2018 Per Diem Rates Announced

[gillumhouse]

WVHTA sent an e-mail today with the link for 2018 Per Diem Rates - Check your State. It went up $2 for WV.
https://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104877

 

[Baygirl]

Thank you! Ours was $2. too. With the gov't rates we don't include breakfast with the rate. If they want breakfast we charge them $10 9 times out of 10 they pay for the breakfast.

 

[gillumhouse]

Thank you! Ours was $2. too. With the gov't rates we don't include breakfast with the rate. If they want breakfast we charge them $10 9 times out of 10 they pay for the breakfast..

I just throw it in - it is still more than the funeral rate and not much lower than my bargain rate. Then again, I do not get a lot of them.

 

[Arks]

Seems like $2 across the board. We went from $91 to $93/night.

 

[GoodScout]

Wish there was some way to communitcate to GSA we'll honor their rates without making it our defacto rate for all guests. Our government travelers (we get a few) are wonderful, low-maintenance and easy to deal with. Don't mind taking a lower rate than our normal rack rate for them.

 

[JimBoone]

Thank you! Ours was $2. too. With the gov't rates we don't include breakfast with the rate. If they want breakfast we charge them $10 9 times out of 10 they pay for the breakfast..

With the gov't rates we don't include breakfast with the rate. If they want breakfast we charge them $10

It has been a few years since I worked, but in our state there was a rate schedule for meals as well as lodging so chances are the individual is able to turn in the cost of the meal on his/her travel report.

 

[Morticia]

Wish there was some way to communitcate to GSA we'll honor their rates without making it our defacto rate for all guests. Our government travelers (we get a few) are wonderful, low-maintenance and easy to deal with. Don't mind taking a lower rate than our normal rack rate for them..

Wish there was some way to communitcate to GSA we'll honor their rates without making it our defacto rate for all guests. Our government travelers (we get a few) are wonderful, low-maintenance and easy to deal with. Don't mind taking a lower rate than our normal rack rate for them.

You can sign up on a website. Sorry, I can't come up with it right now. But you sign up as a vendor and you list what you provide.

 

[gillumhouse]

Wish there was some way to communitcate to GSA we'll honor their rates without making it our defacto rate for all guests. Our government travelers (we get a few) are wonderful, low-maintenance and easy to deal with. Don't mind taking a lower rate than our normal rack rate for them..

Wish there was some way to communitcate to GSA we'll honor their rates without making it our defacto rate for all guests. Our government travelers (we get a few) are wonderful, low-maintenance and easy to deal with. Don't mind taking a lower rate than our normal rack rate for them.

You can sign up on a website. Sorry, I can't come up with it right now. But you sign up as a vendor and you list what you provide.
.

I keep getting the e-mail to sign up as a vendor for that - BUT there is a fee. Not gonna happen.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

No clue what you all are talking about. ????

 

[gillumhouse]

No clue what you all are talking about. ????.

Per Diem rates are what Government agencies pay for rooms. They are only allowed to spend $XX.XX and should have a tax-exempt certificate with them.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

No clue what you all are talking about. ????.

Per Diem rates are what Government agencies pay for rooms. They are only allowed to spend $XX.XX and should have a tax-exempt certificate with them.
.

Thanks. We have never run into that.

 

[Arks]

I get about 4 requests a year for me to take the $91 state per diem for a stay. I send them a 25% off discount code to use when they book online, and that gets them within $10 of the per diem. Most take it, and pay the $10 balance out of their own pocket, but a few will not spend a penny more than what the state will reimburse them for. Their choice.

 

[Generic]

I get about 4 requests a year for me to take the $91 state per diem for a stay. I send them a 25% off discount code to use when they book online, and that gets them within $10 of the per diem. Most take it, and pay the $10 balance out of their own pocket, but a few will not spend a penny more than what the state will reimburse them for. Their choice..

I've had government employees ask for a government rate for weekend stays. I ask politely if they will have working papers. To actually use government rate for personal stays is an ethics violation and they know it... but try anyway.
I was asked what my government discount was. I told them straight out, yes... they are called my taxes. Everyone pays the same damn rate. You already get my income tax, and at least one of the sales taxes.

 

[notAgrandma]

My city's per diem rate stayed the same for 2018. It might be helpful to note that the US government per diem allotments also include a Meals & Incidental expenses breakdown. For "continental breakfast", the per diem ranges from $11 - $17, depending on your location. Unless the government employee is declining breakfast, I would add this amount into the room rate collected for government employees. They're already paying about $100 per night (again +/-, depending on your location). I think the government can afford to pay me an additional $12 for their employee's breakfast.

 

[notAgrandma]

Reviving an old thread here - I just had a slightly pushy caller place a reservation for next Saturday. She said she's traveling alone and that it's for government work, so she insisted on the government rate. I told her that I will need the necessary paperwork to support providing her tax exemption and the GSA rate.
So... what is the proper paperwork that we need from guests traveling for government work? It can't be as simple as photocopying an ID. Like Generic said, I think it would be necessary to have the person prove they're traveling on business.

 

[Morticia]

Reviving an old thread here - I just had a slightly pushy caller place a reservation for next Saturday. She said she's traveling alone and that it's for government work, so she insisted on the government rate. I told her that I will need the necessary paperwork to support providing her tax exemption and the GSA rate.
So... what is the proper paperwork that we need from guests traveling for government work? It can't be as simple as photocopying an ID. Like Generic said, I think it would be necessary to have the person prove they're traveling on business..

What business is she conducting on a Saturday night?
You'll need her to show her government id. Other than that, I don't think there's much else you can ask for. You should check your state tax authority for what they require for proof to not charge lodging tax.
And, in future, say you only accept per diem rates during the work week.

 

[Morticia]

Reviving an old thread here - I just had a slightly pushy caller place a reservation for next Saturday. She said she's traveling alone and that it's for government work, so she insisted on the government rate. I told her that I will need the necessary paperwork to support providing her tax exemption and the GSA rate.
So... what is the proper paperwork that we need from guests traveling for government work? It can't be as simple as photocopying an ID. Like Generic said, I think it would be necessary to have the person prove they're traveling on business..

And, she doesn't get breakfast unless she pays for it! She's getting reimbursed for food, so she can spend some of it at your place.

 

[gillumhouse]

Reviving an old thread here - I just had a slightly pushy caller place a reservation for next Saturday. She said she's traveling alone and that it's for government work, so she insisted on the government rate. I told her that I will need the necessary paperwork to support providing her tax exemption and the GSA rate.
So... what is the proper paperwork that we need from guests traveling for government work? It can't be as simple as photocopying an ID. Like Generic said, I think it would be necessary to have the person prove they're traveling on business..

What business is she conducting on a Saturday night?
You'll need her to show her government id. Other than that, I don't think there's much else you can ask for. You should check your state tax authority for what they require for proof to not charge lodging tax.
And, in future, say you only accept per diem rates during the work week.
.

Some governmental entities do work weekends - VA hospital for one. I believe the FBI Center over the hill from me works 7 days per week.

 

[notAgrandma]

Reviving an old thread here - I just had a slightly pushy caller place a reservation for next Saturday. She said she's traveling alone and that it's for government work, so she insisted on the government rate. I told her that I will need the necessary paperwork to support providing her tax exemption and the GSA rate.
So... what is the proper paperwork that we need from guests traveling for government work? It can't be as simple as photocopying an ID. Like Generic said, I think it would be necessary to have the person prove they're traveling on business..

What business is she conducting on a Saturday night?
You'll need her to show her government id. Other than that, I don't think there's much else you can ask for. You should check your state tax authority for what they require for proof to not charge lodging tax.
And, in future, say you only accept per diem rates during the work week.
.

"And, in future, say you only accept per diem rates during the work week." - That was my initial response. I told her that we will provide a government rate M - F provided the guest is actually staying with us to conduct government business. She insisted that she's traveling for work this Saturday, though she did not offer an explanation as to what requires her to work on a weekend.
Oh yeah, I most definitely charged her the breakfast M&IE, too. I stated during the call, "The government per diem room rate is $130, plus there's a per diem of $12 for breakfast." I even broke this out as a separate line item when I emailed her res confirmation
Unfortunately, this is one of those cases where the guest has already given me a bad impression during our brief 10 minute conversation. Not only was she pushy about the rate, she is also trying to bully me into giving her a free late check-out. When I told her check-out is at 11 and anything later than that will cost $25 (on my website it says $50 for up to 2pm, but I was giving her a break), she said she wants to check out at noon. She muttered something about avoiding a hassle at the airport, which really doesn't make any sense because she lives 45 miles from the B&B and is driving to get here. She said, "Well, I guess we'll just see how things are on Sunday morning, how many rooms you have, and then see about me checking out at noon." I met this statement with dead silence.

 

[Morticia]

Reviving an old thread here - I just had a slightly pushy caller place a reservation for next Saturday. She said she's traveling alone and that it's for government work, so she insisted on the government rate. I told her that I will need the necessary paperwork to support providing her tax exemption and the GSA rate.
So... what is the proper paperwork that we need from guests traveling for government work? It can't be as simple as photocopying an ID. Like Generic said, I think it would be necessary to have the person prove they're traveling on business..

What business is she conducting on a Saturday night?
You'll need her to show her government id. Other than that, I don't think there's much else you can ask for. You should check your state tax authority for what they require for proof to not charge lodging tax.
And, in future, say you only accept per diem rates during the work week.
.

"And, in future, say you only accept per diem rates during the work week." - That was my initial response. I told her that we will provide a government rate M - F provided the guest is actually staying with us to conduct government business. She insisted that she's traveling for work this Saturday, though she did not offer an explanation as to what requires her to work on a weekend.
Oh yeah, I most definitely charged her the breakfast M&IE, too. I stated during the call, "The government per diem room rate is $130, plus there's a per diem of $12 for breakfast." I even broke this out as a separate line item when I emailed her res confirmation
Unfortunately, this is one of those cases where the guest has already given me a bad impression during our brief 10 minute conversation. Not only was she pushy about the rate, she is also trying to bully me into giving her a free late check-out. When I told her check-out is at 11 and anything later than that will cost $25 (on my website it says $50 for up to 2pm, but I was giving her a break), she said she wants to check out at noon. She muttered something about avoiding a hassle at the airport, which really doesn't make any sense because she lives 45 miles from the B&B and is driving to get here. She said, "Well, I guess we'll just see how things are on Sunday morning, how many rooms you have, and then see about me checking out at noon." I met this statement with dead silence.
.

Geez Louise! It has nothing to do with how many rooms you have! She could be the only person in the joint and it's still the same price and rules!
Yes, not an auspicious beginning.