Is this normal for a hotel?

bigvoice3 · July 2009

Ugh I'm so frustrated! I am trying to book wedding night hotel for us. I want it to be nice and special (will be our first time!) The nicest place in town is an Embassy Suites. I want a room there. However, they won't let you book just one night...you have to book two.For real. I don't need the room for two nights. And we can't really afford to book it for two just to use it the one night.Is that normal hotel rules? No one night bookings? Advice? I'm being kind of pissy pam about the whole thing. I really want to stay there because its nice.

anna.oskar · July 2009

Not normal at all, Hotels all should let you stay just one night. Are you trying to book online or did you call and talk to someone?

MissSarah786 · July 2009

Usually to get some sort of package deal, like a romantic night package, it requires multiple nights. On holiday weekends you'll see the requirement for multiple nights as well.

ootmother2 · July 2009

That's common in a resort area in season. Where are you?Wedding was on Cape Cod in season and all but one hotel required a two night minimum

bigvoice3 · July 2009

Tried online then called. Thought something was wrong with the site. Denied over the phone. I am not even asking for special stuff....like no "honeymoon package" or anything...just a normal night. Its just a weekend in March. Not a holiday.

anna.oskar · July 2009

Sarah's right, i forgot about package deals

111Kate111 · July 2009

Thats strange. We have an embassy in town and you can def book for one night. I have run into this with quaint bed and breakfasts, never with hotels though. Is it like peak season or something?? When is the wedding? Can you get a block of rooms there? If you do, maybe they will throw in a hotel room for you?

lpstl · July 2009

I've never seen anything like that at a chain hotel unless you are trying to book a package deal. Did you call and talk to someone?

lpstl · July 2009

That's insane, did they give you any reason? I'd try calling corporate and at least complain. In this economy it's ridiculous that they'd turn down business.

bigvoice3 · July 2009

I'm in Arkansas. It will be a busy local weekend. The horse races are running. But the races are on for months. I don't really get it. And like I said, I'm being really pissy because I really want to stay there. I'm more or less just venting at how dumb that policy is because its keeping me from staying there. Boo. The manager said I could book a room the week before if any were still available, but I don't want to put it off until then.

sucrets4 · July 2009

I agree with lp. It can't hurt!

LucyD1029 · July 2009

Depending on the area and time of year, this can be very common. My sister got married in Newport, RI last summer and almost all of the hotels had a 2 night minimum, including chains.

bigvoice3 · July 2009

Good advice lp. I'll try that Monday.

Hello Sunshine · July 2009

It's probably just a really busy weekend at THAT hotel, for whatever the reason... either way, of course they have the right to stipulate a two night minimum. Calling corporate office will get you nowhere. If you do call the hotel and ask again, tell them you're willing to pay a higher rate (are you?) to stay just the one night, or ask to speak to a manager and negotiate it with them.

shellydiane820 · July 2009

Embassy is tricky, though.I'm having my reception there, and I reserved a block of rooms. In the contract for the block it says whatever rooms aren't booked I have to pay 90% of.

MOBinFL2008 · July 2009

I've seen this many times at hotels. Weekends must be a two night minimum stay. This is especially true in resort areas or during holidays. Is something special (besides your wedding) going on in town that weekend such as a festival, college graduation, auto races? That could be the reason.I'd suggest you call during the week, ask to speak to the manager, and then plead your case! As someone else mentioned, having a room block there for your guests, would certainly help.

iamjoesgurl · July 2009

We kind of ran into the same situation in Saratoga, NY for our wedding night. They said there was something going on that weekend (also a big horse racing town) and so we would need to book two nights. My FI actually went to the hotel to talk to them in person. Then I called the 800 number and they let me book that one night. But FI said that the people were so rude about it when he went in, he did not want to stay there. It sounds like you've tried everything. What would happen if you booked the two nights and then the morning after the wedding, you cancel the second night? Would they charge you? (A lot of hotels let you cancel without paying if you cancel by 4pm).

MissIntentional · July 2009

*& i really do overuse @'s sorry.

whitsy · July 2009

Either call and ask to speak to the GM or the owner; you should be able to get one night, I can't imagine them turning down business, unless like you said, since the races are in town and they think they can book the rooms for two nights. Not sure. Our hotel has never had this policy, that I'm aware of. Even busy seasons.

banana468 · July 2009

Will you have any other OOT guests? Can they do a room block for multiple nights for your guests and then as a courtesy extend a night to you?The tricky part is that with weekends that are popular, many hotels know that it's better business for them to require a two night stay rather than a one. That's a very common thing here in the tourist area of CT. During the summer, it's harder to find a place that doesn't require two nights.

dsouldiva · July 2009

It's much more common amongst individual boutique hotels and places that are in the country or out of town. I've never heard of it in a chain hotel though.Are you just booking one room or will you be booking for guests also? Perhaps if you are booking a few rooms you could negotiate a better rate or one night rate with the manager

lyndausvi · July 2009

I'd try calling corporate and at least complain. In this economy it's ridiculous that they'd turn down business.the thing is they might not be effected by the economy. So why lose out on a guaranteed 2 nights? Our hotel has been pretty much been 100% booked all summer, with only a random Tuesday or Wednesday going down less than 100%. To OP - it is not unusal at all to have such policies. Where I got married had the same policy. When I was booking to go to the SuperBowl last year most of the Tampa hotels had a 4 day minimum. Our hotel has a 7 day minimum christmas/new years week. If you are getting married during a big weekend in town (races, football games, college graduations, etc) it's actually pretty standard.

sara76 · July 2009

How about this... I'm getting married at the Embassy Suites and having my reception there. I was told it was easier for me to reserve my block of rooms online on their website so I went to do that in February, the day after signing my contract, and found out the hotel is completely booked and I can't have any rooms for my family! Wedding is on a friggen Thursday first week in November!! Just so happens there is a pilot convention in town and hotel is booked Wed-Sat that week. ONly days in Nov that the hotel is booked and it is my day. After alot of tantrums we were finally given 5 rooms so at least immediate family from NY doesn't have to get in a cab to go to another hotel at midnight.btw, your first time is going to be on your wedding night? That's amazing, Are you counting the minutes?

Is this normal for a hotel?

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