AIBU about wedding accomodation allocation

Yes, same here, and the hotel manager was a friend of my dad! He said it's actually not financially viable for reasonably popular hotels to book out a hotel just for a weekend as they miss out on people who would have booked for longer, as well as the regular customers who are really important too.

The hotel we got married at wouldn't let us book out all their rooms (even at a full rate) as they liked to have some non wedding guests (longer stays I guess?). I remember members of the family telling me there were free rooms in the hotel when they looked online - I'm not sure how they/if they were blocked from booking them independently.

This
Every wedding I have been to you just arrange and choose your own place to stay anyway even if it was in the wedding or reception hotel.

I am guessing if you have just found out allocation then likely they plan to refund you but have just not done it yet but worth asking

It may be that £150 was correct for the wedding venue rooms but that’s overflowed so they’ve now found this other hotel. Turns out it’s cheaper and they may be returning the £60 later on. Give them a chance to sort it out, don’t assume they’ve done something dishonest.

This is a good response. Not passive aggressive, nice and clear and honest.

Hi DN. We don't want to stay in the annexe, so are happy to sort our own accommodation out. Could you send us the money back and we'll book elsewhere. Looking forward to the wedding!

Job done.

It's not "stressful" to accommodate people. If it's too much, then don't organise it as part of the wedding. You don't treat people like that, and getting married doesn't mean you have to be thoughtless.
I'm wondering if the whole accommodation thing is one of those deals where there's a financial benefit to the couple? I've come across that before. Contact them and say you'll pay £90, which is fair.
Going to a wedding shouldn't be like this.

Agree with this. You can question the price difference but not the fact you’re somewhere different. They’ve probably had a nightmare trying to accommodate everyone. Uncle of the groom isn’t necessarily a priority.

I wouldn’t even add you found online that it’s cheaper - that being put in a separate hotel doesn’t suit you is fine and they can transfer back the funds. You can then choose where you want to stay and book if you don’t want to drive home.

It’s his nephew, there will be closer family (plus their friends) that will take priority over first come first serve.

I would book the £90 room, then contact DN to say "Hi, great news, we happened to spot a cancellation available at the hotel for your wedding for £90 so we booked it. Are you able to get a refund on the £150 room, or allocate it to anyone else still looking? X"

I think you should say you might not stay the night after all as it's not at the venue. Could they please send you a refund. They sound have absolutely asked you first if it was ok before they booked it.

Seriously I can't see the big deal. They tried to help family out by organising rooms. There weren't enough. They have found you somewhere else, hardly any distance away.
Leave your car at the hotel you are staying in..get a cab to wedding and back (or drive if not both drinking). Drive over for breakfast the next day.
If you are really worried about £60 and 2 x 5 min taxi rides, and a breakfast then take account of that privately in their gift.
Priority would have gone to both sides immediate family, wedding party members (best man, bridesmaids, ushers etc) and close friends. I wouldn't expect to be given top priority in my nephew's wedding plans.
Enjoy the free food and disco and the wedding

They didn't have to do this though. They could have just told guests the accommodation options and got them to book themselves.

Just from another POV I found organising stuff like this when I got married just awful, trying to keep everyone happy.
Do you think they have put you there because they think that you are easier to please than some of the other guests? Also as your driving it's easier for you for you to be a bit further away?
Defo ask for your money back tough

It's reasonable to ask for the £60 difference in price back

It's unreasonable to be miffed about being bumped to a different building - It's not like you are going to be one of the closest family members and they can't magic up more bedrooms at the venue.

And the £90 is for a double occupancy and is available on the dates?

I often think that hotel says they’ve offered a good rate for a group booking and it’s always more expensive. They’re very cheeky

Definitely this!

Don't do this. Omg some people 🤣

Just say something like this

Are you sure about the price difference OP?
Sometimes the cheaper accommodation prices advertised by hotels don’t include breakfast, don’t allow cancellation etc. The price is often a good bit higher when these extras are included. Or could the room types be different?

Either way, it’s odd that they have booked you somewhere else if there’s room in the hotel. A recent cancellation possibly?

I would contact the nephew and let him know about the difference in price as they have chosen to put you elsewhere and tell him that you consider the difference his wedding present

Plenty time until the wedding. Message whichever of the happy couple you sent the money to and say that you're going to organise your own accommodation as they haven't been able to fit you into the venue. Do you still want to stay over?