You’ve booked your venue, set your date and sent out your save-the-dates, now it’s time to book hotel rooms for your guests! When thinking about where to book a wedding room block there’s a lot to think about but here’s 5 factors to consider to help you pick the right hotel for your wedding room block.
Distance from ceremony and/or reception.
Factor in the maximum distance away from your wedding venue you’d like guests to stay. Remember, hotels further from the venue mean longer travel time to and from the wedding (i.e. late wedding guests!). Depending on your venue location we recommend booking a hotel as close to the venue as possible but if you have multiple venues or there isn’t a hotel near your venue, we recommend 30 min. max.
Attractions in surrounding area.
There’s always down time during the wedding weekend—before the rehearsal dinner, all day before the wedding and after the goodbye brunch. Think about booking hotels near popular attractions such as a walkable town, fun dining, shopping (for last minute necessities or souvenirs!) or activities. But remember this is secondary to booking a hotel that’s near your venue because the goal is to make it as easy for your guests to get to your wedding as possible, especially when they’re coming back after the wedding and are tired from dancing all night long.
Transportation options.
Make sure your guests have a way to get to and from the airport or nearest transportation hub (think train or bus station). Some hotels offer airport and town shuttles, and for guests with a car, ask about parking options. Also Uber has started offering codes for events which you can sign up for and offer your guests.
Price per room.
Choosing an affordable hotel is important but that doesn’t mean book the cheapest of the cheap. You still want your guests to be comfortable in a clean room so we recommend going with the overall best value. Maybe there’s a hotel that’s $10 more but it has a bar, 24 hr. room service, fitness center, etc. v. a hotel that only has rooms and no food onsite. For the $10 more it might be worth going with the hotel that’s offering more comforts. Don’t worry- because we’re constantly checking hotel rates and seeing what the average is in the area, we’ll point it out to you when we see a great value.
Amenities.
Last but not least—amenities! Nothing is nicer than relaxing poolside, enjoying the sauna, making use of the hotel gym and spa or sending your dress or suit to be pressed before the festivities, so think about the hotel you’re booking with a well-rounded view. The rate is important but if it’s not a glaring different, selecting a hotel with nice amenities might is often the better choice.
