Guaranteed rate?
 

Hello everyone, I was wondering if anyone has had any experience or advice how to proceed with this. Quick backstory, I am with a new company where I have moved from straight expenses to a per diem. My new territory includes beach locations in Maryland and Delaware and as many of you know, the beaches are very expensive during the summer ($400+ a night during the season), well over my per diem. I have been staying about 40 miles away from some of my accounts during the high season just to stay within the per diem. Recently, I have discovered a new hotel (just opened over the summer) that has been wonderfully priced (now that it is the off-season) and it is a perfect location from my accounts. (I am a long-time Platinum with Marriott and a long-time Diamond with Hilton).

On my most recent visit, I got chatting with the front desk agent who noticed that I have now become a more frequent guest to this new hotel. I told her that I come to town for business all year long, but that during this summer the rates were too high for me to stay at the property and I was forced to stay 40 miles away. She told me that I needed to reach out to one of their managers and ask for a guaranteed rate. She gave me the name and email of the person I should reach out to at the property to discuss this with.

Here’s my question: what’s the best way to approach this via email? Is this common? Also, does anyone have experience with something like this? Will it affect the way I can accumulate points or status? Should I consider doing this for other hotels in my territory that are in more seasonal areas?

Contact the hotel's sales manager and explain what you're looking for and how many stays you're projecting at the hotel over the next X months.

IME points/status work fine but I've only done this at a tiny handful of hotels.

Hotel sales teams are very used to this kind of request - I've negotiated this kind of deal all over the world for various employers.

You'll probably wind up paying slightly above market rate in off-peak season, but well below market rate in peak season.

as mentioned, 'corporate' rates are done with individuals for certain number of nights