hotel blocking

I was clueless too. If all of my OOT guests come, they could take up 40+ rooms. But, considering it is difficult for OOTers to make it, that number could be a lot less!

We booked with the Holiday Inn Express in Stony Brook. They blocked 10 rooms off for us, and said that any reservations made after these ten would be like a regular hotel reservation- if there is a room available, it is yours, if not, you have to look elsewhere. They will honor the discount for these additional rooms, so I thought it was fair. I think its still good that I have provided a discounted rate for my guests, but its their responsibility to book their room within a reasonable time frame. I have enough to worry about!!

My advice is just make sure you don't sign a contract somewhere where you will have to pay for blocked off rooms that don't get filled.

we blocked at the viana hotel and initially blocked 24 rooms knowing that we only had to guarantee that half of that got booked. In my mind, I thought 24 rooms was way more than enough, and all of them booked 2 or 3 weeks ago.. So I called and asked if I could add more, and they only had 7 or 8 more rooms for me to add :(

If your hotel has a similar rule to mine where you only have to guarantee half of the rooms get booked, block of more than you think you'll need! If you think you'll definitely get 20 rooms, then book 40! That way you will book the 1/2, but still have extra just incase

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Posted by annem13

Also if you plan on having room blocks, is it important for the hotel to provide a shuttle to the venue? Some hotels provide a shuttle complimentary but many do not. We have alot of OOT guests coming and we are currently in this dilemma. Since our budget us tight, we are leaning towards the hotels that provide a shuttle which consequently have higher rates. GL !

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I would definitely block at least one hotel with a shuttle, but you don't need to do it for both hotels if you block two of them. That way, the younger crowd who would need the shuttle will block that hotel, and the older family members who will drive themselves anyway will stay at the other one. There are a few hotels that will provide a shuttle for free, or will just add a few extra $$ to the guest room rate to cover the shuttle

I also booked at the Holiday Inn Express at Stony Brook, I worked with Maryann. You can ask for her and tell her you know me, she definitely knows me because I email her like once a week for an update on who has booked.

She also set it up that as we approached the first 10 rooms, she added more. As those fill up, she adds more to that. She said if, by the time the deadline approaches, we take up the whole hotel, that's fine, and they'll honor the discount price. After the deadline, if there are still rooms available, they'll STILL honor the discount price. It's great, because our family and friends don't have to pay anything up front, until the day of, they just have to put a credit card number on file to hold the room.

I'd totally book with them if they're close. If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask me. I'm a little insane, so I have lots of lists of questions I asked different vendors.

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Posted by sgf2

I also booked at the Holiday Inn Express at Stony Brook, I worked with Maryann. You can ask for her and tell her you know me, she definitely knows me because I email her like once a week for an update on who has booked.

She also set it up that as we approached the first 10 rooms, she added more. As those fill up, she adds more to that. She said if, by the time the deadline approaches, we take up the whole hotel, that's fine, and they'll honor the discount price. After the deadline, if there are still rooms available, they'll STILL honor the discount price. It's great, because our family and friends don't have to pay anything up front, until the day of, they just have to put a credit card number on file to hold the room.

I'd totally book with them if they're close. If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask me. I'm a little insane, so I have lots of lists of questions I asked different vendors.

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I wish I was closer to the hotel to use them, sounds like you really lucked out with the service I hope I get as lucky

Vintage wedding ideas
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Posted by sgf2

I also booked at the Holiday Inn Express at Stony Brook, I worked with Maryann. You can ask for her and tell her you know me, she definitely knows me because I email her like once a week for an update on who has booked.

She also set it up that as we approached the first 10 rooms, she added more. As those fill up, she adds more to that. She said if, by the time the deadline approaches, we take up the whole hotel, that's fine, and they'll honor the discount price. After the deadline, if there are still rooms available, they'll STILL honor the discount price. It's great, because our family and friends don't have to pay anything up front, until the day of, they just have to put a credit card number on file to hold the room.

I'd totally book with them if they're close. If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask me. I'm a little insane, so I have lots of lists of questions I asked different vendors.

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We did this too. FH had called around to about 20 hotels asking questions before we narrowed it down to 4. Then it was price, location, incl breakfast, pool and other things that made us decide on HI Express Stony Brook. Our venue is still out east more, but this has a free shuttle to and from airport which was important to us.
One of the problems we had finding a place closer to East Wind, incl East Wind was the expense. Riverhead and the immediate area was too expensive per night. We had to consider our OOT guests would be paying airfare for 2, plus hotel room and probably a wedding gift as well. Some might rent cars anyway, but if we ask a few other guests to drive them to the church, venue and back to the hotel if would be a help.
Our budget it tight too so we won't be able to afford a bus to the church and venue.

Shop around, narrow it down, and good luck.

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Posted by KimnAndy

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Posted by sgf2

I also booked at the Holiday Inn Express at Stony Brook, I worked with Maryann. You can ask for her and tell her you know me, she definitely knows me because I email her like once a week for an update on who has booked.

She also set it up that as we approached the first 10 rooms, she added more. As those fill up, she adds more to that. She said if, by the time the deadline approaches, we take up the whole hotel, that's fine, and they'll honor the discount price. After the deadline, if there are still rooms available, they'll STILL honor the discount price. It's great, because our family and friends don't have to pay anything up front, until the day of, they just have to put a credit card number on file to hold the room.

I'd totally book with them if they're close. If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask me. I'm a little insane, so I have lots of lists of questions I asked different vendors.

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We did this too. FH had called around to about 20 hotels asking questions before we narrowed it down to 4. Then it was price, location, incl breakfast, pool and other things that made us decide on HI Express Stony Brook. Our venue is still out east more, but this has a free shuttle to and from airport which was important to us.
One of the problems we had finding a place closer to East Wind, incl East Wind was the expense. Riverhead and the immediate area was too expensive per night. We had to consider our OOT guests would be paying airfare for 2, plus hotel room and probably a wedding gift as well. Some might rent cars anyway, but if we ask a few other guests to drive them to the church, venue and back to the hotel if would be a help.
Our budget it tight too so we won't be able to afford a bus to the church and venue.

Shop around, narrow it down, and good luck.

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I am getting married at East Wind also and have been having such trouble with the hotel block! The ones in Riverhead are over priced and the ones further West just seem so far for people to sit on a shuttle for. The Marriott in Islandia seems to be our best option so far. Close to the airport with shuttle, pretty reasonably priced for guests and they have a bar and restaurant. Does Holiday Inn Express in Stony Brook have a restaurant or is just an express breakfast thing?

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Posted by mrs2014

I would suggest using Kleinfield hotel block. They negotiate room rates with hotels near your venue (or any location you choose). I got several quotes from different hotels, but ultimately ended blocking rooms in a hotel that they did not contact. BTW, you can request that they contact specific hotels. Since I didn't book through them, I cannot comment on their booking process or fees. I was not charged for the quotes.

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THIS! And I did book through them. There were no fees, it was all free!

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Posted by DNTP97

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Posted by KimnAndy

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Posted by sgf2

I also booked at the Holiday Inn Express at Stony Brook, I worked with Maryann. You can ask for her and tell her you know me, she definitely knows me because I email her like once a week for an update on who has booked.

She also set it up that as we approached the first 10 rooms, she added more. As those fill up, she adds more to that. She said if, by the time the deadline approaches, we take up the whole hotel, that's fine, and they'll honor the discount price. After the deadline, if there are still rooms available, they'll STILL honor the discount price. It's great, because our family and friends don't have to pay anything up front, until the day of, they just have to put a credit card number on file to hold the room.

I'd totally book with them if they're close. If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask me. I'm a little insane, so I have lots of lists of questions I asked different vendors.

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We did this too. FH had called around to about 20 hotels asking questions before we narrowed it down to 4. Then it was price, location, incl breakfast, pool and other things that made us decide on HI Express Stony Brook. Our venue is still out east more, but this has a free shuttle to and from airport which was important to us.
One of the problems we had finding a place closer to East Wind, incl East Wind was the expense. Riverhead and the immediate area was too expensive per night. We had to consider our OOT guests would be paying airfare for 2, plus hotel room and probably a wedding gift as well. Some might rent cars anyway, but if we ask a few other guests to drive them to the church, venue and back to the hotel if would be a help.
Our budget it tight too so we won't be able to afford a bus to the church and venue.

Shop around, narrow it down, and good luck.

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I am getting married at East Wind also and have been having such trouble with the hotel block! The ones in Riverhead are over priced and the ones further West just seem so far for people to sit on a shuttle for. The Marriott in Islandia seems to be our best option so far. Close to the airport with shuttle, pretty reasonably priced for guests and they have a bar and restaurant. Does Holiday Inn Express in Stony Brook have a restaurant or is just an express breakfast thing?

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Just be careful with the Islandia Marriot. They require that you are responsible for 80% of the rooms if they are not booked. I was going to go there, but then I found that out.
Holiday Inn Express just has the breakfast in the morning.
I was wondering if any of you ladies who booked with Holiday Inn Express Stony Brook are staying there the night of? I know they have honeymoon suites. We only booked one hotel that way everyone is together.

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Posted by DNTP97

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Posted by KimnAndy

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Posted by sgf2

I also booked at the Holiday Inn Express at Stony Brook, I worked with Maryann. You can ask for her and tell her you know me, she definitely knows me because I email her like once a week for an update on who has booked.

She also set it up that as we approached the first 10 rooms, she added more. As those fill up, she adds more to that. She said if, by the time the deadline approaches, we take up the whole hotel, that's fine, and they'll honor the discount price. After the deadline, if there are still rooms available, they'll STILL honor the discount price. It's great, because our family and friends don't have to pay anything up front, until the day of, they just have to put a credit card number on file to hold the room.

I'd totally book with them if they're close. If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask me. I'm a little insane, so I have lots of lists of questions I asked different vendors.

---

We did this too. FH had called around to about 20 hotels asking questions before we narrowed it down to 4. Then it was price, location, incl breakfast, pool and other things that made us decide on HI Express Stony Brook. Our venue is still out east more, but this has a free shuttle to and from airport which was important to us.
One of the problems we had finding a place closer to East Wind, incl East Wind was the expense. Riverhead and the immediate area was too expensive per night. We had to consider our OOT guests would be paying airfare for 2, plus hotel room and probably a wedding gift as well. Some might rent cars anyway, but if we ask a few other guests to drive them to the church, venue and back to the hotel if would be a help.
Our budget it tight too so we won't be able to afford a bus to the church and venue.

Shop around, narrow it down, and good luck.

---

I am getting married at East Wind also and have been having such trouble with the hotel block! The ones in Riverhead are over priced and the ones further West just seem so far for people to sit on a shuttle for. The Marriott in Islandia seems to be our best option so far. Close to the airport with shuttle, pretty reasonably priced for guests and they have a bar and restaurant. Does Holiday Inn Express in Stony Brook have a restaurant or is just an express breakfast thing?

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So far as I know they do not have a restaurant, only the breakfast area. If you wanted to have breakfast with the OOT guests that are staying until the next day, you can rent a room where they will set up the food and tables and chairs and it will just be your group.

for the ladies who used the Holiday Inn Express in stony brook, did you get a free shuttle to and from your venue?