Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

sandelion23 Posted: May 09, 2006 01:51 PM

Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

What kind of contract provisions have you heard of? Is having to pay 50% of the rooms not picked up standard?

Also, what kind of upgrades have you been able to get hotels to throw in? free suites, lower rates etc?

THANK YOU SO MUCH~!!!

evnme Posted: May 09, 2006 01:56 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

for our oot hotel, if there were rooms in our block that didnt get booked, we werent charged anything.

melbalalala Posted: May 09, 2006 01:57 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

It seems like every hotel is different in terms of your committment level $$-wise. I have to guarantee 10 'stays'..... each night a guest stays in a room it qualifies as a stay. If I fail to reach that I am responsible.

I got them to lower the $$ by a couple of dollars but that was about it. No luck with suites. :P I think they view it as they are doing the favor for you, blocking rooms and locking in a rate. Maybe when the time comes and you have 100 rooms occupied under your name they will kick in extras?

MJDoc12 Posted: May 09, 2006 01:58 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

Posted by sandelion23

What kind of contract provisions have you heard of? Is having to pay 50% of the rooms not picked up standard?

Also, what kind of upgrades have you been able to get hotels to throw in? free suites, lower rates etc?

THANK YOU SO MUCH~!!!

umm...that's crazy!! i have not heard of that at all. we just sent out hotel block contract---we are not responsible for ANY part of unbooked rooms. they are simply released from any hold if not booked 1 month prior to the date---but if they have space left and our guests book less than 30 days before--they will give them the discounted rate.

basically our hotel will give our wedding guests a reduced rate--and shuttle transportation from macarthur airport. we are getting a free king room the night of our wedding if at least 80% book from the hold.

that 50% thing sound a bit shady--but that's JMHO.

Tracy&Brian Posted: May 09, 2006 02:02 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

We were able to negotiate a lower rate and block 10 rooms at the Wingate Inn for $139 (normal room rate is $199 for a holiday weekend). We are not responsible for any rooms that do not get booked and we did not have to put any money down. We were able to book our own room for our wedding night. We did not opt for the suite and instead booked a king room for $139, but they offer a variety of Bridal Suite options. As a registered Fortunoff Bride, the Wingate is offering us complimentary late check out, chocolates, champagne, strawberries and fresh flowers in our room. They are also going to be offering us a shuttle for our guests at a discounted rate. We can get a free shuttle if 15 rooms get booked. Also, they are keeping the hotel bar open for our guests until 3am.

Hope that helps! Good luck.

ChrissynRicky Posted: May 09, 2006 02:05 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

We got poopie for blocking our rooms...but for blocking, if half the rooms were not booked a month in advance of the event, we were liable to pay for 50% of the rooms.

Fortunately, we blocked 10, and had 11.

pigs222seal Posted: May 09, 2006 02:07 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

Posted by evnme

for our oot hotel, if there were rooms in our block that didnt get booked, we werent charged anything.

Same here!

pigs222seal Posted: May 09, 2006 02:07 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

Posted by ChrissynRicky

We got poopie for blocking our rooms...but for blocking, if half the rooms were not booked a month in advance of the event, we were liable to pay for 50% of the rooms.

Fortunately, we blocked 10, and had 11.

Wooo...that's lucky!

sandelion23 Posted: May 09, 2006 02:09 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

WOW, thanks girls you ROCK~!!!

i'm going to take this and go back into negotiations with my hotel.

THANKS SO MUCH~!

LaurenluvsTJ Posted: May 09, 2006 02:18 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

We didn't have to pay anything. IF the rooms weren't booked a month before the date, then they were released and no longer part of the room block- meaning if someone called to book a room after the cut-off date, then they 1)weren't guartanteed a room and 2) didn't get the 'block' rate.

SunBride07 Posted: May 09, 2006 02:22 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

Every hotel is different. I specifically looked for one that wouldn't make me responsible for any of the rooms - we don't have to pay anything but the rooms will be released 1 month prior to the date of the wedding. FM me if you want more info.

R&J0806 Posted: May 09, 2006 02:23 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

The Inn @ Fox Hollow charges you for rooms that are not booked -- personally, I think that is B.S.

What I've found at other hotels (and what I've booked) is a system where they block out 15 rooms for you and release them back into inventory a month before your wedding. If all the rooms get blocked, then they'll block more for you upon request. They also give group discounts.

I booked Four Points by Sheraton in Plainview and a Marriott/Fairfield Inn in Syosset.

CLMon7906 Posted: May 09, 2006 02:27 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

my only/best piece of advice is: do not book anywhere that asks/requires you to pay a deposit or for part of the rooms in any way. some offer a slight discount on the price if a certain % is booked (like if you book 10 rooms and 7 get booked, then those guests receive the lower rate, but if you only get 4 booked, they pay the regular rate)

sarahradio5 Posted: May 09, 2006 02:27 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

I got married in November, and I believe I booked mine a year in advance. I am so happy because I LOVE my hotel (Plainview Marriott Residence Inn). They have AMAZING amenities - and an amazing restaurant where we're having our rehearsal dinner. We reserved 20 rooms for Saturday night (the night of my rehearsal dinner) and 25 for Sunday night. If I remember correctly, the locked rate will be 139/room/night. And I am not responsible for any rooms not booked. We're also paying about $160 extra to keep the bar open a little later after the wedding, and we'll hopefully have some snacks to pick on as we continue the celebration. . And breakfast is included with the guests' rate!

If the room is available that night, they will upgrade me to a suite.

FallBride05 Posted: May 09, 2006 02:43 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

Posted by evnme

for our oot hotel, if there were rooms in our block that didnt get booked, we werent charged anything.

Same here.

I also got my suite for the same rate that our OOT guests paid for their rooms and DH also got an upgrade to a suite the night before the wedding at no extra charge

ali120206 Posted: May 09, 2006 02:47 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

I think at most hotels it depends on the number of rooms you are blocking. Our reception is at a hotel and we're having a number of guests who are not from Long Island so we blocked a fairly substantial number of rooms. We're responsible for all we felt we needed minus 20. I just got the list today and we're in pretty good shape (some people might end up not having a room at the rate but, I sent out save the dates, it was their choice not to read them!)

SummerBride06 Posted: May 09, 2006 03:33 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

we don't pay anything.

i was able to block 15 rooms 'free'. if i wanted to block more, i had to put a deposit on them which i would NOT do.

if people wait until the last minute, that's their problem, not mine. don't put any deposit on someone else's room--find a different hotel!

CaseyVM214 Posted: May 09, 2006 03:52 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

Posted by melbalalala

It seems like every hotel is different in terms of your committment level $$-wise. I have to guarantee 10 'stays'..... each night a guest stays in a room it qualifies as a stay. If I fail to reach that I am responsible.

I got them to lower the $$ by a couple of dollars but that was about it. No luck with suites. :P I think they view it as they are doing the favor for you, blocking rooms and locking in a rate. Maybe when the time comes and you have 100 rooms occupied under your name they will kick in extras?

I got the same deal. I was a little disapointed about the suite thing

Maybride519 Posted: May 09, 2006 04:04 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

With the hotel I booked, they hold the blocked rooms up until a month before the wedding and then free them up again. At no charge to me. If we have at least 15 room booked, they will give us free round trip shuttle service or a discount on our bridal suite. This is with Wingate Inn in Garden City

October Bliss Posted: May 09, 2006 04:09 PM

Re: Blocking hotel rooms...PLEASE HELP

The hotel we blocked rooms at does not charge for anything. They discounted rooms for us, reserved 10 for the wedding. Any rooms not booked one month prior to the date will be released with no financial responsibility on our part. Any stragglers will get the discounted rate based on availability.