In this era of technology, making a hotel reservation is so easy that it can be done in a few clicks. But that’s not the case in the Enquiry about Booking a Hotel Room for an event.
The reason for that is that the event has multiple factors to consider that may differ due to various reasons like Budget, Attendees, facilities, etc. Now, looking into the aspect of the enquiry about booking hotels for an event, we must go through the basics of Event Planning.
Event planning can be seen as the overall process of budgeting, structuring an event to develop a theme, establishing a timeline of events, food planning, and reserving the event sites, along with other necessary due diligence. The whole process can be seen as the art of arranging, planning, and cinematography for an optimist, while a pessimist sees the same as a burden to arrange a lot of things. Well, no matter how one perceives it, making a reservation at the right hotel will be a part of it. In fact, it plays such a crucial role that it can decide the theme, target attendees, and other amenities as per that only.
Importance of Choosing the Right hotels for event
Choosing the right hotel may decide the course of the event. This is because the venue and amenities are the two most important parts of making a reservation. Though there are multiple aspects to event planning, a lot of them can be covered if you choose the right hotel.
Here are some of the reasons why choosing the right hotel for an event is important, and you can also look into them while you are making an enquiry about hotel rooms for an event listening.
Related:- Classification Of Hotel By Their Type
Location: Location is an important factor in any type of event as it impacts a lot of things like visiting members, image, and is capable of fulfilling your desired result.
Image: When an event is there, whether it be business or personal, an image is always attached to it. Choosing the right hotel or making an enquiry about hotel rooms for an event should be made with the image of the firm in mind.
Event Space: The main area where your event will take place is crucial, and the space should be able to meet the minimum requirements for your event. If the event space is not proper, the whole event may look crowded or empty in the most general sense; therefore, event space is also a factor to look into.
Though there are a few other factors to consider, which may depend on the nature of the event. Like when making an enquiry about hotel rooms for event listening, you need to look into the meeting rooms and audio-visual system as well.
The main purpose of this article is to cover the various aspects involved in making a hotel reservation for an event, the important things to consider while choosing the right hotel, and the preparations that are required for the event. This article will help you plan an event with all the possible requirements covered below.
Firstly, you need to identify your needs in order to make an enquiry about hotel rooms for the event.
- Type of Event- A lot depends on the type of event you wish to organize. Facilities, location, and Budget are directly related to this factor because the type of event also clarifies the target audience. For example, if you are holding a musical event, a huge event space is a must. If you are planning an event for dealers to meet, you may need more meeting rooms and the option of accommodation and other amenities.
- Number of attendees- Another key factor lies in the number of people attending the event. It directly affects the services that a hotel can provide and cater to as well. While making enquiry about hotel rooms for an event listening program where the number of attendees is less but the people coming are VIPs, aspects like valet, personal attention from the hotel end come into play. At the same time, if no. of attendees is large, then event space and transportation become vital to event planning and hotel reservations.
- Date of Event- The date of the event has both a direct and indirect relationship with the hotel booking. For example, a hotel may meet your requirements but cannot make a reservation with you due to prior commitments. At the same time, if you are setting the date of an event during peak wedding season, this may affect your necessities and services provided by the hotel, with the biggest issue being increased prices, thereby affecting budget.
- Event Duration- This part is also vital in making a wise decision when choosing the right hotel. Event duration has a direct relationship with your budget and possible amenities, along with other factors pooling in. For example, if your event is only for a few hours, your main focus would shift to space, theme, etc but if it is for longer duration, then you also need to look into accommodations, hotel capacity, and catering.
- Budget- When it comes to making an enquiry about booking hotel room for an event, you must keep the budget in the back of your mind as well. From season to hotel location and the services they provide factor into the booking of the hotel. You must prepare a budget beforehand so that you can make the right decision.
Once you have identified your requirements, we will move on to the next part of choosing the right hotel. Most of your requirements can be met by the hotel and its staff. So in a way, choosing the right hotel is very integral, and hereinafter you can look at all the necessary points while making the right decision.
Choosing The Right Hotel
- Location– Aspects like budget and location are codependent on each other, but still, the most important factor has to be the location because getting the target audience is largely based on location. For example, a location far from the main city may be problematic for attendees coming from cabs, or locations where the area is not so safe may affect the decision of female attendees.
- Hotel Capacity- It is vital to enquire about hotel capacity, especially if the number of attendees are large or the duration of the event is longer. Let’s say you have to enquire about booking hotel rooms for event listening and the number of attendees is higher, including a separate VIP section. Then you have to consider a hotel with more meeting rooms and huge event spaces so that the place doesn’t look way too crowded.
- Amenities and Services- Once you are satisfied with the event space, the next thing that will determine whether you choose the right hotel is the services that they are ready to provide for your event. It may vary from hotel to hotel and, in some cases, from location as well. Some of the things you should keep in mind are-
Meeting Rooms- The number of meeting rooms is solely dependent on the type of event you are organizing. If your event is in a category that requires personal communication or an individual client basis, then make sure to ask about the number of meeting rooms that are available or can be reserved.
Audio-visual equipment- If you are making an enquiry about booking hotel rooms for an event listening program like a Public lecture or keynote speaker discussion, then, you have to ask about the audio-visual equipment related requirements with the hotel. Though it may not be the main part of the discussion, for events like dias or single person speeches, it should be included amongst the hotel services as well.
- Catering- You need to ask about catering as well while making an enquiry because some hotels have the capacity to handle huge crowds or have tie-ups with other agencies, while others do not.
- Parking and Transportation- Another thing to remember is the facilities that the hotel can provide for parking and transportation. It becomes a key facility if a lot of attendees are coming from the local city only. The location of the hotel and guest list are some of the factors to consider under this heading to calculate the utility of these services. While choosing the hotel, this may prove to be a key service that they can provide.
- Rating and Review- Nowadays, it has almost become mandatory to check ratings and reviews of all things on which money is spent. Double checking can never harm you, and it is important because your event’s reputation is also affected by it. If you are planning an event that is not happening in your city or cities, rating and review become key factors in choosing the right hotel. It also builds trust among attendees who check it prior to attending the event.
Making a Reservation
Once you have made enquiry about booking hotel rooms for an event, you have to make the reservation for the same- There are various options available to you here below. You can pick one of your favorites. It will also cover its pros and cons in brief-
- Online Reservation- The most recent option that has shown some great results in this era of technology is making your reservation online. The best part about it is the number of options that open for you in a few clicks and also the comparison that can be made just by looking at them for budget. The biggest hindrance to it can be the small risk that it is not as it looks, and you would not be able to properly discuss things as per your personal requirements, though that is also possible in certain cases.
- Phone Reservation- Another option available to you is to make a reservation by phone. In this way, you have the option to properly discuss your needs with the hotel management and also clarify all your requirements, like Transportation facilities, catering, and VIP attendance. For example, if you are making an enquiry about booking hotel rooms for an event listening program like a book reading, you can consult about audio-visual equipment and VIP facilities for the chief guests. Etc.
- Booking a Large Group- Generally, when you discuss making a reservation for a large group, no matter which mode you use, you open up the option of availing of various packages from the hotel as well as the discounted rates Large group Reservations are beneficial for both sides, but sometimes they can hinder the quality of service if the hotel management is not efficient.
- Payment options and Policies- Payment options may vary from hotel to hotel, as may the policies. It is considered best to consult with the hotel about such details before making the booking payment. Like it was covered above, payment options are different for large groups or events. And it is important to ask about the refund policy and time available to you for the same.
Communication with the Hotel
Communication with the hotel becomes an integral part if you are booking it for an event or otherwise to avoid any confusion.
- Confirmation of reservation- Once you have discussed with the management and decided to make a booking, make sure to confirm the same after the final discussion to avoid any later confusion.
- Special Requests- Before confirming your reservation, make sure to mention any special requests for your event or attendees, so they can check whether they can address them or not. It can be regarding the attendees or accommodations, and in most cases, it can be about food and special diets.
- Changes to Reservation- It may happen that, due to some reasons, you have changed a few things. It is advised to inform the hotel beforehand about any such changes to avoid confusion and so that it does not implicate your payment.
- Cancellation Policies- While making an enquiry about booking hotel rooms for an event or in other cases as well, it is best to discuss the cancellation policy preemptively if any such situation arises due to unforeseen reasons. Also, remember to discuss the time limitation for the same.
Preparing for the event
Before your event starts, you need to make sure all the preparations are made as per your requirements and schedule. For that, you need to look into the aspects below-
- Room Setup- The first thing to check is whether the room setup is as per your plan. Make sure to look into the details, as these little details may affect your event’s performance and review.
- Audio- visual Equipment- in Room setup, it is essential to double check the audio–visual setup and the quality, as this determines the impact of the main act or the display part of the event. There is no way your event can be successful if this setup is faulty.
- Food and Beverages- To cover the whole event nicely, you have to look into the food and beverage part as well while preparing for the event to ensure that services are on time for the attendees. This also impacts the satisfaction level of the attendees directly.
- Accommodation- You should also remember to enquire about accommodations with the hotel staff, especially if your event duration is more than one day or an overnight event. From the perspective of attendees, as well as booking your desired hotel, they will also be more comfortable if the accommodation is also booked since they cannot cater to other clients due to such an event.
- Transportation and Parking- During the preparation of the event, you need to ensure that the management of transportation and parking is proper so that it does not cause any errors while the event is going on. It will also be important if your event is exclusive in nature and has guests arriving at different times and locations.
During the Event
The task does not end with the final preparation, it continues while the event is live and until the final payment. Here are some of the essential things to remember while the event is going on.
- On site Coordination- No matter how much effort is put into planning and preparation, the event can only be a success if the on-site coordination is efficient. It really helps in overall management and assuring the attendees as well as the special guests are managed well. Both your team and hotel staff have a role to play in it, and it’s importance increases if your event goes on for a few days.
- Staff and Service- You have to ensure that the staff and service are prompt in their actions to deliver the attendees a wholesome experience. If you have made an enquiry about booking a hotel room for an event in the VIP category, it is important that during the event all their special requests and minor issues are handled properly by the staff and the service is efficient.
- Handling Unexpected Issues- When the event is live, you are bound to encounter unexpected issues. You should cover it in risk management, and if your on-site coordination, staff, and services are efficient in taking measures, then such issues can be nullified on time without affecting your event or only in a minor way.
After the event
After the event has come to an end, there are minor things to cover so that you can finish your event in an absolute way and the attendees face no issue until their departure.
- Checkout and Payment- Ensure that the checkout process is smooth and as tireless as possible, as the attendees are already a bit tired in the end. The payment process should also be pretty clear to the attendees as well as the hotel staff to avoid any confusion and ensure a smooth checkout.
- Post event reviews and Ratings- It is important to cover this aspect for both future and current scenarios. Reviews and ratings are the best sources to learn about the success of the event and its shortcomings. You can use them as your rapo and cover these aspects in the next one.
- Continuing Future Relationship- It is essential from the attendees perspective and with the hotel as well. If your past event with them was successful, then it can save you a lot of time while planning for future events on a similar basis. And from the perspective of attendees, it is as important as any other business to maintain a good relationship with them.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the typical reservation process?
The process involves choosing the right hotel, covering all your requirements and needs as per your needs before making the reservation, and asking them about the refund and cancellation policy before making a reservation.
- How do I ensure my guests are comfortable?
To make sure that your guests are comfortable, you need to cover the various aspects, like handling transportation, to ensure all their needs are met during the event, like food and beverages, accommodation, special requests, and proper staff and service until easy checkout.
- How do I coordinate with hotel staff during the event?
The most efficient way to have a proper plan is to discuss it with the staff during event preparation. You can also assign a team dedicated to it. And also ensure that the staff has the schedule of the event before the event goes live.
- What happens if I need to cancel my reservation?
It is recommended to discuss the cancellation policy before confirming the reservation, and if you are in the situation of having to cancel the event, make sure to adhere to the time limit for the same to avoid any loss and to address the same to the hotel.
