Firms that conduct a fair amount of travel may want to consider negotiating specific rates or discounts. Hotels begin offering discounts at about 50 person-nights per year, with sizable discounts for firms that stay 200 person-nights or more per year.

Discounts may be available even if your company has not spent all these nights in one hotel chain. Documentation verifying the volume of stays and a promise to consolidate stays with a hotel can be sufficient for negotiations.

Travel agents will typically conduct these negotiations on a company's behalf. However, companies can also approach hotels directly.