Will they want to see my AAA card at Waikoloa Hilton?
 

We are going to stay at the Waikoloa Hilton for 2 nights before we check into our time share Kona Hawaiian Village, you get a better rate with the AAA rate, but I don't have my own card, if I use my moms number when booking on line, do you think the hotel staff will ask to see the card when I get there? Thanks!

There's always a few cheaters that make it more difficult for the rest of us. I hope they ask to see the card.

Amen, jor!

Yes! I've used it for hotel discounts several times and they always asked to see the card. Perhpas you could change your name?

You can add a membership on to your Mom's membership for very litt.e

It's not very expensive to just go ahead and join AAA. Besides the hotel discounts, you get all the maps you need, travel services, and roadside assistance throughout the year. And the AAA card discounts apply in your own home town in many restaurants.

hey - don't be such a cheapskate. pony up for an AAA membership of your own . . . . . .

ccalhoon : If you cannot afford the AAA membership, you likely cannot afford a reliable car, and you really cannot afford to pay for a tow truck service when that car breaks. Get the card.
Pay the $125 for premium membership. Hotel discounts, Disney tickets, maps, towing for 100 miles - Free. The benefits far outweigh the cost, don't you agree?

Rex-...no i don't agree; at least about the PREMIUM membership. The "premium" part appears to be an overpriced insurance policy...gee free bail bonds if i need it...whoopee. As a long time member, a regular membership seems quite sufficient. As for showing the card at check in; sometimes they ask and sometimes they don't. In light of the fact that so many hotels give 10% discounts for AAA, AARP etc, I don't necessarily begrudge the guy who tries to get a discount; they practically give you one if you have a pulse.

I was staying at a hotel with my teenage son on trip to his college (different last names) and booked AAA rate on his card (I do not have membership). Had to go collect him and card from car to get discount.

I stayed at 2 hotels in Hawaii this summer (Oahu and BI) under my AAA discount and none of them asked to see my card upon check in...and I got upgraded for free at both of them :)

You can get free towing, road service, etc. on some auto insurance for about $5.00 a year. No tour guides or maps.

Yes, they WILL ask for your AAA card. They not only want to see your card but they will check it carefully to verify expiration date and your name. If you won't have your own card they will apply a regular rate which could be much higher at check-in then you would find on line. Too many people like you try to get discounts they do not deserve. Pay your dues and get your own card. As you see many people here are members of AAA, one of them won't be able to get a special rate because you are cheating. There are only limited number of rooms designated for AAA members. You are not AAA member

Good news - you get bail bonds with the most basic AAA membership. I just applied for a membership for my teen driver and he was sent the bail bond card. And I'm in complete agreement about not abusing AAA membership to get a hotel discount. Get your AAA card or ante up for the hotel.

giro : what is the variance in annual towing miles for free between the two card membership levels?
What is the variance in cost between the two membership levels?
Compare/contrast & talk among yourself.

We pay $45/year for our son's membership - I think it is something like an addition $25 for additional members at same address. There is a premium membership for $125 - you would have to decide yourself if that upgrade would be worth it.

As far as discounts, once one is 50 you can join AARP and get usually same discounts - spouse joins for free. So for us, once one of us turned 50 we cancelled AAA - preferred to "self-insure" for roadside assistance since have needed that only once in last 10 years with 3 cars in family!

Son is less responsible about upkeep on his car, never shcecks the gas tank, and has an old clunker car - so for him, we get the membership.

Here's something really interesting. I have often asked about AARP discount and been told what it was. Ask the same phone person about a "senior" discount and it is often even less. Another reason we both gave up AARP.
And I'm not sure I've ever seen an AARP discount that was less than the AAA rate.

I have been asked to see my AAA card, and once when I had removed it from my wallet (just back from Europe) they took away the quoted discount because I couldn't produce the card at check-in.

And how about the time I got a quote on AARP, AAA, and senior at a Wyndham Hotel and found out the Costco discount was better than any of the other ones!

I've found that AAA and AARP discounts are usually the same. I haven't inquired about other "senior" discounts, because AARP, with its over-50 admissions, is the only senior thing I"m eligble for so far! But I"ll certainly keep that in mind.

My skinflint dad asks "Do you give a senior citizens discount?" pretty much any time he takes out his wallet. You'd be surprised at the places that do!

This reminds me that friends were traveling and stopped at a motel along the interstate -- I think a Hampton Inn. He pulled out what he thought was his AARP card and said "do you give a discount for this?" The clerk looked at it and said "OK" then gave them a 10% discount. As he put it away, he realized it wasn't the AARP card, but his local bridge club membership card! So I guess the moral is, it never hurts to ask!

Maybe ccalhoun plays bridge?

One of my "surprise AARP discounts" was $4 off at Guggenheim museum at Venetian, Las Vegas. Who knew!

When I made hotel reservations on Hilton website the rate was the same for AARP, but the card gave me the right to cancel the reservation up to 48 hours prior to the date. Without it I would pay full price even with a "no-show".

I guess it varies, depending on hotel. I often book the AAA rate and have never been asked to show the card. I am a member but a lot of times I don't carry the card.

Why are people so mean-spirited in calling her a "cheater".? It's just a discount!

AAA members get a discount at the NY Botanical Gardens but you just can't say you're a member, you must show the card. If DH brings his card but I forget mine, then we only get one discount.

taro, calling a cheater a cheater is not mean-spirited, it's just telling it like it is. Getting a discount that is extended to an organization that you are not a member of is, indeed, cheating!

I have been a AAA member for 9+ years -a total waste. I'll cancel shortly.
M

Mikemo's comments notwithstanding, I think the AAA discounts alone pay for the membership. I use it on tire changes once a year at least (live in New Orleans!) and the AAA guidebooks are a nice resource when traveling.

If you actually investigate the many AAA offerings and actually attempt to use them, AAA is a great value.

I used to use the AAA guidebooks all the time; since I started to research trips on the Internet, I've forgotten to even order them!

Mikemo: just curious---why did it take 9 years for you to decide it was a total waste? Was it not evident after 2, 3, or 5?

Will the <i>real</i> mikemo please stand up?!

Watch out with hotels &quot;recommended&quot; in AAA books - my understanding is that hotels and restaurants pay to be listed there and then self-rate, partially on basis of amenities but also some less objective factors.

I have never ever been asked to show my AAA card when using a discount at a hotel, etcetera. Ever. The end.

love
roxy

Tarocake: It's a discount to which she is not entitled.
I am asked often to produce affinity cards when I travel.

Yes, the front desk clerk will ask to see the AAA card. If it's not in your name, you better be able to afford rack rate (top price) for this resort.

Sorry, I'm of the you're not entitled to the discount school of thought on this thread. I don't care if the hotel asks for the card or not. Why should you receive a discounted rate when you are not a AAA member? I don't understand this kind of thinking.

Author: turn_it_on
Date: 11/05/2004, 01:16 am
Message: I have never ever been asked to show my AAA card when using a discount at a hotel

This only tells us the card has not been used much. If your statement is true, then statistically, you're due.

Gail you are mistaken about AAA ratings. Their inspectors come to the hotel incognito, check in and stay...at least at 3, 4, and 5 diamond level hotels. They rate it from front to back, top to bottom, from valet parking, to bellmen and their spiel at the room and whether or not they offered to get you ice and showed you the exits, front desk, to the rooms (picayune details, quality and quantity), restaurants etc. At the end of their visit, they approach the GM with their ratings. That's it. If you disagree, there is a grievance procedure, and you may ask to be re-rated, but it requires another visit and you are in the book that year for whatever diamond level the original inspector gave you. You do pay to be included in their book...but that pays for their cost in your inspection and undoubtedly some profit for them as well.

Mobil works similarly but they don't bother to discus results, and should you disagree and question them, their response is to &quot;check their guidelines&quot; or something to that effect. It's hard to improve if you aren't quite sure what they've found wrong. They did a total revamping of their system a couple of years ago. In a quest to be the best they downgraded any # of 4 and 5 star properties, creating a huge and disparate 3* category, very small 4*, and practically non-existent 5*.

Priceline, absolutely, hotels rate themselves and rating has to do only with meeting the required service level...in room dining, restaurants, etc. They ask about updated furnishings. The hotel responds as to how they rate their furnishings.

As to AAA cards, this hotel asks, and why would you think it's not cheating tarocard? Look at the number of people here who are paying for their AAA membership? Do you suppose they all do it just to get the maps? And towing? I just looked at my USAA policy. We pay $6/car for towing insurance. Quite a difference from AAA's membership fee.

Honorable people do not do something wrong based on whther or not they will be caught.

I worked in hospitality for a long time, and just recently started moonlighting at a hotel for the fun of it, rather than the pay. (I own a small business of my own).

I don't think it's cheating to ask for a discount that the hotel offers to others. While the O.P. may be sadly disappointed should the hotel request to see the AAA card, the fact still stands that the hotel offers a substantial number of &quot;below rack&quot; prices that are still profitable to the hotel, and asking for a discount is in no way dishonorable. At any rate, it's no less dishonorable than asking for a free upgrade and a LOT more honorable than bribing the desk clerk.

Standing, my AARP membership of ten years expires in early December (my 60th). I'll not renew that either.
The AAA was mostly for my daughter's benefit.
M

I'm surprised at the number of travelers posting here who don't think the AAA membership is worth it. Are you using their tour books? Maps? Triptiks? I wouldn't think of traveling without them. I love the tour books' motel listings because I can use my cell phone en route to make a reservation. We recently got caught in a motel room shortage in Missouri and I kept calling ahead with the tour book to find an empty room. If we had stopped at every motel along the way, we never would have gotten any sleep!
And of course, their information and directions for tourist sites save an immense amount of time when traveling.