Used point to reserve room now a friend wants to stay for free
 

I used my points for a hotel room and have no out of pocket expense. Room cost usually $195/night.

A friend wants to cancel her reservation (different, cheaper hotel) and stay in my room.

What should I charge her? I feel 1/2 of my room rate isn't fair to her but no payment at all from her isn't fair to me.

I am thinking about asking her to pay 1/2 of her original lodging cost to me to stay in my room.

Thoughts?

First you need to verify with hotel that it's ok for 2 to stay in that room. Then ask your friend how much she is willing to pay you. Up to you to agree or not to agree to it.

Room rate double occupancy so no issue there. Looking for other ideas so that it is fair tp everyone under the circumstances.

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

That wouldn't work for me. I would change half the room rate in the hotel you are staying in. Up to the friend to decide if they want to pay for a nicer room in a nicer hotel.

half of nothing is nothing. I value my privacy too much.

Can you tell a little more about your relationship with this person?

Yeah, as above. Do you WANT to share the room. I would say no, probably. Needs to be a REALLY good friend, and SHE needs to come up with a BIG figure to be so presumptuous.

Just a friend. Both single women traveling with couples. I think she's thinking she can save money by staying with me and would probably argue that she shouldn't have to pay anything since I have no out of pocket expense (its been alluded to on other trips.)

I paid for the rooms that earned the rates so I think it's only fair that she pay something. I also value my privacy which is another reason I don't feel it should be free.

*earned the points not rates

That is not a friend.
You will find that out as soon as you say no.

If you want privacy, tell her so.

If you think it would be fun to have her under foot, invite her to stay with you.

If you freeload off of her, let her freeload off of you. Otherwise ask her for compensation (if you receive approval for a second person in the room).

HTtY

I admit she's not without her issues.

I've got no problem telling her I'd rather have my privacy. Just looking for ideas to manage her expectations once the conversation comes up.

That all for your comments.

*thanks to all

This comment by you says it all: "Just a friend....I think she's thinking she can save money by staying with me and probably would argue that she shouldn't have to pay for anything since I have no out of pocket expense (its been alluded to on other trips)."

The mere fact that you think she'd say those things is enough for a "no" answer. And the fact that she's "just a friend" makes it easier for you to just say no!

Frankly, I think it's ballsy of her not to offer any monetary payment or some other form of "thank you" to you.

I've shared a free room w/ others a few times . . . when it was my choice. Never took any payment (but came out ahead since each time the other person wouldn't let pay for a meal - to pay me back)

If anyone had the chutzpah to ask to join me and not pay anything - I wouldn't want to room w/ that person for sure.

We don't actually know if she plans on paying since you say >>I <i>think</i> she's thinking . . .<< so you obviously haven't had the conversation yet. But I would not be happy having someone cancel their own reservation invite themselves to join me. Doesn't sound good >)

Is she willing to let you stay in her room that she pays for regardless of whether paid by points or actual money?

If you can agree you will get this one with the points you built up and she will get the next one (of similar value ) and you don't mind sharing I would try to make that suggestion.

Points have value just like cash

She's always willing to share a room to split costs but now that I think about it the use of her points never enters into the conversation when she's doing the research for lodging for us to share. It only comes up when it's decided that we won't be sharing a room.

I have my answer...

Charging your friend for something you didn't pay for is tough.

Since you are providing the room, it is sounds better if you ask the friend to provide something like meals, cabs, etc.

I see your point that's why I asked for ideas. I thought of your suggestion as well but then wondered if it would get weird if I ordered that extra drink or dessert.

I think will just take the option off the table for now when we resume the conversation and set a precedent for future trips.

Sounds like you've decided I would say the problem here has to do with the fact that you and your friend think a room booked with points is "free." I collect points for a couple of hotel chains and I'm very aware that it takes me a number stays to build up enough points for a free room. So I would have no problem or I to a share a room with someone asking them for some amount of money – maybe not half but let's say on a $200 room, asking them to chip in 50 bucks or so. There are many sites that will help you figure out the point value in relation to dollars for various chains so you might want to check that before you make an offer again.

Substitute "schnorrer" for "friend" and you will have your answer.

Cancel your room...save your points, and tell her you will stay in her room for free... next trip is on you...

Can't you usually buy points? I would charge her for half the points worth. Points aren't free. In fact you have to spend a lot of money to get the points to cover a $200 room.

But for me, it would be a matter of if you are getting two beds anyway. Most of the time, you're either downsizing your own bed or paying extra for the second bed.

Or like Gary said- cancel your room. Offer to split the cost of a room at your hotel, with two beds. Chances are, it saves her money, she gets to stay somewhere nicer, and all that happens is that you get more points.

Points ARE free - that's not to say they don't have a value, but they're free to collect. (If two people stay overnight at a Marriott, one of whom is a member of the rewards program, and one of whom isn't, they both pay $100 for their room, one gets points and one doesn't, no cost).

I would never even consider asking someone to pay me cash for a room I booked with points, but the privacy issue is another matter - I don't like to share a hotel room. It would of course be nice if the person I put up for free offered to pay for a meal or something.

Points have a cost in the sense that you stay at a particular chain to get points rather than just always seeking the cheapest option or an independent hotel/b and b for a particular place.

If you spend money to collect points, they're not free. I don't know how much money it to took to collect my current balance of Marriott points, but it's well over a thousand, probably. You have to deliberately choose to spend the money at that specific chain to get those points instead of just going for the cheapest option. The friend didn't spend that money and if she wasn't staying in the "free" room, she'd be paying for her own room.

I think the meal thing gets messy. If it's an expensive meal; the person who was your "guest" feels shafted. If it was a drive through, you'll feel shafted. Easier to just separate the costs out.

I agree - points are not free. I paid for the rooms on previous trips and was awarded points based on the dollar value I spent. I hate to seem petty but I feel I should be the one to benefit from those dollars spent.

If it were decided in advance that we'd be sharing a room, I would have held onto my points for use when I didn't have someone with whom I could split costs (like she does).

I'd do that now but availability at my hotel at that lower rate is severely limited if not non-existent and her hotel choice is poorly rated and seems to be a bit of a dive.

If she has points too, you can ask her to transfer have of the cost to you. Otherwise you can always tell that there is no second person allowed with your rate if you want to avoid trouble.

Don't bother sharing a room with this person. You don't owe her anything and it sounds like you don't even want to share a room. Why would you rearrange your plans to suit her needs and inconvenience yourself?


"Points ARE free "
" they both pay $100 for their room, one gets points and one doesn't, no cost"

This just makes zero sense. How are they free when someone paid $100 for the room?

I'm going to start calling hotel chains and ask them for my free points, no cost please. Sounds like a great deal.

It doesn't make zero sense. For your $100 you got the very same room as someone else paying $100 and not getting points. But it doesn't matter - the OP doesn't want to share and should just say so. I would and if I didn't I wouldn't "charge" the friend for sharing.

I would shoot her and that would solve the problem.

BTW, how many nights are we speaking about?

"It doesn't make zero sense. For your $100 you got the very same room as someone else paying $100 and not getting points."

Yes, it does make zero sense lol. If points were free, you would pay $0 for the room and collect points. Or do some other random thing which costs nothing and have the hotel magically deposit points into your account. You don't get points unless you spend money....therefore they are not free. This is not rocket science.

<i>"Points ARE free - that's not to say they don't have a value, but they're free to collect. (If two people stay overnight at a Marriott, one of whom is a member of the rewards program, and one of whom isn't, they both pay $100 for their room, one gets points and one doesn't, no cost)"</i>


That's like saying <I>McDonald's Monopoly game pieces <b>are free</b>...</i>.

<b>The difference is</b> that the rules state clearly that indeed you can send-in and get two <u>free</U> game pieces... but because you probably cannot do same with hotel points, then there is no way to suggest that hotel points are <b>"free"</b> as well.


McDonald's can literally state: "NO purchase required"


Same is not true of <I>hotel points</i>

The Lord must have said something about it.

Like :
you should not get rich on your friends.
You should choose your friend wisely.
Who can be a friend of somebody when one sees only profit or lack of profit.

Some say your friend is no good friend because she doesn't want to pay you but some should say you are no good friend because you want her to pay you.

So if you drive 200 miles to a place a friend wants to go too on the same day you charge her the fuel or tell her to take a train ?

The Lord will ask you some tough questions before He embraces you in Heavens.

My friends are welcome to share my room for no cost and I don't expect anything. One who expects something in return for what kindness should provide for free will never be a friend of mine.

Amen.

I would either tell her you don't want to share your room. Or I would let her stay for free, since it cost you nothing.

Suze,it's you and me against the world LOL!

(If you pay $100 for $100 room, you didn't pay for the points, you paid for the room. The points are a bonus)

If I hadn't paid for rooms at that hotel chain previously, I would not have the points so I don't consider them free. I specifically choose that chain because I find that it consistently offers top notch rooms and service no matter where I travel. I have yet to be disappointed.

Friend or not, I stand by my position that someone who wants to cancel their reservation at a 2 star hotel to take advantage of my 5 star free lodging should be required to kick in a buck or two.

Nonetheless, I've decided to remove the option from the table and stay solo.

I appreciate everyone's input.

As my previous post would indicate, I agree with your reasoning and your decision. The discussion about possibly sharing this room with another person should come from the "holder" of the room (i.e., you) rather the one who wants to share.

I'll hazard a guess that if this other person had been a close friend, the situation would have been resolved more easily and to both person's satisfaction.

Thanks for the update. Enjoy your 5-star room in good health and without an unwanted roommate.

HTtY