Hotel Shops

Hey all,

I've done plenty of local shops in my area but I was thinking of something different. I do a significant amount of traveling (mostly leisure) around the U.S. and internationally staying in nearly every hotel brand one can think of.

So my question is, how popular are hotel shops? I've searched through 15-20 various companies and haven't found any. I figured with how flexible I am and how often I'm on the road that it would only make sense.

This could of course, all just be a pipe dream! By the way, first time poster but long time lurker.

Thanks all for the help!

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When most hotel shops are posted you had better be at your computer with the sound signal for incoming email at high volume so you won't miss it. That's how fast most of them go. Some MSCs don't even notify by email; you just have to learn when they are likely to start posting that month's hotel shops. Many hotel MSCs require that you "qualify" by doing several of their fine dining shops before they will even let you see the hotel shops.

There are often a lot of blackout dates, so planning around your travel schedule may de hit or miss.

Finally, high end hotel shops require so many interactions and such a lengthy, detailed report that you may not have time for the pleasure or business activities that youhad planned for your trip. AND, you MUST check out of the hotel after the required (usually 1-2 night) stay, so a single shop won't cover a longer trip well.

So, my advice is to dip your toes into the water with a couple of local hotel shops to see the general form of the shops. Then, work your way up to my complex local shops before applying for any far-flung hotel shops.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll keep an eye out for some local ones to see what they're like. I haven't come across many in my area (Tampa) but we'll see as I continue signing up for more MSCs. Luckily I only stay overnight 1 or 2 nights at a time so time wise some of those may work, but like you said, with really lengthy reports it may deter me from even completing what I wanted to do while I was there. To be honest, those higher end shops (some I've found are hotels charging $300+ a night) seem rather risky. Some of those aren't places I'd typically stay at so if something went wrong with the shop and I ended up not getting paid I'd be eating a hefty bill at the end.

Thanks for the advice!

chief,
No respectable hotel MSC would send a new shopper to a $300 a night hotel, for exactly the reason you stated. A history of excellent reports at less expensive places would almost certainly be required.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

The main benefit for hotel stays are the points, not pay. So, if you in fact travel for business that often, I assume you would be gaining points pretty easily. I met a man once at a bar who told me that he has several million points from all of his work travels!

@walesmaven wrote:

chief,
No respectable hotel MSC would send a new shopper to a $300 a night hotel, for exactly the reason you stated. A history of excellent reports at less expensive places would almost certainly be required.

Unless of course they don't have any "starter shops" in a given area. Then they may be willing to give new shoppers a try which I am thankful for, as it is how I got started shopping hotels.

ACL would send you. LOL

@SoCalMama wrote:

ACL would send you. LOL

Never shopped for ACL before... Something I should know about? Lol

@walesmaven wrote:

chief,
No respectable hotel MSC would send a new shopper to a $300 a night hotel, for exactly the reason you stated. A history of excellent reports at less expensive places would almost certainly be required.

I did Ritz Carlton at $650/nt with absolutely no prior experience with the MSC. I was kind of shocked they sent me.

______________________________________________________________________
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

Very few Tampa hotels are shopped. Try looking at Orlando and South Florida. I had charged $1500 for a one-night hotel shop, but that included several bars, dinner, breakfast and spa.

Not my circus - Not my monkeys @(*.*)@

~Polish Proverb~

@chiefnwa wrote:

@SoCalMama wrote:

ACL would send you. LOL

Never shopped for ACL before... Something I should know about? Lol

I think that once you do a few shops for A Closer Look, you can self-assign your easy hotel shops. It's not exactly an elite, secret group.

@cubbiecat wrote:

Very few Tampa hotels are shopped. Try looking at Orlando and South Florida. I had charged $1500 for a one-night hotel shop, but that included several bars, dinner, breakfast and spa.

That's kinda what I figured. I found an MSC with some hotels in Orlando, Miami and New York, all places I frequent. They're higher brand hotels so I'm not expecting to get assigned them! I'm new to that MSC but I just completed two shops yesterday and have three more today and several more over the next week.

@walesmaven wrote:

chief,
No respectable hotel MSC would send a new shopper to a $300 a night hotel, for exactly the reason you stated. A history of excellent reports at less expensive places would almost certainly be required.

I disagree. No company would do it unless their back was against the wall. I got my start with a high end hospitality company because I was localish (no travel allowance) and they needed it done in a hard to schedule month. I had the time, and they gave it to me. A little bit of help with reports later they had a report the scheduler called "excellent" and I had my first high end hotel shop ever and first shop with this company ever completed. I got the checks yesterday.

Silver certified for 11 years and happily shopping Arizona!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/08/2016 06:09PM by fyrekittyn.

Regal Hospitality gave me hotel shops with no experience doing anything else with them previously, but their reports are lengthy, time consuming, and tedious for the amount of pay, most of the time. I have one particular hotel in a nearby city that is in a great spot to do other things though, and it just happens to have the best hotel room service I have ever, ever had in my whole life--consistently delicious food. Usually room service at most hotels is mediocre to pretty good. I will go there on their dime in a hearbeat!

The key word here is "Respectable".

@SteveSoCal wrote:

The key word here is "Respectable".

Hahaha since when do you care about that?

Sorry, not true, my first hotel shop was $300 a night. I had a good track record with the MSC but not for a hotel shop. I would actually enjoy doing more frequent, mid-range hotels instead of the high end ones only once or twice a year, but I have yet to find a MSC that offers them, if anyone has any suggestions.

@JASFLALMT wrote:

Regal Hospitality gave me hotel shops with no experience doing anything else with them previously, but their reports are lengthy, time consuming, and tedious for the amount of pay, most of the time.

It's funny how different shops play out for different people. The lower end Regal shops take me less time than a fine dining. The upper end is a bear, though. Still, I take as many as I can (Wales is correct that you literally have to be on the computer when they post.) The lengthiest for me is Coyle. Still worth it because of the airfare and the ability to travel to "fun and exciting" places.

Now scheduling travel shops for the day after Christmas through mid-January.

I actually very much prefer the lower end hotels... much more time to hang out and go to town than the super high end hotels.

That's the beauty of the industry; Different shops appeal to different people. I much prefer the higher end hotels, as they tend to be located in the parts of the cities I want to visit...and th hotels themselves are often a destination.

What do you think about a (difficult) one night hotel shop which will pay for airfare and rental car, but will not pay for your transportation (or parking) to and from your home airport?

I think getting airfare & rental car is quite generous.

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