who is paying rack rates at these places?
Jun 8, 2012 | 1:18 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 567
who is paying rack rates at these places?
I am not a Communist and this is not a troll, BUT, the rack rate prices at the luxury hotels in most great cities are $600-$900 for a basic room. (Just looked up Four seasons- NYC.)
Are there that many people out there who pay those rates? Why do they spend this when I have had perfectly decent, central NYC/Paris rooms for less than $250. (Will be staying in the Essex House NYC next week for $202 a night)
How many of these rooms are being paid by their business or someone else?
This is not a rant on these prices,I understand they have to be super expensive due to real estate value.
Are there that many people out there who pay those rates? Why do they spend this when I have had perfectly decent, central NYC/Paris rooms for less than $250. (Will be staying in the Essex House NYC next week for $202 a night)
How many of these rooms are being paid by their business or someone else?
This is not a rant on these prices,I understand they have to be super expensive due to real estate value.
Jun 8, 2012 | 4:43 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 983
I am not a Communist and this is not a troll, BUT, the rack rate prices at the luxury hotels in most great cities are $600-$900 for a basic room. (Just looked up Four seasons- NYC.)
Are there that many people out there who pay those rates? Why do they spend this when I have had perfectly decent, central NYC/Paris rooms for less than $250. (Will be staying in the Essex House NYC next week for $202 a night)
How many of these rooms are being paid by their business or someone else?
This is not a rant on these prices,I understand they have to be super expensive due to real estate value.
Are there that many people out there who pay those rates? Why do they spend this when I have had perfectly decent, central NYC/Paris rooms for less than $250. (Will be staying in the Essex House NYC next week for $202 a night)
How many of these rooms are being paid by their business or someone else?
This is not a rant on these prices,I understand they have to be super expensive due to real estate value.
To answer your question briefly--yes. There are people who pay $600/600EURO for a room in New York and Paris.
You're right that the Essex House is perfectly decent and central; for some, having a five-star hotel experience is as important as the vacation/business itself. On the business end, if a self-employed entrepreneur is negotiating a deal worth millions to his company, a couple thousand out of pocket to ensure absolute physical comfort in his down time doesn't seem egregious. Regarding leisure travelers, I know plenty of people who get a great deal of pleasure out of a solitary weekend in a great hotel--eating, using the spa, decompressing, etc. Obviously, couples/honeymoon travelers' needs are similar.
Regarding how many of these rooms are corporate rates and how many come from out of pocket, I don't have an answer. Perhaps one of the travel agents on this board would have more detailed knowledge of the actual numbers.
Jun 8, 2012 | 7:33 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2009
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For me, I like staying in a nice place. I wouldn't mind sleeping on a park bench, but I hate mediocre run of the mill hotels. I rarely stay in anything less than $500 or $600 a night. Sure there are cheaper places to stay, but I could live in a cheaper house also. I like nice accommodations whether I'm at home or on the road.
Occasionally when traveling on business, I'll stay at a cheaper place for image or availability reasons , but I always stay some place nice when traveling on my own nickel.
Occasionally when traveling on business, I'll stay at a cheaper place for image or availability reasons , but I always stay some place nice when traveling on my own nickel.
Jun 8, 2012 | 9:13 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Jun 8, 2012 | 11:31 pm
#5
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Go out, make a few million, and then come back to report on your feelings then towards hotel bookings 
.
Although, ironically, despite having enough $m in the bank, in the example you gave I probably would have taken the Essex House at that price! I'm also sitting on a pile of Hilton points at the moment, so may do the new Conrad at Battery Park given the rooms are huge (although in Summer I always take a suite at Soho House for the pool).
People also splurge in different ways. One person may spend their spare cash on new handbags, another may pay for luxury hotels.
.Although, ironically, despite having enough $m in the bank, in the example you gave I probably would have taken the Essex House at that price! I'm also sitting on a pile of Hilton points at the moment, so may do the new Conrad at Battery Park given the rooms are huge (although in Summer I always take a suite at Soho House for the pool).
People also splurge in different ways. One person may spend their spare cash on new handbags, another may pay for luxury hotels.
Jun 9, 2012 | 3:09 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: LHR / IAD
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Numbered among my personal acquaintance are more than one person who does not care one whit about the price of anything. All that matters is what they want. I'm trying to get clients like this, but so is everyone else.
Jun 9, 2012 | 5:10 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: UA1K, *G & Wife of UA1K MM
Posts: 3,525
Raffle's example is a good one. I use one high quality handbag that goes from day into evening. I have had it for 5 years and am just now considering replacing it. But i have a friend who has an expensive bag for every day of the month. She happens to think I am crazy for spending what I do on hotel rooms. Everyone is different. And no, it's not always about how much money you have. It's more about how you like to spend it.
Jun 9, 2012 | 6:52 am
#8
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I guess I am one of them. Love Luxury hotel stays during leisure trips, and worse now starting to like resorts also. But then, I also travel frequently for business and on these occasions, I will definitely book value-for-money hotels that's still comfortable and have decent to good service.
Jun 9, 2012 | 7:00 am
#9
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Jun 9, 2012 | 8:08 am
#10
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Here, there you know how it goes.
Posts: 1,518
As for the OP, since I pretty much only travel for leisure, and as others have said as well, staying somewhere nice is oftentimes just as important to me as what sights/activities/dining I'll be doing.
Last edited by aa213bb; Jun 9, 2012 at 8:10 am Reason: Answered OP
Jun 9, 2012 | 8:18 am
#11
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To answer your question briefly--yes. There are people who pay $600/600EURO for a room in New York and Paris.
You're right that the Essex House is perfectly decent and central; for some, having a five-star hotel experience is as important as the vacation/business itself. On the business end, if a self-employed entrepreneur is negotiating a deal worth millions to his company, a couple thousand out of pocket to ensure absolute physical comfort in his down time doesn't seem egregious. Regarding leisure travelers, I know plenty of people who get a great deal of pleasure out of a solitary weekend in a great hotel--eating, using the spa, decompressing, etc. Obviously, couples/honeymoon travelers' needs are similar.
$600 in midtown Manhattan is not a luxury property rack rate ! There are a significant number of people who have their assistant book them at the place they want to stay, never look at the bill and couldn't tell you what a given room costs.
Same thing for all the threads on FT starting with "who pays for domestic F?" The answer is many.
Regarding how many of these rooms are corporate rates and how many come from out of pocket, I don't have an answer. Perhaps one of the travel agents on this board would have more detailed knowledge of the actual numbers.
You're right that the Essex House is perfectly decent and central; for some, having a five-star hotel experience is as important as the vacation/business itself. On the business end, if a self-employed entrepreneur is negotiating a deal worth millions to his company, a couple thousand out of pocket to ensure absolute physical comfort in his down time doesn't seem egregious. Regarding leisure travelers, I know plenty of people who get a great deal of pleasure out of a solitary weekend in a great hotel--eating, using the spa, decompressing, etc. Obviously, couples/honeymoon travelers' needs are similar.
$600 in midtown Manhattan is not a luxury property rack rate ! There are a significant number of people who have their assistant book them at the place they want to stay, never look at the bill and couldn't tell you what a given room costs.
Same thing for all the threads on FT starting with "who pays for domestic F?" The answer is many.
Regarding how many of these rooms are corporate rates and how many come from out of pocket, I don't have an answer. Perhaps one of the travel agents on this board would have more detailed knowledge of the actual numbers.
Jun 9, 2012 | 3:51 pm
#12
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,049
Yes.
Because they can.
Or.
Why not? Decent by whose standards, yours? What a trollerifique thread....
Or.
Why not? Decent by whose standards, yours? What a trollerifique thread....
Jun 9, 2012 | 4:15 pm
#13
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Because I know what room am getting, what will be in my room, what fruits and drinks I like in my room, my preferred tea, I know the people who work there, because they know what restaurants to reserve for me before my arrival...I know the quality.
Jun 10, 2012 | 9:34 am
#14
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: AC SE 2MM, too many others
Posts: 1,419
If you can tell me that there is an NY hotel that provides that level of service in that price range (if at all), I will be amazed...and then book it.
Jun 10, 2012 | 9:45 am
#15
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 983
I can't really speak for New York as it's my hometown and I don't spend much time in hotels there, but I"ve received service almost to those standards at the Chicago Ritz-Carlton (Four Seasons), the Georgetown Ritz, and at the club floor at the Ritz in Boston. It certainly exists in comparable major American cities.