Planners, when you submit requests for proposals to hotel companies, what’s on your list of must-haves and nice-to-haves? Hoteliers, what concessions are easily doable and which are cringe-worthy?
As you start getting ready to negotiate post-pandemic meetings, take a look at this major company’s list of 45 potential concessions:
Rooms & Rates
1. Extend room rate three days before and three days after official meeting dates
2. All sleeping rooms three days before and three days after will count toward final room block.
3. One complimentary sleeping room for every 35 room nights
4. Two complimentary meeting planner sleeping rooms for duration of the program
5. Five staff rooms at 50 percent of room rate for the duration of the program
6. Complimentary one-bedroom suite
7. Five upgrades to junior suites
8. Four upgrades to concierge or club level
9. Breakfast included in room rate
10. Four complimentary room nights for pre-planning visit
11. Complimentary newspapers for VIPs (local, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today)
12. Complimentary daily use of the health club and/or spa for the entire group (or for VIPs at least)
13. Turndown service for entire group (or for VIPs at least)
14. Complimentary high-speed Internet access in guest rooms
15. 10 Complimentary VIP amenities
16. Four complimentary roundtrip airport transfers
17. Spa treatment discounts for attendees
18. Golf course discount for attendees
Attrition, Fees, & Billing
19. Establishing a master account. [Company] to pay all undisputed charges within 45 business days of receipt of a detailed invoice
20. 30 percent allowable guest room attrition on original contracted block
21. All food-and-beverage minimums waived.
22. 20 percent allowable F&B attrition
23. If F&B spend exceeds the expected amount in the contract by 5 percent, monetary credit will be issued to the master bill
24. No charge to re-plate breakfast pastries daily for morning break
25. 10 percent off of current year’s banquet menu pricing
26. Justification of gratuity/service charge over 22 percent
27. No gratuity service charges will be payable on cancellation penalties if applicable
28. No charge for luggage/bag storage for participants should program completion time not coincide with hotel’s checkout time
29. All bartender fees waived and chef’s fees waived at buffets
30. Waive delivery charges to guest rooms
31. Discount on business service fees
33. No resort fees
34. 20 discount parking vouchers
Meeting Space & AV/Internet
35. 20 percent off use of in house audiovisual equipment
36. No charge to use outside audiovisual/production company
37. No charge for easel rentals or lecterns
38. Complimentary high-speed Internet access in general session room, breakout rooms, staff workroom, and registration area
39. Complimentary meeting/function space
40. No charge by hotel for installation of phone/fax lines or Internet setup at registration desk or in function rooms
41. Complimentary pads, pencils, hard candies, and pitchers of ice water in meeting rooms
42. Complimentary spa registration desk/representative on registration day
43. Complimentary golf registration desk/representative on registration day
44. One complimentary LCD projector package for breakout session
45. Waitstaff ratio of 1 per 20 for seated functions
