What's Your Hotel/Meal Per Diem, Company Size?
Jan 13, 2004, 5:57 am
#76
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: NRT/PDX
Programs: Willamette Valley Cropdusters Silver Elite, National Tent Frequent Stay program, Ed's Rent-a-tractor
Posts: 3,357
Like HomelessScientist, I am also in the world of academia. My institution, a Japanese entity with about 1000 employees, pays a per diem of roughly (in dollar terms) $100 (hotel), and $35 (meals, etc.). This does make it hard to rack up those HHonors points in Japan as the average rate here for a Hilton is double or triple my per diem. But who knows? Price-Costco is now here, Walmart is coming, why not Garden Inn? 
The upside is I'm given a lump sum and can use it as I like (no receipts or records necessary), so if I want to stay at the Four Seasons one night, and sleep in one of those cubicle hotels the rest of the week--fine.
For research-related travel, the per diem as well as the cost of transportation (here a receipt is needed) is deducted from a yearly research allowance. Again, I'm given a lump sum, and so if I'm attending a conference, say in NY, and if I want, I can stay at one of the Ritz-Carltons one night and a cardboard box the rest of the week.
Of course, in reality, I would stay at someplace nice and just pay the difference.
The upside is I'm given a lump sum and can use it as I like (no receipts or records necessary), so if I want to stay at the Four Seasons one night, and sleep in one of those cubicle hotels the rest of the week--fine.
For research-related travel, the per diem as well as the cost of transportation (here a receipt is needed) is deducted from a yearly research allowance. Again, I'm given a lump sum, and so if I'm attending a conference, say in NY, and if I want, I can stay at one of the Ritz-Carltons one night and a cardboard box the rest of the week.
Of course, in reality, I would stay at someplace nice and just pay the difference.
Jan 13, 2004, 1:58 pm
#77
Join Date: May 2003
Location: San Francisco, CA Frmr AA Plat AW Plat Frmr UA 1K Frmr HGP Plat now just UA 1MM/1P
Posts: 320
No business class travel unless 6 or more average international trips per year - then still must obtain EVP approval.
No web fares or consolidator - can turn down $300 difference or lower in ticket prices.
Hotels at pre-negotiated rates - average costs around $130.
Food and incidentals - no receipt needed for any cost under $75.00
No web fares or consolidator - can turn down $300 difference or lower in ticket prices.
Hotels at pre-negotiated rates - average costs around $130.
Food and incidentals - no receipt needed for any cost under $75.00
Jan 13, 2004, 2:08 pm
#78
Join Date: May 2003
Location: San Francisco, CA Frmr AA Plat AW Plat Frmr UA 1K Frmr HGP Plat now just UA 1MM/1P
Posts: 320
No business class travel unless 6 or more average international trips per year - then still must obtain EVP approval.
No web fares or consolidator - can turn down $300 difference or lower in ticket prices.
Hotels at pre-negotiated rates - average costs around $130 - but I commonly pay more.
Miles are yours to keep - but should not influence travel decision except as $ differential above.
Company is 5000 employees or so.
Food and incidentals - no receipt needed for any cost under $75.00
No web fares or consolidator - can turn down $300 difference or lower in ticket prices.
Hotels at pre-negotiated rates - average costs around $130 - but I commonly pay more.
Miles are yours to keep - but should not influence travel decision except as $ differential above.
Company is 5000 employees or so.
Food and incidentals - no receipt needed for any cost under $75.00
Jan 13, 2004, 2:47 pm
#79
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Northern Virginia, USA
Posts: 389
Large company, was at one time second to only Microsoft regarding market cap. I'll start by saying this is pretty new policy, at one point in time (before our bubble burst) there wasn't much concern on how much was spent.
Our air policy is we are required to travel in coach class when the elapsed flying time for either the outbound trip (origin to destination) or return trip (destination back to origin), not including layovers or connection time, is less than eight hours in duration. Business class may be selected when elapsed flying time for both outbound and return trips, not including layovers or connection time, are each eight hours or greater in duration.
We must book through our on site travel people. If we are flying to a destination that our charter jet goes, we have to take it. If not, we need to take the preferred airline, if that presents a problem, go to the next preferred airline in the list.
We get reasonable and actual meal expenses, including tax and reasonable gratuity reimbursed. It is up to our judgment to select what is reasonable, a receipt is required if over $25.
Rental cars, take the best Hertz contract rate. If there is a problem using Hertz, use AVIS and get their contract rate.
As far as hotels, they cover "Full Service Hotels" and say "Luxury Hotels" are not allowed.
Examples of luxury are the Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, and W. Examples of full service are Hyatt, Marriott, Sheraton, and Westin. However, I have stayed at all the luxury's in the list before with no problems. We have pre negotiated rates at about every place we would need to stay and have limits for each city. Not sure what they all are, but I think NYC is $250 and it goes down from there for other cheaper cities.
Our air policy is we are required to travel in coach class when the elapsed flying time for either the outbound trip (origin to destination) or return trip (destination back to origin), not including layovers or connection time, is less than eight hours in duration. Business class may be selected when elapsed flying time for both outbound and return trips, not including layovers or connection time, are each eight hours or greater in duration.
We must book through our on site travel people. If we are flying to a destination that our charter jet goes, we have to take it. If not, we need to take the preferred airline, if that presents a problem, go to the next preferred airline in the list.
We get reasonable and actual meal expenses, including tax and reasonable gratuity reimbursed. It is up to our judgment to select what is reasonable, a receipt is required if over $25.
Rental cars, take the best Hertz contract rate. If there is a problem using Hertz, use AVIS and get their contract rate.
As far as hotels, they cover "Full Service Hotels" and say "Luxury Hotels" are not allowed.
Examples of luxury are the Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, and W. Examples of full service are Hyatt, Marriott, Sheraton, and Westin. However, I have stayed at all the luxury's in the list before with no problems. We have pre negotiated rates at about every place we would need to stay and have limits for each city. Not sure what they all are, but I think NYC is $250 and it goes down from there for other cheaper cities.
Jan 15, 2004, 11:02 am
#81
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: GSP (Greenville, SC)
Programs: DL Gold Medallion; UA Premier Executive; WN sub-CP; AA sub-Gold
Posts: 13,393
I cannot imagine spending $25 just on breakfast. I don't care if it is "free" because one is on business, that's just wasteful IMHO.
My daily meals costs are usually around $6 ($2 for breakfast and $4 for dinner). If I eat lunch, which I usually skip, daily meal costs total a whopping $9 or $10! This applies anywhere in the US, including NYC.
I have eaten at nicer places a couple of times before (e.g., $15 for a meal), but invariably I get weird food that I don't like that costs ten times as much as a fast food place or hot dog stand.
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"Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint." -- Mark Twain
My daily meals costs are usually around $6 ($2 for breakfast and $4 for dinner). If I eat lunch, which I usually skip, daily meal costs total a whopping $9 or $10! This applies anywhere in the US, including NYC.
I have eaten at nicer places a couple of times before (e.g., $15 for a meal), but invariably I get weird food that I don't like that costs ten times as much as a fast food place or hot dog stand.
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"Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint." -- Mark Twain
Jan 15, 2004, 8:17 pm
#82
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Terra Australis Cognita
Posts: 5,350
DoubleJ, same at my lab in Tokyo while I was still a student. I once had to go to a conference in Okayama, and the lab paid cash for 2-way Shinkansen and 3 nights in a hotel. I took the overnight bus and stayed at a youth hostel, saving approx. 50k yen. When the conference was over, I proceeded to use the savings to take a week off for sightseeing, staying in ryokan and sitting in hot springs.
Jan 15, 2004, 8:47 pm
#83
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Northern Virginia, USA
Posts: 389
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Pismocrab:
The W is luxury? Yikes! I've only stayed at the one in Seattle, so perhaps the others are nicer.</font>
The W is luxury? Yikes! I've only stayed at the one in Seattle, so perhaps the others are nicer.</font>