Etiquette for guests staying at the "other" hotels

peachy13

There are a bunch of small hotels surrounding my wedding venue. I have room blocks on two of them, and they're both almost full. The first hotel is actually right at the venue, and that's where me, FI, our immediate families, and wedding party are all staying. Transportation is provided (by the venue) despite it being about a 1 minute bus ride. 

The second hotel that I have a room block on is located directly across the street from the first hotel. The other small hotels are all minutes away. I don't have blocks on the other hotels but gave the info to my guests through my wedding website. Am I rude to not provide transportation for guests staying at the second hotel and/or the other small hotels nearby? I feel like it would cost FI and me a lot because the transportation would need to go to several different hotels, and I also feel like it would be unnecessary, seeing as though the hotels are a 1-3 minute drive away from the venue. I think I'm overthinking it.

Also, should I make welcome bags for ALL guests staying the night, no matter the hotel? 

southernbelle0915

It's totally fine to not provide transportation at all. Guests are expected to get themselves from A to B. If you provide it, it's a perk. 

But if you aren't providing it for all hotels, I wouldn't use it at your primary hotel. It'll seem like you're only providing transportation for certain guests and that would come off as rude. (Even though it's free and provided by the hotel - not y'all....guests at other hotels don't know that.)

Maggie0829

No you are not rude if you don't provide transportation from the other hotels.  It seems to me that all are easily within a five minute drive or walking distance to your venue so your guests should be just fine getting to and from without your help.

As for the welcome bags I would just skip them and use that money towards more food or better bar options at your reception.

Jen4948

You don't have to provide transportation from the other hotels or welcome bags.  Both are nice gestures, but not necessities.  I agree though that if the other hotels are a short distance from your venue, I wouldn't provide it unless someone has mobility issues.  As for welcome bags, since so much of that stuff gets thrown out or abandoned, you can put the money to better use elsewhere.

knottie9c5ed33df4bbd226

We are doing one block at one hotel-we are providing transportation from that hotel and doing welcome bags for that hotel. If anyone ends up staying somewhere else, I am guessing that I wouldn't even know that and I am not going to worry about it.

lyndausvi

We had blocks at 2 hotels and people stayed a few others.   We had 3 stops.  One at each hotel and the 3rd centrally located to the random hotels.    

If across the street means it's easy walk, then I do not see a problem having the one stop.  If they have to walk a block down to catch a crosswalk, then cross a busy large street, then walk another block to the hotel, then I would say you should have a stop at the second one too.

ETA -  RE:  Welcome Bags.  I made a point of asking all the guests were they were staying if I didn't see them on either block.  If they were staying in town, we dropped off the bags to those locations.  If they stayed out of town or with family/friends we gave them the bag when they came to our welcome open house.   That was only a handful of people.          

The resort town is pretty small, it didn't take much time to drop off the bags at the non-block locations.

novella1186

hicoco said:

We are doing one block at one hotel-we are providing transportation from that hotel and doing welcome bags for that hotel. If anyone ends up staying somewhere else, I am guessing that I wouldn't even know that and I am not going to worry about it.

This is what we did. All our guests ended up staying at that one hotel. The WP and H and I rented beach houses but that made it easy to get transportation to the WP's beach house. 

MyNameIsNot

It's fine to only have transportation and welcome bags at the hotels where you do blocks. 

If your blocks are filling up, I would look into expanding them. It's better if everyone has the option to stay at the block if they want to. 

peachy13

Thanks everyone!

MandyMost

I think you should do welcome bags for anyone staying in your room blocks, regardless of what hotel they're at. If they stay outside the block, then they don't need a welcome bag. It would seem weird to me to have multiple blocks and then only provide welcome bags for one of them.

As for transportation, while it's not necessary, you should consider how your guests are getting from Point A to Point B. If they can walk or take a readily-accessible taxi, then that's fine. If not, I think you really do need to look into transportation. Ask the hotels what options they might have, or ask your hotel if their shuttle can do multiple stops for you. 

photokitty

Since you gave the hotel info to guest, even if you didn't do a block, you should give everyone who stays at any of the listed hotels welcome bags. I you suggested them as options, then it would be rude to provide bags to only those at 2 of the options.

If you didn't post the other hotel info on your website or on the invite insert, then you don't need to provide welcome bags at the other hotels.

People will take about the bags and their contents. I would be hurt if I stayed at a suggested hotel and didn't get a bag bc i didn't stay at the more expensive option.

If one hotel offers transportation then I don't think you need to provide it elsewhere. Is just a perk of staying there, like free breakfast.

huskypuppy14

photokitty said:

Since you gave the hotel info to guest, even if you didn't do a block, you should give everyone who stays at any of the listed hotels welcome bags. I you suggested them as options, then it would be rude to provide bags to only those at 2 of the options.

If you didn't post the other hotel info on your website or on the invite insert, then you don't need to provide welcome bags at the other hotels.

People will take about the bags and their contents. I would be hurt if I stayed at a suggested hotel and didn't get a bag bc i didn't stay at the more expensive option.

If one hotel offers transportation then I don't think you need to provide it elsewhere. Is just a perk of staying there, like free breakfast.

I disagree. If she doesn't have a room block at hotel 3, how will she know how many if any are staying for her weddin g? If you have a miller smith room block, you can then ask the hotel how many people are staying in your block. If you have no such block, the hotel will have no idea there is even a wedding going on.

AddieCake

I think you should skip all the welcome bags. As PP said, you wouldn't even know who was at the other hotels, but if they heard Aunt Sally and Cousin Joe and Mrs. Farmer your Mom's best friend at the main hotel got one and they didn't, they might feel slighted.