The State of Louisiana has contracted with HotelPlanner Booking Portal for hotel lodging with discount rates for travelers traveling on state business, with the exception of conference hotels. The HotelPlanner Booking portal can be accessed at:  https://louisiana.hotelplanner.com.  Once your hotel is booked, an email will be sent to the travel approver in the Office of Accounting and Finance for verification of the registration, and the reservation will be held with the CBA card once your Authorization to Travel form has been received.  A credit card authorization will be requested from the hotel, completed and returned to the hotel for payment processing of the reservation.

For conference hotels, or lodging reservations booked outside the HotelPlanner Booking Portal, the employee should reserve their room with their personal credit card.  Once the Office of Accounting and Finance receives the approved Authorization to Travel form, the hotel credit card authorization form will be requested, completed and returned to the hotel for payment of your room.  When reservations are not available at the actual conference hotel, most conferences have roll-over hotels.  The traveler shall seek prices and utilize the least expensive.  In the event that all conference hotels are unavailable, then the traveler is subject to making reservations within the hotel rates as allowed for routine travel, unless approved by Vice Chancellor of Finance or his/her designee.   A credit card authorization will be requested, completed and returned to the hotel for payment processing of the reservation.

Travelers are eligible to receive reimbursement for travel only when away from “official domicile” or temporary assignment.

Hotel invoices are to be attached and reported on the Travel Expense Account Form according to the date in which the expense occurred.  Original receipts are required.  It is expected that reservations be made in advance whenever possible.

A traveler may exceed the appropriate lodging rate by no more than fifty percent, if prior approval from the Chancellor or her designee was granted.  Special approval is made on a case-by-case basis.  Each case must be fully documented as the necessity and cost effectiveness of alternative options in the designated area on the Request to Travel Authorization Form.

Refer to PPM49 for additional information.