Hotel Accommodations
Is it time to think about hotel accommodations for your guests and you want to know where to start? Let’s dive into the dos and don’ts of tackling the accommodations component of wedding planning.
Here at A Little Party, we talk a lot with our couples about their guests' experience. The feedback their friends and family share on and after the wedding will play a role in how they remember their special day. Everyone will have their own unique experience, and one of those centers around their accommodations for the wedding weekend.
In the Central VA area, we are fortunate that most of our towns such as Lynchburg, Roanoke, and Charlottesville, offer quaint, historic downtowns that have a lot to offer to the guest experience, like farmer’s markets, coffee shops, and unique dining & entertainment opportunities. These cities also have convenient business centers with easy access to local airports, shopping, restaurants, and entertainment. There is a lot to be said for stationing your guests near Target, Chick Fil A, or the mall.
PRO TIP: It is important to first select an area to focus your search on and narrow down a list of hotels you would like to reach out to. We often suggest Hilton, Marriott, or Choice hotels for their points systems.
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So what should you be doing or not doing when thinking through when it comes to solidifying a hotel room block?
DO
Book hotel room blocks around 12-14 months out.
Consider having an event at the hotel - Rehearsal Dinner, Send off Brunch, etc. This can help you get more rooms or get access to a group block earlier in the process.
Think about using multiple hotels at different price points.
Offer a variety of room types in your group block - kings, double queens and a few suites just in case. Knowing this going into the room block inquiry will help!
Book this based on your guest list - do you have more couples, families, or more single people?
Keep in mind the travel time to and from the venue. Will guests have to drive? Will you need to provide transportation such as a charter shuttle bus?
Look out for our next blog on providing transportation for your guests later this month!
DON’T
Go into it thinking you need 50 rooms at one hotel. Most places will start you out at 10-20 with multiple price points.
Forget that some guests will use airbnb or other non-hotel accommodations.
Book hotels too far away from each other if you plan to provide the same transportation for both.
Ignore local events like Graduations, sporting events, local / regional festivals, etc. This will heavily affect your ability to reserve hotel room blocks.
Forget to post the cut off date to your guests on your wedding website and/or on your invitation’s details card. Most hotels will require any unused rooms to be released 30-60 days out from your check-in date.
What questions to ask a hotel when booking a group block?
What amenities does the hotel offer to group blocks such as free parking, complimentary breakfast, late check out, etc?
Are there any benefits to hosting additional events at the hotel?
How does your hotel handle welcome bags?
Is there a loading zone for middle to large transportation to pick up guests?
Do I have any financial commitment, aka a “guarantee,” if I don’t fulfill the block?
If a hotel contractually includes a “guarantee”, that means you are required to book, or commit, to a certain number of rooms within the group. For example, if you block 10 rooms and there is a 80% guarantee on the contract, you are contractually obligated to book 8 rooms.
So as you begin to think through hotel accommodations, remember to keep these dos and don’ts in your mind so that the process can be seamless and hassle free for both you and your guests!
