Many couples worry about the cost of blocking rooms for a wedding. They’ve heard horror stories of how much it costs to reserve a room block for their guests.
Some have heard that you have to put up thousands of dollars as a deposit. Others have heard horror stories about how so and so was responsible for unused rooms in their room block (costing the wedding couple thousands of dollars).
What most couples don’t know is that a room block should not cost a single red cent
Unfortunately, the only thing couples hear about are the horror stories and that prevents them from blocking rooms for their out of town guests. The result is that they have guests staying all over the city in all sorts of hotels, leaving everyone on their own.
So before you go about listening to all the misinformation about what it costs to block rooms, let’s just set the record straight once and for all. 99% of all couples will not need to pay anything to block rooms at a hotel.
How, you might ask?
Because most hotels offer what is commonly referred to as a courtesy room block (or an open block). This kind of room block is specifically created for smaller groups like wedding guests, sports teams, and small social events.
Most couples need less than 30 rooms per night and hotels are more than happy to provide a complimentary room block. What each hotel will do is give you a date that your guests have to reserve the rooms by. After that date (usually 30 days before the wedding), the rooms will be “released” from the block and your guests will have to pay the standard price.
So what happens if you need more than 30 rooms per night?
That’s a common concern with room blocks. And the answer is really simple.
Get courtesy room blocks at two hotels. You can get one at a higher end hotel and one at a slightly lower priced one so people can select the hotel that is best for their budget. Some couples will select a hotel closer to downtown and the other one can be closer to the wedding. Let your guests decide which hotel they want to stay at.
So how do you get a room block that costs nothing
You’ve got two options.
Option # 1
You can get a courtesy room block online by filling out this form. Just make sure to add the following in the comments section:
“We will give preference to hotels that offers a courtesy room block. Looking for a place for wedding guests where we don’t have to put up any deposit or sign any contracts where we are responsible for unused rooms. Thank you.”
As soon as you fill out the form, you’ll get group rates via email from hotels around the area you selected. In most cases, you’ll get group rates in less than five minutes. When you see a rate you like, simply block the rooms at that hotel.
Option # 2
Your second choice is to call each hotel individually and ask to speak to the sales manager. Ask them if they offer a courtesy room block, and if they do, then ask for a group rate.
Regardless of which method you select, you’ll have a room block at no cost.
But before you get too giddy, remember one thing
Regardless of how many hotel rooms you need, make sure you read the contract that the hotel provides. Make sure that the hotel is not going to charge you for unused rooms, and does not require a deposit at all.
Plus, make sure that the rate they offered you is lower than what you can find online. Once you’ve done all that, sign away and your cross off the room block thing from your to do list.
What should you do next?
Wedding season is busy season for hotels and rooms go fast, taking rates up even faster. The earlier you book, the better chance you have of getting the exact hotel you want. Block rooms now by filling out this form.