Room Blocks

Re: Room Blocks

• xoeden member

  

  January 2016

  Contact a travel agent if you don't know where to start! (That's what I'm doing; mine specifically only does destination weddings.) Some hotels will tell you that you have to use all the rooms blocked to get the rate; others will let you release the rooms 30 days out and not bill you.

  

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• lauradean89 member

  

  January 2016 edited January 2016

  I didn't. Our guests just booked their own accommodation and flights as I didn't want people to feel they had to stay somewhere and everyone in my party are coming and leaving at different times. This then enabled them to book through the company/hotel/travel agent of their choice and has worked really well. But we are coming from the UK so everything has been planned quiet far in advance.

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• vegasgroom mod

  

  January 2016

  The short answer is that if your hotel offers room blocks for no charge, then you should 100% do them.
  
  Most, if not all, strip resorts offer room blocks free of charge.  You tell them the number, they hold them, give you a code, and release any that haven't been booked at 30 days out.  At these resorts, the only purpose of a room block is to allow your guests who procrastinate the option of staying at the primary wedding venue.  It will not give them the best price.  We got married within the Mandalay Bay property, so we did room blocks at Mandalay, Luxor and Excalibur.  I also put coupon codes on our website.  Most guests who were committed to attending early, booked with coupon codes for much cheaper than the room block rate.  Some guests who waited until the last minute, well, 30 days before the last minute, booked using the block code because they wanted to stay at Mandalay.  The rest that waited too long, or wanted a cheaper rate than Mandalay with coupon, stayed wherever they felt like, but our room block ensured that up to 30 days out, those that wanted to stay at Mandalay still could, when the hotel had already sold out at that point.
  
  Off strip resorts are random on how their room blocks work.  Some require an actual financial commitment to block rooms, but in return, give you an actual discounted rate over what people can find online.  Personally, the only way I'd ever do that would be for family who are 100% guaranteed coming, and are willing to tell you yes, you block the room, and I'll book it as soon as you hang up the phone.  Others work like strip resorts and are safe to block at.
  

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  Married in Vegas - June 2011

  
  

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• KatCtoKatA member

  

  January 2016

  I've gotten rate quotes from Paris/Ballys/Flamingo/Cosmo so far, but the rates are so-so at best.  I think I'll go ahead and ask for a small number at each, just to preserve options, but I'll recommend people search for their own best deals.  Most of our group hasn't been to Vegas much, if at all, so we anticipate doing a lot of assisting with travel plans.  Good thing it's not a huge group!

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• Knottie1448836539 member

  

  February 2016

  We are dealing with the same thing "kat". As I mentioned in another thread, I can't believe the group rates aren't more competitive.  The only reasonable quote I've got is at Orleans, off strip....which we are seriously considering bc the others are so crazy!  

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• KatCtoKatA member

  

  February 2016

  I don't know how far out you are booking, but generally what I've heard is that there are two options.  If you have a large group that you can guarantee will all be at one hotel  (so more than ten rooms) then you can get better rates.  Otherwise, have everyone look on their own about 3-4 months out for the best nightly rates.  The room block rates are more so that if someone leaves it until about 6 weeks out and can't find a better rate, they have a fall-back.

  
  

  I don't know how often you've traveled to Vegas, but if you need suggestions, let me know! We've gone often enough that we've got some solid ideas for finding good rates.

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• KikiMira member

  

  March 2016

  We did our room block with Aria, and they gave us the best rate from the hotels i contacted. I think it was $127/night for a standard room, 2 years ago. Right after i locked it in, a ufc fight was announced and all the prices has doubled on the strip. 

  

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