negotiating # of rooms booked

bmaggieb · 03-21-2007, 10:11 PM

Is it at all possible to negotiate with the hotel the number of rooms booked. The hotels want a certain number of the guests attending the wedding to be booked at the hotel. Our guests are all at many different income levels and half of them might have issues with the cost of the rooms. Ideally everyone attending the wedding would stay at the same hotel. It just won't work that way and I am worried that we will not be able to book as many rooms as the hotel expects! What is a bride to do

?

starchild · 03-22-2007, 12:06 AM

We opted out of blocking rooms for that reason. It came down to sacrificing what we wanted for a place all guests could afford, or just letting everyone do what works for them. For some people we knew it would be hard enough for them just to get to Mexico, let alone pay what we said they should for accommodations. On our website we posted where we will be and suggested hotels in various price ranges that weren't too far from us.

As it turned out, about 1/3 of our guests will be at our hotel. The rest are everywhere from $40 motels to the Four Seasons. We will still see each other at the wedding and prior to it, so everything will work out.

jdweinbe · 03-22-2007, 09:08 AM

The RIU Palace Las Americas said that 80% of our guests need to stay at the resort. But in order to book a group rate, all 10 rooms must stay the exact same dates....we opted not saving rooms. ......now the hotel is full and my guests have to pay a day pass to come on site!

I would suggest (if you don't have to pay for the rooms upfront), go ahead and save a bunch of rooms. At first we felt awkward for asking our guests to stay at a certain hotel, but they all wanted to!! Some are really dissappointed that they aren't staying with us...You might be surprised!

If you can block out rooms and cancel, go ahead! You might not use them all, but you at least will have them if you need them!

Good luck planning!
Jen

rob4ever · 03-23-2007, 03:49 PM

I am getting married at the Riu in PDC next February and it will cost @ $200 to block each room in advance! I'm trying to figure out if it is worth it or not since my guests may be able to book package deals for less. However, if they wait to long to book, like next winter, the hotel may be sold out since February is high season. It's definitely a tricky decision!

Tammy Host · 03-23-2007, 03:54 PM

if you are staying at a more popular resort blocking rooms is always your best option.

1. rooms are blocked off for your guests.

2. the rate is fixed (you will see hotel rates go up alot the nearer the wedding date).

3. alot of resorts will give you "perks" for group blocks (ex. site visit, champagne cocktail party, VIP status, upgraded honeymmon suites)

most of the blocks i have done have not been specific on the days needed to book...they have been really flexible with me and my brides.

MikkiStreak · 03-23-2007, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rob4ever

I am getting married at the Riu in PDC next February and it will cost @ $200 to block each room in advance! I'm trying to figure out if it is worth it or not since my guests may be able to book package deals for less. However, if they wait to long to book, like next winter, the hotel may be sold out since February is high season. It's definitely a tricky decision!

Just to be clear--- are they telling you $200 per room? Or $200 per block (of say, 10 rooms). If it's per room, they're high. There's no way anyone would pay that up front. If it's per block of 10 rooms, that isn't bad. Our block of rooms will be $200, but if we fill 90%, they take our $200 and put it toward our stay. If we don't make 90%, we lose $100 and get $100 back. For me, I thought it was much better to lose $100 to get everyone to stay at the resort with us, than to deal with griping about people having to pay day pass rates to attend the wedding. Plus, any gripes for travel mis-haps when they book on their own.

rob4ever · 03-23-2007, 10:11 PM

Thanks for clarifying MikkiStreak! I must have been confused. I'm glad to know it is not that expensive to block rooms! I'm still trying to get my arms around this whole process!

LALA · 03-23-2007, 10:14 PM

Our room block rate was around $150 per room and we booked 35 rooms - so $200 could be per room. The money gets used towards your wedding though so it's kinda like prepaying that part.

Tammy Host · 03-23-2007, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikkiStreak

Just to be clear--- are they telling you $200 per room? Or $200 per block (of say, 10 rooms). If it's per room, they're high. There's no way anyone would pay that up front. If it's per block of 10 rooms, that isn't bad. Our block of rooms will be $200, but if we fill 90%, they take our $200 and put it toward our stay. If we don't make 90%, we lose $100 and get $100 back. For me, I thought it was much better to lose $100 to get everyone to stay at the resort with us, than to deal with griping about people having to pay day pass rates to attend the wedding. Plus, any gripes for travel mis-haps when they book on their own.

actually mikki, $200 per room to block it is pretty standard...so if someone wanted to block 10 rooms they would put a deposit of $2000...of course this is not a definite number but i use it as a rough estimate...it sounds like alot but if you are staying a few nights (7) it is sort of like paying now but being able to hold the room.

most individual bookings have you put $100 or more as a deposit so it would be pretty surprising to have a resort block a bunch of rooms, for so little $$. i guess every contract is different...but i have done dozens of room blocks and most range in the $100-200 per room deposit. i have done a few w/o any deposit but they were done as a favor to me.

MikkiStreak · 03-23-2007, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by host

actually mikki, $200 per room to block it is pretty standard...so if someone wanted to block 10 rooms they would put a deposit of $2000...of course this is not a definite number but i use it as a rough estimate...it sounds like alot but if you are staying a few nights (7) it is sort of like paying now but being able to hold the room.

most individual bookings have you put $100 or more as a deposit so it would be pretty surprising to have a resort block a bunch of rooms, for so little $$. i guess every contract is different...but i have done dozens of room blocks and most range in the $100-200 per room deposit. i have done a few w/o any deposit but they were done as a favor to me.

Wow! I never heard that. Guess I mis-understood some posts along the way. And I now think I should check with my TA to make sure I'm understanding correctly....