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Booking a block of rooms at a downtown hotel?

emilou02emilou02
First Comment
in Ohio-Cincinnati
I want to reserve a block of rooms for guests at a hotel downtown, like the Hilton or the Westin. To do this, their websites make you fill out a pricing request and even ask you what your budget is for guest rooms. There isn't anything (as far as I can see) that states that you would need to cover the cost of these rooms if they aren't booked by guests, but the wording of the questions suggests that MY budget somehow comes into play.

For instance, if I reserve a block of 25 rooms at the Hilton for the wedding and only 15 of them are actually reserved by guests, would I be on the hook for those extra 10 rooms? Has anyone been through this with these hotels before? I'm having trouble finding information to confirm or deny my suspicions. The last thing I need before leaving on our honeymoon is a bill for a bunch of unused hotel rooms! haha

(For the record, we also have a block reserved at another downtown hotel and they simply told us to tell our guests to reserve by one month prior to the wedding or else all the rooms would be put up for sale again to the general public. I just can't tell if this is also how it works with the other hotels. At the hotel we booked, we literally took all 20 of their last remaining rooms so I want to book another block at a different hotel just in case!)
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Re: Booking a block of rooms at a downtown hotel?

  • lindsaynewbride10lindsaynewbride10 member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary First Answer First Comment
    We had a block of rooms at the Springhill Suites off 275 in Forest Park since it was kinda close to our reception site. Anywho, no, we weren't responsible for the cost of the extra rooms that weren't used. But that's probably because of the whole book-in-a-months-advance of the wedding day. They were able to make those rooms available once that time came.

    You shouldn't have a problem. Good luck!
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  • wright944wright944 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    There are a few hotels that will require you to have at least 50-75% filled, however the Hilton I know is not one of them. I would suggest instead of filling it out online calling the sales department of each hotel because it is a lot easier and you can negotiate prices. That is what worked best for me. Also, you want to do it sooner rather than later so you can lock in a price, because pricing will go up as the date gets closer because demand of the rooms will increase. Good luck. 
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  • emilou02emilou02
    First Comment
    Thanks, lindsaynewbride10 and wright944! I'm glad to hear that about the Hilton. Do you happen to know about the Westin, too?

    I'm getting to this a little late in the game so I will probably have to give them a call after work today. I'm glad we at least have the one hotel booked! Apparently there's some giant agriculture convention or something in town the day of the wedding, so it might not be possible to book the rooms anyway. Que sera sera!
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  • emilou02emilou02
    First Comment
    I received an answer from the Westin, in case anyone else is interested...

    "We are able to hold up to 20 rooms per evening without a financial obligation on your end. Due to the short term of you block we would have a reservation cutoff date of one week prior in which we would release any remaining rooms in your block for general sale."

    and this:

    "If you decide that you really need to book 25 room per night, you will be financially responsible for any rooms that does not book within the block 30 days prior to arrival. For example, if you hold 25 rooms and only 5 rooms are booked, you will be responsible for paying for the remaining rooms (20). But if you hold 20 rooms per night, we can always add rooms to your block, as long as we have the availability and can offer the discounted rate ($129 & $149) and you will not be financially responsible for the rooms that are not booked."
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  • LizzyRBLizzyRB member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary First Comment
    Just block 20 at Westin so if you don't use them you don't get charged. In my opinion it's the nicest hotel downtown anyway. Can't beat the view.
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  • wright944wright944 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    We are using the Millennium Hotel downtown. They have no financial obligation at all. They have been super helpful. Our rate is $119 a night and they don't charge for welcome bag delivery, which was big for me. Here is there site. They are really close to the Hilton and the Westin. 

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  • kafiekafie
    First Comment
    We booked a block at the Hilton for $129 a night. They offered to upgrade us to a king suite at that rate if we stayed there the night of our wedding (which we plan too). We wanted a historic hotel and we're going to have brunch the next day at the Orchids, so the Hilton worked for us. We're not on the hook for any rooms we don't book and we get airline miles and rewards points for any rooms our guests book. We spoke to Kelly in Sales. Her direct line is 513-665-2376
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