If you do not ask, you do not get, so always ask.

Senior Tip - If you do not ask, you do not get, so always ask.

My wife and I  are going to New York for a few days in September. I have some business there so my wife is going to join me and we are planning on attending the US Open. It is a tennis tournament to the uninformed. My business contact booked my hotel. It was more than $550 per night.  It was New York so I assumed it was New York rates. However, since we would have to pay for the non-business related nights, my wife did a bit of exploring on her own.

After a few calls to friends of hers who are seasoned US Open attendees, she discovered that hotels have a special rate for USTA (United States Tennis Association) "members" that are attending the Open. If you play club tennis, you are most likely USTA members and we are. Walla! We called the Grand Hyatt hotel and armed with this information our hotel rate was reduced to $300 per night. I should mention also, with respect to my last senior tip regarding calling more than one person, that the first person I called told me - no Open discount  unless you are a USTA "employee." We are USTA members, but not employees. The second person gave us the discount easily.

I was a bit chagrined. I should have known there was a special rate because my travel mantra is no one pays full retail. There is always a discount: senior, special events, AAA, AARP, Costco and so on. But if you do not ask,  the reservation person, with the exception of a very nice one, is under no obligation to ask if you are a member of an organization that qualifies for a discount.

Ask and you might receive. Otherwise you shall pay full retail.

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