How to negotiate a good hotel rate for guests for wedding

[FredKar]

Hi i am planning to get married in November 2011 at Grand Sunset Princess. I was wondering if there are any possibilities on getting better rates for guests if you are booking 20 or more rooms. Has anyone had an experience where they were able to recieve a better rate? Also which travel agency would people recommend? thank ya Any other advice is also welcome!!!!

[primavera]

Welcome!! I am using Beach Bum Vacation, but I have heard great things about the travel agents on this forum as well. You can contact them by clicking on the banner on the top of every page. Group rates differ from resort to resort. Have you checked their website? The travel agents might be able to negotiate a group rate too, I believe.

[Punta Cana Weddings]

Congratulations & !!! You will love this site. Have fun planning your dream wedding!

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[FuninthesunMayan2011]

Hello and Welcome!

I'm in this very process right now. Truth be told...I went to 4-5 travel agents (feel a bit guilty about that...) gave them 2-3 resorts I was looking into and waited for the prices to come in. It's funny because they all claim that they will get the same deals available to them that another TA would...but I can tell you some deals are better than others. I guess it's all in how much they are willing to take off their commission to get the business. 

When booking for groups, they will submit a request to the supplier. Here in Canada it's Air Canada, Transat Vacations, Sunquest, Nolitours, and West Jet Vacations. So far we've been getting the best prices from Sunquest and Air Canada. Depending on the resort, they will also do a "every 16th passenger goes FREE". Some are even 1 in 8, but most closer to 20. Most couples use that to go free, or, as we are doing, spreading the savings over all the guests! 

I say, play the odds. iTravel2000 and SelloffVacations.com have a feature right on their website that you can fill out for groups and they will get back to you within 24hrs with your quotes! 

I ultimately chose the TA that I felt went to bat for us the hardest. She used a lower quote I received from another tour operator to negotiate a better rate with Air Canada since their departure times were much better...it played off!! We going to Barcelo Maya Tropical for just under $1700 tax included, and we'll save even a bit more once everyone starts booking and the 16th person goes free!

 

Hope this helps,

Krista

[marnyh]

I also talked to multiple TA's and ended up going with one from the TA banner on top, because she was very helpful and her prices came back lower than others or she would match them. 

 

Good luck!

[saraandjon]

I've talked to multiple TAs and so far the rates I have found online are cheaper by a long shot!  Has anyone else found this to be the case?

[terilina]

happy planning!!