Hotels

When do I need to start worrying about blocking hotel rooms for guests? What sort of questions do I ask hotels?

Hotels

I would book a year in advance. A set of room will be blocked and your guest habe until one month prior to the wedding to book.

As for questions,
*Do they provide a shuttle?
*Is the bar open if you decide to have an fter party and how late?
*What is the rate?
*Do they require a deposit or cc info (most don't)
*Any discounts if you book a certain amt of rooms?

Hotels

Also ask what the minimum amount of rooms you can book is and if you don't book your minimum will there be any financial obligations. I did mine about 10 months before and asked about all of the above and the ones I just mentioned.

Hotels

Also, if you guys are staying in the same hotel is your room comped if so many rooms are booked, how do they handle out of town bags, and even though it's November after what happened with Sandy, what happens in the case of cancelations due to inclement weather.

The inn at Fox Hollow included the breakfast the next day and shuttle, atleast that was what they were offering when we booked at Fox Hollow. Four Points in Plainview will match prices and Alicia is awesome to work with!

Hotels

At what point will they start adding more rooms into your block as your rooms book up.

Hotels

Thanks for the advice. I didn't realize I should start a year in advance. Maybe I'll throw that on my to do list this weekend. I was mostly worried they would ask me for a cc and charge me for rooms that weren't booked.

Hotels

You don't NEED to start a year in advance, but it's a very annoying task, so it's probably better to get it out of the way. Many hotels are terrible at responding to requests and at actually telling you all the details of the room block. There are definitely hotels that won't require you to guarantee rooms, but you may have to look around some. Also, make sure you get EVERYTHING in your contract, e.g., if they say they'll add rooms when X are left, then get that in the contract.

I had a situation where the hotel said I could only add 10 rooms at a time, even though I needed about 40 rooms. The person I was dealing with told me that booking 40 rooms wouldn't be a problem and that if she saw the room block getting low she'd add rooms. They messed up my block from the beginning by only putting 5 rooms in it, which my mom booked immediately. However, there is no system to even tell me how many rooms I had or how many were left, so I didn't know until another one of my guests called and booked the last room, and she was told that I needed to call and add more rooms. This was their system for telling me when to add more rooms, by telling my guests. It was a nightmare to deal with and they never added as many rooms as they told me they were going to, so even if I tried to keep track, a guest would still have to tell me when I was out of rooms. Many of my guests ended up booking outside the block, because they were just told there were no rooms left. Then to top it all off 2 days before my deadline to book rooms, they ran out of rooms. It all eventually worked out in the end, but I could have definitely used a few more rooms, and it was upsetting to have something so simple cause so much stress.

Seriously my hotel was the only nightmare of wedding planning, so take your time picking a hotel and make sure they'll make your life easier, not harder.

Re: Hotels

my moh just did this for her wedding in oct 2013 they should give a special rate for blocked rooms. she did it on the phone and didn't have to pay anything just gave her name and her date.

I'm different though I'd want to go see the place in person. before I go telling people to stay there & block rooms. find out if they offer breakfast, see what's in the area etc. see about shuttle buses too.

Hotels

we booked ours last may, about 18 mo in advance. we knew what we wanted and only had like 4 hotels to choose from (in the immediate area) so it was kind of easy.

you DEFINITELY need to see the place in person!!

Hotels

I JUST set up my room block this week with The Marriot in Farmingdale and my wedding is less then 5 months away. I guess it depends on the size of the hotel you are looking at.

Hotels

Wow... Reading this post makes me feel so behind. My mom asked me to start inquiring but I felt I had alot of time. Time to get the ball rolling.

Hotels

We booked the Viana about 14 months in advance, but we were not sold on it until we went for a tour and asked all the questions other Brides have mentioned. We are staying here,myself at least two days before the wedding and then our first night. Seeing the suites made all the difference. It's important to go look and book early IMO. Good hotels will book up early

Re: Hotels

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Posted by nella20005

Wow... Reading this post makes me feel so behind. My mom asked me to start inquiring but I felt I had alot of time. Time to get the ball rolling.

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Me too!!

Re: Hotels

I booked my rooms with the Marriot Courtyard in Famingdale I was getting married on Nov 11th 2012 they were supose block my rooms untill October 11th, 2012.

I had numerous people try to book a room before the October 11th, 2012 deadline and they told them there were no blocked rooms available I emailed my the woman who we blocked the rooms with 5 times and sent a fax to the hotel with no answers when I went down to the hotel I found out that the woman who I booked through no longer worked there. I only had 7 rooms booked so there was no reason for there not to be rooms available. My emails never got bounced back to me or anything.

They were also very rude over there. When the woman doing my hair called down to ask if someone could help her by bring up a luggage cart they told her this is not a personal hotel.

If your booked with Court yard just stay on top of them. Regarding your rooms ect.

Re: Hotels

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Posted by Karin

We booked the Viana about 14 months in advance, but we were not sold on it until we went for a tour and asked all the questions other Brides have mentioned. We are staying here,myself at least two days before the wedding and then our first night. Seeing the suites made all the difference. It's important to go look and book early IMO. Good hotels will book up early

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how many different suites do they have? I'm dying to go see that place.

Hotels

Do you guys know any good hotels in the Woodbury area?

Hotels

I booked my hotel about 6 months out...We booked the Viana, they get an A+ so far in my book. Very professional, accomodating, and pratically brand new. Def recommend for anyone who is looking and they include a shuttle as long as 8 rooms block :)

Re: Hotels

Amy32914: I'm booked at The Woodlands, right down the road from your venue and we are using the Sheraton Four Points. It is about 15 minutes away-Alicia is awesome and such a pleasure to work with. We've had no problems! They are super accommodating about adding rooms.