Blocking Hotel Room with Bed Bugs!!

LAM524

Hi everyone,

I've asked 3 people for their opinion and nobody can advice so Im here where I can count on your advice! We have blocked rooms at our venue for $189.00 per night and two other hotels for $79.00 per night. I was searching for another less expensive 1-2 star hotel/motel to block ($40.00-$60.00). , Keeping in mind expense and location to venue and airport, I found some. After looking at them we are now questioning if we should block at all. I know you get what you pay for, typically, but their customer reviews/rating are not the best, with mixed reviews. I know they are based on individual perspective but there are somethings that WE ALL would rate low and wish to avoid. Im seeing reviews such as bed bugs, smells misty, bed is uncomfortable, ice machine broke, ran out of breakfast etc.

 Being an OOT guest many times myself, I know it is hard to choose a hotel when you dont know the area, so its important to us to be able to recommend accommodations in different price ranges. Our concern:  blocking rooms at one of these less expensive hotels and my guests having horrible experiences. Also we would be mortified if they question/think "why would they recommend such a horrible place?" Would you as a guest think this way? I think I would.

So do we just leave it alone and stick with what we have? Do we block the rooms and hope the guests check reviews and make an educated decision for themselves? I was thinking perhaps we should just list some of the less expensive hotels on our wedsite, no blocks, and if they choose one of them, well...the choice is theirs (although we would still feel horrible). If we list the hotels with no blocks, should we make note (on wedsite) that "we havent walked through these hotels" (sorta like a buyer beware) "but they are within xx miles from airport & venue so feel free to check them out"  and provide links?

SP29

Leave it alone and stick with what you have. I agree about your thoughts of recommending such sub-par facilities to your guests, as you say they are looking to you for recommendations. I would think that way too, "why would they send me here?"

If $79/night is too much, I would let them do their own searching. Perhaps recommend a site like priceline where they can shop for the best prices. 

Kate61487

i see absolutely no reason to get a room block at even more hotels - what you've already blocked sounds like plenty. your guests are just as capable of googling and reading online reviews as you are. let it be.

misssunshine17

Ditto PPs. I find some reviews completely unhelpful because they sound so crazy, anyway.

wittykitty14

I think that you have plenty of choices.  If they need to find something more inexpensive, they'll look at their options.

If you're still considering booking this hotel just in case, would it be possible for you to stay a night there just to check it out?  It may seem silly, but if you're really interested in blocking some rooms, this would be a good way to review it for yourself.  I've stayed in a few really cheap hotels, that didn't have the greatest reviews.  Some of the places I stayed had bed bug reviews, but I risked it because I was so broke.  I had lovely stays at each hotel, and was quite comfortable with the accomodations.  And no bed bugs!  I guess my point is that you can't believe everything you read.  Unless the bed bugs reviews are pretty recent, I'd say there's a good chance the issue has been resolved by now.  Just some food for thought, in case you still want to block the rooms.

But honestly, I think what you have already is fine