Hotel Block Rates vs. Regular Rates?

Are the cheaper prices for the same dates? If so, I would mention it to the hotel and ask them to price match. If they won't, maybe let your guests know that it may be cheaper to book outside of the room block. Otherwise, pricing for summer is typically higher than pricing for winter.

Are those rates for June of next year or current rates? Tourist season rates are much different from other times of the year such as during the holidays.


Sometimes regular rates can be cheaper but a hotel block sets apart a number of rooms unavailable for the public to reserve. Since your wedding is in June during tourist season, it may be worth an extra $20 to guarantee space availability for your guests.

I think the point of a hotel block is to guarantee a place for several guests to stay and secure a decent deal. Maybe something is off? Make sure the dates of inquiry match your hotel block dates. If the hotel block rate is still more expensive, definitely reach out to the hotel to at very least price match. But honestly it should be cheaper!

View Quoted Comment Hi everyone! To clarify, the rates I listed are for our weekend in June that I looked up today.

View Quoted Comment If that's the case, I would bring that up to them. Block rates should actually be cheaper. That's why we did a hotel book-it saved our guests money on booking that hotel.

We had the same thing happen, but I don’t think it is normal. We booked at the beginning of COVID, and the variance was really large between the rates. Hotel rate algorithms depend on vacancy, so COVID is definitely adjusting them - and likely the person doing a manual room block for you is going more off normal rates.
Definitely ask them to match, but when ours wouldn’t we just added a note to the website to check rates online before booking with the code. (They don’t want to commit to a large number of rooms at a low price this far in advance- they are hoping demand will push prices back up).

The block rates should be cheaper, if they aren't I would mention it to the hotel. It could be that they lowered regular rooms in hope of making money during Covid

If those rates are for your dates next year I would contact the hotel and talk to them about it. You shouldn’t be paying higher rates.

It varies according to the market and area. Places where they rent almost every room every night, they feel like they are doing you a favor by getting a bunch of rooms all together, and holding them off the market for months. Especially since for weddings people booking the block usually overestimate the numbers, and wedding reservations have a notoriously high cancelation rate. So you pay more for a block than daily regular rates. But your people will all be together. ... Where places run on 75-90 % fill rate, especially if mostly weekdays fill with business travelers and Fri, Sat are more likely to have more unoccupied rooms than weekdays, They will gladly give you a discount. Even if they only make their overhead and little profit, these rooms might not have rented at all. So 15% to 20% off, especially if you are booking an extra reception room or suites that will wrack up room service orders at high profit, is economic sense for them. In which case you warn your guests, to check daily rates and any discounts their credit card, AAA, union group or other has, because your group rate is a little higher. They may rather locate in the same hallway, and be willing to pay 20 dollars for having friends or family next door.

I would mention it to the hoteland negotiate a lowered price.

Typically block rates are cheaper than the regular rates. I'd talk to the hotel and at the very least, ask them to match the regular rates.

I used to work in hospitality, this is normal in the since that it is the slow season currently. Do not compare your room block rate to what is currently the going hotel rate. Different seasons call for different prices, and the reason it’s cheap right now is probably because the hotel needs heads in beds in the winter AND Covid. Your block rate you received the June is most likely cheaper than the non-block rate in June.

View Quoted Comment The going rate in June is most likely much higher than what her room block is. You can’t compare a room block rate to a rate 6 months before your wedding. You have to compare it to what a regular June rate would most likely be.

Hi, I’m not sure as I have not done any hotel blocks yet for my May, 2021 wedding. But am curious to know. I’m still very nervous about having the wedding come May.

View Quoted Comment I looked up the rates for our June weekend and am not comparing to the rates for a room now. When I looked up a room for June 11-13 outside of our room block, those were the prices that I found. Is that still normal?

View Quoted Comment I’m also nervous about our June wedding. Best of luck!

View Quoted Comment Ohhh gotcha. My apologies! Yeah I would call just to confirm then!

View Quoted Comment Thanks for the insider insight! Much appreciated!

Our room blocks were slightly cheaper. If you can show their rate for the same weekend is cheaper, I would request them to at least match that for your room block rate.

They should be cheaper due to a group rate.