Hotel Block Attrition Clause

jlm9113

I'm in the progress of setting up hotel blocks for wedding guests.  I've gotten blocks with three different hotels at varying price points so that, hopefully, everyone will able to book something that works for them.

However, I noticed an Attrition Clause on one of the hotel's contracts.  ie: if the number of rooms booked in the block falls below 80% (in this case, I have ten rooms blocked, so if fewer than 8 are booked) the hotel has the right to charge up to the regular room rate (as opposed to the discounted block rate).

Has anyone dealt with this?  Is it common?  Is it a bad idea to use a hotel with this type of clause?  And, if not, is there a way to inform guests that there's a discounted rate that could potentially go up?  I'm doubting it, but I wanted to see how other people had gone about this.

TIA!

LeiselEB

I've not seen that, but I have seen hotels that stop offering the discount once it gets within a certain number of days of the wedding. This seems to be pretty common from what I understand. I'd ask if they can switch to something like this so that your guests aren't relying on other guests to book to get their discount.

jlm9113

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_hotel-block-attrition-clause?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:e582c058-78c0-4738-8be4-08f211cb3c17Post:4e41a3d3-bbae-4e19-896a-39cfcafb2407">Re: Hotel Block Attrition Clause</a>:
[QUOTE]I've not seen that, but I have seen hotels that stop offering the discount once it gets within a certain number of days of the wedding. This seems to be pretty common from what I understand. I'd ask if they can switch to something like this so that your guests aren't relying on other guests to book to get their discount.
Posted by LeiselEB[/QUOTE]

That's definitely a part of it too -- each hotel has a cut off date, and I expected that.  I was just surprised when I saw that they claimed they could jack the prices up if a certain number of rooms don't get booked.  That just doesn't seem fair to the guests who are booking with one rate and then are possibly surprised by a rate hike once they arrive.

I'd just cancel this block, but it's the least expensive of the options so I'd like to be able to give that choice to people.

Sharpschruter22

I'm a hotel sales coordinator. It's very common. This is mainly only done if there are only a couple of guests who book, when you have promised them a certain number will and then you don't deliver. Think about it. It makes sense, right? You were offered a discounted rate based on bringing a group of rooms to the hotel. If you don't deliver, the hotel has every right to switch rates. What my hotel does, is not give the discounted rate to anyone who calls for a room after the block expires. We don't change the room rate of those already booked with us. It's a good choice not to block rooms at so many hotels unless you know that the minimum will book. You have a deal to keep too.

jlm9113

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_hotel-block-attrition-clause?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:e582c058-78c0-4738-8be4-08f211cb3c17Post:c98eb035-2d8c-49e5-8c79-1b3935fc1f25">Re:Hotel Block Attrition Clause</a>:
[QUOTE]I'm a hotel sales coordinator. It's very common. This is mainly only done if there are only a couple of guests who book, when you have promised them a certain number will and then you don't deliver. Think about it. It makes sense, right? You were offered a discounted rate based on bringing a group of rooms to the hotel. If you don't deliver, the hotel has every right to switch rates. What my hotel does, is not give the discounted rate to anyone who calls for a room after the block expires. We don't change the room rate of those already booked with us. It's a good choice not to block rooms at so many hotels unless you know that the minimum will book. <strong>You have a deal to keep too.</strong>
Posted by Sharpschruter22[/QUOTE]

Oh, definitely.  Which is why I'm microscopically picking each of these contracts apart.  I don't want to sign, and therefore agree to keep up my end of the deal, unless I know exactly what that deal is.

I've sent an email to my contact at the hotel -- I mostly wanted to find out how common the clause was before I contacted her about it.  So I'll see how that goes.

ETA: Is that your venue in the picture?  Because it's absolutely gorgeous.

kmmssg

 I have booked blocks at hotels for my 3 DDs' weddings and not had that clause.  I do agree that this is a business and you should probably limit how many rooms you block.  I would be pretty hot as a guest if I booked the room for a specific rate, got there, and found out I was being charged more than originally quoted.

kmmssg

 I have booked blocks at hotels for my 3 DDs' weddings and not had that clause.  I do agree that this is a business and you should probably limit how many rooms you block.  I would be pretty hot as a guest if I booked the room for a specific rate, got there, and found out I was being charged more than originally quoted.

GoodLuckBear14

I had this clause in my contract.  When I called the hotel to ask about it, they told me that it is standard in all Marriott hotel room block contracts but because they are one of the largest hotels in the chain (Center City Philadelphia) they are rarely filled to capacity and turning away potential paying guests so they never enforce it.  Before I called them, I was prepared to pay for extrra rooms myself so that guests would have the lower rate.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

Mine had a clause that if less than 90% of the block was filled, we would be charged up to 90% of the rooms. But they counted each night as a "room." So if I blocked 10 rooms and someone booked 2 nights, that was 2/10. We started with 10 and eventually added like 15 more.

Sharpschruter22

In Response to Re:Hotel Block Attrition Clause:[QUOTE]In Response to Re:Hotel Block Attrition Clause:I'm a hotel sales coordinator. It's very common. This is mainly only done if there are only a couple of guests who book, when you have promised them a certain number will and then you don't deliver. Think about it. It makes sense, right? You were offered a discounted rate based on bringing a group of rooms to the hotel. If you don't deliver, the hotel has every right to switch rates. What my hotel does, is not give the discounted rate to anyone who calls for a room after the block expires. We don't change the room rate of those already booked with us. It's a good choice not to block rooms at so many hotels unless you know that the minimum will book. You have a deal to keep too.Posted by Sharpschruter22Oh, definitely.nbsp; Which is why I'm microscopically picking each of these contracts apart.nbsp; I don't want to sign, and therefore agree to keep up my end of the deal, unless I know exactly what that deal is.I've sent an email to my contact at the hotel I mostly wanted to find out how common the clause was before I contacted her about it.nbsp; So I'll see how that goes. ETA: Is that your venue in the picture?nbsp; Because it's absolutely gorgeous. Posted by jlm9113[/QUOTE]

Yes, it is! Thank you, I'm very excited!

I wouldn't be very concerned if I were you. Once a guest books, they are guaranteed the rate with which they booked. I really don't think any hotel would change the rate of your guests who have already booked.

I have seen only one guest book within a block before, but they still got the rate. Because I am in the business, I can tell you there are MANY people who call to make reservations last minute. If only a few people called to make reservations and someone called last minute, I tell them the block expired a month ago and I can't offer that rate any more. Serves them right. Those few with reservations still get the discount though.

Every hotel is different.

[Deleted User]

I do contracts like this daily as part of my current job and this is standard.  The hotel will generally work with you if you are close, but do not make your minimum.  It's standard if you're a small wedding or mutli-million dollar convention.

jlm9113

Thanks everyone.  It sounds like it just depends.

I only have ten rooms booked at each hotel, so I'm definitely not trying to hold half of their hotel rooms whether my guests book or not.  But I'll double check with the coordinator to make sure that guests receive the rate they book with.  I can probably also lower the number of blocked rooms to 4 or 5 or something, that way there's less of a chance of it being an issue, especially since they'll add extra rooms to the block once it fills up.

Thanks again!