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Room blocks for out of town guests?

katecrobertsonkatecrobertson
10 Comments
in Texas-Austin
Has anyone blocked rooms at local hotels for out of town guests? I wonder about this 80% requirement (you are responsible for whatever rooms aren't booked up to 80% - for example, if you block 10 rooms and only 6 get booked, you have to pay for two). Some hotels seem to use this requirement (which sounds a little scary) and some don't. Just wondering about people's experiences and any advice or tips folks have.

And on a similar note, I contacted the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau and their sales department was incredible. They set up a proposal based on our needs and sent it to local hotels. The hotels contacted us directly. It's been very smooth so far. The next step is working directly with the hotels!
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Re: Room blocks for out of town guests?

  • mon@ATXmon@ATX
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    we booked 15 room blocks at the radisson (which apparently is a popular wedding guests hotel?) and the hilton garden inn, both downtown.  neither contract has the 80% requirement, but it may have to do with the number of rooms we reserved.  larger blocks may have different requirements?  we used austin hospitality (recommended by a friend who had a great experience) and it was not smooth - but it's done, so i'm not complaining.
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  • kelseymwkelseymw
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    We used La Quinta Inn and Suites because it was the most affordable, accessible hotel near our venue. They have no booking requirement but if the rooms aren't booked 2 weeks before the wedding, they are released to the public. 
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  • jesslainemitchjesslainemitch
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Personally I think that the 80% is a complete rip off.  There are plenty of hotels that do not require it.  I am really surprised that they get any wedding business using this policy.

    I would suggest La Quinta, Marriott, Radisson and Holiday Inn.
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  • SarahPLizSarahPLiz member
    10000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    The 80% deal is unnecessary. Don't do it. GO to another hotel

    We blocked at the Hilton Garden Inn in RoundRock using www.hotelplanner.com. It was awesome and easy.
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  • chloetutorchloetutor
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Someone recommended a website a while back for help with this which I used to have hotels bid on our block.  It was really helpful and we could sort through the hotels with the bogus rules.
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  • tkalaurietkalaurie member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I'm getting married in Salado, TX and called one hotel and the guy told me we could do a room block, but we would put all the rooms under my credit card and once people reserved them they would move the reservation to them.  I told him that was NOT happening!  So I called another hotel and blocked off 20 rooms and they didn't ask me for or require anything.  The block the rooms off until like a month before the wedding and then they open them back up to the public.  A hotel should not be holding you responsible for booking the place up!!!
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  • foxandsocksfoxandsocks member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    We booked with the Radisson on Town Lake based on a high recommendation from my maid-of-honor who works in the industry. They don't require any fee or requirement for holding rooms. They gave us a pretty good rate and were really easy to work with.
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  • chloetutorchloetutor
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I've been to like 15 weddings in Salado and each time people just stayed at the Holiday Inn Express right off of 35.  Shouldn't have trouble getting rooms. 
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  • ChrisChelsea10/08ChrisChelsea10/08 member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011

    I booked staybridge suites and hilton garden inn and neither has that requirement. I'm even over the SXSW weekend. Oh any Brdies that Wekkend 10/07-10/10. Book your rooms now. In January I couldn't get hotels downtown. (Thanks MOM) 

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  • texgal79texgal79
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    There's a difference between a reserved room block, a courtesy block and courtesy rates. Usually a reserved room block requires a contract that stipulates you will have to make up the difference should all the rooms in the block not be reserved. But very few hotels ONLY do this option - I think just the Four Seasons. Even upscale hotesl like the Driskill, San Jose and Stephen F Austin gave us courtesy rates/blocks where we signed a contract, but there was no financial obligation. Just be clear when you are contacting hotels that you are interested in a courtesy rate/block do not want any financial obligation to be incurred by you/your fiance.
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