Room Blocks
Chelsea Abril Photography
You've picked a wedding date, booked a venue... now what? The next step for a lot of clients is looking for a room block for their guests. If your wedding is at a hotel, a room block is often easy - work with that hotel to get a room block for your guests. Easy peasy! But what if you're getting married at a venue like Lanikuhonua or Kualoa Ranch, or what if your guests want to stay in Waikiki and your wedding is somewhere else?
Keep reading for my top 5 tips to securing a room block everyone will love:
First, it's important to understand why you'd want a room block. Most couples will book one with a couple factors in mind - (1) ideally all of their guests will be together during their entire stay, (2) a room block often offers a discounted price on the room, and (3) transportation to and from the wedding is easier from one pick up spot.
Next, keep in mind that there are different types of room blocks - some require you to guarantee a specific number of rooms (with room for attrition), and some don't require a minimum room count at all (often with less of a discount). Figure out which ones makes the most sense for your wedding - you don't want to end up stressed a couple of weeks before your wedding trying to get people to fill your room block!
Think about your guests, and they type of hotel they'd want. Do your guests' budgets vary? Do their general needs vary (are they single, do they have small kids)? These details will affect their desired room type. A room block will only allow you to book one type of room at one hotel - will this be enough to please everyone?
Do your guests travel a lot for work or pleasure? They may be loyal to specific chains, like Hilton, Marriott or Hyatt. If this is the case, they might choose to stay at their preferred hotel to either use or redeem points.
Get help! Instead of having to call several hotels, negotiate prices and room types, and deal with all the specifics of a hotel room block, I suggest using a travel agent. My personal go-to travel agent is April, from TravelChicWorld. Email her if you need help with your room block - april@travelchicworld.com.