The Ultimate Hotel Room Block Checklist for Event Organizers

Effective room block management goes beyond simply booking a group of rooms—it involves creating a streamlined, efficient process that benefits both the event planner and the hotel. Whether you’re organizing a wedding, conference, or company offsite, the effectiveness of managing room blocks plays a pivotal role in the event’s outcome. Our SVP of Attendee Experience, Matthew Howden, has crafted this comprehensive checklist to help any planner keep their hotel room block planning process well organized.

Booking and managing room blocks is a crucial aspect of event planning that can significantly impact your event’s success. From securing the best rates & avoiding attrition risks to ensuring a smooth experience for attendees, every detail matters.

This comprehensive checklist will guide you through each stage of securing and managing a room block so nothing is overlooked.

Stage 1: Pre-Event Planning

Determine Your Event’s Needs

✔️ Event Type and Size: Define the nature of your event (conference, corporate retreat, wedding, etc.) and estimate the number of attendees.

✔️ Accommodation Requirements: Calculate the number of rooms required based on your guest list and any special accommodation needs. Based on the event, this won’t always be the same as your number of attendees. Find out how many people are local and will not need hotel rooms.

✔️ Logistics Coordination: Oversee logistics such as transportation between the hotel and event venue to ensure everything runs smoothly. Proper coordination avoids delays and keeps the event on schedule, contributing to a positive overall experience.

Research Potential Hotels

✔️ Location: Choose hotels close to your event venue, with easy access to transportation and local amenities.

✔️ Destination: Research your chosen destination to plan off-site activities and provide information to attendees on potential weather so they can pack accordingly.

✔️ Capacity: Ensure the hotel can accommodate your group size comfortably. For large groups, multiple hotels may be needed to accommodate your guests or offer different price points.

✔️ Amenities: Consider the facilities your attendees might need, such as Wi-Fi, fitness centers, business services, or local shuttle services.

✔️ Reviews and Reputation: Check reviews and ratings on travel review sites to ensure high-quality service.

INSIDER ADVICE: Use a tool like GroupSync Marketplace to simplify this process. Search, shop and book hotels for groups from a single web-based solution. GroupSync Marketplace simplifies the hotel sourcing process – leading to faster, better hotel responses.

Request for Proposals (RFPs)

✔️ Send detailed RFPs: Details are important, know exactly what you want/need, outlining your room block needs, event dates, and any special requirements (e.g., hospitality suites, late checkouts or alternate dates).

✔️ Initial Outreach: Contact multiple hotels (up to 10 is a good number) to get quotes and availability. Provide them with your RFP to start negotiations.

✔️ Compare Offers: Evaluate the offers based on price, amenities, location, and flexibility in contract terms.

INSIDER ADVICE: Check out this video from GroupSync for tips on what to include in your RFPs in order to get quick responses from hotels.

Stage 2: Negotiating the Room Block Contract

Understand Contract Terms

✔️ Attrition Clauses: Ensure you understand the hotel’s policy on room block attrition, which refers to the number of rooms that must be filled to avoid penalties.

✔️ Cancellation Policies: Review the cancellation terms and fees. Negotiate for flexibility where possible.

✔️ Cut-Off Dates: Clarify the deadline for room reservations to ensure attendees book within your block.

INSIDER ADVICE: Check out this article on 5 Tips to Avoid Room Block Attrition.

Negotiate for Added Value

✔️ Discounts and Perks: Negotiate for group discounts, complimentary upgrades, or added amenities like free Wi-Fi or breakfast.

✔️ Comp Rooms: Discuss the possibility of complimentary rooms or suite upgrades based on the number of rooms booked.

✔️ Early Check-In/Late Check-Out: Request flexibility on check-in and check-out times to accommodate your event schedule.

INSIDER ADVICE: Since many guests are booking closer to the event dates, making it difficult to accurately predict pick-up, you could;

• Negotiate with the hotel to include any reservations made after the official cut-off date in your attrition clause. This way, late bookings still count toward meeting your minimum room commitment, helping you avoid potential penalties.
• Negotiate a time-bound early bird rate to entice guests to grab a great rate and complete their booking early.
• Read this article: 5 Tips for Negotiating Rates and Concessions.

Finalize the Contract

✔️ Review the Fine Print: Carefully review the contract terms, focusing on penalties, deadlines, and any additional fees.

✔️ Legal Review: Consider having a legal advisor review the contract before signing.

✔️ Sign and Secure: Once satisfied, sign the contract and secure your room block.

INSIDER ADVICE: Use an eSignature software like DocuSign, DropBox Sign, SignWell or SignNow to name a few. This will keep all your contracts in one secure location, it also prevents poorly scanned and signed documents that get difficult to read.

Stage 3: Managing the Room Block

Explore Options for Managing Your Room Blocks

✔️ Spreadsheets: If you know everything about your attendees and have a simple room block with 1 attendee type, a simple rooming list (spreadsheet) could be ideal. Compile your list and send to the hotel when required.

✔️ Hotel Booking Links: If the hotel you work with has group booking software as part of their offering, this will help you automate the process and reduce the workload for you.

✔️ Software: Use professional Room Block Management software, like GroupSync Housing to reduce your workload, improve room block pickup and meet or exceed your contractual obligations to the hotel.

It’s features include:

• Sub-blocks: Create a unique booking website for each attendee type. Your delegates, speakers, sponsors & event staff may all have different room types, rates, and billing configurations, the unique sites streamline inventory allocation to the correct attendees.
• Shoulder nights: Guests can take advantage of Bleisure (Business leisure) and book shoulder nights at the group rate for a little R&R. This saves the guest from having to book a second stay via an OTA at the standard rates.
• Reservation edits: Guests can edit their reservation online reducing workload and stress for the event organizer.
• Import rooming lists: When you’ve received a rooming list from a group that wish to attend your event, easily import any spreadsheet (up to 1,000 guests) within seconds and eliminate manual data entry.
• Loyalty membership: Guests can enter their membership details and get recognized for their loyalty.
• Dashboard reporting: Measure the progress of your event at a glance.

INSIDER ADVICE: Groups360’s GroupSync Housing helps simplify the process and provides access to a dashboard to monitor the pickup and pace of your bookings. It can also help your guests book into shoulder nights, and allow them to book after the cut-off date at the rates you negotiate to help fulfill your contractual obligations.

Monitor Bookings

✔️ Tracking Reservations: Regularly check the pick-up status of room reservations to ensure your block is filling as expected and you meet your obligations to the hotels.

✔️ Communicate with Attendees: Remind attendees to book their rooms by the cut-off date. Provide them with a direct booking link, group code, or instructions.

✔️ Adjust as Needed: If bookings are lower than anticipated, consider renegotiating the contract terms to minimize or avoid penalties. You can also utilize attrition clauses to release unbooked rooms back to the hotel earlier, reducing your liability.

Stay in Contact with the Hotel

✔️ Regular Updates: Keep in touch with your hotel contact to discuss any changes or concerns as your event date approaches.

✔️ Room List Review: Regularly request rooming lists from the hotel to verify all reservations and any special requests. Frequent reviews help you stay in touch with guests who haven’t booked yet.

✔️ Plan for On-Site Assistance: Having on-site assistance during your event, whether from a dedicated hotel representative or an event planner, is crucial for swiftly addressing any issues that arise. This support ensures that accommodation problems or logistical challenges are handled immediately, allowing you to focus on the event’s overall success. On-site professionals provide peace of mind and contribute to a seamless experience for attendees, making them an essential part of any well-organized event.

Stage 4: During the Event

Ensure a Smooth Check-In Experience

✔️ Welcome Packets: Provide welcome packets at check-in with essential details like event agendas and instructions. This not only enhances the attendee experience but also ensures they have all the necessary information at their fingertips, reducing confusion and questions later.

✔️ Check-In Coordination: Collaborate with the hotel staff to streamline the check-in process, minimizing wait times and ensuring guests feel valued from the moment they arrive. A well-coordinated check-in sets a positive tone for the entire event.

✔️ Handle Issues Promptly: Be ready to address last-minute issues like room changes or special requests to maintain attendee satisfaction. Quick problem resolution helps avoid frustration and keeps the event running smoothly.

Monitor Attendee Satisfaction

✔️ Collect Feedback: Check in with attendees about their hotel experience, either informally or through quick surveys. This allows you to address concerns immediately and ensures that guests feel heard and valued.

INSIDER ADVICE: Online surveys are a great way to get honest feedback from your attendees. They’re easy to create and free on many platforms such as SurveyMonkey or Google Forms.

Stage 5: Post-Event Follow-Up

Review the Final Room Block Performance

✔️ Final Rooming List: Obtain and reconcile the final rooming list with your records to ensure accuracy. This step helps in confirming that all reservations were correctly handled and identifies any discrepancies.

✔️ Attrition and Penalties: Review any penalties or attrition fees and discuss adjustments with the hotel if necessary. Addressing these issues promptly can save costs and foster a good relationship with the hotel.

✔️ Invoice Review: Carefully review the final invoice to confirm that all charges are correct. This prevents any unexpected costs and ensures that your budget remains intact.

Provide Feedback to the Hotel

✔️ Post-Event Review: Meet with the hotel to discuss what went well and where improvements could be made. Constructive feedback helps the hotel improve future services and strengthens your partnership.

✔️ Testimonial or Review: If you’re satisfied with the hotel’s performance, consider writing a testimonial or review. Positive feedback can help the hotel attract future business and reinforce your good relationship.

Debrief with Your Team

✔️ Internal Review: Conduct a debriefing session with your team to evaluate what worked and what didn’t. This internal reflection helps improve future events and ensures continuous learning.

✔️ Document Learnings: Record key takeaways and update your room block management checklist for future events. Documenting lessons learned ensures that your team benefits from past experiences and continues to improve.

Looking for a New Solution?

For event organizers looking to streamline their room block management process, Groups360s Sourcing Solution and our Room Block Management Solution offers comprehensive tools and expert support.

Whether you’re managing a small corporate meeting or a large conference, we can help you secure the best rates, ensure attendee satisfaction, and avoid common pitfalls. Contact us today to schedule a demo and see how our solution can work for you!

This checklist will help you save time and money and ensure that your room block management process is thorough, efficient, and successful, no matter the size or type of event you’re organizing.