Lodging
General
Travelers are urged to take advantage of educational discounts if offered by the hotel. Travelers should also note that many hotels will negotiate a reduced room rate with a traveler at the time of check-in. Travelers should be aware that lodging expenses are exempt from room tax in New York State (and several other states). The Business Office will provide the necessary tax exemption certificate to the traveler, which must be presented to the hotel when paying for the room. Lodging costs are expected to be the least costly available, consistent with a reasonable level of comfort and convenience for the traveler.
- Employees must obtain itemized hotel bills. These bills must be originals and should be submitted with the Travel Expense Report
- If the hotel of choice is the conference location, although perhaps not the least costly available, the stay is considered reasonable
- There are special discounts available for travel using the Wyndham Hotel Program
Every effort should be made to avoid last minute cancellations of guaranteed room reservations. It is the responsibility of the traveler to apply for refunds of any money that was paid in advance for a cancelled trip.
Should the traveler decide to stay with colleagues, family, or friends in lieu of a hotel, the traveler may request reimbursement for gratuity expenses of a reasonable value (for example, a meal) offered to the hosts. These gratuities would be in place of meals and/or lodging for the accommodations provided by an acquaintance of the traveler. Please contact the Business Office for specific details.