Hotel Check Inn

[ANONONE]

So I was checking in to a hotel the other day with the exclusive reason being to play in the hobby. Like most folks in the hobby, I belong to a couple of rewards clubs to get discounts, upgrades, and free rooms.

I never really thought about the data they may be collecting.

So I check in, and the clerk welcomes me by name and asks, "Is your stay for pleasure or business?"

Not even thinking, I blurt out business (like I am going to say pleasure, or anything remotely close to: "I am here to do the nasty with this incredibly hot chick that will be here shortly.") and then go up and prep my outcall and have a marvelous time thinking nothing of it.

A few days later and there is a phone message at my home when I walked in from someone back at corporate telling me that the hotel chain made a mistake and credited their corporate account with a bonus perk because of my stay in Northern Kentucky. The message went on to say they knew it was a mistake, because there were no conventions in that area that week, and besides I live right across the river so why would I have stayed at a hotel?

Luckily I deleted it before the SO got home.

I never realized that hotel chains have data integrated and can check to see your corporate stays along with your individual stays, or for that matter that they even had corporate kick backs beyond the points you aquire to your card account. If you are also a frequent business traveler you may want to realize there is an innocent third party out there monitoring your patterns just for their business research.

Just a heads up folks!

[charlestudor2005]

IMHO, there is no way to do this w/o leaving a trail, except at maybe a notel that takes cash.

I would never, ever us points (and I travel a lot and have a lot of points) to hobby. Even thought the SO is pretty clueless when it comes to these things, I just wouldn't make the paper trail. Even if you use points, chain hotels require a CC to check in for "incidentals." So your personal info is out there. There is also some info floating around (and I haven't checked this with Snopes) that the room key (swipe type) has your personal info encoded into the swipe bar.

You cannot use point paperless. There will be a trail no matter what. Even if you get the room in another person's name (which is fairly easy...I do it for the SO all the time), the record is still there.

My recommendation it to go to a notel, and use cash and a fake name (if they'll take it--I never frequent them, so I don't know). Or, in the alternative, have the provider get the room, and tell her you will reimburse her in addition to the donation.

Just my € 0.014763.

[ANONONE]

LOL. . .

I will take the risk. I like no-tells about as much as I like incall. Plus, there is nothing quite so wonderful as doing a session in an upgraded suite you didn't pay for.

Just thought I would put it out there so folks are on their toes and ready for a quick alibi if the paper trail does an unexpected switchback on them.

[Dstorm]

Thats why I go to Mr. Patels place. They may not leave the light on for you, but they dont call and bust you ass out to your S.O either.

[rekcaSxT]

I have been using Priceline. I can get 4 star hotels as low as $30-45 a night! Even the chain motels can't touch that price on short notice a lot of times. Plus the view while fucking is nice, especially when you know you got the room at a steal.

[rekcaSxT]

I don't use bonus programs because I get the good rate with priceline. That was the point I was getting at. Sorry, I meant to be on topic.

[Sensei]

In my job its easy. I work in logistics and make reservations across the country and abroad regularly. So its no surprise to get emails and letters from hotels, car rental companies etc. So I always use the bonus programs when I can.

[yardape]

I don't think it makes any diff how you book the room (rewards/bonus plan or Priceline). When you check in the hotel mgt company gets a look at your CC data or a photo D/L w/ home address and a phone #, maybe e-mail too. The follow-up marketing is aggressive these days. You'll probably get a mailer or a text asking you to come back.

[Chica Chaser]

To address the original question ANONONE; avoid any at home phone calls the only thing I can think of is to change your phone number on your profile with the hotel chain. Change it to your work cell if needed or to your hobby phone. And make sure your SO cannot login to your account there, change passwords fairly frequently. Airline FF programs are the same way too.

I have been with the Hilton program for years and have never had them call my home number (when I used to have a home number) or my cell.

[ANONONE]

Originally Posted by Chica Chaser

To address the original question ANONONE; avoid any at home phone calls the only thing I can think of is to change your phone number on your profile with the hotel chain. Change it to your work cell if needed or to your hobby phone. And make sure your SO cannot login to your account there, change passwords fairly frequently. Airline FF programs are the same way too.

I have been with the Hilton program for years and have never had them call my home number (when I used to have a home number) or my cell.

I prefer Hilton as well.

It was not the hotel that called, it was my office that called. They were confused when they got a kickback for one of my stays, that was listed as business. I have already taken those precautions. What I did not realize is that in addition to your member account, apparently they also give rewards to companies that have many travelers. I was not aware that my profile was cross-threaded with theirs in such a way. I posted this to bring it to the attention of other gents, and even providers that may mix their business with personal travel--be aware that as others have said, marketing is aggressive and your boss may see a profile that includes your real travel along with play travel.

Between the hobby and business, I am in hotels about 15 to 20 days per month. Priceline is okay, but once you are traveling at that level, you REALLY want the kickbacks.

It is more than free night once in a while. You get some nice perks as you move up in loyalty programs: dinners, free entertainment, suites, special treats, massages, robes. . .luxury that you will never get with a Priceline booking.

There really is not much you can do to prevent the paper trail, just have that alibi ready in your hip pocket. This was just a heads up--especially for those that do not think quickly on their feet or have good poker faces.

[Guest032514-1]

I priceline and still get my Hilton rewards. 'Course, I have two reward accounts.....two cc's....two phone numbers....two email addy's...even two mailing addresses..

Ask the next desk clerk to create another reward account for you - tell them one is business & one is personal.

[charlestudor2005]

Originally Posted by babee

I priceline and still get my Hilton rewards. 'Course, I have two reward accounts.....two cc's....two phone numbers....two email addy's...even two mailing addresses..

Ask the next desk clerk to create another reward account for you - tell them one is business & one is personal.

I thought NO chain would give up points for booking thru sites like priceline, expedia, etc. Can you elaborate?

[grtrader]

Is this a good place to explain how to get a second ID with out stealing someone else's info and is it against the Forum rules to explain such a thing.

For now I will just say it isn't as hard as you might think. We are not talking Identity theft either.

[ANONONE]

Thanks, Babee. . .awesome advice. Charles, I have had some success with booking Orbitz/Priceline etc and still getting rewards, but it depends on the chain and the person working the desk. You have to get a bit chummy with them, which may not be in your interest if this is a hobby stay. Some desk clerks/managers can override and give you points, others claim they can't, and some just don't know. The worse they can do is turn you away, but every once in a while you get lucky.

Excellent idea, grtrader. If they do allow you to post that, i hope you will share that info with us, and perhaps even put on the other thread on national board that talks about hobby tips and secrets.

--Anon

[Guest062716]

ANONONE, thanks for the heads up and great post. I am sure this practice will catch a lot of people off guard. The cool thing, though, is usually it is not a boss or supervisor reviewing these things.... generally someone in bookkeeping.... doubtful the QuickBooks girl is going to review your personal travel and make some report to the boss.

Anytime you check into a hotel under your name, it leaves a record... what they do with that info varies by location.

If you use your points and get busted, simply DENY DENY DENY.... heck, anyone from the office might have scammed your rewards number and used them....

I recently checked into a no-tel for the first time in like 8 months, and handed the clerk my DL,,,, the clerk asked, "have you stayed here before?" She punched my name in the system and said "Oh yeah, I thought I remembered you, you were here last year with that hot blonde (so and so).... you ARE in the system..." lol

I personally don't worry about handing my DL over to the clerk, as booking a hotel room is not illegal, neither is having company in the same room.... (I also don't have an SO looking over my shoulder). Just make sure you have your simple and short excuse ready, if you ever get spotted.

Good hospitality people have good memory skills.... visiting a place more than once can easily get you recognized.

A prepaid credit card, internet prepaid booking under a simple assumed name and the receipt printout with a strong excuse about how you lost your wallet at the airport (to include your ID card) will usually get you a room for the night, without them knowing who you really are, and without the need for a fake ID (You might even use the name from someone else's business card and carry it).

IMO it is one thing to use "Tom Smith's" prepaid room (Heck, my old college buddy Tom prepaid for the room and couldnt make it tonight, so he gave me his reservation number...) and quite another thing to get caught with an ID that is not your name (real ID or fake, In Texas it is a Class C misdemeanor and up to $500.00 fine). If you are worried about phone calls and permament notes, try explaining getting arrested or fined....LOL. It is not illegal to carry someone else's business cards...

My .02


Thanks for the heads up and for the interesting post.

Respectfully submitted,

OldSarge