Blocking hotel rooms

jessicapareti

I am in need of some advice about "blocking" rooms at downtown Austin hotels. If anyone who has been through this process could tell me how this works. Some places want to to have a contract. Does this mean you are financially obligated?

anghampton

We blocked at Hyatt Lost Pines and they required a contract.  Yes, this means that we are financially obligated to cover the difference if we don't meet our minimums.  Sigh.  It was a hard decision for us, but we are having a destination wedding and wanted everyone to stay at the HLP because its so casual and really has a resort feel, rather than just a hotel.

Its a little scary, but hopefully we can get the minimums.

princesstiffylee

I couldn't afford to take the risk of signing a contract and putting up a credit card number to meet the minimums.  So, on our wedding website; we found a half dozen hotels near our venue and listed them and are leaving it up to our out of town guests to accomidate themselves.  We sent out our save the dates to the out of towners 6 months in advance and before we set the date we made sure there were no big events in the area.  Had we waited a month longer and we would have hit spring break, rodeo and sxsw.

Leysin97

Some hotels will do courtesy blocks in which you are not financially obligated but they give a deadline to book the rooms (about 1-2 weeks before the dates).  At that point they release those rooms to the general public.  When you call the hotels you should ask if they can do that. I don't remember which hotels offered that downtown but I contacted a few and I think all but one did.  Hope that helps.