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I called a hotel in the US to reserve a room for my trip in two weeks time. I’m flying there to attend a conference to be held at the hotel I was booking the reservation in. I had to call because I couldn’t book the hotel online when I checked their website last week. I also wanted to avail of the “special” conference room rate given to participants which is not available online.

While talking to Stacy, the reservations agent, she informed me that there is a cut off for the special room rate that I was trying to avail given that I’ll be staying for 2 more days after the conference. I couldn’t get a return flight right away since it’s the week before Christmas and all the flights back are booked. So I asked her for the best possible rate and she gave me one that was almost $100 more than the special room rate – making it way beyond the budget approved by my boss! I told her that I only needed a regular room since I’m travelling alone and I’m there specifically for the conference. I told her that I’ll get back to check with them again since she offered me a sister hotel that can offer a lower price.

So, being the web-junkie that I am, I went back to their online reservations and tried to get room rates for both hotels that she mentioned. I discovered that the “special” conference price is offered on the online reservation and that there is a room available in my original hotel on the nights that I will be staying there! Long story short, I completed the reservations online in my preferred hotel with the so-called “special” rate available to conference atendees.

Good thing the company is going to pay for the long distance call that I placed.