And snagged a two-Star hotel upgrade at the same time.
FCF published a special report back in June on the power of an association membership—which anyone can get—for just $150.
The feedback we received, however, was mixed. Many claimed the deal doesn’t always lower the price for whatever reason. They’re right. Generally, this strategy works mostly at higher end hotels, but even then, it can be hit-or-miss. But when it hits, it hits big, so it’s always worth a try.
What’s more, to find out if rates are lower takes just 20 seconds. Depending on where I’m going and what my needs are, I’m happy to burn that 20 seconds to potentially save BIG.
While I struck out several times last month, I scored, too. Here are two examples:
The Ritz Carlton Cleveland – Sept. 2 to 7
Lowest (Normal) Available Rate for Five Nights: $2,685 ($537/night)
American Bar Associate Rate for Five Nights: $1,345 ($267/night)
Ritz Carlton Savings: $1,340 / 50%
St. Regis Houston – Sept. 7 to 11
Lowest (Normal) Available Rate for Four Nights: $1,496 ($374/night)
American Bar Associate Rate for Four Nights: $1,064 ($266/night)
St. Regis Savings: $432 / 29%
Total ABA savings over these two deals for September: $1,772
A Hotel Upgrade
While these opportunities are huge dollar savings, a better way to look at these deals is from the perspective of a Hotel Upgrade.
These work kind of like flight upgrades. Book a “lower level” room/flight, pay a little bit (in money/miles/points) and get upgraded to a “higher level” room/flight.
Here’s how it’s worked for me. In places like Cleveland and Houston for non-significant occasions, I’m certainly not going to pay $400 to $500 per night, but I’ve got to stay somewhere. And, given I have a 75%+ success rate getting upgraded to suites with my Marriott Platinum and now Ambassador status, you bet I’ll pay the American Bar Association rate of $266 for a room at the St. Regis (with the likelihood of an upgrade to the Astor Suite). Unbeatable.
These days $200 often buys you very little in many places; I see Best Western Inns going for that. So a better way to look at this: I’m getting, in effect, a 5-star hotel at a 3- to 4-star price. That’s a big Hotel Upgrade.
P.S. Perhaps the greater point is: If a deal fails to deliver savings for you several times, be like Winston Churchill who said, “never surrender,” and just try to get it to deliver the next time. And like my experiences in September, you too could save a small fortune and maybe also upgrade your hotel experience two levels.