Wondering if you should block rooms off for your guests at a hotel for your wedding?
Let’s talk about some things to consider when deciding about whether or not to block hotel rooms for your guests.
Why book wedding blocks?
The most important question you may be asking is why book hotel blocks?
Simple, you want your guests to know that you care about them and have considered them.
Types of wedding blocks
The first thing to know is there are two different kinds of hotel blocks, courtesy and guaranteed.
A courtesy room block is a complimentary room block where the guest pays the fee. There is no financial obligation to you as the couple.
A guaranteed block requires either a certain amount of money down or a certain percentage booked. If a minimum is not met with a guaranteed block, then there will be some financial responsibility to those that arranged the block (ie the couple).
Most hotels and properties on the Monterey Peninsula offer a form of a guaranteed block, some properties do offer courtesy blocks but they are more rare, especially at larger properties.
Consider your wedding date
When booking a room block for your wedding you should also consider your wedding date. If you’re having your wedding during a busy season, or a holiday weekend, it would be a good idea to block rooms at a hotel for your guests to ensure they have somewhere to stay. Holiday weekends fill up fast with hotels, so you want to call early to block rooms. As soon as you know your wedding date, it’s a good idea to go ahead and start finding hotels to book.
Consider location and hotel brands
When booking hotels you want to consider the location and brand of hotel. Consider booking at least one hotel close to your venue.
Look into blocking rooms in several different hotels to give your guests different price points and different brand preferences that they’re comfortable with. For example Marriot Bonvoy and Hilton Honors are two larger points system and are most attractive to frequent travelers. I always suggest for larger weddings that you have a block at a mid-range hotel and an affordable option. If you know you have a lot of guests that would enjoy a nicer options then by all means block something nicer as well.
Other things to consider when booking
Other things to consider when booking hotel blocks are the cancellation policy, deposits, nightly minimum and what they offer guests.
It’s important to know the hotel’s cancellation policy. Some hotels want more notice than others if you need to cancel. Depending on when you may need to cancel, some may keep part of a deposit and others may have no cancellation fee.
Some hotels may also require a deposit in order to hold the rooms. That would be important information to also pass along to guests who may be booking.
It’s also not uncommon for hotels to have a nightly minimum. Some may require a 2-3 night minimum, especially over major holiday weekends.
If you really want to take care of guests, you can also look at what accommodations the hotel has to offer. Whether it be a free continental breakfast, free parking or a pool, it’s nice to know what the hotel can offer your guests. This part isn’t necessary and may be covered by blocking rooms at several different hotels.
Whether you are having a big wedding with a lot of out of town guests, or a smaller wedding, hotel blocks are always something to consider for your big day.
If you are planning your wedding and need a little extra guidance and assistance from an experienced team that knows all there is to know about weddings in Carmel and Monterey then reach out and let us guide you through the process.
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