Lodging Reservations and Payment – Procedures

Maximum rates for lodging in the United States exclude taxes and fees. Foreign lodging maximums include taxes and fees.

Reservations within Wisconsin must be made within the prescribed maximums and by requesting the State of Wisconsin’s tax-exempt status.  Employees must present their University-issued, tax-exempt wallet card to obtain tax exemption, as Wisconsin tax must not be paid and will not be reimbursed. Travelers are responsible for obtaining a University tax-exempt card and presenting it at hotel check-in.  Travelers must review the lodging folio before check-out to ensure taxes are not charged.  Lodging suppliers are not required by law to refund tax, regardless of any exemption, and may not accommodate such a request.

For travel arrangers that make lodging reservations for others, it is the travel arranger’s responsibility to obtain required tax exemption by providing the lodging property the University’s tax exemption certificate at the time of reservation or before the traveler’s stay.

For out-of-state lodging, travelers and travel arrangers are encouraged to save departmental travel dollars by obtaining tax exemption from lodging establishments that acknowledge Wisconsin’s tax-exempt status. Find a list of tax exemptions permitted by the state, view the Tax Exemption From Other States section of the portal, and follow the specific state’s directions for obtaining the exemption.  Note that not all out-of-state tax exemptions apply to travel-related purchases.

Value Added Tax

Value added tax (VAT) and other taxes levied by foreign countries are payable. Federal maximum rates for the location include VAT and all other taxes. University departments and individual employees are prohibited from personally filing for refund of all international taxes paid or reimbursed by the UW.

Preferred hotels are listed in the UW System Hotel Directory.

UW System Administration has formally contracted or partnered with other consortium or peer programs (referred to as “Partnership Program Properties”) by agreement. UW System contract properties and partnership program hotels were selected based on the following criteria:

• Rates for standard sleeping rooms at government, negotiated and/or discounted rates that are within UW System Travel Policy rate limits for the location & season of travel.
• Quality of accommodations – Industry rating of 3 stars or above
• Existing UW volume use of property or properties within location - based on recent UW financial spend data
• Proximity to primary business locations within Wisconsin and for other domestic locations
• Consistent room availability at contract or partner program rates with limited blackout periods.
• Lenient cancellation policies
• Included amenities that would have otherwise cost the UW additional dollars

Use UW System contract or partnership program properties at contract or negotiated rates whenever a commercial hotel is required, and a contract property is available at the location. The primary way to access UW contract or partnership program properties and rates is to make reservations through Concur or one of the contracted travel agencies.

Required reservation methods for individual lodging reservations are Concur, one of our contracted travel agency partners, or the hotel directly, as defined below. Third-party website bookings are not allowed.

Contracted and partnership program properties are designated as “Most Preferred” or "Preferred" within Concur and will display first in search.  Users can search for lodging by airport location, street address, reference point/zip code, or by company location – all UW campuses are listed under the company location drop-down menu.

Rates and room availability change frequently based on anticipated occupancy, so please make reservations well in advance of travel to ensure the best rates and availability.  

Individual Reservations

Methods:

• Concur - Use Concur to access UW System contract and Partnership Program properties with negotiated rates.  This option includes state government rates when available.

Concur provides live room rates and availability received directly from the lodging property(s); therefore, properties, rates, and room types are not subject to University rate maximums.  By policy, Concur is reserved only, and payment is required at check-out (unless the rate is prepaid).

• Book with an agent -  This process is fast and efficient. When working with an agent for lodging reservations, advise the agent of the maximum for a single/standard room for your location.
• Conference or Meeting Reservations – Use the hotel link or phone number provided by the organizer to reserve your conference or meeting-site hotel.  Verify that the daily room rate quoted in the reservation system matches the advertised rate for conference participants.  Note: Users are strongly encouraged to search Concur for the conference hotel(s), as Concur rates are often lower than the conference rate.
• Contact the hotel directly (by phone or through the hotel website).  Third-party website bookings such as Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, and Hotels.com are not allowed.

RATE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

At the time of reservation, users must review and acknowledge the hotel property's cancellation and refund policies, if applicable, and confirm whether a one-night deposit is required.   Travelers are responsible for understanding and abiding by the terms and conditions associated with the reservation, including deposit and cancellation requirements.  Travelers must cancel reservations they will not use, or they may be held personally responsible for the cost.

Multiple Reservations or Group Blocks

When departmental coordinators arrange lodging for multiple travelers, or arrange meetings/events at commercial lodging facilities that include group room blocks, use UW System contract or partnership program properties when available in the location and rooms are available at the contract or negotiated rate.

The reservation options for making multiple reservations or for a group block are as follows:

• Concur – recommended for making 1-5 individual reservations. When using Concur, you can make only one reservation at a time, so those making multiple reservations will have to repeat the steps. Travelers or arrangers can use the "clone" functionality to speed the process.
• Agents – Fox World Travel (or Short's for athletics) agents can make reservations for multiple travelers who are paying individually. 
• Groups that require 10 or more rooms
  • Fox World Travel Group Block - Fox has been contracted for UW group block business, including lodging contracts requiring 10 or more rooms. 
  • By Phone - Contact the property directly by phone for group block reservations (typically 10 or more rooms or multiple travelers sharing accommodations). Request the UW System or partnership program rate. 

payment

• Group: Determine payment arrangements before making group reservations. Unless travelers pay individually at checkout, centralized payments require completion of the hotel's credit card authorization form, regardless of reservation method.  Arrangers must contact the hotel property directly to set this up for payment by University card before the stay. Group block reservations and other meeting/event needs for space, equipment rental, and catering services require a contract/agreement that the institutional Purchasing Office must review and sign.

In exceptional circumstances, when rooms within the University’s maximum rate are not available for the location, Concur will be used to reserve a room at the lowest rate that meets the business need.  Use the UW System or Partnership program at the least costly rate for this exception whenever possible.

Documentation of this exception requires an explanation, a Concur reservation/itinerary received from the agency at the time of reservation, and the hotel-provided receipt.

For travel that requires a multi-night stay, the hotel may offer a different rate for one or more nights.  This may occur during periods of high demand or on weekends. These rate differentials are allowed with explanation, provided the total cost for all room nights averages no more than the University's nightly rate maximum for the location.

The externally arranged conference or event brochure, registration, or other documentation from the event sponsor must identify the conference site hotel or the recommended properties to substantiate that the rate charged was the conference or event rate to qualify for payment, which may be higher than the University’s maximum for the location.  When the event is held at a convention center, and/or attendees are given multiple lodging options, they should choose the least costly option that meets the business need.

If the traveler chooses to stay at a property not on the sponsor’s recommended list, the traveler will be limited to the city's maximum rate, even if the traveler’s choice is less costly than the conference properties, because the traveler is not receiving the additional benefits permitted under this exception.

The University does not require business travelers to share lodging, although this may be an option to conserve department travel funds.  If University business travelers elect to share accommodations, travelers may either split the lodging expense evenly (by asking the lodging supplier to split the cost of a double-occupancy room between travelers) or have one traveler pay the bill in full.  Expense reports for all travelers must include documentation showing the double (triple, quad, etc.) occupancy and identify which traveler(s) incurred the expense.  Travelers may be reimbursed in full when paying for a shared room on behalf of another University business traveler from the same institution.

The University will not pay or reimburse any additional costs for taking a non-business-related travel companion on a University business trip.  The traveler is responsible for paying any additional occupancy charges.  No additional processes or documentation are required if there is no additional charge for extra persons in the room.

Lodging properties typically address room deposits and guarantees in their terms and conditions, and travelers are responsible for understanding and following these requirements.

Lodging properties typically require a credit card to guarantee a room reservation, with the card charged at checkout; some offer reduced rates for full prepayment.  Usually, these are also non-refundable. 

The University does allow full prepayment for lodging.  The University may pay it directly, or the traveler may pay it if the lodging property documents the requirement.  If the traveler subsequently does not travel, the University will only reimburse the traveler when they are unable to obtain a credit or refund from the hotel, or with an explanation as to why the travel did not occur as planned – both require an explanation and approved exception.  Group reservation deposits or guarantees depend on the lodging establishment's contractual requirements and will be prepaid as required by a Purchasing-approved agreement or contract.

When travelers need to cancel or change reservations due to circumstances, they must cancel the reservation in Concur, with an agent, or contact the lodging property directly to avoid charges for the room(s) or related penalties.  No-show penalties, cancellation penalties, early departure or late checkout fees, etc. are only reimbursable with justification and approval as unavoidable.  Some examples of unavoidable circumstances are:

• Flight cancellations or delays that prevent room usage or contact with the hotel.
• Short notice of a canceled conference/meeting or date changes that did not permit cancellation.
• Early departure due to an employee's unexpected illness, or the illness or death of a direct family member.
• Delayed departure from the destination due to an employee's illness, preventing timely checkout.

Using UW System contract and Partnership Program properties with reduced or eliminated penalties is advantageous in these circumstances.

Approved payment methods for lodging are the Purchasing Card, Shared Liability Card, or personal credit card.  

Travelers who pay for their lodging with a shared liability card, purchasing card or with personal funds will submit the lodging folio/receipt for reimbursement. 

Reimbursements for miscellaneous expenses typically incurred at a lodging establishment may be approved if you provide the required itemized receipt.  Examples include parking and internet services, if required for business purposes.  Expenses such as baggage help and tips to hotel/lodging staff are included in the M&IE per diem allowance and will not be reimbursed separately.  See M&IE Per Diem Policy for guidance on incidental expenses.  See Miscellaneous Expense Policy for guidance on miscellaneous expenses.

The payment or reimbursement of lodging must be substantiated in accordance with the following IRS rules and University policies:

• All lodging payments and reimbursements must be supported by an original, itemized receipt from the lodging establishment showing the daily room rate, taxes, guest name(s), dates of stay, type of accommodation (i.e., single/standard, double, etc.), all other room charges, and that payment has been made.  Credit card statements do not suffice.
  • The date and location of the expense.
  • The business purpose of the expense.
  • Any incidental expense included in the M&IE per diem allowance is not claimed as part of lodging reimbursement.
  • Itemize additional expenses shown on the lodging receipt separately on the travel expense report, as other policy and/or rate limitations may apply to those costs.
  • For external conference lodging, documentation showing the conference lodging location and rate(s).  This is typically available on the conference brochure or the registration form.
  • For rate/availability exceptions – explanation of exceptional circumstances, Concur reservation/itinerary received from one of the contracted agencies at the time of reservation, and the hotel-provided receipt.
  • When the University directly pays lodging expenses, include the amount on the expense report to account for the expense as part of the total trip cost.  Include the name of the cardholder who paid the expense if the card was not in the traveler's name.

Expense reporting process when business travelers share lodging

• The traveler paying for the lodging claims reimbursement, and
• Expense reports for both travelers include double-occupancy information and identify which traveler incurred the expense.

Payment or reimbursement for campground or a non-commercial lodging facility must be supported by a receipt, received directly from the supplier, and include the following required information:

• Name and address of supplier
• Dates of stay
• Daily rate
• Taxes and any other fees for each day of stay
• Proof of payment

Because some campgrounds or non-commercial lodging facilities are unattended, which limits receipt details, the highest form of receipt from the supplier is acceptable, provided the traveler explains any missing information as required above in the payment/reimbursement request.

Travelers must obtain the required receipts.  If lodging receipts are lost or missing, travelers must obtain a copy from the lodging provider to qualify for reimbursement. 

When payment is made in a foreign currency, the receipt must be translated and then converted to US dollars for reporting on the expense report.  The Oanda currency conversion tool will be used as the University's standard application for foreign currency conversion.  If the purchasing or corporate card was used to pay for lodging, that statement can be used to show the converted rate charge.  Any fees associated with the conversion to US dollars are reimbursable as a miscellaneous expense.  If the traveler paid for lodging with cash using funds converted at a bank and has a receipt showing the exchange rate, that rate can be used, and the receipt can be attached to the expense report.

Payable/Reimbursable Expenses

The following expenses are allowable and may be paid/reimbursed with University funds:

• The cost of a single/standard room within the established location maximums, per University traveler.
• The actual costs, up to the location maximum, for non-commercial lodging as specified in policy.
• The cost of extended-stay or rental properties for long-term lodging needs, as specified in the policy.
• Required lodging deposits as documented by the lodging supplier.
• Actual costs for lodging from an externally sponsored conference site or list of conference-recommended hotels.
• Imposed municipal or facility use fees charged as a separate line item (not included in lodging rate).
• Out-of-state, domestic, or international lodging taxes.
• No-show expenses or other penalties charged for late cancellation or late check-out when unavoidable, with justification and approval. Some examples of allowable circumstances are:
  • Flight cancellations or delays that prevent room usage (with documentation).
  • Short notice of canceled conference/meeting or date changes, which prevented cancellation within the hotel's required timeframe.
• Early departure fee, when incurred due to the traveler's unexpected illness or the illness or death of a direct family member.
• Late check-out fees incurred due to a traveler's illness which delayed departure. 

Non-Payable/Non-Reimbursable Expenses

The following non-inclusive list of expenditures will not be paid or reimbursed with University funds:

• Lodging purchased outside of policy - including:
  • Lodging purchased through an online broker.
  • Lodging purchased as part of a “package” bundled with air and/or vehicle rental, unless the package was purchased from the UW contract travel agency.
• Taxes for in-state lodging.
• Additional charges added to the lodging folio that are deemed non-business-related, such as gift shop purchases, spa services, in-room movies, or other personal expenses included in the M&IE per diem.
• Additional costs for upgraded rooms and suites.
• Additional costs for personal days added to a reservation.
• Additional costs for amenities or non-business-related services (fitness room access, use of safe, etc.).
• Additional costs for travel companions, including pets not on authorized business.
• No-show expenses or other penalties incurred for non-cancellation or late cancellation of reservations.
• Late checkout fees.
• Security deposits, damage deposits, pet deposits, etc. related to lease agreements.