Posts Tagged ‘hotel’
The Out of Town Wedding Guest
Wednesday, April 8th, 2009In years past it was common to have family and friends living within a few miles of your own home. However with today’s transient life style, it is not uncommon for loved ones to be scattered through out the globe. This will require many of the guests on your invitation list to arrange travel and have need for overnight accommodations while attending your event. Preparing for this in advance will help ensure that everyone feels appreciated for their attendance and enjoys your special day.
Where should your guest stay?
Hotels are the best and least stressful way to accommodate the overnight guest. The amenities provided by these professionals will remove any anxiety or added stress of “house guests” from wedding party members. Securing the hotel location and price in advance is always a good idea. Providing your guest a place for privacy, personal space, relaxation and keeping budgets in mind, will not only benefit you, but will be greatly appreciated by your invitee.
Things to consider when selecting a hotel
- Guest Room Rate: Whether you are personally providing the hotel accommodations or the guest will pay for their own, keeping budgets in mind when securing a hotel will benefit everyone. Generally hotels will provide a rate discount for groups of 10 or more guest rooms per night. Each hotel has specific guidelines for reserving or holding a “block of sleeping rooms”. It is important to be clear on these requirements before securing the rooms agreement. If your quests are paying for their own accommodations and you are expecting thirty or more guest rooms per night, you may want to consider two or more hotels so that your invitees will have a choice on price.
- Location: Consider the travel plans of your guests when selecting a hotel location. Will your invitees drive in, fly in or travel by rail? Convenience of hotel location and accessibility to the wedding venue seem to be high priorities on a traveler’s wish list. As well, access to area shopping, eateries, car rental or transportation providers are key to their stay be a success.
- Amenities: The average guest wedding stay is one or two nights. In this situation a hotel that can provide standard, spacious rooms with the choice for single and multiple room occupancy is best. Diverse room style options allow your guest to select the room that best fits their individual need. For the multi-day wedding event, a hotel that specializes in extended stay accommodations may be a better fit. These hotels generally offer larger rooms, kitchen or kitchenettes, and several room styles to select from.
Hotels that provide guest with opportunities for gathering, relaxing and helpful staff are added perks. Wedding guests look forward to “catching up’ with friends and family during this special time. Choose hotels that have ample locations for group conversations, places to eat, recreational activities and hotel personnel that will be able to assist your guests with their questions and area information.
How can you make your Out of Town Guest feel appreciated and thanked for coming?
Nothing makes for a long, tiresome day like travel. Whether the person travels alone or with a group, cramped transportation quarters, schedule delays, fast food or lack of, and unpredictable events can make for cranky travelers. A pleasant surprise awaiting your guest at the hotel is the perfect way to ease their tension and let them know how greatly they are appreciated and welcomed. Most hotels will gladly deliver the surprise to your guest upon arrival. Make arrangements with the hotel Front Desk team for this service.
Things to consider for guest pleasant surprises
- VIP Gift: Small, personal gifts placed in a basket or gift bag with a note says “you are special” to any receiver. VIP Gift ideas are as diverse as your guests. Ideas may include a favorite beverage with snacks, milk and cookies, candy, table games and books. Maybe you prefer local area items as in food, clothing, and post cards, just about anything as a souvenir of their stay. They key is to fit the gift to the guest.
- Get Around Town Pack: Information on area hot spots are a sure win for travelers. Provide your guests a local information folder containing a map with directions to and from the wedding event locations, complete with the venue addresses. Compile a list of area shopping centers, same day dry cleaners, restaurants, area attractions and local site seeing venues. It is best to provide information on events and activities for your guests to do before and after the wedding day to fill in their calendar while visiting.
Providing your out of town guests with information on hotel accommodations, attractions and services in the area, directions to special events and a quick note of welcome will ensure that your friends and family know how special they are to you and how very much you appreciate them coming to share the in the joy of your wedding day.
Contributed by:
LaDonna Dunigan Conner
Marriott San Antonio Airport / Medical Center
Office: 210-200-2155
Posted in Advice, Travel | No Comments »
Out-of-Town Guests
Friday, August 22nd, 2008If you are going to have guests flying in for your wedding, in addition to booking a group of rooms for them, consider hiring a car service to do airport pick ups and drop offs.
While it may seem like just one more expense, it is one that is well worth it. It is easy to arrange.
As you receive reservations from out-of-town guests, ask when they will be arriving.
Ask the limo or car service you have hired for your wedding day if they can offer a package deal to include airport transportation.
Be prepared with at least an estimate of how many trips will be needed and for how many people. Using your list of when everyone is arriving, you may be able to arrange for a shuttle to do the driving.
Make the same arrangements, consolidating as many trips together as possible, for getting guests back to the hotel also.
Another nice thing to do for your out-of-town guests is to arrange from transportation from the hotel to the wedding and reception and then back again.
Not only will arranging transportation show your out-of-town guests how much you appreciate them making the effort to share your special day, it will also relieve you and your immediate family from making multiple trips to the airport during those last busy days before the wedding.
Tags: hotel, out-of-town guests, shuttle, transportationPosted in Travel | No Comments »