6 Tips to Manage Hotel Accommodations

You've invited your guests. Now you have to accommodate them. Even if your wedding is not in a hotel venue, it may be useful to consider hotel accommodations in your wedding plans. You may need to do this for out of town guests or to provide safe accommodations in the event people will be drinking. Some brides also choose to stay in a hotel the night before the wedding to relax with their bridesmaids, or alone, to gather themselves and get ready for the big day.

Here are the 5 best practices to help make hotel planning seamless:

1. Research hotels. Not all hotels are built the same. Literally. Hotel brands are each designed with a specific type of consumer in mind. Some target corporate travelers while other target leisure travelers. Some may have a restaurant and bar while others only offer continental breakfast. Knowing what you need out of your chosen hotel will help you determine which hotel to choose. Don't make the mistakes of choosing somewhere that's close only to find out they do not have the amenities and features that you need or want.

2. Research rates. Researching rates helps you determine if you are getting the best deal. Research to understand core rates in the area and what is the norm. Be sure to differentiate between weekend and weekday rates and understand both of them for each hotel you look into. Always know what you're getting yourself into with rates.

3. Check Group Rates. Most hotel offer discounted group rates for booking a minimum number of rooms. When contacting hotels, ask for their sales department and try to negotiate a reasonable rate.

4. Maintain communication with the Sales Department. Regardless of whether or not you opt for a group rate, keep in contact with their sales department. Having a group of any size in house makes it difficult for hotel staff to keep up with your requests unless they know the details of your stay.

5. Never check in the day of the wedding. Nothing is ever guaranteed. The worst thing you could do is assume your hotel can accommodate an early check in and try to check in the morning of the wedding. Doing so runs the risk of you falling drastically behind schedule. Plan ahead and check in at least one day prior to the wedding to leave room for error. You should arrive shortly after the designate check-in time.

6. Be nice. Chances are you will need the staff for something at some point during your stay. You are more likely to receive exceptional service if you ask nicely and treat the staff with respect.

7. Communicate with your guests. I've seen guests be outright rude to the hotel staff because of details that were agreed upon during negotiations with the bride. If any of your guests have a concern regarding anything in the agreement, they should address it with a designated point of contact in your group rather than the hotel itself. This creates an awkward and messy situation. You should communicate the details of how to book the reservation and the rates to all of your guests. If you created a block, let your guests know that these rooms are part of a block that you have negotiated directly with the hotel.

Hotel accommodations are not hard. However, there is a lot of consider prior to doing so. You, as the bride and groom, have an obligation to work with and communicate with the hotel that you have chosen just as much as they have an obligation to do the same.