Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

sarahradio5 Posted: Oct 08, 2006 09:02 PM

Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

My brother told me that the rate he booked for my wedding hotel is the same rate as on the Marriott computer reservation system?!?! What the heck? I'm telling all my guests it's a discounted rate! I booked it SO long ago! I'm SO upset!

D's Girl Posted: Oct 08, 2006 09:04 PM

Re: Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

When you blocked the rooms, did they not tell you the price your guests would have to pay?

IslandPrincess Posted: Oct 08, 2006 09:04 PM

Re: Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

My rooms are $155 a night, when normally they are $205 I believe at the Marriot... I'm having a lot of people go through AAA and AARP to get a cheaper price and also not to use up all of my hotel block

sarahradio5 Posted: Oct 08, 2006 09:06 PM

Re: Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

Posted by D's Girl

When you blocked the rooms, did they not tell you the price your guests would have to pay?

they did, but I blocked the rooms SOOOO long ago that the regular rates weren't available yet! So I couldn't compare what they would normally be...

IslandPrincess Posted: Oct 08, 2006 09:08 PM

Re: Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

I just compared mine online too and it says the same price as I was quoted for a room block. That's kinda weird - maybe you should contact Cherell?

nickipa Posted: Oct 08, 2006 09:12 PM

Re: Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

did he book it after the cut off date??? i know for my hotel if they don't book it by a certain date it goes back to the regular rate

sarahradio5 Posted: Oct 08, 2006 09:13 PM

Re: Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

yeah... I'm gonna call tomorrow. I told all my guests it was a discounted rate. Not happy.

CLMon7906 Posted: Oct 08, 2006 09:26 PM

Re: Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

They aren't always cheaper...many hotels are just making sure your guests can get a room. They hear wedding, they become like every other vendor--->

eden Posted: Oct 08, 2006 09:32 PM

Re: Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

They should be cheaper! I would demand an answer 'cus you haven't reach the deadline yet. The hotel blocks expire 1 month before the wedding!

Which hotel have you booked? I used Wingate and they are AWESOME! All my guests loved it! :D

sarahradio5 Posted: Oct 08, 2006 10:13 PM

Re: Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

Posted by eden

They should be cheaper! I would demand an answer 'cus you haven't reach the deadline yet. The hotel blocks expire 1 month before the wedding!

Which hotel have you booked? I used Wingate and they are AWESOME! All my guests loved it! :D

The Marriott Residence, which I've been RAVING about on here. We're having our Rehearsal Dinner there, the after party, the breakfast the next morning, etc. LOTS of business going there... it should be a LITTLE cheaper! In fact, my brother found a room online that was $4 cheaper than MY rate for my guests!!!!

ali120206 Posted: Oct 08, 2006 10:30 PM

Re: Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

The internet rate might be a special one that requires payment in full at the time of reservation (our hotel had that for awhile, it matched our block rate but, was lower than the 'prevailing' rate).

LandsEnd06 Posted: Oct 08, 2006 11:02 PM

Re: Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

Posted by sarahradio5

Posted by eden

They should be cheaper! I would demand an answer 'cus you haven't reach the deadline yet. The hotel blocks expire 1 month before the wedding!

Which hotel have you booked? I used Wingate and they are AWESOME! All my guests loved it! :D

The Marriott Residence, which I've been RAVING about on here. We're having our Rehearsal Dinner there, the after party, the breakfast the next morning, etc. LOTS of business going there... it should be a LITTLE cheaper! In fact, my brother found a room online that was $4 cheaper than MY rate for my guests!!!!

Be careful with booking online though because he may not come up on your 'block' list.

jenn122397 Posted: Oct 08, 2006 11:03 PM

Re: Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

thast weird - we are going to a wedding in November the room was $169/night fo rteh blocked rate and $355 regular

sarahradio5 Posted: Oct 08, 2006 11:10 PM

Re: Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

Posted by jenn122397

thast weird - we are going to a wedding in November the room was $169/night fo rteh blocked rate and $355 regular

Where?

kathrynlinton Posted: Oct 08, 2006 11:22 PM

Re: Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

Call to make sure that they still are accepting rooms in the block. I know that people had to be booked by January 25th for my February 25th wedding and people who booked after (and there were a lot) had to pay full price (not a huge deal b/c I think it was $109 vs. $99).

Make sure that they didn't close the block early by accident. I know they left people out of my block who I know were supposed to be in it. Sometimes things don't always trickle down to reservations.

ETA: I think I called the freakin Hampton Inn the most right before my wedding, the hotel was great, but they were disorganized.

LImama Posted: Oct 08, 2006 11:26 PM

Re: Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

Posted by ali120206

The internet rate might be a special one that requires payment in full at the time of reservation.

We were told the internet rate has a different cancellation policy. Same rate as our block, but our blocked rooms can be cancelled up to the day of arrival, internet rooms at that rate pay a cancellation fee or may not be refundable at all.

sarahradio5 Posted: Oct 08, 2006 11:30 PM

Re: Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

Posted by LImama

Posted by ali120206

The internet rate might be a special one that requires payment in full at the time of reservation.

We were told the internet rate has a different cancellation policy. Same rate as our block, but our blocked rooms can be cancelled up to the day of arrival, internet rooms at that rate pay a cancellation fee or may not be refundable at all.

that's a possibility... thank you! I'll call tomorrow and check it out. Thank you!

LImama Posted: Oct 08, 2006 11:37 PM

Re: Aren't blocked rooms at hotels supposed to be cheaper?

Sarah don't stress. Our blocked rate was only $10 cheaper anyway. We told people to feel free to shop around the area for a better rate. We blocked where we did so family could be together, but someone will always say hey I found a cheaper room! So be it! It's one of the small annoyances you shouldn't even bother yourself about, IMO!