Again with groups

[Morticia]

We get this run around every summer. Have one pending now.
Bride: great, organized, polite, communicative. Family: ... what family? Come on folks, commit to the event; book a room; make her happy.
Actually, the only person on our do not book list came from a wedding a few years back. MOB could not commit, finally booked everything, then pulled early departure, leaving her family here. I had to corner her in the parking lot to get a card signature: entire inn at full rack rate, discount gone. Long story..

The only reason this took so long to complete was it started while I was away. I requested a credit card for the 50% before I left and was told they had to confer first.
Then I was gone with no access to the cc machine.
Most people hang up when they hear 50% deposit.

 

[Joey Camb]

Just for fun, they all called back to make really sure their reservations were cancelled. It's like a circus.
Unlike the people all from the same area who booked 4 rooms individually over the course of 2 weeks so I didn't know they were together to give them the 30 day cancellation for a group. Another holiday weekend..

Just for fun, they all called back to make really sure their reservations were cancelled. It's like a circus.
Unlike the people all from the same area who booked 4 rooms individually over the course of 2 weeks so I didn't know they were together to give them the 30 day cancellation for a group. Another holiday weekend.

Sounds like what I'm going through right now. Started as a simple all-inclusive elopement. Just the couple. Now family has all called and booked rooms. This really should have been a whole house rental. They were going to make it a surprise for the wedding couple. Uhhhh, not a good idea! It's the father of the groom that is driving me nuts. Now I've become a wedding coordinator and I didn't sign up for that!
.

Sounds like what I'm going through right now. Started as a simple all-inclusive elopement. Just the couple. Now family has all called and booked rooms. This really should have been a whole house rental. They were going to make it a surprise for the wedding couple. Uhhhh, not a good idea! It's the father of the groom that is driving me nuts. Now I've become a wedding coordinator and I didn't sign up for that!

WHAT! But then again the B/G screwed up when they told the family the plan and where!
This is why they chose to elope in the first place. To do it the way they wanted!
Add the charges! It is now a Destination Wedding!
.

Fortunately the B/G now know they're coming, except 1 brother is a secret. I've already arranged for a restaurant to stay open late just for them. The Fatherzilla now contacted me wanting me to take his payment for all the different services (restaurant & limo) so he can just pay in one place. You've gotta be kidding!
BTW, I haven't heard 1 peep from the B&G. They've been just terrific and when they arrive tomorrow, I'm going to give them the option of changing rooms and putting them in our separate cottage. I have to protect them somehow from their family!
What do you want to bet I won't even get a tip for all this nonsense.
.

at least I have an excellent reason not to do that - I pay 10.5% of turnover as tax so I would have to charge fatherzilla 10.5% more to break even - they don't want to pay the 10.5% so that's easy put off!

 

[MtnKeeper]

We only do whole house bookings which must be paid for by one person - no individual paying. The dates get held for 1 week while I send contract and wait for it back with 50% check. Not back with deposit in a timely manner, rooms put back into system. No other option allowed and it works for us.

 

[melissag]

My experience in sales taught me that weddings are the least reliable group. I have had brides tell me they want the whole hotel only to book only 5 rooms in the end. As a result, most lodging that I know will only commit to a certain amount of rooms and add more as needed rather than a huge block or you risk not selling out when you could have. Such as... bride asking for 80 rooms, hotel agrees to only 10 and will add more if needed. I would suggest the same being good for smaller places. So bride asks for 7 rooms, agree to only 3 and more to be added as needed pending availability.

 

[Morticia]

My experience in sales taught me that weddings are the least reliable group. I have had brides tell me they want the whole hotel only to book only 5 rooms in the end. As a result, most lodging that I know will only commit to a certain amount of rooms and add more as needed rather than a huge block or you risk not selling out when you could have. Such as... bride asking for 80 rooms, hotel agrees to only 10 and will add more if needed. I would suggest the same being good for smaller places. So bride asks for 7 rooms, agree to only 3 and more to be added as needed pending availability..

My experience in sales taught me that weddings are the least reliable group. I have had brides tell me they want the whole hotel only to book only 5 rooms in the end. As a result, most lodging that I know will only commit to a certain amount of rooms and add more as needed rather than a huge block or you risk not selling out when you could have. Such as... bride asking for 80 rooms, hotel agrees to only 10 and will add more if needed. I would suggest the same being good for smaller places. So bride asks for 7 rooms, agree to only 3 and more to be added as needed pending availability.

Because groups trend to take over all of the common space (lounge, breakfast room) we require they take the whole house so the other guests aren't deprived of the experience they want.
Thus, bride books the whole house and any unrented rooms she eats. The remaining guests can spread out to the empty rooms but I don't rent them to non-bridal guests.
We did that once and the non-bridal guests, altho the bridal party included them in all their activities, were very displeased and pushed their way into every family conference, etc.
Whole house or nothing. Once it became clear this party was going from whole house to half house but still wanted to use all the common space, I had to speak to the bride.
Our neighbors have a 100 room Conde Nast rated property. Weddings are given the rooms over the meeting rooms where the receptions take place. Bridal couple are responsible for paying for any non-bridal party guest noise complaints at $250 per room. They are filled with bridal parties every weekend.
You do what works in the location you have.
Others in town take no deposits, 100% deposits, damage deposits, whatever they deem appropriate for the guests they get.

 

[OnTheShore]

My experience in sales taught me that weddings are the least reliable group. I have had brides tell me they want the whole hotel only to book only 5 rooms in the end. As a result, most lodging that I know will only commit to a certain amount of rooms and add more as needed rather than a huge block or you risk not selling out when you could have. Such as... bride asking for 80 rooms, hotel agrees to only 10 and will add more if needed. I would suggest the same being good for smaller places. So bride asks for 7 rooms, agree to only 3 and more to be added as needed pending availability..

My experience in sales taught me that weddings are the least reliable group. I have had brides tell me they want the whole hotel only to book only 5 rooms in the end. As a result, most lodging that I know will only commit to a certain amount of rooms and add more as needed rather than a huge block or you risk not selling out when you could have. Such as... bride asking for 80 rooms, hotel agrees to only 10 and will add more if needed. I would suggest the same being good for smaller places. So bride asks for 7 rooms, agree to only 3 and more to be added as needed pending availability.

Because groups trend to take over all of the common space (lounge, breakfast room) we require they take the whole house so the other guests aren't deprived of the experience they want.
Thus, bride books the whole house and any unrented rooms she eats. The remaining guests can spread out to the empty rooms but I don't rent them to non-bridal guests.
We did that once and the non-bridal guests, altho the bridal party included them in all their activities, were very displeased and pushed their way into every family conference, etc.
Whole house or nothing. Once it became clear this party was going from whole house to half house but still wanted to use all the common space, I had to speak to the bride.
Our neighbors have a 100 room Conde Nast rated property. Weddings are given the rooms over the meeting rooms where the receptions take place. Bridal couple are responsible for paying for any non-bridal party guest noise complaints at $250 per room. They are filled with bridal parties every weekend.
You do what works in the location you have.
Others in town take no deposits, 100% deposits, damage deposits, whatever they deem appropriate for the guests they get.
.

At our place, wedding parties don't necessarily have to book all of the cottages, but do have to book at least those cottages to which access would be impacted by their events -- well, they don't have to actually book and pay for those cottages themselves, rather they just have to guarantee they will be booked by wedding guests, with the guarantee coming out of their security deposit if the specified cottages do not get booked. We collect payment on a monthly payment plan, with payments applied first to event facility fee, then security deposit, then finally cottage rents; and with strict cancellation terms.

 

[Morticia]

They're baaaaack...
Heard from them again wanting written proof I wasn't charging them for their non-reservation.
Apparently my word that they didn't have a rez wasn't good enough.

 

[Copperhead]

They're baaaaack...
Heard from them again wanting written proof I wasn't charging them for their non-reservation.
Apparently my word that they didn't have a rez wasn't good enough..

At this point nothing you can say is good enough. So Why Bother. They will see or in this case NOT see any transaction in their CC statement. That will be their proof.

 

[Arks]

They're baaaaack...
Heard from them again wanting written proof I wasn't charging them for their non-reservation.
Apparently my word that they didn't have a rez wasn't good enough..

They're baaaaack...
Heard from them again wanting written proof I wasn't charging them for their non-reservation.
Apparently my word that they didn't have a rez wasn't good enough.

They always say you cannot prove a negative. I wouldn't do a thing, at this point, unless they pay you a fee for your time to deal with it.

 

[undersea]

They're baaaaack...
Heard from them again wanting written proof I wasn't charging them for their non-reservation.
Apparently my word that they didn't have a rez wasn't good enough..

They're baaaaack...
Heard from them again wanting written proof I wasn't charging them for their non-reservation.
Apparently my word that they didn't have a rez wasn't good enough.

They always say you cannot prove a negative. I wouldn't do a thing, at this point, unless they pay you a fee for your time to deal with it.
.

unless they pay you a fee for your time to deal with it.

 

[Iris]

They're baaaaack...
Heard from them again wanting written proof I wasn't charging them for their non-reservation.
Apparently my word that they didn't have a rez wasn't good enough..

They're baaaaack...
Heard from them again wanting written proof I wasn't charging them for their non-reservation.
Apparently my word that they didn't have a rez wasn't good enough.

OMG, yes, I know that feeling
Had a woman call and leave 3 messages for me to call her to see if her 1 night (rare occasion here) is really cancelled. And that AFTER I sent her an email confirming that I took $ 25 cancellation fee, blah

 

[April]

They're baaaaack...
Heard from them again wanting written proof I wasn't charging them for their non-reservation.
Apparently my word that they didn't have a rez wasn't good enough..

Just send them an email and shut them up

 

[user 26]

So if I understand correctly, you took one person's cc info but did not put through a charge and they are all worried that a charge is going to show up on her card. I'd send an email to just that one person that no charge has been made nor will be made against her cc ending in xx for a group reservation for / / 15 to / / 15 at xyz inn since the rooms have not been held for them.

 

[undersea]

There was a recent thread on the bride who expected others to share their wedding/honeymoon in some Pacific location. Romantic ideas have no bounds on how delusional they can be.
Totally agree with you. I do not plan to hold rooms for anyone, especially during midweek or the quiet season, unless they actually book and pay. People have no sense of responsibility anymore...
As I have said multiple times, I have been burned a few times by the perfect tenant prospect who wanted me to hold an apartment. Now, nonrefundable deposit every time.