Doppler, A Roadies View

Lodging......or is it ?

Musicians and their road crews spend more time in hotels than most business people I think. The only people who spend nearly as much time are pro athletes. Hotels are great for the simple fact someone cleans up after you. I know it sounds lazy but I hate cleaning around the house. So when I’m on the road it’s nice to have someone else clean up my mess. Anyway the point of this post.

The thing I’m finding these last few years is the way hotels change rates on a nearly hourly basis. (Insert your joke here).

Look at any hotel these days. Not only do they change rates nearly daily, but also the difference on room prices is amazing. Now depending if you call an 800 number for a hotel chain or call them direct. Or if you go to a website for a hotel or site listing a bunch of hotels, you will be amazed at the price difference for just one hotel.

The travel agent that is booking the hotels for the tour contacted me about some hotels in a city the other day. I do some checking on one particular hotel. The rates depending on where you looked were $79-$109. This is for the same room in just one hotel on the same day.

Now I understand a $10 difference from an online rate to calling them direct. Which I recommend you don’t do. The rate is usually higher when you call them direct. This price difference has always been there. You know the corporate rate, AAA rate, and senior citizen rate. How do they justify a nearly $40 difference on the same room on that particular day?

For the extra money I should get a masseuse or at least a couple free meals. No wait they have that at the four star hotels. Of course these days most artists can’t afford that.

Let's not even get started on fuel prices.

posted by Doppler at 11:20 AM