Many of your wedding guests will come a long way to celebrate your wedding, or the wedding you are planning. It is important to choose just the right hotel. In my previous article, we focused on the pros and cons of an historic hotel. This article will give you additional guidelines on choosing just the right hotel.
Cost
If your ceremony or reception is being held in a hotel, your first point of contact would be the event/wedding planner for the hotel. This is where you’ll get the group rates. If the bride, groom, or their parents are military or a veteran, ask if they provide a military discount. The hotel may also provide the bridal suite as part of the package. If this hotel is costly, you may want to check the surrounding hotels to provide an alternate hotel.
__ Are the group rates reasonable?
__ Is there a military discount?
__ Is breakfast included?
Reservations
Call the reservations desk and see how responsive they are. If it’s difficult for you to get a response, rest assured your guests will have the same problem. A friend of mine called 5 times to make a reservation at one hotel and left messages each time; no one called back. Although the 6th time was a charm, I would not recommend that hotel.
__ Is the reservation desk responsive?
__ Are they courteous?
Registration Desk
All registration desk personnel are supposed to be trained in customer service and security issues. The key word is “supposed.” It wouldn’t hurt to watch and listen for a while when you check out the hotel.
__ Are they courteous?
__ Do they inappropriately share guest names and room numbers?
__ Do they gossip to each other and other guests?
The Rooms
___ Are they clean?
___ Do the showers/bath tubs have:
safety bars?
Non-stick floors or a mat to put down?
Soap dishes and a place for the shampoo?
___ Is there a place to hang the wedding attire?
___ Are the walls paper thin or are they adequately soundproof?
___ If there are tours, will it affect your guests?
The Food
If the hotel is the place for the reception, definitely check out the food and ask to see the kitchen. Often venues offer tasting opportunities where you can taste the dishes you’d like to serve. Keep in mind, they will be on their p’s and q’s for this, so you may want to just have an unannounced meal at their restaurant. Check out the kitchen and the Health Inspection Report done on their facility.
___ Is the food something you’d like to serve your guests?
___ Is the kitchen clean?
___ Are food prep safety standards met in the kitchen?
___ When was the last Health Inspection Report made? Did they pass?
Some of your most favorite family and friends will share this big day. You want them to be comfortable, safe, and secure with only positive memories to take back.
What additional suggestions can you share?
(C) 2018 Karen Van Den Heuvel Fischer