Should I expense it?

[NightHawk112005]

Yes, it was part of the job. You saved some money, expense it.

 

[Some Guy]

Any time I use Priceline, Expedia, etc. on a work trip, I always get a strongly worded e-mail from a bean counter. They hate that. It's never been explained why.

We are strictly forbidden. I'm not sure why, either. Something about "we don't use travel agents, and these sites count." I'm not sure why they'd care, so long as it saves money, but they do.

I don't think I'd use them anyway, because it would screw with my airline and marriott points, but still ...

 

[TheMethod]

Just out of curiosity, do most people here make their own travel arrangements or is there a person at your office who handles everything?

Last place I worked, the President's assistant made ALL the arrangements (airfare, hotel) for everyone's trips.

The President, also the owner of the company, collected (and used) all travel points.

We make our own arrangements, and keep our own points. And I don't think I'd take a job at a place that didn't let me have my points, unless the compensation blew everything else out of the water. Racking up free travel, in my opinion, is the best perk this job offers.

 

[trifectarich]

Just out of curiosity, do most people here make their own travel arrangements or is there a person at your office who handles everything?

Last place I worked, the President's assistant made ALL the arrangements (airfare, hotel) for everyone's trips.

The President, also the owner of the company, collected (and used) all travel points.

How does one person get travel points when it's another who's flying? Sounds like a neat little scam I'd like to learn.

 

[accguy]

I think you should absolutely expense the hotel.

If you want to clear your conscience, then check the airline schedule out of the event city. Would you have been able to get a flight out that night when you figure in time to write and to comfortably get to the airport.

In addition, was it an event in which weather could have delayed things? If so, then you needed to stay the extra night regardless.

I try not to anything with my corporate credit card that I wouldn't do with my own cash. That means, I will sometimes have lunch at Chipotle or somewhere like that and dinner might be Outback or Chilis rather than some fancy place. It also means that I'm very willing to stay at a Courtyard rather than a full Marriott in part because of the (usually) free parking and the always free internet.

 

[BrianGriffin]

Just out of curiosity, do most people here make their own travel arrangements or is there a person at your office who handles everything?

Last place I worked, the President's assistant made ALL the arrangements (airfare, hotel) for everyone's trips.

The President, also the owner of the company, collected (and used) all travel points.

We make our own arrangements, and keep our own points. And I don't think I'd take a job at a place that didn't let me have my points, unless the compensation blew everything else out of the water. Racking up free travel, in my opinion, is the best perk this job offers.

I agree. I think I have a zillion Marriott points now and I have work to thank. That, plus getting in the press box for big events, are the only things people get jealous of when we talk about our jobs...

 

[zagoshe]

Here is what you should do -- don't expense it -- but find a cabbie and ask him for as many blank receipts as he can give you -- offer him $10 --- and then claim $300 in cab rides..........

 

[joe_schmoe]

Indeed, racking up travel points is one big reason not to use priceline. $110 for three nights is hard to beat anywhere for a 3-star, but usually you can find competitive rates through any hotel chain website.
Another? Not knowing what you will get. If you need internet service, although most hotels have some sort of net service now, you won't know for sure if you use priceline. Plus, not knowing how far you will be from your event, or how close to other things like parking costs, can be troublesome. I once got a $45 a night room rate at a 4-star in Houston only to find out to park cost an extra $15 a night. Still a decent price for the quality, but still.

But more importantly is flexibility. I know you can now get the insurance on priceline in case your trip is canceled, but the limitations are extremely ridiculous, so it's much easier to deal with the hotels directly. In today's shaky media market it's not unusual for company heads to put on travel freezes/cancel your trip all together, etc... and not say that until the day before you leave. Book with priceline, you are out whatever the cost, and with said memo from your company coming out, good luck getting them to pay for the hotel loss. book direct and most chains still allow you to cancel the day of. (Get burned by your company once is all it takes...your company can be the best in the world up until that point. But they can screw you here)

Also, if the event is suddenly changed or moved then it can be another issue all together. start or end of event delayed a day (say rain delays the start of this weekend's US Open, and it also goes to the Monday playoff, which is ultimately delayed to Tuesday). Or you are expecting to stay a long week in Omaha, but Miami is two and done, giving you an early exit.
In both cases, hotels will work with you, if you've booked through them. A hotel will allow early checkout and not charge the extra two nights you don't stay, so long as they know. Priceline has already charged you.
Extended stay? Most hotels will honor the rate you initially booked for an extra night or two, if they have the room, and you booked through them. Use priceline and need to stay longer once you get there, they have no obligation to extend the stay, and can (and probably will) charge you the standard (highest) room rate, since you have to basically rebook travel anyway (as in provide credit card info, etc...)

 

[Bruce Leroy]

Any time I use Priceline, Expedia, etc. on a work trip, I always get a strongly worded e-mail from a bean counter. They hate that. It's never been explained why.

I got weird looks when I repeatedly, demonstrably saved the company considerable money on necessary trips, through my own initiative.

One of the great mysteries of corporate life.

Would love some wiser head to explain it to me.

No clue if this plays into it at all, but if a trip needs to be cut short or extended, there's an extra fee through priceline/expedia/orbitz/whatever. If you get the flight through the airline itself, there's one extra fee. Through one of those money-saving sites, you've got the site's fee plus the airline's. It makes it much more complicated to change a flight on short notice.

As for the original question, yes, expense it. Like you said, worst they can do is say too bad and make you pay for it.

 

[Some Guy]

Just out of curiosity, do most people here make their own travel arrangements or is there a person at your office who handles everything?

Last place I worked, the President's assistant made ALL the arrangements (airfare, hotel) for everyone's trips.

The President, also the owner of the company, collected (and used) all travel points.

Wow. screw that. We book our own travel. It's just easier that way.

 

[jfs1000]

My instructions have been this: Just use common sense and be fair. Don't to stay in the Roadside Inn, but don't spend an extra $40 a night just to get the Mariott points. If there's a shuttle, use that instead of renting a car. Find a good deal on a flight, but don't kill yourself.

I don't know about you, but if I am on the road I am wary at any place but a Mariott. The internet has to work, the desk has to be comfortable and you need a place to work. I have found a lot of comfort and quality inn type places extremely lacking in these departments.

I go Mariott first unless it is a prearranged deal media hotel (like a bowl game), If I can a Courtyard because internet is free (BS that you have to pay at the full service). This is an "f'in" business trip, you should have reasonable, comfortable, and familiar arrangements.

Too many Day's Inn I stayed at had internet troubles. I would never go below that grade either.

For me, Mariott, Hilton and possibly Holiday Inn. In that order.

Anyhow, be reasonable. Was the money spent work related? Then expense it. Also, don't go out of your way to save a buck, but don't spend extravagantly.

Journalists biggest problems are we are too cheap. I am sick of news side folk thinking going to cover a game is a vacation. That's BS. I go into towns and sometimes don't see the outside of a hotel.

 

[Big Buckin' agate_monkey]

My rule of thumb is this: If it were my money, would I spend this much for a hotel, car, flight, etc. if I could find a better rate. A lot of times that means getting a small car, a $70-$90 hotel room and the dirt-cheapest flight I can find.

 

[Armchair_QB]

I know a guy who expensed a bribe so I'd say "yes."

 

[JakeandElwood]

I know a guy who expensed a bribe so I'd say "yes."

Please explain.

 

[Armchair_QB]

I know a guy who expensed a bribe so I'd say "yes."

Please explain.

A guy I knew was covering an NFL exhibition game in Mexico City in the early 90s. Next day he's driving to the airport to catch his flight. Mexico City cop pulls him over and says he's got the wrong license plates for driving that day. According to the cop Mexico City was using an "odd/even" driving day system to combat air pollution. The guy gave the cop $200 to let him go so he could make his flight.

He put it on his expense report and listed it as a bribe. Accounting didn't even ask him about it. Just paid it.

 

[TheMethod]

My instructions have been this: Just use common sense and be fair. Don't to stay in the Roadside Inn, but don't spend an extra $40 a night just to get the Mariott points. If there's a shuttle, use that instead of renting a car. Find a good deal on a flight, but don't kill yourself.

I don't know about you, but if I am on the road I am wary at any place but a Mariott. The internet has to work, the desk has to be comfortable and you need a place to work. I have found a lot of comfort and quality inn type places extremely lacking in these departments.

I go Mariott first unless it is a prearranged deal media hotel (like a bowl game), If I can a Courtyard because internet is free (BS that you have to pay at the full service). This is an "f'in" business trip, you should have reasonable, comfortable, and familiar arrangements.

Too many Day's Inn I stayed at had internet troubles. I would never go below that grade either.

For me, Mariott, Hilton and possibly Holiday Inn. In that order.

Anyhow, be reasonable. Was the money spent work related? Then expense it. Also, don't go out of your way to save a buck, but don't spend extravagantly.

Journalists biggest problems are we are too cheap. I am sick of news side folk thinking going to cover a game is a vacation. That's BS. I go into towns and sometimes don't see the outside of a hotel.

Oh, I basically do the same thing. And I end up at Marriott's most of the time, but there are occasions on a college basketball beat when I know I'm only gonna spend 8-10 hours in my hotel room, max, and will be filing from the arena, so there's no justification for going with the $99 Mariott when I can get a $69 Quality Inn. If I really need the porn, I'll just pay-per-view it and pay for it separately.

By the way, anybody ever gotten away with expensing a porn rental?

 

[BrianGriffin]

My instructions have been this: Just use common sense and be fair. Don't to stay in the Roadside Inn, but don't spend an extra $40 a night just to get the Mariott points. If there's a shuttle, use that instead of renting a car. Find a good deal on a flight, but don't kill yourself.

I don't know about you, but if I am on the road I am wary at any place but a Mariott. The internet has to work, the desk has to be comfortable and you need a place to work. I have found a lot of comfort and quality inn type places extremely lacking in these departments.

I go Mariott first unless it is a prearranged deal media hotel (like a bowl game), If I can a Courtyard because internet is free (BS that you have to pay at the full service). This is an "f'in" business trip, you should have reasonable, comfortable, and familiar arrangements.

Too many Day's Inn I stayed at had internet troubles. I would never go below that grade either.

For me, Mariott, Hilton and possibly Holiday Inn. In that order.

Anyhow, be reasonable. Was the money spent work related? Then expense it. Also, don't go out of your way to save a buck, but don't spend extravagantly.

Journalists biggest problems are we are too cheap. I am sick of news side folk thinking going to cover a game is a vacation. That's BS. I go into towns and sometimes don't see the outside of a hotel.

There's a reason why the "economy chains" run by the big hotel companies like Marriott, the Hilton and Holiday Inn took off. Business travelers don't need all the crap you get at full-service hotels. Whenever I travel, I look for a courtyard and get my Marriott Visa out. If I'm there for three-four days, I'm looking Residence Inn.

My town is in an awkward situation right now. All of the city's old full-service hotels were taken up by casinos. So now there no full-service hotels besides casinos, which seriously limits the city's ability to get events that need convention center hotels with restaurants, ballrooms, etc. The Marriotts, Hiltons, Holiday Inns simply quit building them and instead there was a Fairfield, Courtyard, Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express going up at every freeway exit, it seemed.

Finally, Holiday Inn decided to build a new full-service hotel and I believe there is going to be a new convention center hotel going up soon. The Holiday Inn will stay booked. There are so many events that need a full-service hotel.

What's weird to me is it's a no-brainer that the town needed a full-service hotel, so it was a money-making opportunity for whatever chain was willing to step in. But the corporates were so caught up in their bigger corporate picture, they failed to see the individual opportunity.

I think with the growing corporate-ization (made up a term) of the newspaper business, we can all relate to that kind of flawed decision making.

 

[BrianGriffin]

My instructions have been this: Just use common sense and be fair. Don't to stay in the Roadside Inn, but don't spend an extra $40 a night just to get the Mariott points. If there's a shuttle, use that instead of renting a car. Find a good deal on a flight, but don't kill yourself.

I don't know about you, but if I am on the road I am wary at any place but a Mariott. The internet has to work, the desk has to be comfortable and you need a place to work. I have found a lot of comfort and quality inn type places extremely lacking in these departments.

I go Mariott first unless it is a prearranged deal media hotel (like a bowl game), If I can a Courtyard because internet is free (BS that you have to pay at the full service). This is an "f'in" business trip, you should have reasonable, comfortable, and familiar arrangements.

Too many Day's Inn I stayed at had internet troubles. I would never go below that grade either.

For me, Mariott, Hilton and possibly Holiday Inn. In that order.

Anyhow, be reasonable. Was the money spent work related? Then expense it. Also, don't go out of your way to save a buck, but don't spend extravagantly.

Journalists biggest problems are we are too cheap. I am sick of news side folk thinking going to cover a game is a vacation. That's BS. I go into towns and sometimes don't see the outside of a hotel.

There's a reason why the "economy chains" run by the big hotel companies like Marriott, the Hilton and Holiday Inn took off. Business travelers don't need all the crap you get at full-service hotels. Whenever I travel, I look for a courtyard and get my Marriott Visa out. If I'm there for three-four days, I'm looking Residence Inn.

My town is in an awkward situation right now. All of the city's old full-service hotels were taken up by casinos. So now there no full-service hotels besides casinos, which seriously limits the city's ability to get events that need convention center hotels with restaurants, ballrooms, etc. The Marriotts, Hiltons, Holiday Inns simply quit building them and instead there was a Fairfield, Courtyard, Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express going up at every freeway exit, it seemed.

Finally, Holiday Inn decided to build a new full-service hotel and I believe there is going to be a new convention center hotel going up soon. The Holiday Inn will stay booked. There are so many events that need a full-service hotel.

What's weird to me is it's a no-brainer that the town needed a full-service hotel, so it was a money-making opportunity for whatever chain was willing to step in. But the corporates were so caught up in their bigger corporate picture, they failed to see the individual opportunity.

I think with the growing corporate-ization (made up a term) of the newspaper business, we can all relate to that kind of flawed decision making.

Sorry about the little threadjack, by the way

 

[Some Guy]

My instructions have been this: Just use common sense and be fair. Don't to stay in the Roadside Inn, but don't spend an extra $40 a night just to get the Mariott points. If there's a shuttle, use that instead of renting a car. Find a good deal on a flight, but don't kill yourself.

I don't know about you, but if I am on the road I am wary at any place but a Mariott. The internet has to work, the desk has to be comfortable and you need a place to work. I have found a lot of comfort and quality inn type places extremely lacking in these departments.

I go Mariott first unless it is a prearranged deal media hotel (like a bowl game), If I can a Courtyard because internet is free (BS that you have to pay at the full service). This is an "f'in" business trip, you should have reasonable, comfortable, and familiar arrangements.

Too many Day's Inn I stayed at had internet troubles. I would never go below that grade either.

For me, Mariott, Hilton and possibly Holiday Inn. In that order.

Anyhow, be reasonable. Was the money spent work related? Then expense it. Also, don't go out of your way to save a buck, but don't spend extravagantly.

Journalists biggest problems are we are too cheap. I am sick of news side folk thinking going to cover a game is a vacation. That's BS. I go into towns and sometimes don't see the outside of a hotel.

There's a reason why the "economy chains" run by the big hotel companies like Marriott, the Hilton and Holiday Inn took off. Business travelers don't need all the crap you get at full-service hotels. Whenever I travel, I look for a courtyard and get my Marriott Visa out. If I'm there for three-four days, I'm looking Residence Inn.

I certainly don't mind a Courtyard or a Residence, but I gotta say it's nice to have the concierge lounge that the full services offer. A bar on site is always a plus too.

Neither of those are deal-breakers, obviously.

What can be a deal-breaker is location: I tend to need to stay near arenas -- preferably walking distance, but at worst a short cab ride -- and most of these arenas are in downtown areas. You are much more likely to find a full-service Marriott in such a place as opposed to a Courtyard or some such.

Location tends to me my top priority when hotel shopping on the road. You've got to balance that with price, obviously, but if I can get something within walking distance of an arena for less than $200, I'll take it.

 

[BrianGriffin]

My instructions have been this: Just use common sense and be fair. Don't to stay in the Roadside Inn, but don't spend an extra $40 a night just to get the Mariott points. If there's a shuttle, use that instead of renting a car. Find a good deal on a flight, but don't kill yourself.

I don't know about you, but if I am on the road I am wary at any place but a Mariott. The internet has to work, the desk has to be comfortable and you need a place to work. I have found a lot of comfort and quality inn type places extremely lacking in these departments.

I go Mariott first unless it is a prearranged deal media hotel (like a bowl game), If I can a Courtyard because internet is free (BS that you have to pay at the full service). This is an "f'in" business trip, you should have reasonable, comfortable, and familiar arrangements.

Too many Day's Inn I stayed at had internet troubles. I would never go below that grade either.

For me, Mariott, Hilton and possibly Holiday Inn. In that order.

Anyhow, be reasonable. Was the money spent work related? Then expense it. Also, don't go out of your way to save a buck, but don't spend extravagantly.

Journalists biggest problems are we are too cheap. I am sick of news side folk thinking going to cover a game is a vacation. That's BS. I go into towns and sometimes don't see the outside of a hotel.

There's a reason why the "economy chains" run by the big hotel companies like Marriott, the Hilton and Holiday Inn took off. Business travelers don't need all the crap you get at full-service hotels. Whenever I travel, I look for a courtyard and get my Marriott Visa out. If I'm there for three-four days, I'm looking Residence Inn.

I certainly don't mind a Courtyard or a Residence, but I gotta say it's nice to have the concierge lounge that the full services offer. A bar on site is always a plus too.

Neither of those are deal-breakers, obviously.

What can be a deal-breaker is location: I tend to need to stay near arenas -- preferably walking distance, but at worst a short cab ride -- and most of these arenas are in downtown areas. You are much more likely to find a full-service Marriott in such a place as opposed to a Courtyard or some such.

Location tends to me my top priority when hotel shopping on the road. You've got to balance that with price, obviously, but if I can get something within walking distance of an arena for less than $200, I'll take it.

I'm taking it you're on a pro beat where the tendency has been to build downtown arenas or arenas in major touristy/business areas. I'm on a college beat and in most college towns the campuses aren't in the city center. There are three major metro areas in the league I cover and in none of the cases are the arenas of the college in the city center/main business district areas. If I was in a situation where a full-service hotel made covering a game more convenient, yes, I'd be right there with you. But I haven't found that to be the case often.

I can think of some schools that are downtown: Georgia Tech/Georgia State jump out as a couple. Rice is right by the medical center hotels. But for the most part, covering colleges, you aren't going to have many cases where there's an advantage staying in the full-service.

Of course, the BCS game's media headquarter was the Marriott Convention Center (instead of the still out-of-commission Hyatt). But I think the CWS uses a Courtyard as media headquarters. At least it did last time I was there (I won't be there this year).