Thou shalt not stayeth at the Day's Inn (page 3)

JeffT

Is somebody getting kick-backs from the places on the approved list? Free rooms for the bigwigs?

Something smells bad here.

Poztate

Is somebody getting kick-backs from the places on the approved list?

It has long been my thought on the matter that this whole issue has a lot more to due with kick backs to the WT for filling motel rooms than discounts for the delegates.What better way for them to make a little extra cash.

A good way to check this out is to book a room in the same motel a week before or after the convention and see what the quoted rate is.Then compare it to a quote when you phone in and ask for the "WT DISCOUNT" for an assembly.

RunningMan

It is not unusual for groups booking large blocks of rooms to receive complementary rooms. In fact, many years ago, I actually shared a comp room at the DC with a visiting pioneer brother from another country. I'm not sure how I got that lucky.

But, yes, they most certainly do receive free rooms based on occupancy.

dustyb

most JW hotels weren't classy enough for me =D so i usually tried to stay at some expensive place. but when i was a kid my mom made me stay w/ her at the Howard Johnson motel. when we went swimming in the inside pool, there was a poopy floating around, it was gross. i went and scratched my skin off..... i'll never stay in a cheap hotel agian

got my forty homey?

When you say "poopy" what exactly are you referring too Sir?

undercover

It is not unusual for groups booking large blocks of rooms to receive complementary rooms. In fact, many years ago, I actually shared a comp room at the DC with a visiting pioneer brother from another country. I'm not sure how I got that lucky.
But, yes, they most certainly do receive free rooms based on occupancy.

And there's nothing wrong with that. That's standard procedure for lots of companies.

What's not okay is "forcing" people to use only the listed hotels. If I decide that the hotels on the list are not up to my standards and I'm spending my money to secure lodging, I'll stay where I damn well please and no amount of dirty looks is going to change that.

hillbillywnc

I work in the hotel industry. Not only do large groups often receive complimentary rooms but some tour bookers receive a per room rebate. I recently had a tour operator request we quote prices including a $4 per room, per night rebate. I would not be at all surprised if the WT people do the same thing. The Society being a very large booker could probably demand a much higher rebate if they wanted to. I suspect the primary reason for requiring Witnesses to stay at Society approved hotels is because they want to get the "rebate" as well as strengthening their bargaining position by being the sole source of business for the Witnesses. "Its all about the benjamins." Plus they have the added benefit of keeping an eye on everyone if they all stay in the same hotel.

In a similar vein, remember the Seattle parking scandal where the Society was contractually prohibited from charging for parking so they changed it to a "donation" arrangement. That went over great too!

willyloman

Many JW's stay at non-approved hotels because all the ones "on the list" are full by the time the list is posted on the KH "information" board. It used to drive people crazy the night of the service meeting when convention info was revealed and a list of approved hotels was posted. Folks would crowd around and write down phone numbers, then rush home to call for reservations. Often every hotel they called was already full.

If you had the service meeting on Thursday night, you were SOL because all the congos with Tuesday night meetings had grabbed all available rooms. But, and this is weird, often if you called right after the meeting on Tuesday night, the result was the same. That's because the list is often "leaked" when it first arrives by mail, and also because many JW's call the same hotel they had last year and ask for the Watchtower rate. It's usually the same hotels year after year, and they are contacted for special rates months before the information is released to the congos. When the hotel gets a call "early" they probably just think the list is out already.

Many dubs, faced with having to settle for a shabby room 20 miles from the convention site (as that was all that was left with a vacancy) would simply call the nearest Marriott or Hyatt and book a room, being sure not to tell anyone outside their social circle.

undercover

I remember when cell phones first started gaining in popularity. As soon as the meeting was over, we'd rush outside and make our call to the hotels from our car, just to make sure we got the hotel we wanted. After a few years, I realized what an idiot I was and I started booking my room at my fav hotel as soon as I found out the date from somebody else before it was announced at the meeting. Damn the list, I liked a certain hotel and I was going to stay there, list or no list.

willyloman

As soon as the meeting was over, we'd rush outside and make our call to the hotels from our car... After a few years, I realized what an idiot I was and I started booking my room at my fav hotel as soon as I found out the date...

Exactly! This strategy was more common than the WTS likes.

As for the earlier post about the announcement at the convention along the lines of "everybody staying at the Hyatt meet in room 3 after the session" at which meeting attendees were chewed out by the CO and other ranking elders: Most of us knew you'd have to be an idiot to show up at those meetings. The WTS is the original home of "Don't ask, don't tell."

Thou shalt not stayeth at the Day's Inn

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