Ask for The Discount!
by Katy on January 10, 2025 · 10 comments
Although my recent two night vacation at Skamania Lodge was booked for just $90 using airline credit card points, there was an additional $36 per night “resort fee” tacked onto the bill. Still a bargain considering that their suites can cost $300+ for a one night stay.
However . . .
Skamania’s swimming pool and outdoor hot tubs were unfortunately out of commission, which was kind of a bummer as my husband and I were looking forward to a nice soak. So when it came time to check out, I politely asked the employee if there was any way we could not pay the fee as the amenities hadn’t been available. He immediately said “yes” and knocked $72 off our bill.
Just like that, he was just waiting for us to ask.
This reminded me of when I flew to Nebraska for my aunt’s memorial service last March and United Airlines briefly lost my suitcase . I knew that the airline was liable for expenses related to the loss, so I asked the employee for reimbursement while I already talking to him about the suitcase. He wasn’t as immediate with his response, but a quick moment with his manager rectified the situation. They offered me $5o through PayPal for my inconvenience, plus additional money (up to $3800) to replace my belongings had they not able to find the suitcase. Luckily it was located that night and promptly delivered to my hotel.
I still got $50 for the inconvenience.
By the way, you can read about your rights for lost and delayed luggage HERE.
What’s the connection? I asked for the discount. I didn’t have to go into angry demand mode or make a scene. I nicely and politely spoke up. There was no downside in asking, as the worst they could say was “no.” I certainly had to work my nerve up a little bit, but that’s okay as there’s no harm in feeling nervous.
I feel completely justified with both situations, as neither were small businesses, (I’m looking at you, United Airlines!) and I’m $122 richer because I spoke up. Do you speak up?
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
DH spoke up while we were traveling back North from Florida. We had planned to stop in Knoxville for a night, to break the driving into three days rather than two, but Winter Storm Cora was threatening to snow us in the next day, so we’d be stuck. So when we did stop there, he very politely said he knew cancellations this late weren’t a thing, but maybe they could give us a voucher so that we could use our reservation on a later date? Even just for one room. He said he was happy to pay if we needed to, as we were cancelling late. The desk clerk said no problem, she would just cancel our reservations and avoid charging our card, and if we wanted to take a break and rest in the lobby, there was a microwave we could use, and complimentary hot coffee and tea as well. We saved having to pay on hotel rooms we couldn’t use, and had a comfortable rest in a warm building before pressing on our journey.
I love it when staff are kind and compassionate! Winter storms often seem to bring out the best in people! Like my neighbor whose politics are completely different from mine, but who still helps us out with his snowblower during big storms. (We thank him with a quart of home-canned tomatillo salsa.)
I don’t usually but I will in the future. I’m sure I’ve paid resort fees (which I hate paying) when pools etc. have been closed and after hearing about one readers (MB in MN?) who asks for a discount on pet fees, I will definitely be trying this.
As an Airbnb host, I will generally give a discount if asked.
I will ask if there’s something to complain about. Like the time there was a caterpillar in my salad at the very swanky Rainbow Room!
I haven’t done this often, but I plan to do it more in the future. As Katy says, it never hurts to ask (nicely).
Two small things.
I has bought frozen breaded shrimp made by a large company. Even though they were well with in sell by use by date they were disgustingly freezer burned. I contacted the company and they refunded my $
In addition I had a bag of chips that was rancid. Again, well within the best by date. Company refunded my money AND gave me two coupons for free chips. (Which I used on a buy two get two free day netting me 4 bags of free chips).
I also travel with a friend who by asking almost always gets $ knocked off our hotel bill for poor service or broken up working things in the room. She asks nicely and it’s worked every time.
Polite goes a long, long way!
Ages ago (pre-internet), when I was a broke college kid, I had booked a cheap red eye flight home for spring break. When I got to the airport at 8pm the flight been vastly overbooked, and everyone else in line was screaming at the gate attendant.
When it was my turn I told him I was sorry he was having a rough night, that I lived just a few miles from the airport and didn’t mind going home and sleeping in my own bed, and I was flexible to take anything they had the next day, since it was vacation to visit family and I didn’t have any set schedule or reservations.
He put me in first class on a late morning flight, and slipped me a meal voucher to use during my layover. It’s the only time I’ve ever flown first class!
During the layover they were asking for volunteers to take a later flight, and since I was already going to be waiting for a few hours for my ride to get off work when I landed (since I was a day late), I took the bump and got a free flight voucher, along with another meal voucher, and got to the airport right before my ride.
Funny you should ask: today is very cold so I am wearing some heavy sweatpants I bought at the “GW Boutique” — better known as Goodwill. The pants were hanging on the end of a rack and the fabric design was really cute and unique. I grabbed them up and the tag said they were a “2 pc set” of “men’s pajamas.” No, they weren’t! It was just sweatpants, no shirt or anything else to go with them. (And just a pull up garment with a drawstring waist and no fly.) So I asked the cashier if they could either reduce the price or find the other piece of the outfit. After a brief and unsuccessful search, they knocked a couple of dollars off the price. (This was over a year ago so I don’t remember how much money it was, but I got the discount.)
Also, a week ago, I took in some plastic grocery bags to the local used book store. I got a few books in trade, paid the sales tax, and was walking out. En route to the door, I saw another paperback book I wanted. I used some more of my store credit for the book but the tax was 33 cents and my hands were full, carrying out the bag of books I’d already gotten. Plus, I knew I would’ve had to break a $20 bill, which was all that was left in my purse. I reminded the man I’d just given them a big bundle of sacks and asked if that’d be good for the 33 cents. He smiled, said yes, and tossed some change from his own pocket into the cash register.
Like you said, ya gotta speak up.
Hi Katy! Yes, I speak up! Windstream increased my bill in December. I called customer service and was offered a $5.00 discount. I declined that amount, and they sent me to another person, and she lowered it to $65.00 per month. It does often pay to ask a simple question. The worse that could happen is that they say no. I hope that you have an amazing day!
I generally always politely ask. My motto is they can always say no (but they might say yes :-).