Hotel Incentives

Sizzler · 31-01-2008 05:03PM #1

Hi Folks,

Started the long journey of beginning to choose a hotel, its been an eye opener so far :eek:

To date, I have had hotels try to wow me with -

- A half bottle of champagne on arrival for the bride & groom
- Free tea & coffee for guests on arrival
- Free use of their Cake stand
- Printed seating plan
- A taste of the food that we pick for the menu

Is this supposed to be impressive ?! What a joke!

Worse again I have had one hotel tell me that wedding guests have to pay for car parking ! UNBELIEVABLE ! And another has asked for €1000 just to hire the room if your wedding is less than 150 people :eek:

The common theme is not ONE hotel have been able to tell me what their 2009 prices will be, they are all estimating between 5-10% more than this year :rolleyes:

On the upside one or two places have offered an extra few rooms FOC for the wedding party, one has offered free finger food for half the wedding party.

I was expecting to be ripped off but some of the stuff I'm hearing is simply hilarious.

Anyway people, what have you managed to negotiate with your hotel for your special day?

Cheers

Sizzler.

olaola · 31-01-2008 05:34PM

That list seems fairly standard.

We had the choice of free seat covers or no corkage on the bubbly for the reception beforehand.
We also had free tea & coffee and a few other things.

The suite we were given for the night was UNFU*KINGBELIEVEABLE!
It was bigger than our house. No joke...

What part of the country you looking?

Sizzler · 31-01-2008 08:32PM

olaola wrote: »

That list seems fairly standard.

We had the choice of free seat covers or no corkage on the bubbly for the reception beforehand.
We also had free tea & coffee and a few other things.

The suite we were given for the night was UNFU*KINGBELIEVEABLE!
It was bigger than our house. No joke...

What part of the country you looking?

A mate was asked to pay €30 a SEAT on well known hotel up in Cavan for his wedding....he told them to fook off and rightly so! Personally I dont see free seat covers as much of a concession but thats just me.

Looking in Leinster area, but pretty flexible tbh.

blushing bride · 31-01-2008 10:27PM

Sizzler wrote: »

A mate was asked to pay €30 a SEAT on well known hotel up in Cavan for his wedding....he told them to fook off and rightly so! Personally I dont see free seat covers as much of a concession but thats just me.

Looking in Leinster area, but pretty flexible tbh.

There is a new castle in wexford for hire called kinsella castle, you can hire the entire castle exclusively for the day and they hire a catering company to do all the work might work out cheaper and also something different for the guests..... I know they are only starting weddings this year so you could probably strike a good deal

Sizzler · 01-02-2008 10:29AM

blushing bride wrote: »

There is a new castle in wexford for hire called kinsella castle, you can hire the entire castle exclusively for the day and they hire a catering company to do all the work might work out cheaper and also something different for the guests..... I know they are only starting weddings this year so you could probably strike a good deal

Tried to google this and cant find it

Have you got a link or details?

faceman · 01-02-2008 11:24AM

Free use of the cake stand, that would be the deciding choice for me!

olaola · 01-02-2008 02:41PM

Sizzler wrote: »

A mate was asked to pay €30 a SEAT on well known hotel up in Cavan for his wedding....he told them to fook off and rightly so! Personally I dont see free seat covers as much of a concession but thats just me.

Looking in Leinster area, but pretty flexible tbh.

I don't think I would have paid for them, but they looked good on the day.
The corkage was a significant sum - I think it was about €35 per bottle for bubbly or thereabouts.

I think they usually cost about 5-10EUR to rent pp.

Noopti · 01-02-2008 03:41PM

Yeah, some of the "perks" are a bit laughable.....the free use of cake stand being one.

But it is pretty standard.

Sizzler · 01-02-2008 04:31PM

Noopti wrote: »

Yeah, some of the "perks" are a bit laughable.....the free use of cake stand being one.

But it is pretty standard.

Well its up to us (the punters) to make them work that bit harder. I've told any hotel that I've spoken to so far that I don't consider the free use of cake stand and knife or glass of champagne on arrival for the bride & groom as a selling point, if people are getting excited by that then the celtic tiger mentality is worse than I thought :eek:

Gillo · 02-02-2008 10:41PM

We booked the New Grange in Navan and seemed to get a pretty good deal. Everything the OP mentioned was included we also got a mulled wine reception for the wedding party (possibly all the guests I'll have to check the booking form), tea / coffee & mini scones for guests.

The chair covers were thrown in, although if we wanted a specific cover on the ribbons we'd have to pay extra- that said any wedding I've been to I've never thought- "Wow, the brides maid's dress' match the seat covers!!!".

They also agreed to keep the current prices for us.

All this without much haggling, TBH they were by far the best deal we got anywhere.

Gillo · 02-02-2008 10:42PM

faceman wrote: »

Free use of the cake stand, that would be the deciding choice for me!

Kinda worried what you plan doing with a cake stand:eek:

CúilChip · 04-02-2008 01:59PM

The Hotel we are using are letting us use our own wine with no corkage price but we have to give them a free bottle for every two we use and they will sell them in the restaurant. So it works out for both sides and we do not have to pay €12 up.

Sizzler · 04-02-2008 03:02PM

paulwhogan wrote: »

The Hotel we are using are letting us use our own wine with no corkage price but we have to give them a free bottle for every two we use and they will sell them in the restaurant. So it works out for both sides and we do not have to pay €12 up.

Thats fair enough. From what I have seen this weekend the further you go out of Dublin the more flexible it gets.

One wedding co-ordinator told me they priced themselves based on the nearest 5 hotels in the area and basically all their packages are identical, they try to sell the package based on the hotel itself, so much for competition!

Grawns · 06-02-2008 05:55PM

I got 30% off menu prices, free rolls royce, tea, coffee reception, and most importantly, the cake stand Waterside house hotel, Donabate

January · 06-02-2008 06:44PM

Tyrellstown Park Plaza

Tea & Coffee for the guests on arrival.
Champagne Reception for the bride and groom
Food obviously.
Use of the honeymoon suite
A room for the brides mother and father and a room for the grooms mother and father (anyone can use these rooms my aunt and her boyfriend and my mother and father used the rooms)
And on your 1st wedding anniversary they invite you back for dinner.

Sizzler · 07-02-2008 08:59AM

adrieanne__x wrote: »

Champagne Reception for the bride and groom

i.e. a glass of champagne each, thats hardly impressive is it?

All the things you listed though are bog standard except for the extra rooms, some places are playing ball on that, some arent. If the anniversary dinner isnt mentioned and you ask for it I guarantee they will throw it in

January · 10-02-2008 02:41PM

To be completly honest, you shouldn't be looking for incentives... if you want to get married because you love someone it shouldn't matter where the reception is. If it were me getting married I would just hire out a room for the day and provide everything else myself.

Hotels exploit you because you're getting married, they know your willing to pay extortionate prices to have a great day and they will take advantage of this and offer you bog standard packages because they can.

Sizzler · 11-02-2008 09:20AM

adrieanne__x wrote: »

To be completly honest, you shouldn't be looking for incentives... if you want to get married because you love someone it shouldn't matter where the reception is.

Hilarious stuff. Its pure stupidity not to ask the hotel what they can give you, unless you are wiping your arse with €50 notes its only natural that you want to get the most for your money as the majority of people work damn hard for it.

faceman · 11-02-2008 01:20PM

adrieanne__x wrote: »

To be completly honest, you shouldn't be looking for incentives... if you want to get married because you love someone it shouldn't matter where the reception is. If it were me getting married I would just hire out a room for the day and provide everything else myself.

Hotels exploit you because you're getting married, they know your willing to pay extortionate prices to have a great day and they will take advantage of this and offer you bog standard packages because they can.

I dont see how getting married should mean that we shouldnt be price conscious and shop around. Unfortunately too many people dont, hence why we have a high cost of living in ireland.

20-30k for a wedding is comical when you compare it to similar things in other countries - including those that have a higher standard of living than here.

rameire · 20-02-2008 11:28PM

i am getting

10% off total bill,
bridal sweet and two rooms for bridal parents thrown in.
cake stand
flowers for the tables free,
free parking
red carpet,
corkage on the bubbly and wine
free sambos and tea and coffee for the after buffet
free champagne for the bridal party
free use of horse and carriage from house to the hotel,
free use of a separate room for the wedding ceremony (civil wedding)
free food tasting for 4 people
1 year anniversary dinner
round of golf for 4 people at the local golf club
free room during the afternoon for the kids entertainment,
exclusive use for the hotel for the whole day,

oh and they are catering to our every request and so so helpful

faceman · 21-02-2008 10:43AM

^ names people names!!!

harmacist · 21-02-2008 11:53AM

rameire wrote: »

i am getting

10% off total bill,
bridal sweet and two rooms for bridal parents thrown in.
cake stand
flowers for the tables free,
free parking
red carpet,
corkage on the bubbly and wine
free sambos and tea and coffee for the after buffet
free champagne for the bridal party
free use of horse and carriage from house to the hotel,
free use of a separate room for the wedding ceremony (civil wedding)
free food tasting for 4 people
1 year anniversary dinner
round of golf for 4 people at the local golf club
free room during the afternoon for the kids entertainment,
exclusive use for the hotel for the whole day,

oh and they are catering to our every request and so so helpful

Whereabouts is this magic hotel located??

rameire · 21-02-2008 03:02PM

the Clonard Court Hotel Athy

Sizzler · 21-02-2008 10:44PM

rameire wrote: »

i am getting

10% off total bill,
bridal sweet and two rooms for bridal parents thrown in.
cake stand
flowers for the tables free,
free parking
red carpet,
corkage on the bubbly and wine
free sambos and tea and coffee for the after buffet
free champagne for the bridal party
free use of horse and carriage from house to the hotel,
free use of a separate room for the wedding ceremony (civil wedding)
free food tasting for 4 people
1 year anniversary dinner
round of golf for 4 people at the local golf club
free room during the afternoon for the kids entertainment,
exclusive use for the hotel for the whole day,

oh and they are catering to our every request and so so helpful

Cake stand / Red Carpet and a glass of champagne is all standard so wouldnt count that as any sort of an advantage but the rest of the package you have negotiated is EXCELLENT, well done.

Whats their corkage rate out of interest? The cheapest Ive seen so far is €10.

A great advertisement for the hotel

Out of interest are you getting married on a weekday?

rameire · 22-02-2008 08:44PM

it is a thursday, so one of the reasons why we are getting a lot of things, but it saves alot of money, the corkage on wine is €10
and the corkage on bubbly is €15

harmacist · 25-02-2008 11:34AM

Fair play... you managed a to sort a great deal alright

frizzefreckles · 25-02-2008 12:40PM

We were out with Citywest yesterday and felt we got a good deal there -

the usual champagne reception for bride and groom, red carpet, tea and coffee for guests on arrival, cake stand

then free room for the parents,
free extra night for bride and groom
free chair covers
menu prices held at 2008 price

and the co-ordinator was fantastic as he kept pointing out things not to do as they were a waste of money and how to work things so we got much better value for money.

we walked away really impressed. It's not as good as rameire's deal but the best we've come across so far

harlem · 14-08-2008 11:49PM

rameire will you please negotiate a package with my hotel? you got an excellent deal there!:eek::cool:
Did they offer that to you or did you have to haggle for it?

We're looking at booking a hotel in Kilkenny, but I think because we're a small enough party (50 for meal + 30 for afters) that some hotels aren't that ar$ed about getting our business.

The hotel we're looking were offering us;

complimentary champagne for bridal party on arrival
complimentary tea & coffee for guests on arrival
cake stand
candleabras
Suite for bride & groom

thats it! they want to charge us room hire for the room we'd have the meal in & didn't offer any discount even though we're looking for a Thursday in April.

I'm one of these idiots that gets mortified about asking for discounts anywhere, that probably doesn't help

JohnBoy · 16-08-2008 09:58AM

we're having a november saturday wedding in the celtic ross in cork.

15% off menu price
overnight stay in advance for tasting evening and spa treatments.
champange, fruit juice, tea coffee reception on arrival
choice of colour co-ordinated table flower arrangements.
dinner and overnight stay for first anniversary
and no corkage

Sizzler · 18-08-2008 12:34PM

I negotiated the following -

2 rooms free the night before the wedding (For bride & her mum).
2 rooms free for the parents on the night of the wedding.
Menu tasting for the 2 of us.
25% off the wine list.
15% off the menu.
And we dont have to rush off the next day either, check out at 2pm for anybody staying.
No bar extension charges or room hire bollox either.

Hotels are touting for business BIG TIME at the moment so dont ever feel you take what they have on offer.

All hotels we spoke to in the last 8 weeks dropped their pants when challenged

faceman · 18-08-2008 12:54PM

Sizzler wrote: »

I negotiated the following -

2 rooms free the night before the wedding (For bride & her mum).
2 rooms free for the parents on the night of the wedding.
Menu tasting for the 2 of us.
25% off the wine list.
15% off the menu.
And we dont have to rush off the next day either, check out at 2pm for anybody staying.
No bar extension charges or room hire bollox either.

Hotels are touting for business BIG TIME at the moment so dont ever feel you take what they have on offer.

All hotels we spoke to in the last 8 weeks dropped their pants when challenged

Well done Sizzler!

Hotel Incentives

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