lower hotel costs equals lower vacation costs

Booking a hotel conference room for your next work meeting makes plenty of sense. It's ideal to get your staff away from the office for a day and into a new setting, while it's also convenient to be situated in a hotel for any conference attendees visiting from out of town. Before you finalize your decision, you might be going through the process of visiting a number of hotels in your city to check out the facilities. While you'll likely ask several basic questions that address price and availability, it's important to touch on some other key areas before you make your decision. Here are three questions to ensure you have answered.

Can You Give A Discounted Rate For Those Needing A Room?

If some of your conference attendees are traveling to your city for the event, it makes sense for them to stay in the hotel. Before you book a conference room, see if the hotel will give you a specific number of hotel guest rooms at a discounted rate. You'll be giving the hotel considerable business because of your event, and discounted rooms are one way the hotel can thank you for your loyalty. While the room discount might depend on factors such as availability, ensure the amount of the discount is suitable before you book the conference room.

Are There Any Catering Restrictions?

When you book a conference room at some hotels, the hotel's on-site restaurant will provide the catering. While this situation is certainly convenient, it's worth asking if you're able to bring in your own catering if you have a partnership with a local catering firm or just want a certain type of food at the event. Some facilities don't allow outside catering, so it's important to confirm this information before you make a decision. If the hotel doesn't allow outside caterers, ask if the on-site restaurant can provide the type of food that you want at the event.

Does The Conference Room Meet My Technology Needs?

If you have specific technology-related requests, ensure that the conference room has the infrastructure to support you. For example, you might need a projector and a screen. Ask if the hotel supplies these items or if you need to use your own. Likewise, it's important to check if the conference room has dedicated Wi-Fi for your event. Many hotels offer this perk, which allows conference attendees to log in to a specific Wi-Fi connection rather than use the hotel's general connection, which could be slower because of the numerous hotel guests using it concurrently. Having fast Wi-Fi is often necessary if you have an online component, such as video conferencing, in your event.

Keep these tips in mind as you begin contacting local hotels with conference rooms, such as Clarion Hotel - Seattle International Airport.