Key words and advice to pay attention to when setting up a hotel block…

Are you looking to reserve some hotel rooms for your out of town guests but your not sure what everything means?

The biggest word of all to pay attention to is attrition. What this means is that some hotels will hold you accountable for picking up a specific number or percentage of rooms that are blocked off. This is not a problem if your confident in your friends and family will make reservations on time, a lot of times with weddings or family events a little more flexibility is needed.

Another set of words I would pay attention to is cancellation policy. This goes for both you and your guests. Each hotel can set their own, and it may change due to the time of year. The group block has a cancellation policy and individual reservations typically have their own policy as well.

It is my recommendation to book directly with the hotel to set up the block rather than online. The hotel will typically offer a cheaper rate and more lenient cancellation policies. Also, you will have a direct contact on property which helps in the event you have any requests or questions.

There are plenty of hotels in the area, be sure to call a few and see what benefits they will give you for setting up the block at their property. For example, our property has a shuttle that will transport guests to and from the reception venue (within 5 miles) and a complimentary bridal suite with 20 or more guest rooms. We also offer a discounted rate for our meeting room space that can accommodate a small rehearsal dinner or gift opening.

Pick a hotel closest to your reception venue not the church, especially if adult beverages will be available. You don’t want people to drink and drive, it just isn’t worth it. The closer you are to your destination the cheaper any mode of transportation is going to be.

Most hotels are individually owned and operated, even if they are members of a larger hotel chain. In other words, each hotel has different ways of doing things and how they set up group blocks. When it is all said and done, you will want a decent place at a decent price for your loved ones. I would recommend in the end to set up a block of rooms, where is all up to you!

Photo by Lane Hickenbottom from Lane Weddings