Many of our couples are new to the idea of a room block, why they should have one, and how it all works. Here are some of the most common questions we hear to help you as you begin looking into room blocks for your wedding or if you are on the fence about having one.
What is a room block? A room block is a group of rooms that are reserved for your wedding guests. Many hotels will hold the rooms until approximately one month prior to your wedding day at a specified rate that will not fluctuate for your guests. Some hotels will give you a bonus if your group books a certain number of rooms (i.e. a shuttle for guests or a free or discounted room for yourself.)
Why should I book a room block? If your wedding is on a busy weekend, you will want rooms available for your guests, this allows you peace of mind in case hotels in the area begin to book up. It is also nice to have everyone in one place in case you want to hold additional functions (i.e. brunch) or have transportation picking up and dropping off guests.
Are room block rates discounted? Sometimes they will offer a discounted rate, but on a busier weekend it is often at a disadvantage to the hotel to create a room block for you (reserving 20 rooms with no guarantee of booking is risky.) Often, the benefit is not in the price per room. As stated above, sometimes there are benefits like a guest shuttle or breakfast may be included in your rate and no the public rate. The price remaining steady is the true benefit, this means if you book a block at a downtown hotel and later the NFL schedule shows a home game that weekend, while their prices online shoot up, your guest rate will remain as promised.
What if most of my guests are in town? When you go to a wedding, even one 30 minutes from home, do you sometimes book a room just so you don’t have to drive? I know I do! As long as the room block is a “courtesy” block, you are better off booking one, just in case! This way your guests have somewhere to walk or shuttle to easily and can avoid arranging a ride home.
What does “courtesy block” mean? A courtesy block is a room block where you as the “host” are not guaranteeing any of the rooms in your block will be picked up by your guests. You have no monetary tie to the room block. Typically wedding blocks are booked in this way and limited by the hotel to allow you to hold 10-20 rooms per evening, depending on the hotel and dates.
Alternatively, if you need a large number of rooms booked and you know they will be filled you can set up a contract with the hotel where you guarantee a certain number of rooms will be filled. You are financially responsible for a block where you are guaranteeing a number of rooms will be filled. The percentage of rooms you are guaranteeing you will book is sometimes referred to as the attrition rate.
How do Welcome Bags work for out of town guests? Many hotels will hand out welcome bags that you create for your guests. This is a great way to show those who traveled a little extra love and appreciation. Ask hotels if they are able to distribute these when you are talking to them about the block and if there is a fee associated with this service.
Does this all seem like too much for you on top of the rest of your wedding planning? Oh Hello offers a very affordable package to help you find, secure and maintain a block for your guests. Send an email to info@ohhelloeventplanning.com for more details or complete the form on our website!
Check back next month for part two on our favorite hotels in Downtown Cleveland!
Photo by @MarinaClaire
