Trouble blocking hotel rooms

We had a lot of trouble getting hotel blocks lined up as well. Just keep calling and leaving messages, and eventually they'll get back to you! Be polite but very, very persistent.

Kleinfeld (yes, the dress shop) offers a room block service - just do a search to find the site. I did it all online and someone emailed me within a day and then reached out to a lot of hotels and got their offers. I received a spreadsheet of prices and amenities. I ended up not choosing one of those hotels as I went with a hotel I had contacted directly that didn't respond to Kleinfeld, but it was really nice to have the comparison. Unfortunately summers in my city are full of festivals and events so the price per night is higher than what I think people would want to pay, but I think people can make a good decision for themselves and search out alternatives like Airbnb.

If you think you need a block, and haven't gotten a response then the next time you call the properties you ask to speak with the General Manager (that will light a fire under their butt). I am a hotel sales rep, and find it incredibly frustrating that there are people in the industry that don't return calls, however don't be afraid to push. I experienced the same things when booking blocks for my own wedding, and was shocked at the lack of response. As for using programs like Kleinfeld or other third parties, just be careful because often those sites are collecting a commission therefor the rates being quoted are just a little higher to compensate for that extra percentage the hotel has to pay to the booking company.

I think that's fine! We actually didn't block hotel rooms because of the exact same issue!

When we sent our save the dates we just put an insert in there that said "Please book your accommodations as soon as possible" and then listed a couple hotels in the area!

Can you just use a different hotel? Or are you local to the area? If so, I would go to the hotel and ask to speak to someone in person. Room blocks are nice to have for your guests, especially since they are typically at a cheaper rate than if they booked it outside of a block.