement.

I subscribe to an old saying, "If you play with matches , eventually you will get burnt".

If I dont have proper ID for a Code, Id rather move on. Then again in MRs case I have just under 1M pts and not worth jepodizing them to save a couple of bucks.

This has come up a few times in the past.

I also have never been carded and I'm 90%+ of the time on another companies corporate rate.

i work with a ton of people that have danced that game before.

I can tell you with honesty that certain codes no matter what (especially today) will get you in hot water.

those are basically marriott employee codes, govt codes, and stuff like AAA.

If you use any of those - be ready to defend it with legitimacy or pay the rack rate and be flagged going forward.

i've had friends and co-workers try for the wrong code and get in deep!

Oh ... also, i've gotten asked (first time and only time personally) for a corporate ID when i tried to use the corp rate on a weekend stay.

It was SO much cheaper than the typical weekend rate (it was chicago) that they made a big deal. Also, i was wearing shorts and a ball cap, not my typical bus-casual attire.

luckily it was a legit badge (um, shhhhh but don't tell them it was expired by 2months) but it worked fine.

Actually, they gave me about a minute of grief saying that "typically on weekends, we don't allow the corporate rate for this company to work" ... that didn't last long when she then looked and saw i was Platinum and i asked her if she could please cancel my next 4 months of standing reservations at a different hotel.

So maybe there's more wiggle-room if you have status.

but in any case ... those codes are DEFINITELY NOT as flexible as they were years ago.

I've found just as much success talking to the clients i legit work for ahead of time for their code >>> or call the local hotel direct and tell them "will you honor this rate if i book 3 months ahead" ... those work as well quite often.

An imagination. Joint project to install beverage dispensers into new commercial vehicles.

This is fantasy. I travel extensively on govt codes and as an employee at a big blue firm have never once been carded or asked to produce any id even though I demand the GSA code for the outfit I'm working for. It is common practice for contractors to have to stay at federal/state locations and hotels are used to it. You're spreading FUD.

More FUD. I work a lot of weekends on "critical situations" for my govt and private customers and never have been challenged for the rate even though I am not employed by them and I've arrived dressed up in casual clothing as I don't dress business dress on a weekend. And it doesn't matter about status. I often have to stay at hotel chains where I have no status.

AustinFlyer76 needs to stop this FUD spreading.