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

[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

[Diver]

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


I feel so "At Home"

[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.

[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.

[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..

[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.

[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.

[dinker]

Ah, Travelodge. Made out of shipping containers.

[BrilloPad]

It helps if you have a Scottish accent for starters...

Then they assume you will get drunk and trash the room?

[reddog]

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!).

[d000hg]

Has anyone used Tesco Clubcard vouchers on Marriot? Apparently you pay a different rate which sounds suspicious...

[d000hg]

Well we know the town well and there is a pretty nice Premier Travel Inn about 2min away... the room there is just as nice, it's only the pool which would be an advantage.

[Bob Dalek]

Some will offer a cheap rate on spec; others won't. An empty room is not, in and of itself, a disaster for any hotel: they may well expect people with money to arrive en resorte the next day, and your penny pinching, el cheapo peasant-like request for money off isn't going to make them love you much.

And then it's onto the horror of the crappest hotel in town, which smells of cabbage, wee and roll-ups, with fouled underpants in the battered chest of drawers in your cupboard-like room. Bonnes vacances!

[dude69]

the worst thing you can do is turn up with three heavy suitcases and a harrassed-looking wife/family. They will point at the sign behind the counter marked 'rack rate' and invite you to pay it.

Try www.laterooms.com for last minute hotels, or else call them saying you want a room for the night. TBH I doubt the Marriott would say 'alright then giz us twenty quid' I imagine they've got standardised policies on lowest rates and such.

[scooterscot]

It helps if you have a Scottish accent for starters...