Lodging

Visit the Stanford Travel Program page to explore services and booking options offered by the university. For information on the booking processes for various types of travelers, see Topic Overview: Planning and Booking Travel.  

It is the responsibility of the traveler to review the room rate rules and restrictions prior to confirming the reservation. All hotel and lodging rate maximums listed on this page still apply. When booking lodging, travelers should choose:

• Refundable rates: Booking rooms with flexible change and cancellation policies is permissible, even if the cost is higher than a non-refundable rate. Travelers are not required to book non-refundable hotel rates. Booking a non-refundable hotel rate may result in loss of department or personal funds in case cancellation is necessary.
• Standard rooms: Upgraded rooms, such as those with upgraded views, additional concierge service or suites, and/or five-star hotels are not reimbursable unless there is no other suitable option at the same or neighboring hotels. The business purpose should clearly explain why any non-standard room was selected and include a lodging rate comparison, usually taken at the day of booking to show that a standard room was not available.
• Separate rooms for each traveler is preferred, and considered a best practice for health and safety reasons. Sharing a room is optional, but a traveler should only share a room with a peer, and not with a superior or their manager.
• Rooms within maximum lodging rates: The average nightly room rate amounts in the section below are based per room, not per person/occupancy. For example, the maximum may not be doubled if two individuals are sharing a room.

For guidance on sabbatical expenses, including lodging, visit Business and Travel Expenses. 

Lodging rate maximums are based on nightly room rate (not by person) and exclude taxes and fees.

Domestic location guidelines are updated annually by Stanford. Certain U.S. cities have a published exception rate that is higher than the average nightly room rate (noted in the chart below). Exception city rates are only available when using the actual reimbursement method. 

Stanford sets international lodging rate maximums based on the U.S. federal per diem schedule. To find the maximum lodging rate for a city, visit the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Per Diem Rates by Location. Select the country, then select Go to find the city. If the city is not listed, use the "Other" option. The rate displayed is the maximum lodging rate (before taxes and fees).

Current Maximums

Conference hotels may be booked directly with the hotel at the conference rate, even if it exceeds maximum. For details, see the conference hotels information on this page.

For all other hotels, booking through the Stanford Travel Program is recommended (but not required). Visit the Stanford Travel Local Hotel Program page for Stanford-negotiated hotel rate discounts in the Palo Alto vicinity.

When lodging exceeds the maximums

When there are no available options within the maximums (the only available hotels exceed the lodging maximum for that location and the traveler is not selecting a conference hotel), a traveler may proceed with booking the most appropriate lodging that is available and will be reimbursed for the full amount as long as they:

• Attach a screenshot of a lodging comparison to the expense request that shows that a lower rate is not available.
• In the transaction’s business purpose, explain that the lower-cost lodging was not available.    

When lodging is available within the maximums, but a traveler chooses to book lodging at a rate that exceeds the maximums, they will only be reimbursed for the portion of the lodging up to the maximum. In the transaction's business purpose, include that they chose lodging that exceeds the maximums, even though lower-cost lodging was available.

Conferences often offer special hotel rates for attendees. Lodging booked at conference rates is acceptable, even if those rates exceed Stanford's hotel and lodging rate maximums, as long the conference hotel guidance is followed.

It is best practice to take a screenshot of the conference website where it lists all conference hotels and rates and attach it to the expense report, as conference websites do not always preserve that information after the conference. Select Conference Hotel as the Travel Booking Method in the expense report’s lodging details.

Booking conference hotels

Conference hotel reservations must be booked directly with the hotel or conference organizer. Only hotels directly affiliated with the conference may be booked at the conference rate. When multiple conference hotel options are available, the traveler should choose the mid-price option.

Selecting a room

The traveler should follow guidance stated above in the Type of Room to Book section.

When conference rooms are sold out

If the conference room block is sold out, travelers or travel arrangers may still book a room at the conference hotel, even if it exceeds the lodging maximum. In these situations, note in the business purpose that the conference room rate was sold out and provide documentation, which should be captured at the time of booking to demonstrate that:

1. The hotel was, in fact the conference hotel (i.e., capture a screenshot of the conference website listing the hotel as a conference hotel), and
2. Include proof that the special block of rooms at the conference rate was sold out (i.e., capture a screenshot of the room availability and rates)

If a conference traveler is unable to book lodging at a conference hotel and neighboring hotels are over maximum lodging rates, see Hotel and Lodging Rate Maximums.

When a traveler would like to book lodging that is less than 50 miles one way from home or Stanford (whichever is greater), they must request pre-approval before booking the lodging by submitting a support request. Note that exceptions will only be considered if the time between the end of one workday and the beginning of the next does not allow adequate time for rest and recovery. Most often an agenda contains this information, and it should be included in the support request. To request reimbursement, the traveler must:

• In the transaction’s business purpose, explain why they need to book the lodging. This allows auditors to identify the expense as necessary and appropriate.
• Attach the pre-approval email for the business transaction as back-up documentation in the expense request. 

To book hotel rooms for a group of 10 or more travelers, contact the hotel directly to inquire about group rates and availability.  A group room block usually comes with specific rules, cancellation policies, and requires a contract.

Per purchasing guidance for event venues, arranging for a university-sponsored event at an off-campus event space, such as hotel room blocks or conference facilities, requires a contract. See event contract considerations.

Hotels with Master Service Agreements (MSAs)

An MSA is an overarching, university-wide service agreement that details the legal terms that govern future transactions. The business terms (number of rooms, price, length of use, etc.) for each specific event or project are issued in the form of a quote or Statement of Work (“Quote”) which is issued subsequently and under the MSA. Refer to How To: Search for a Master Service Agreement to search in SmartMart Contracts for an MSA.

Stanford University has signed an MSA with the following local hotels to simplify the contracting of room blocks. These hotels will send a group Quote:

• Sheraton Palo Alto Hotel
• The Westin Palo Alto 

Booking Process for Hotels with MSAs:

1. The Stanford organizer connects with the hotel's group department to confirm availability and pricing for the room block request.
2. The hotel sends a Quote to the organizer using the group template.
3. The Stanford organizer submits an iProcurement requisition with the Quote attached. 
4. The system issues a Purchase Order which references the MSA and the Quote. 
5. The terms of the MSA provide that the hotel will accept that PO without a signature on the Quote.
6. Once the hotel receives the PO, the terms of the Quote are binding.

Although not encouraged, homeshares available through Airbnb, Vrbo and other homeshare companies are an allowed option for travelers and reimbursable if they follow the hotel and lodging rate maximums and university policies. However, there are special considerations to manage the cost when booking or staying in a homeshare. 

Find an economical homeshare

Many homeshares are listed through several different companies. Before booking a homeshare, it is a best practice to compare prices through several different homeshare companies. Run an online search of the homeshare’s address to see if it is available at a more economical rate through a different company. 

Contracts

Travelers and travel planners (if they are not the traveler) should always read the terms and conditions of the homeshare contract carefully, to be aware of all the fees, rules, and limitations of the homeshare:

• If the contract must be signed by an individual on their own behalf (neither Stanford nor the department/school  is named on the contract and there are no university commitments embedded within the contract), the individual may sign. A contract that only binds the individual does not require Stanford review.
• If the contract must be signed on behalf of the university (Stanford or the department/school is named on the contract or it in any way binds the university or creates any legal obligation for the university), it must be submitted as a contract. 
• If you have questions about a contract, submit a support request to the Financial Support Center.

Cleaning and service fees

When calculating the total cost of a homeshare to stay within the lodging rate maximum, include any cleaning fees and service fees, which are not part of a standard hotel bill.

Cleaning fees:

• Check a homeshare’s guidelines to see whether it requires you to clean the homeshare before leaving. If there is a cleaning fee, this is a reimbursable expense. In most cases, the cleaning fee is charged per-day but is included as a lump sum fee. 
• To be reimbursed for a cleaning fee, divide the cleaning fee among the days spent in the homeshare. For example, for a five-night stay in a homeshare that has a $500 cleaning fee, divide the reimbursement into $100 for each of the five days.

Service fees:

• Service fees are handled like cleaning fees and are part of the nightly rate. These fees vary from property to property and travelers should check carefully to see if any of these fees apply.

Taxes and resort or booking fees for homeshares are usually excluded from the nightly rate. These taxes and fees are a reimbursable expense.

Room sharing

See the Hotel and Lodging Rate Maximums for guidance on room sharing. 

The Stanford Travel Card (TCard) is the recommended payment option for any travel costs that will not be reimbursed through the per diem method. Alternatively, personal funds may be used and a request for reimbursement can be submitted after the trip. For more information on purchasing and reimbursement methods, see the Business and Travel Expenses page.

If lodging arrangements include contracts or agreements with terms and conditions requiring a signature, such as for the lease of a home or room blocks for 10 or more travelers, these should be booked through the appropriate channel and paid through a requisition in iProcurement, not with personal funds or a TCard.

Travel 30 Days or Longer

To learn how to be reimbursed for meals and lodging when a traveler stays in one location for 30 days or longer, visit Business and Travel Expenses.

Reimbursement requests must include sufficient documentation to support the business purpose and alignment to the purpose of the funds. For more information on documentation requirements for lodging, see the Business and Travel Expenses page. 

Documentation of Rate Comparison

A lodging rate comparison is required when any of the following occur:

• The trip includes a personal component causing an extension of the lodging stay.
• The room selection is out of policy; for example, if a standard room was not selected or the room rate exceeds published maximums shown on this page.

The rate comparison documentation is most often in the form of a screenshot of search results taken the same day of booking. The screenshot must visibly note the time and date of the search (i.e., from the taskbar on your desktop); include a broad set of search results (e.g., all available rooms within policy); and should display the applicable parameters, such as all available lodging options. The expense report must include an attachment with the rate comparison documentation. Refer to How to: Document a Lodging Comparison.