Hotel insider shares secrets for better prices
Glenn Haussman isn’t your typical hotel expert – the kind who is neckdeep in spreadsheets of average daily room rates and occupancy statistics. Haussman has a few hotel secrets.
He’s a former editor for a trade publication, and now a podcaster hosting multiple shows, including No Vacancy (NoVacancyNews.com) and “Checking In With Anthony and Glenn,” which he co-hosts with Travel Channel’s “Hotel Impossible” star Anthony Melchiorri, and keeps one eye on news that affects the average traveler.
So I asked Haussman to share his hotel secrets for a better stay at a time when they are much needed. We’re heading into the busy holiday travel period, with soaring room rates and full hotels. I wondered how people like Haussman cope with the craziness. ❚ Hotel secret No. 1: Who owns it?
Haussman says few guests understand what’s happening behind the scenes at a hotel.
“It’s a question of real versus perceived ownership,” he says. “This is the real key to understanding how to be a winner when staying at hotels. Who truly owns and operates them?”
Though common years ago, now it’s rare for the name on the building to be the operating entity. “Always ask who manages or owns the hotel upon arrival,” explains Haussman.
If you have a problem during your stay, direct it to the management company or owner, not the hotel brand’s customer service line. He says you’ll get quicker and, in some cases, better service than going through the hotel chain.
❚ Hotel secret No. 2: Watch those
resort fees! While Haussman considers himself a “passionate supporter” of the hotel business, he is no fan of hotel resort fees. The mandatory fees, added to your bill after an initial price quote, are an irritant to guests and consumer advocates. But for now, they are legal.
“Resort fees are a scourge,” he says. “They create an antagonistic relationship with the customer, which is antithetical to everything the hospitality industry is supposed to be about.
“My fear is there will be more of these fees in the future such as parking fees for hotels in suburban neighborhoods,” he says.
If you plan to stay in a hotel with a resort fee, call the property and negoti- ate your room rate directly, he advises.
“Many guests don’t realize the fairest deals are achievable by speaking directly with the hotel’s general manager,” he says.
If you’re checking in and find a resort fee on your form, refuse to initial it. If you leave it blank, you can later dispute the charge on your credit card.
❚ Hotel secret No. 3: Book here, not
there: Lately, maybe you’ve heard hotels urging – begging – guests to “book direct.” Haussman says there’s a good reason for it. Hotels pay intermediaries such as online travel agents big fees to deliver guests to the hotels. Talk about poetic justice.
“So, when you see a rate of $100 on both an online travel agency and the hotel’s website, the property makes more money when you book through them as opposed to a third party,” he says, “As much as 20% more.”
That’s why hotel guests booking through a third party don’t get loyalty points and often feel as if they’re not being treated the same as other guests. It’s because they’re less profitable.
Haussman says the big industry secret is that independent hotels pay higher service fees to online travel agency sites than chain hotels. You’re better off calling the hotel directly and booking by phone.