Room Block FAQ's
What is a room block?
Hotel Room Blocks are a reserved block of 10+ hotel room nights during the week of your event. The perk of a room block is that they save you time, money and ensure that all of your guests as they travel will have a place to stay during the event you are preparing for. On average, group rates are 10% to 25% lower than standard hotel rates, and we find our clients love having the ease of everyone in one spot.
When should I secure a room block?
The sooner the better!
Weddings: As soon as the venue is locked in!
Sports Teams: As soon as you know your schedule
Corporate Events: As soon as the budget is approved!
This gives you and your guests enough time to decide, plan and most importantly, get excited about their travel!
Where should I look for a room block?
Well, that's for us to help you with! Your guests from out of town may not know the area very well and are trusting you about where to stay. Try to make sure they are not more than a 20-30 minute drive from the venue (the rule of thumb is no more than 10 miles).
Bonus: Find hotels within walking distance and your guests will love you even more.
How much does your service cost?
Much like travel agents, our industry certifications allow us to serve as an outside sales team for the hotel industry, which gives us advantages to find low pricing on a hotel room block for your guests. So, that means our service is free to our clients! (Awesome, right?) There is no onboarding fee and no hidden fees. The hotels pay us a commission based on your block, once your room block happens and is fulfilled after the event.
Contracted Block vs. Courtesy Block? Help!
This is a question we get all the time! Here is a quick comparison of the 2 types of room blocks:
- A Courtesy Block is a block of rooms held for your group with a cut-off date (usually 30 days prior to check-in). At the cut-off date, the hotel will release any unbooked rooms in your block back into their inventory without financial obligation for you. The downfall is that in order to get a courtesy block, most hotels require the contract to be 10 rooms or less per night. Most of our weddings don't qualify for this as our couples usually need more. Also, the rates are typically higher than a contracted block.
- A Contracted Block is for a guaranteed number of rooms at a guaranteed (usually lower) rate. Your group will be required to pick up the determined number of rooms, minus a small percentage called attrition slippage. Let's say you contracted 100 room nights and your attrition rate is 20%, then your group would be responsible for booking a minimum of 80 room nights (100 rooms - 20%) by the cut-off date. If you don't fulfill that, you will be charged for the # of unbooked rooms. Contracted blocks typically come with great concessions (see below), lower rates and larger blocks. Want to know more about Attrition, attrition rates and attrition policies? Email us at hello@theroomblocksource.com
What's with all of these legal terms?
There are certain key words you'll need to understand when reviewing the contract terms for a hotel block. Be on the lookout for these terms:
- Attrition or Attrition Rate. What this means: This number refers to the percentage of rooms that are allowed to go unbooked. This can be called the Attrition Rate, or fall under the Attrition Policy. There is no attrition on a Courtesy Hotel Block, only on a Contracted Hotel Block.
- Resell Clause. What this means: The hotel must try to book unused rooms in your block so you're no longer responsible for them if they're later sold to other customers. In short: You shouldn't be paying for rooms other guests are paying for.
- Concessions. What this means: Concessions are “special deals," typically discounts or complimentary services the hotel includes in their proposal. They can include waived parking fees, complimentary WiFi, suite upgrades, food & beverage discounts, VIP amenities, and more. These extras can help make the experience for your guests so much better, without breaking your budget.
I've got a block, now what?
We always recommend that you list your selected hotel on your event website and share with your guests. For our wedding clients, we advise on inserts in your invitations with the details and definitely on your website. That way, all your guests will be well informed and can easily click to learn more about the accommodation options available. If you have guests coming from out of town, it's also a nice gesture to include additional information on how to get to the venue or if transportation from the hotel will be provided.
How do I manage my hotel room block?
The room block contract is complete – what's next?
- Share the information with your guests. Make sure to tell them where to book!
- Plan special touches. What about gift bags for check in? We love this idea.
- Check the block often. Are their rooms left? Do you need to add more?
- Get your concessions! Get that complimentary upgrade or free parking!
Work with your Room Block expert team at The Room Block Source to help! We are here for you!