All-inclusive resort room block contracts are my bread and butter, as a destination wedding expert travel advisor. I know how they work, what they do, and how the entire process works!
I’ve written this guide to understanding your room block contract, basically a massive FAQ, based on questions I’ve heard from dozens of real destination wedding couples!
Hopefully this room block contract guide will help you understand what you should request, how the process works, and what to expect!
What is the process for getting a room block contract at an all-inclusive resort?
Great question! So remember, the entire point of a room block contract is to reserve a certain number of a certain category of rooms, for certain dates, at a locked-in rate. This gives your guests plenty of time to book a room inside your block at a special, guaranteed, group rate.
Here’s what the general process looks like:
- We will make a request
- The resort will get back to us with rates, contract terms, and which of those rooms are available.
- If we need to make any adjustments before moving forward, we’ll let them know
- Once the quote is fixed, we will give our approval and our official go-ahead to move forward with the contract – after you sign your wedding contract.
- We will probably wait 1-2 weeks for the contract
- Our official contract will come back
- We’ll have 3-7 days (depending on the contract) to get it signed, deposited, and finalized
- Party! You just locked in the other big part of your destination wedding plans!
What information do you need to know to request a room block contract?
We’ll get into the details of this during our work together, but here are the basics:
- What room and dates do you two want for your wedding trip?
- How many of which room categories do you want to save for your guests?
- What dates do you want to save rooms for your guests? (3 night and 7 night windows)
Once we know these details, we’ll be able to request them from the resort!
So now that you know what information you need, and what process you’re working through.. Let’s get to the good stuff!
Room Block Contract FAQ
How many rooms should we save in our room block?
Another great question, and one that definitely affects your planning process!!
Because this is so important, I’ve actually got a tool to help with this! I’ve created a spreadsheet in which you can enter your guest list, and it will calculate how many rooms you need!
If you’d like a copy of this spreadsheet, just shoot me an email at: allison@ttravelex.com
What happens if we need more rooms than we block off?
First, we try to get enough rooms for your group so this doesn’t happen… not because it can’t work, but just in case the resort sells out, we want to have enough rooms guaranteed for your group so that all of your wedding guests can attend!
However, if we run out of blocked-off rooms in your room block contract and still need some more, that’s okay!
All we have to do is request additional rooms from the resort. As long as they are physically available (i.e., the resort hasn’t sold out of those rooms), they should give them to us!
The one kicker here is that the resort is not required to give us those rooms at the same rates we had for the guaranteed rooms in our room block contract. Some resorts will give us the same rate, but others will just give you the going rate at the time of booking those extra rooms.
Again, I always try hard to ensure we’ve got enough rooms from the start, but there’s usually a way around it if we need more!
What happens if we don’t use all of our rooms from our contract?
No problem!
There will be a minimum requirement of 10* rooms booked for 3* nights each (this is standard, but we’ll look at the specifics in your room block contract at your resort. As long as you hit that minimum, you are okay! I will help you drop any unused rooms, so that you two are NOT on the hook for any extra rooms.
I will keep track of the attrition dates (aka, the date at which we have to drop those rooms so you’re off the hook for them), and I’ll make sure they’re dropped on time. This detail will be in your room block contract. 🙂
That being said, we do still want to get as close as we can to the number of rooms we will need for your group. This is a professional courtesy on my end, but also allows resorts to continue letting wedding groups do this. If we reserve way too many ‘just because we can,’ resorts will stop trusting us to fill these rooms, and will stop giving us this opportunity. 🙂
*note that not every resort has a 10 rooms for 3 nights minimum. Some have more rooms or longer stays required for their minimums. Your numbers will adjust accordingly in that rare instance.
How much is the deposit for a room block contract?
Typically the deposit is $100 per room you hold. However, this changes by resort. We will definitely know what the deposit amount will be before you have to pay it, don’t worry! 🙂
What does our room block contract deposit go toward?
Your room block deposit does NOT go away, go toward other people’s rooms, or anything like that.
Your room block deposit goes directly into YOUR reservation.
So once you pay that deposit (usually $100 per room saved), that amount will be allocated to your personal stay at the resort. You can consider this a big deposit toward your wedding stay!
What room categories should we choose for our room block?
I typically like to make around half of the rooms “entry level” – meaning the cheaper room categories. This is a big crowd pleaser!
Then I like to have a mixture of slightly upgraded rooms – maybe bigger rooms, better views, etc.
Finally, I like to sprinkle in a couple of upper level room categories, for those bougie family members who love to splurge on their vacation – maybe a swim-up room, a plunge pool room, a master suite, ocean front, etc.
But it’s super important to keep in mind that the rooms I suggest are based on the average destination wedding group. I don’t know your friends and family like you do. You know if you’ve got an aunt who requires an ocean view if she’s staying at the beach, an uncle who loves a swim-up suite, or if you’ve got a family on a budget who wants to be there, but doesn’t really care about their room.
Are you sure entry level rooms are okay?
Remember, I’ve helped you pick a great resort already; there really aren’t any awful rooms. The differences in room categories* are often size, location, view, and special features (swim-up, plunge pool, jacuzzi, etc.)
We both know that you’ve got at least a few destination wedding guests who absolutely want to be there, but they’d prefer to do it as cheaply as possible. So rather than stress them out by only offering high-level room categories, let’s give the people what they want!
After all, tropical view rooms still get to eat, drink, swim, and play as much as they want at an all-inclusive resort!
What if guests want a different room category than the ones we’ve booked in our room block?
That shouldn’t be a problem! Most resorts are really good about working with us, and will gladly swap out one of our existing rooms for a certain category if one of your guests makes that request.
What type of room category do destination wedding couples usually pick?
This is a loaded question, because of course, all couples are different! Honestly, this is totally up to you, your budget, and your vacation style!
Many of my destination wedding couples choose to splurge a bit on their room, and go for a larger suite, or a higher-level room category. Lots of them go for swim-up suites, plunge pool suites, or some kind of ocean front master or presidential suite.
Why?
Those higher-end room categories at resorts are just bigger!
They can fit all their wedding attire, party favors and other gear in their rooms – something you may not be able to do in a regular room.
Plus, those larger rooms are able to hold way more people – like if one member of the wedding couple wants to get ready with their bridal party in that room. It’s so much fun to get ready for your wedding day with your besties when you’re all in one place.. And not squished, sweaty, and uncomfortable. This is honestly the biggest reason most of my destination wedding couples choose a larger room for themselves.
In the end, it’s really up to you! Like I said, tropical view rooms are still on the all-inclusive package. 😉
How early should destination wedding couples arrive in-destination?
This is a SUPER great and important question!
So this depends on a few things:
Are you having a legal or symbolic wedding in the destination?
If it’s legal, you’ll want to talk to your destination wedding expert travel agent about the legal wedding requirements for your destination. Some require you to be present there for several days prior to your wedding ceremony, and require things like notarized paperwork, blood tests, and more.
If you’re having a symbolic wedding ceremony, the requirements are much less strict, and you typically don’t have to arrive several days in advance, depending on your chosen destination.
BUT, either way, I always recommend that wedding couples arrive in the destination no later than 2 days before their wedding ceremony.
This gives you time to check in, settle in, unpack, and get their wedding attire out and ready (many resorts will steam for you, but they still need time to do so!).
It also allows time for a little thing called, relaxing before the big day… as well as catching up with your guests when they arrive (typically at least 1 day before the wedding).
This extra time helps you not feel rushed, stressed, or any other negative emotion that is incompatible with a relaxing, tropical, all-inclusive wedding! And isn’t that the whole point!?
What dates of stay should we choose for our guests?
Similarly, I always recommend that wedding guests arrive no later than the day before the wedding. You do not want to mess around with a delayed flight and missing a wedding, just because you decided to show up two hours before the start time. This is not the same as a traditional wedding where you drive there, and arrive 10 minutes early. No sir. International travel is a whole other ballgame, and being late is just not the move.
That being said, the dates of stay will also depend on what date and day of the week your wedding falls on, and what your guests’ schedules look like.
If the wedding is on a Monday, it may make more sense for guests to arrive Saturday and enjoy the weekend off. But if your wedding is on a Saturday, Friday is the latest your guests should plan to arrive. Does that make sense?
Plus, you know your wedding guests. It’s always going to come back to you and your group – you’re unique and have unique needs!
Do you have lots of teachers or students on your guest list, all of whom have very little time off, and you’re traveling during the school year? You may need to try for a weekend wedding date and let them check-in as late as possible so they don’t miss school.
You get the picture- you’re going to base your decisions around your needs, and the needs of those closest to you whom you want to attend your wedding!
What’s the deal with 3 nights & 7 night stays?
Good question – I know this part is a little confusing, so let me clarify:
With most resorts, you will be able to block off rooms for two lengths of time – a 3 night stay (or their minimum stay length) and a 7 night stay.
The 3 night window of time is for the guests who will just stay the required 3 (or 4 in some cases) minimum nights. Think about when most of your guests will most likely check-in and check-out. This is the 3 night window you’ll want to pick.
*note, some resorts, like Majestic Elegance Costa Mujeres require a 4-night minimum stay for room blocks. In those rare instances, this will be adjusted to a 4-night window of time
The 7 night window of time is for your wedding guests who may want to stay longer – anywhere from 4-7 nights.
Because money doesn’t grow on trees (if only!), lots of destination wedding guests will choose to make a full vacation out of the trip, and will stay for some additional nights to get the most bang for their airline buck!
For this 7-night window, think about your guests who may stay for up to a week (if only theoretically), and choose a 7-night block of dates.
These will be the dates that the resort officially reserves certain room categories at your special, group, locked-in prices.
What if my guests want to stay there on dates outside our window of reserved dates?
No problem! I can definitely help your guests with their stay at your resort, no matter their chosen dates.
There are just two things to keep in mind:
- Room availability is not guaranteed, as those ‘extra’ dates are not saved in our block. We will have to get explicit confirmation from the resort for your guest’s ‘extra’ nights.
- Room rates are not guaranteed outside of your 7 night room block window. Some resorts will be nice and honor those rates, even for an extra night or two outside of your window, but they are not required to. Any reservations with ‘extra’ nights will be subject to the going rate at the time of booking.
As long as you know this, there are no problems! All your guests will do is fill out their reservation form on your wedding website. Then I’ll make the request to the resort, and as long as it’s approved (because the room is physically available), your guests will be just fine!
An important note about destination wedding guests requesting additional nights outside of your room block reservation:
If you’ve got a wedding guest who you know is going to make this type of request, encourage them to book as early as possible! This gives them the best chance of getting what they want!
Why is the deposit so expensive?
A room block contract deposit is essentially a “good faith” deposit that tells the resort that we promise to try and fill up the rooms they’re saving for us.
It’s super important that the resort trusts our group, as they are giving away lots and lots of inventory for very little money (at least in their eyes), for many, many months, rather than selling it on their own like they normally would.
Our $100 per room (usually) deposit is our way of saying, “Yes, we want all of these rooms. Yes, we’re going to do our best to fill them all up! Thanks for the guaranteed rooms and rates!”
How long will we have to sign the contract and submit the deposit?
This is a great question, and as many questions in the wedding and travel world go… the answer will vary based on your situation.
However, I’m happy to share the standard experience that most of my couples have.
Typically, it can take 1-2 (ish) weeks for a final version of a contract to get back to us after we request it. It will have it’s own due date, but typically, that due date is 3-7 days from the time it arrives in my inbox.
I always require my couples to confirm that they’re prepared to pay the deposit before we move forward, since we never know exactly when the contract will arrive, or how short of a window we’ll get to make that deposit.
The contract and deposit will be due on the same dates. You’ll sign electronically, and I’ll give you instructions on how to submit your payment through my secure, online payment form. 🙂
Someone in our wedding party will definitely need an ADA / accessible room or connecting room. Should we request that in our contract?
In short – yes.
If you’ve got someone in your wedding party who is definitely coming and who will definitely need an ADA room, a set of connecting rooms, or some other special requirement, I always recommend requesting that up-front.
Not all all-inclusive resorts will actually guarantee those special types of accommodations, but it’s best to let them know up-front, so you have the best chance of getting what you need.
One caveat here is that you don’t have to make these requests for guests who are just on your list.. I recommend doing this for the folks with these special requests that you know for sure are coming to your destination wedding.
Don’t stress yourself out trying to arrange every person’s travel plans. That’s literally my job. 🙂
What questions do you have about room block contracts?
I’m seriously an all-inclusive resort room block contract nerd, and I deal with them every day! So use my expertise and let me know what questions you’ve got!!
If you’re ready to skip ahead and start planning your dream destination wedding, click the link below to set up a free consultation call asap!
If you’re wondering where I learned this, I’m happy to share! I’m a proud graduate of the Destination Wedding University program. As a Certified Destination Wedding Expert, I took this incredible course, and continue to learn through travel experiences and continuing education, both within and outside of this fabulous organization of friends and colleagues!
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