Room Blocks

Hazel_B

We'll be getting married near a city with a big tourist season and popular to get married in, so I want to set up a room block early for my OOT guests.

I've contacted 3 of the larger hotels in the area. The first is family owned and has some weird policy that gives precedence to prior guests, so I'd have to wait until August to set up a room block and there is no guarantee how many rooms will be available. The second hotel is clearly giving me the posted rate with no discount. The third hotel, I haven't heard back from yet, but I know will be more expensive than the second hotel.
 
In my estimation, if all my OOT guests were to come then that would be about 65 rooms. I know that won't be the case and more people will share than what I have estimated. However, I feel I should try to negotiate a better price for them...even if I say I need 30 rooms.

In a tourist area, how much do you think I can negotiate? I have a feeling they won't bend at all, but there is no harm in asking.

Any other tips for room blocks?

jeanacorina

Holy crap, we only needed 10 rooms to get the discount. You need to keep looking! I think we ended up with $10 off each room... which added up for those family members staying a week.

Also, the hotel gave the discount for everyone in the party, even if they arrived early or left late. The rates started the Sunday before my Friday wedding, and everyone got the discount up until the following Sunday (when the last family checked out).

I didn't do the negotiating, though. My mom spoke directly to the hotel manager, and my mom is a pro at talking bees out of their honey. She doesn't even mean to do it- she'd just so sweet and friendly and genuine that people give her what she asks for.

calindi

I haven't done a wedding block, but we do room blocks for our conferences.  Hotels usually will discount if you guarantee a certain number of rooms, but this is mostly a motivating factor if they aren't likely to book up anyway.  To guarantee a certain number of rooms, you have to commit to paying for any rooms that aren't booked by the date, which can leave you hanging if they don't all stay there.  If the hotel is going to likely book up, then your negotiating standpoint is rather weak and you probably won't be able to get much of a discount.

Don't talk to the front desk about room blocks and discounts - they don't have the authority to do it.  Talk to the manager or even better, a banquet or conference manager.  They have more power and are used to room blocks.

Sadly, often the price you can get on Priceline.com or Hotels.com is cheaper than you'd ever get out of a group rate.  If you're truly afraid they're going to book up completely, perhaps you should guarantee a small number of rooms on a first-come, first-serve basis?  This way you could get a bit more discount and reserve the rooms.  It might not be enough to accomodate all your guests, but if you guarantee around 10-20 rooms or so, they're likely to be booked even if all your guests don't come.  You could always post on your wedding website that you've secured this great rate for the first X rooms booked - then it's up to them to be proactive to get the rate.

Hazel_B

I don't think I have much of a negotiating point at all on this one. The worst is that the 3 major hotels in the area are all owned by the same group, so there is a bit of a monopoly going on.

There are also lots of boutique hotels that are much smaller and B&Bs which will appeal to some of the guests. So, I won't be able to guarantee many rooms either.

The only way they'll get concerned about their tourist season is if the American dollar plummets.

heyimbren

Hazel, have you looked at any of the smaller hotels? That might work out better for you, I've found some of the smaller ones to be more helpful.

Hazel_B

Bren, good idea. I just hope I can find something decent that is more budget. I know some of the small places get really expensive here.

Blue & White

Depending on how familiar your guests are with the area, you may want to suggest that they book their rooms earlier than later as well.  Sometimes finding a decent hotel for a wedding is the worst part of going to the wedding

leia1979

I'm glad you asked this Hazel. I need to do this, too, but I'm less worried about things booking up. I'm frankly not sure if it's worth doing a room block. I certainly don't want to guarantee that I can fill 10 rooms.

WIll some places to a block where they'll simply release the rooms after a certain time (like a month in advance)?

Hazel_B

Leia - Hotel 2 lets the block expire 30 days before the event. I much prefer that idea to guaranteeing rooms.