To expect wedding guests to book a room at the hotel we've booked for exclusive use not the hotel down the road

[maggiethemagpie]

So we're getting married.... we have booked an exclusive use hotel which means we will be charged for all rooms that are not filled. The wedding is on a Sunday so quite a few guests are going home on the Sunday night and not staying over. That I don't have a problem with. But one couple have booked two nights in the sister hotel to our hotel (so similar prices) as they could not book a room on the Saturday (as it is being used for another wedding). Despite knowing we will have to pay for all the rooms in 'our' hotel they are refusing to move hotels as they don't want the inconvenience.

I probably am BU as I know it was our choice to take the risk of an exclusive, and they can stay wherever they want, but as we will likely not fill more than half of the rooms we are facing a massive bill now (like 1.5k) and it just seems a bit unfair if they're staying in the sister hotel down the road just because they can't /don't want to move on the morning of the wedding.

Really wish I had not booked an exclusive venue now, especially on a Sunday night.

Ignore that!!! Meant to add a new thread

It does look like a lovely hotel, try not to stress too much about it.

Glad it was not only me failing to see the relevance there Purple !

Cool, I understand now - thank you!

Not sure what to suggest. If it became cost neutral to me, I would change hotels for a friend, and wouldn't be offended if they asked. (so in your friend switching hotel case, I wouldn't mind, as I expect the check-in/check-out could be coordinated by the hotel). Does you friend actually understand the financial implications, or does she just think that it's because you want her at 'your' hotel?

You could go back to the hotel to attempt a renegotiation. You've been landed with a higher bill for unused rooms than expected, bad judgement maybe but you can't magic an extra £1.5k out of midair, so tell them you need to make cutbacks elsewhere. You could suggest reducing the alcohol or the buffet for example, or instead you could free up some rooms (which they could then sell on to punters). Unfortunately it migt be tough because they are getting money for old rope at the moment, but what have you got to lose?

I know the contract is agreed but you're spending a lot of money and in the real world, circumstances do change and things can be renegotiated.

You say your friends have young children. Preschool or school age & is it term time? What's the demographic of the people travelling for the event?

Hotel looks wonderful, I'm a few miles down the road but would be willing to attend your wedding and take a room at a reduced cost!

I think the resell price is this problem. It's too high and I suspect guests will feel they are subsidising your wedding.

You may have blagged yourself an invite there Crispy!!!

I don't think £150 b and b is a bad price for a decent hotel. Sure, it 's more than travelodge but it's a really nice hotel so not the same thing at all.

Camelfinger it was always positioned with us (by the venue) as a sell your rooms back to your guests type scenario. We very much got the impression that this is how it works!

I can't believe how naive you have been to just have not seen through this.

Well the silver lining is that the numbers for the evening buffet (at £16/head) will be much reduced due to those leaving early - this will pay for around three rooms!

Not sure I can negotiate, they can't offer rooms to punters as it's a small boutique hotel so there would be no where for other people to go that wasn't where the wedding was.

Sunday room rates are usual cheap. The hotel has late availability rooms for less than £90.

Invite your friends on mumsnet to take the rooms?

Maggie "I don't think £150 b and b is a bad price for a decent hotel."

I was just looking for a weekend away and it was totally scuppered by the price - I can't do anything above £90. I can't justify the expense for my own plans with my sis - there's no way I could afford it for a wedding.

but presumably if anyone tells you they can't afford it, you won't mind? As I say, even if local people do have it, they might just want to go home anyway.

contractually, did you sign on the dotted line for x amount with the venue?

this thread has actually cheered me up. The longest wedding I ever attended - one with only one set of food though it started at 11am and ended at 1am - I was in the wedding party hotel and it was lovely. I remember thinking "how can it be so cheap" - I am now thinking the couple must have subsidised it and I just didn't know just as well as we were all starving and there were no free soft drinks

Angling for an invite alltheworld?

£16 for evening buffet seems a very good price so you've done really well on that.

This makes me feel so happy I quit the bridal industry today. I was second guessing. op stop being a zilla your guests can stay where they want.

I don't think £150 b and b is a bad price for a decent hotel.

If you're there for a romantic night away, I agree but for a wedding how much time do you actually spend in your room? It's just somewhere to sleep after dinner and late night dancing.

Oh maggie. I hope it all works out okay. This is a pretty horrid situation to be faced with, when you just want to get married and have a great day.

Of course they can grinch, I have never told any of my guests that they HAVE to stay at this hotel, it was merely suggested.

Well the silver lining is that the numbers for the evening buffet (at £16/head) will be much reduced due to those leaving early - this will pay for around three rooms!

Yes, assuming you are still over the 50 minimum for the buffet (otherwise the T&C will kick in again "minimum of 50 guests - no deduction is made against this package for reduced guest numbers")

Never realised the wedding industry was so ruthless. I thought it was more fluffy (I eloped).

I've decided not to give a shit anymore. The wedding will be what it will be. If we have to pay more than we planned for, so be it. We're not talking huge amounts, less than 2k. If people go after the wedding breakfast, it just makes it more intimate for those who stay. The important people are staying anyway.

Fair enough, that was a crosspost. No harm in trying but I can see it's not easy.

Re the price, OP this is the problem with weddings at posh venues. As a wedding guest I don't want or value a posh room. If I wanted to treat myself I might spend that on a posh hotel on a Saturday night, and make a weekend of it, but after a wedding I just want somewhere clean with a bed, that serves breakfast. I don't want to spend £150 for a room I'll hardly spend any time in conscious. £150 normally buys a nice weekend away, not a room I can't check into until 4pm Sunday, when I'll downstairs all evening and then have to get up early on Monday. It's just not the same "product" as what the hotel sells to normal punters.

Silly question but how have people identified the hotel from a few lines I cut and pasted off their website ?