There are four key things to keep in mind when going on a hotel site inspection for a military reunion.
In conducting one, make sure you know what to look for during the inspection and what questions to ask.
Here is a hotel inspection checklist designed specifically for conducting a hotel site inspection for a military reunion.
In order to help you prepare, here are four things to keep in mind.
Cost
Getting to, and attending a military reunion can be quite expensive for many military personnel. When you take into account the cost of airfare, transportation, food, and registration, a reunion can cost each individual more than $1000 per person, if not more.
Hotel rooms are a large portion of the cost of attending a military reunion. Thankfully, many hotels make special exceptions for military reunions in terms of cost. They deliberately keep their profit margins smaller to help out the soldiers who once defended our country.
Where can you save money?
Get group rates from all the hotels in the city instead of just two or three. Just fill out one simple form and hotels in your desired city will respond with the lowest group rates for hotels. Once you have proposals with rates from hotels, it’s time to ask for some additional amenities for your reunion.
- Ask for free wifi, and free breakfast
- Choose a hotel that offers a free airport shuttle
- Will the hotel offer free shuttle service to nearby activities?
- Is there a discount on food and beverage if the military reunion blocks rooms at the hotel?
- Free a/v setup
- Ask for a free hospitality suite and complimentary rooms (learn how to select a hotel for a military reunion)
Your Audience (i.e. Demographics)
When conducting a hotel site inspection for a military reunion, your audience is the most important consideration. When looking at the hotel, make sure that they are equipped to handle your groups needs and are located in a convenient easy to get to area.
Things you should be looking for are:
- Does the hotel have elevators that are wide enough for wheelchairs?
- Can members of the military reunion be blocked in rooms near each other?
- Are the hotel rooms roomy? Or cramped?
- Are there grab bars in the showers?
- How will most people get to the hotel? If it’s by car, then does the hotel offer free parking?
- If most of your guests are coming by air then does the hotel offer complimentary shuttle service? How far is the airport from the hotel?
Hotel appearance and location
In addition to the standard things like hotel appearance and room cleanliness, there are other important things to consider when it comes to military reunions.
When conducting a site inspection, here are things to think about.
- Is there enough room for a registration desk in lobby? Or outside the meeting room?
- Does the hotel offer special amenities to military reunions (Flag key cards, red, white, and blue tablecloths, mini flags in the overnight rooms)?
- Many military personnel come with families so it’s important to have two bedroom suites and lots of nearby activities for kids and adults (water park, shopping, golf etc.)
- Hospitality Suite – Is it free and will they provide ice in the bathtub? Military reunions like to stock drinks (Like we mentioned, they need to save anywhere they can). Will the hotel allow food in the hospitality suite?
- How many rooms are on the same floor?
- Can all the meeting rooms and overnight rooms be on the same floor?
- What nearby attractions are there for military reunions? Most of them prefer to be near a base or to be able to see a ship, or a submarine.
- Does the hotel have enough meeting space to hold a military reunion?
Experience
If you are confused between two hotels, then the tie breaker should be the staff. Select the hotel that has the more friendly and experienced staff over anything else. Things to keep an eye on are:
- Approximately how many military reunions does the hotel host every year?
- How helpful is the sales manager?
- How helpful is the rest of the staff?
- Is the rest of the staff aware that you are there on a site tour?
- How big a piece of business is your group to this hotel?
- Did the GM greet you at all? Did he/she talk stay long enough to answer any questions?
Conducting a hotel site inspection for a military reunion does not have to be difficult. Once you have narrowed down your choices of hotels to three or less, simple visit each hotel with the accompanying hotel site inspection checklist for military reunions, and you will be able to make an informed decision that will lead to a successful event.
What Should You Read Next?
Take a look at some tips to help you plan an awesome military reunion.