Can you really just turn up to a hotel and get a cheap rate?

[dinker]

Ah, Travelodge. Made out of shipping containers.

[Gonzo]

The problem is the people working there don't own the place, so don't really care if it is full or not.

And it is in their best interests for the room to be empty so that they have less work to do.

[BolshieBastard]

To get a discount on hotel rooms, you first need a hotel that has empty bedrooms! There's a good chance the bigger hotel chains wont discount but smaller hotels almost always will.

The other way to get a discout is to ask for a cheaper rate based on the fact that you're going to be staying in the same hotel 4 or 5 nights a week for your 13, 26 week or whatever contract.

I find the second option better as I dont fancy trogging from hotel to hotel after that first hard day on a new contract looking for the best rate.

[mailric]

The problem is the people working there don't own the place, so don't really care if it is full or not.

I think with the current economic climate things will change a bit.

Why do you have to stay at the Marriot? you won't be in the room all day, why not go for something cheaper like ibis (current fav budget hotel) or premier travel inn (I would say avoid travellodge, most of them seem to have really gone down hill and they weren't great to start with!).

how do you know what he's got planned..

[d000hg]

how do you know what he's got planned..

Well it's more the pool... the Travel Inn has really great rooms with huge kingsize beds for only £60. Oh, and their breakfast is cool, they have a guy on hand to make you waffles to order as well as all the typical fare.

[jonb2010]

I recommend http://www.hotelclub.co.uk/

I booked a Thursday night this August in the London Bridge Hotel http://www.londonbridgehotel.com/ and paid £82. Prices listed on the hotels website are over double that. For a 4 star hotel I was very pleased with that and for me it's a good location for my contract in Canary Wharf.

[Diver]

I simply can't believe the amount of tightwads on this forum


I feel so "At Home"

[tim123]

I've heard before that if you turn up to a hotel on the night you want to stay, you can negotiate a big discount on the basis "wouldn't you rather have £50" than an empty room. Obviously there is some risk here that the hotel is full, but other than that is this likely to work?
Specifically, I want to try and stay at the Marriot for a night or two with the wife during the middle of next week. Any advice or anecdotes?

On one of my overseas contracts I got to know someone who was the (ex)manager of a hotel in a major chain.

he told me that the price of a last minute room would change depending upon how full he was.

If he was empty you would get the room at a discount, but if he was nearly full you wouldn't.

So no, he wouldn't always rather have 50 quid than nothing. (I think it's the same logic that cause M&S to throw away and not to mark down close to date food - this used to be their policy, don't know if it still is)

tim