If you want to save some money on travelling, pretending to be a prospective student can often land you discounted rates. Here’s how.
Photo by The-Lane-Team
This little evil tip comes from reader Tori D:
When travelling to any major city check the “Visitor’s Guide” on the websites of area colleges. Often schools will negotiate deals with local hotels so prospective students or visiting professors can save on their hotel stay. Find out which hotels they partner with and then call and ask for the special rate for visitors of XYZ University.
Big schools get so many visitors that the hotels rarely ask for the purpose of your visit, but if they do just say you’re a prospective student— who knows you may end up attending classes there someday. Right?
You may not always get to pick your hotel with this method, but you’ll still end up with a decent option and save some money in the process.
Nodeity
Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 9:52 AMErm,.. Yeah,.. What do you do when you get there and they see you are obviously not a student,.. Hmmm :{
Tom Purnell
Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 10:09 AMPerhaps you are unaware of this, but students are no longer required to wear signs upon their foreheads indicating their educational status. No-one is going to ‘see you are obviously not a student’
Nodeity
Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 12:03 PMYeah I just love a smart ass, I would have thought proof that you are a student was necessary, if not then fine!
MarioC
Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 10:39 AMWear a propellar hat, obviously, haha, no one is going to check, and even if your 50, just say your retired and wish to accomplish your degree that you were never fortunate enough due to circumstances due to your … insert something believable here.
Ronald Van Wegen
Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 12:12 PMIt’s called lying.
James Ponting
Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 4:46 PM^ This.
I have to say I think my integrity is worth far more then the possible savings on a room :\
Each to their own though I guess.
Dave
Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 12:45 PMDon’t students usually have ID cards that people usually ask when giving concession?
Graeme
Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 1:29 PMThat’s probably why they say “prospective” student, i.e. you aren’t one yet but you’re thinking of becoming one.
Either way, you could also try asking for the corporate rate for “Company X”. Many large national/international companies also negotiate good rates.
L
Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 12:51 PMhaha, cheers!
loving evil week!
A
Wednesday, November 24, 2010 at 9:04 AMThis is fraud and irresponsible. It is also far from a victimless and harmless action (which, some of the other lifehacker evil week posts can be taken to be). In cities such as Canberra with a zero occupancy rate (i.e. there are no free rooms for new arrivals at any given time) you are potentially forcing out a genuine foreign student that may need the rate for a longer term while waiting for accommodation to open up.
See if you like being stuck at the Y for an entire semester for real.
Karma bites.
Angus Kidman
Wednesday, November 24, 2010 at 10:04 AMIn a city with zero occupancy rates, I imagine that hotels would be a lot more rigorous about demanding student ID before offering those rates.