Group Hotel Booking Guide: How to Book Hotels for Groups

Whether you're organizing a youth sports event or planning a large meeting, group hotel booking can quickly get complex. With group travel becoming increasingly popular, it's best to arm yourself with the best knowledge and tools available to make the process easier. This guide aims to simplify the process, providing key strategies for securing the best arrangements that cater to your group's specific needs. 

From understanding the nuances of managing room blocks to selecting hotels with the right amenities and location, we'll cover essential considerations to ensure a smooth and successful experience when booking hotels for groups. 

What are Group Hotel Bookings? 

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Group hotel bookings, also known as hotel blocks, are a set of multiple hotel rooms reserved for a collective group of people traveling together for a specific event.  They’re distinct from simply reserving multiple rooms as they often come with special rates and terms tailored to the group's size, purpose and needs. 

These bookings can include additional services and flexible policies to accommodate booking hotels for groups traveling for events like: 

• Youth Sports Tournaments: For youth sports tournament housing, you’ll want to consider an approach that ensures teams can focus on competition while enjoying a supportive and comfortable stay. 

• • Hotels often feature amenities like pools and gyms for relaxation and training, alongside dedicated spaces for team meetings and strategy discussions. These accommodations prioritize proximity to venues to reduce travel time and enhance convenience. 
  • You may also want to consider the convenience of a “Stay to Play” policy, where teams participating in a tournament only stay at designated hotels listed within the official hotel block. This both streamlines accommodations for participants and leverages the buying power of a large group to negotiate more favorable hotel rates.

• Corporate Events: For corporate events, such as conferences, executive corporate retreats and meetings, group hotel bookings emphasize facilities that cater to professional needs. Hotels selected for these events typically offer well-equipped meeting rooms, business centers and high-speed internet for a seamless work environment. 

• • Additional services may include on-site tech support, catering for meetings and customizable room setups to accommodate various types of business gatherings.

• Weddings and Family Reunions: For weddings and family reunions, group bookings in hotels focus on creating a memorable and enjoyable experience for everyone involved on the special day. 

• • Hotels chosen for such occasions often boast a range of leisure amenities so that all guests can enjoy their time.

• Educational Trips: Group bookings for educational trips prioritize safety and affordability to accommodate students and faculty. Proximity to educational sites and availability of study areas are also key considerations to foster a healthy learning environment outside the classroom.

• • Such accommodations often feature secure environments and budget-friendly options for all students.

• Concerts or Festivals: When it comes to festivals, concerts or conventions, group hotel bookings primarily focus on logistical convenience and attendee comfort. These bookings ensure proximity to event venues and comfortable lodging options that can accommodate the influx of concert-goers.

What to Consider Before Making a Group Hotel Booking

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To ensure you save yourself some headaches making a group hotel booking, keep these elements in mind: 

Room Block Options 

Understanding the flexibility of room block options for groups can save you money. This involves knowing the minimum and maximum number of rooms you can book for your rooming list, the cut-off date for booking and any penalties for not filling the block.

It's also important to negotiate terms that allow for some adjustments, as group sizes can change.

Hotel Location 

The location of the hotel will heavily influence the overall experience. It should ideally be near the main event venue to minimize travel time. Accessibility to public transportation and proximity to dining and entertainment options can also enhance the stay.

Additionally, consider the safety of the area, especially if the group includes minors or is traveling to an unfamiliar city. 

Budgets

Establishing a clear budget for accommodations will allow you to see where you can begin negotiations. This includes not only the room rates but also any additional fees, such as parking, internet access or breakfast. 

Understanding the full cost upfront can help prevent any surprises and ensure the hotel choice aligns with the financial constraints of the group.

Hotel Amenities & Accommodations

Evaluate the amenities the hotel offers to ensure they meet the needs of your group. This could include complimentary breakfast, fitness centers, swimming pools and business facilities. 

Also, consider the types of rooms available, ensuring they can comfortably accommodate your group, whether it requires single, double or suite options.

How to Book Hotels for Groups

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Follow these steps to ensure your guests are well taken care of:

1. Research the Best Hotels for Groups 

When researching hotels for group bookings, prioritize properties that align with your group's specific requirements. Look for hotels with a proven track record of hosting similar group events and offering the necessary amenities and services. Consider factors such as room capacity, location and the availability of group-friendly facilities.

2. Make Group Hotel Bookings in Advance 

To avoid any last-minute disasters, it’s best to book your rooms as far out in advance as you can. Early reservations not only secure better availability and rates but also provide leverage for negotiations. 

Now you may ask yourself “Can I get better rates by booking rooms last minute?.”

The answer is yes, however, it comes with unnecessary risks. Booking last minute leaves the outcome of your trip at the mercy of another random group canceling their event first.  

You will have no way of knowing ahead of time if the newly available rooms will have the space, accommodations or amenities that you’re looking for. This also lowers your negotiating power since there are significantly fewer options at your disposal.

To be safe, make your group bookings early!

3. Negotiate Your Group Hotel Rate 

When negotiating your group hotel rate, use the size of your group as leverage to secure discounts. Emphasize the mutual benefits and potential future business to negotiate favorable terms such as complimentary rooms for organizers and room upgrades. 

Effective negotiation can significantly enhance the value you receive, making the stay more enjoyable for everyone involved. 

For more insights into negotiation strategies, visit EventPipe's guide on hotel contracts.

4. Create a Hotel Block Contract

A room block contract reserves a set number of rooms for your group. Make sure the contract details cancellation policies, attrition rates, and any complimentary services.

If this sounds tricky, you can simplify the entire process with an event management software like EventPipe to streamline your request for proposal (RFP). EventPipe connects event producers with the thousands of hotels in its network. From here, hotels can use the portal to view and respond to your requests.

You can also compare proposals side by side to choose the best hotels for your event and future participants and negotiate better terms for your attendees.

5. Use Event Housing Management Software

If this sounds overwhelming or difficult to keep track of, don’t worry! A modern hotel management tool like EventPipe can streamline your entire booking process.

Here’s what you get with EventPipe:

• Event Management: Vast network of hotels with filters for optimal attendee accommodation.
• Hotel Block Management: Manage multiple hotels, room types and live inventory.
• RFP Process: Simplified interface for room requests, concessions and negotiations.
• Easy Booking: Mobile-friendly site for attendee reservation management.
• Custom Booking Sites: Easily create branded event sites with no coding.
• Revenue Streams: Enhance branded sites with ads and optional extras.
• Analytics: Comprehensive reporting on financial performance to measure event ROI and booking trends.

More About Booking Hotels for Groups

Let’s answer a few FAQs on group hotel bookings! 

How much cheaper are hotel group rates?

Hotel group rates are most often cheaper than typical rates.  For more in-depth information, you can use EventPipe’s hotel search function to see the exact savings you can access.

How many rooms is considered a hotel group booking?

Most hotels will consider 9 or more rooms a group booking.  However, some specialty hotels will consider at 5. This can vary by hotel.

Do hotels offer discounts for group bookings?

Yes, there are often discounts for group hotel bookings, since it ensures them more business and fills more rooms at once. The size of the discount can depend on various factors such as the number of rooms being booked, the duration of the stay, the time of year, the hotel's policies, and more.

Streamline Your Group Hotel Bookings

Streamlining your group hotel bookings can relieve a massive amount of stress, and EventPipe is here to make that process as smooth as possible. With EventPipe’s easy-to-use tools, you can manage every aspect of group bookings, from finding the right hotels to handling room allocations efficiently. 

Discover how to provide a seamless travel experience for both organizers and attendees. 

For a one-stop solution to your group booking needs, explore how EventPipe can transform your group hotel booking experience.