"A FlyerTalk thread titled "London Hiltons now requesting corporate ID if using codes" (November 2023) documents: "Rule was show a company ID card, or pay the full walkup rate — quite a shock if unexpected." Users report that in 10 years of stays, they had never been asked until 2022-2023, suggesting a recent policy shift. The crackdown is attributed to deep corporate discounts (50%+ off rack rate) at Fortune 500 codes — AT&T as a major carrier falls into this high-value discount tier."

"I believe that the major companies that receive significantly discounted rates, are those that typically issue a corporate card and/or a picture ID to their employees. The US federal government and even the State government certainly do issue ID to their employees along with corporate charge cards to their travelers. I don't think that it's an issue with a 10% general discount such as you would get with AAA. it's the corporate discounts (for typically Fortune 500 companies and the government), where the rates can be 50% or more of rack rate. The negotiated rates."

"You can go ahead and book. I've done it before. However, make sure to bring you company ID badge or business card to make sure your eligible for the rate. I don't know if things changed in Shanghai (China) specifically (I stayed at the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai and wasn't asked for it), but I got asked for mine when checking into the Hilton-affiliated hotel I booked in Japan. I think the overall global policy is to check that you are eligible for the corporate rate, but how and if it is implemented differs across properties in each locality. In your booking just book three rooms all at once under a single reservation."