WR: Hotel Contract Jargon - Can someone translate?

WildMagelet

So - the only hotel that "fits the bill" of what/where we want is being a huge PIMA.  I really don't even want to block there anymore, except it is where we'd end up staying, block or not, and it is a convenience for our guests.  

Most recently, I've asked the hotel sales director for clarification, in writing, of one particular passage and she has failed to do so for me.  She responded with why they have the passage in the contract and still failed to tell me what it actually means.  I asked for clarification again and she hasn't responded to me - it's been five days.  

Here's the passage in question:

Everytime I sit down to think about dealing with it I get in a snarky mood, which puts me halfway between calling over her head and telling FI he can deal with it since he's the one who wanted this particular hotel.  He, of course, would tell me just to forget the block if its that big of a deal, but I know that's not the most guest-friendly thing to do.

I'm getting a little BSC on this one, so I'd love it if I could get an outside opinion.  I'd like to think that we're reading too far into it, but its also a contract so I prefer to know 100% what I'm signing before I make myself financially liable for something on accident. 

On the plus side, if me having a mini-meltdown about a hotel being crappy at communication (this "check" has been a good 3 weeks in the making) is the worst thing that happens during my very short wedding planning experience I'll consider it pretty good

eilis1228

Is this a block that you are financially guaranteeing or a free courtesy block? From the sound of your contract, it sounds like you are putting down money for this, which I would advise against. I would find a hotel that will offer you a courtesy block for free and will release any unbooked rooms X amount of days before the wedding.

WildMagelet

According to our other communications, its supposed to be a free courtesy block that they release 1 month prior to the wedding.  No discount (currently) for hotel rooms, but they will hold them for our guests until the cut off date.

Blackbird230

It sounds to me (I may be off) that it's just a you owe x if you cancel x amount of days before the event.

Blackbird230

Like if you were to cancel the whole wedding/block cancel.

eilis1228

I'd ask and see if they can give you a bit of a discount on the room rate. I had a hotel initially send me a contract for the standard rate of the room, and when I asked about it, they were able to go about $5 lower. It's not an amazing discount, but it's better than nothing.

I guess with the cancellation policy, I'd find out if you are financially responsible for any cancelled rooms in the block, or if they're saying that if the block itself is cancelled, you guys would owe X amount. 

WildMagelet

That was my initial thought, but our guests have up until 24 hours prior to cancel their rooms individually, so that seemed weird to me.

WildMagelet

eilis1228 said:

I'd ask and see if they can give you a bit of a discount on the room rate. I had a hotel initially send me a contract for the standard rate of the room, and when I asked about it, they were able to go about $5 lower. It's not an amazing discount, but it's better than nothing.

I guess with the cancellation policy, I'd find out if you are financially responsible for any cancelled rooms in the block, or if they're saying that if the block itself is cancelled, you guys would owe X amount. 

I had asked about that in my last e-mail. I guess I'll just have to keep calling her and hope she's available.

ETA: She'll also have to send me a new PDF to print & sign at this point, as the one that she had previously sent me expired while I've been waiting for her to respond to me again.

phira

I think it might just be if you were to cancel the block. But to be honest, I might not bother with the block. You say it's a convenience for your guests, but they're not even giving you any discounts on the rooms, or any sort of extras for making the block with them. So basically, the only convenience is that you'd have a certain number of rooms available for guests as long as guests booked a month in advance. Depending on where you live, what time of year you're getting married, what else is going on around your wedding, and how many people are traveling, it might not even matter that you have the block.

We had two blocks, and the majority of our guests picked another hotel entirely.

Blue & White

I got married last year during spring break. None of the hotels would set up a block for me so I just didn't block any. I recommended about 3 hotels at different price points on our website.

No one didn't come to the wedding because they couldn't find a hotel.

So basically I say screw it with annoying hotel blocks.

As for the wording, it looks like you pay for the whole stay if you cancel 1 month out. Which is crazy. Normal hotels charge a day if you don't show up. I've had to cancel on a wedding before due to a horrendous stomach infection and I would be mad if the bride and groom recommended a policy such as this.

labro

That policy is bizarre and to be honest, I don't understand exactly what they are trying to get across here. Choose another hotel or get them to remove that particular clause from the contract because it is 100% BS, especially since they aren't offering a special rate AND because it's just a courtesy block.

lavenderfields13

Yeah this is weird and confusing to me. I agree with what @labro said. 

And I have had some issues with the sales lady at my hotel getting back to me to so I can empathize! It's frustrating when someone who is supposed to be doing business doesn't answer your emails for WEEKS.