Hotel Government Rates

[billlaurie]

Fed Govt will allow you to book your own hotel. You can spend as much as you want but you only get reimbursed at the per diem rate, which varies according to location (Orlando $127). Some of the hotels offer a per diem rate and/or a discounted leisure rate for govt employees.

 

[hertamaniac]

But this is being paid for privately. Its not like he's charging it to his govt travel credit card and submitting a travel claim for personal travel. THAT is against the law.

I stated IF improperly used, not method of payment. Are you saying there is no chance this could be an improper use?

 

[sam_gordon]

Fed Govt will allow you to book your own hotel. You can spend as much as you want but you only get reimbursed at the per diem rate, which varies according to location (Orlando $127). Some of the hotels offer a per diem rate and/or a discounted leisure rate for govt employees.

I would say if you are getting reimbursed for leisure travel, there are bigger issues going on.

 

[billlaurie]

I would say if you are getting reimbursed for leisure travel, there are bigger issues going on.

Nobody gets reimbursed for leisure. You have to have official travel orders to get reimbursed. I meant that you can book your hotels yourself and get reimbursed if you are on official govt travel at the per diem rate only. But, hotels will offer the per diem rate for govt employees, or some a higher discounted rate, for leisure travel. The govt is not involved at all in that transaction.

 

[bcla]

I've traveled numerous times on government-related business. I've never had a hotel ask me for travel orders, only my government issued ID. This includes all Marriott, Hilton, and other major hotel chains. If you decide to book the government rate, you should be okay.

Hilton is kind of a mess. They have a promotion page that looks like it’s simply a benefit for government employees for their service.

https://www3.hilton.com/en/portals/govt/index.html​

We salute you – the work you do, the service you provide and the sacrifices you and your families have made. Thank you. Please give us the honor of serving you.
​

State, federal and United States military employees can search our Hilton hotel database by landmark and then enter the name of a government building, military base or local attraction. Click on the Government/Military rates box when checking room availability to see your rate. Remember to present your valid government identification upon check-in.​

When the rates pop up, there’s prominent disclaimers that travel orders are required. And some of the government rates at 3x that of the “best available” rate. The cheapest is called “Per Diem Plus” with a message in all caps that travel orders are required. At the same cheapest rate there’s a military family rate that’s good for active duty and retired. It’s kind of sparse on details, but military spouses get military ID and apparently even veteran spouse ID now.

 

[sam_gordon]

Nobody gets reimbursed for leisure. You have to have official travel orders to get reimbursed. I meant that you can book your hotels yourself and get reimbursed if you are on official govt travel at the per diem rate only. But, hotels will offer the per diem rate for govt employees, or some a higher discounted rate, for leisure travel. The govt is not involved at all in that transaction.

But this entire thread is regarding a government employee wanting to use the government rate for LEISURE travel and whether that's allowed. Whether you can book your own hotel when travelling on government business and how much you get reimbursed really has nothing to do with the question.

 

[billlaurie]

But this entire thread is regarding a government employee wanting to use the government rate for LEISURE travel and whether that's allowed. Whether you can book your own hotel when travelling on government business and how much you get reimbursed really has nothing to do with the question.

Sorry that I offended you by discussing something that you think is off topic (because that never happens on the DIS). Just trying to point out where the rate comes from because people have also been discussing the value of the rate and to point out that the govt is not paying for anybody's leisure travel.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

My question is: Is it acceptable to use the government rate for leisure travel and not official government travel?

The hotels make the decision in this case. If if it doesn't state "on official government travel orders" you can book the rate for leisure.

 

[DLgal]

I stated IF improperly used, not method of payment. Are you saying there is no chance this could be an improper use?

This is something the hotels offer, and has nothing to do with where any government employee works. If the rate requires orders and you don't have orders, the hotel will simply charge you the prevailing rate. Its not like guys in suits are going to storm in the building and arrest you. The hotel front desk people LITERALLY don't care. They are not going to report anyone. This is not a "perk" of being a government employee that taxpayers are supporting. It is just a discount code offered to a group of people.

Heck, the majority of the time we use the rate, they don't even ask for the relevant ID.

 

[rwdavis2]

When traveling on a NASA budget I just had to show my NASA badge for JPL in Pasadena at the hotel. But I made my reservations through the booking portal on our internal web site. But if you called the hotel directly and asked for the government rate I would assume you just have to show whatever iD the hotel needed. But I would ask your HR department.

 

[Starwind]

I am a state government employee, so I usually check government rates when I am traveling somewhere. A lot of times, the government rates are the same or higher than some other rates offered. However, for an upcoming trip, I noticed that the government rates offer a substantial discount.

My question is: Is it acceptable to use the government rate for leisure travel and not official government travel?

For a Marriott hotel, the following is stated for the state government rate:

• Non-Commissionable Rate
• State Government Per Diem rate
• - Available to State Government (govt) employees only.
• - Limit of two rooms per night.
• - Must show valid state government identification (ID) at
• check-in.
• - Valid ID consists of:
• - State issued ID (picture or no picture)
• - Travel Orders on original State letterhead
• - If no valid ID, rate will be increased to the best available
• rate.
• - Govt Contractors, including Contractors working on state govt
• Cost Reimbursable Contract, are not eligible for the state
• govt rate.

For that hotel, it sounds like you can stay using the government rate even if you aren't on official government business.

However, for a Hampton (Hilton) hotel, the following is stated for the government rate:

ID-travel orders required at check-in.

So it sounds like it may differ by hotels as to who can use the government rate? For Marriott, the way it reads, it sounds like you could use it for Leisure or Business travel? But for Hilton, only for official travel?

I guess for me, it is sort of an ethical dilemma. The Marriott hotel is a Renaissance hotel that has a huge discount with the state government rate. The standard rate is $181/night, and the state government rate is $67/night! It is right to use that discount for leisure travel?

Looking forward to hearing people's opinions!

EDIT: After rereading Marriott's policy, it sounds like the valid ID is a state issued ID and travel orders. So maybe a no-go with them as well.

Your best bet is to contact the hotel directly (preferably in writing so you have a written response) and ask them.

Different hotel chains have different policies regarding whether a government rate can be used for leisure travel or is only for work travel. And it can depend on whether the rate is state/provincial or federal.

Even within a hotel chain, some specific hotels may have more a restrictive policy, such as if they are in a high tourist area.

Finally, even if the hotel allows it, you also need to make sure that your agency/department allows employees to use government rates for personal travel; some may consider it an ethical violation [using govt employment to get a personal benefit], while others explicitly allow it.

SW

 

[hertamaniac]

This is something the hotels offer, and has nothing to do with where any government employee works. If the rate requires orders and you don't have orders, the hotel will simply charge you the prevailing rate. Its not like guys in suits are going to storm in the building and arrest you. The hotel front desk people LITERALLY don't care. They are not going to report anyone. This is not a "perk" of being a government employee that taxpayers are supporting. It is just a discount code offered to a group of people.

Heck, the majority of the time we use the rate, they don't even ask for the relevant ID.

so because there is no "enforcement officers" , you feel it is right to shift the cost burden to the tax payers? Now I know where entitlement stems.

 

[disneychrista]

so because there is no "enforcement officers" , you feel it is right to shift the cost burden to the tax payers? Now I know where entitlement stemsp

How is a private entity giving a discount shifting the cost burden to the tax payer? Which btw government workers are also.

 

[MGMmjl]

OP here... I wound up booking a totally different hotel using the hotel chain membership rate and got a similar price.

I work for the state government, but don't travel much for work. And when we do travel, it is usually at the federal per diem rate because the conferences/workshops we attend are usually sponsered by a federal agency.

 

[sam_gordon]

How is a private entity giving a discount shifting the cost burden to the tax payer? Which btw government workers are also.

Agreed. If a 3rd party is going to give a discount to a certain group (whether it be military, AAA, AARP, whatever), that's totally up to them. BUT, if that discount is tied to your employer, it's a good idea to check with your employer and make sure they're ok with you using that discount.

 

[MillauFr]

Local governments don't care if you stay at the Four Seasons or sleep in your car overnight. You get reimbursed at the per diem rate. We don't have to bother showing any receipts. They don't care. If you are traveling you get reimbursed a fixed amount.

 

[Christine]

I've never used my government ID to book a leisure trip. Not because I thought it was wrong (clearly, some hotels have varying policies) but because when I have traveled for business there have been two instances where I had to show some form of orders. It's not been recently but several years ago and both times it happened in a touristy area where the government per diem rate (discounted price) was significantly lower than what others were getting. Fortunately, I was on business travel and there wasn't a problem. Had I been on a leisure trip, the hotel would have just charged me the regular rate.

 

[hertamaniac]

How is a private entity giving a discount shifting the cost burden to the tax payer? Which btw government workers are also.

Isn't the discount based on an agreement between the private entity and the government for "official use only"? Wouldn't an abuse of that agreement cost the hotel in terms of less revenue (i.e. can't charge more rack rates)? Doesn't less revenue equate to less tax dollars for the municipality? Wouldn't that translate to more taxes on the rest of the municipality due to less revenue?

 

[sam_gordon]

Isn't the discount based on an agreement between the private entity and the government for "official use only"? Wouldn't an abuse of that agreement cost the hotel in terms of less revenue (i.e. can't charge more rack rates)? Doesn't less revenue equate to less tax dollars for the municipality? Wouldn't that translate to more taxes on the rest of the municipality due to less revenue?

I think that's a stretch. Hotels have discounts for lots of groups... AAA, AARP, etc. If people use those discounted rates, are they shifting the cost to the tax payer?

 

[disneychrista]

Isn't the discount based on an agreement between the private entity and the government for "official use only"?

The ONE hotel I checked only stated that it was for "official use only" for the STATE (in this case California) government rate. It did not state this for the standard "Government/Military" rate.

In most cases a discount is offered to ENCOURAGE a behavior, in this case for a particular group of people to stay at the hotel. I know for my employer (the Superior Court of California) we are limited to a certain dollar amount for hotels. My guess is hotels WANT our business, so they offer rates at or below our daily limit.