Lodging

About

The Preferred Hotel Program began Jan. 1, 2025, and consists of agreements with hotels providing negotiated rates at or below those established by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). The Preferred Hotel Program also benefits travelers conducting overnight state business by providing complimentary amenities, acceptance of Virtual Card Numbers, and dedicated state of California rates in the online booking tool, Concur. To receive these benefits, contracted properties must be booked in Concur or with a travel agent.

To view the benefits of PHP, please click here.

Concur

Concur identifies contracted properties with “Preferred” and “Most Preferred” designations and verbiage.

“Preferred” properties meet the minimum requirements of:

• Rates at or below those published by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR).
• Seamless acceptance of Virtual Card Number payments.
• Special state government rates loaded in Concur and easy to identify by travelers.

“Most Preferred” properties meet the minimum requirements (above) and provide one or more of:

• 6:00 PM day of arrival cancellation policy
• Airport shuttle or other transportation
• Free breakfast
• Free parking
• Waived resort fees
• Last Room Availability (LRA)
• Sustainability program

Use of Preferred Hotel Program properties is not required, however, travelers are strongly encouraged to use Preferred Hotel Program properties to take advantage of negotiated rates/cost savings and guaranteed amenities.

Resources

• ArcGIS Map

This interactive map will allow travelers to search for, sort through, and cross-reference desired amenities of properties that participate in the Preferred Hotel Program.

Separate from Concur, this map is intended to aid in looking for Preferred Hotel Program properties before booking in Concur. Concur shows all available inventory, while the ArcGIS map shows only Preferred Hotel Program properties. For guidance on how to use the ArcGIS map, please click here.

If you have questions about the Preferred Hotel Program, please reach out to your agency’s Travel Coordinator(s) or email StatewideTravelProgram@dgs.ca.gov, ATTN: Preferred Hotel Program.

For information about CalHR’s lodging rates and reimbursement policy, please review CalHR Manual Section 2203 or CalHR’s Travel Program – Frequently Asked Questions to verify the applicable lodging rates for the date and location of your travel.

When booking hotel reservations through the Statewide Travel Program, hotels must be guaranteed with a credit card. For agencies utilizing the Virtual Card Number (VCN) program for hotel payments, reservations are guaranteed using the VCN. A personal credit card is still required at check-in for incidentals. For agencies NOT utilizing VCN for hotel payments, hotels must be guaranteed and paid for with a personal credit card.

Regardless of payment method used, travelers are REQUIRED to obtain a final receipt/folio upon checkout.

For more information about VCN, please visit STP’s VCN Resources page.

Most hotel chains provide room rates in Concur for accessible or ADA-compliant rooms; however, travelers with accessibility needs may face obstacles when booking with Marriott brand hotels.

Currently, Marriott brand hotels do not load accessible or ADA-compliant room rates in Concur, unlike other hotel brands. Statewide Travel Program encourages travelers in need of an accessible or ADA-compliant room to select a property that has the room listed in Concur.

If a Marriott property is the only option, travelers must:

• Make sure that their accessibility preferences are listed in their Concur Travel profile.
• Be sure to request the accessible or ADA room preference on the Concur “review and reserve” page.
• After booking, reach out to the hotel directly to ensure that their reservation is showing the need for the ADA-compliant room. 

Please click here for detailed instructions on how to book an accessible or ADA-compliant room in Concur.

For more information about lodging for state business travel, please visit Statewide Travel Program’s FAQs and look for "Lodging."