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I can find a lower rate on the Internet. Why should I book at the IRES Foundation Host Hotel?
Negotiated hotel rates incorporate many benefits for you and the IRES Foundation. Based on the number of rooms in the Foundation’s block, the hotel provides complimentary or reduced rates for meeting room rental, staff accommodations, and food and beverage. In addition, a percentage of sleeping room revenue is often rebated to the Foundation. The rebate is used to cover audio/visual, electrical, and other meeting costs incurred at the hotel. If the Foundation is unable to achieve its room block commitment because attendees are making reservations at other hotels or canceling/shortening their length of stay at the host hotel, the hotel charges the Foundation an attrition fee to make up for its lost sleeping room revenue. Should this trend continue, the Foundation will be forced to increase registration fees to cover its expenses and cut back on services provided at the School such as the beverage break, Welcome Reception, audio/visual, etc. Anticipated sleeping room pickup is the Foundation’s strongest tool when negotiating future sleeping room rates and meeting space in large convention hotels. The Foundation may be forced to book its Annual School at less desirable locations or at higher rates if sleeping room reservations continue to decline at the headquarters hotel.
Is it important for me to let the reservations agent know that I’m associated with the IRES Foundation School?
Yes! Each room helps the Foundation fulfill its sleeping room commitment to the hotel. Please ensure that you reference the Foundation when reserving your room or at check-in so the reservation is counted in the Foundation’s room block.
What other benefits are there to reserving a room at the IRES Foundation Host Hotel?
When you factor in cab fares and travel time to an alternate hotel, you may discover the benefits are not as great as you originally planned. Other hotels may require that you pay one night’s lodging in advance. Many of the IRES Foundation contracted hotels require a credit card as a guarantee and not as a deposit. You also have the convenience of charging any host hotel meals, beverages, or incidentals to your room. Further, by staying at the host hotel, you gain the opportunity to better network with your peers and remain in the center of the activity surrounding the meeting. In addition, the Foundation hotel contracts include clauses that protect our attendees in a variety of areas. For example, if the hotel is oversold and must relocate a Foundation attendee to another hotel, the hotel must pay for transportation to the alternate hotel and for the nights the attendee is not accommodated at the headquarters hotel.
Why is a cancellation fee charged when I cancel my room reservation after the cutoff date?
When the Foundation’s room block fills up with reservations that are cancelled after the cutoff date, and the hotel is unable to re-sell the room to another Foundation attendee or individual guest, the Foundation may be charged an attrition fee by the hotel because it did not achieve its room block commitment. Equally distressing is the fact that because the room block is filled prior to the cut-off with a number of room reservations that will eventually be cancelled, Foundation attendees unable to reserve a room at the headquarters hotel are forced to book at alternate hotels.
Will I be charged if I reduce the number of room nights reserved after the cut-off date?
Currently, an attendee is only charged after they have checked into the hotel and they depart a day early. The charge is typically one night’s room and tax. However, shortening your length of stay after the cut-off date, but before check-in, can cause problems for the Foundation. If the hotel is not able to re-sell the cancelled room nights because you have shortened your length of stay, the Foundation is less likely to achieve its room block commitment, contributing to the likelihood of attrition. Please make your room reservations as accurately as possible and let the hotel know immediately if you must change the duration of your stay. With more time, the hotel will be able to re-sell your cancelled room nights.
What is the Foundation doing to reduce its exposure to attrition fees?
The Foundation tracks sleeping room reservations and cancellations for each School and works with future hotels in adjusting sleeping room blocks to match current trends. However, a reduction in sleeping rooms requires a similar reduction in meeting space and the surrender of concessions originally negotiated. So in the process of avoiding future attrition fees, the Foundation is giving up something that attendees must either learn to live without, or pay for with higher registration fees.
Whom can I contact if I still have questions?
Please contact any staff member of the IRES Foundation at (651) 917-6254 and we will be happy to answer your questions. Working together, the Foundation will continue to provide a meeting environment that fulfills everyone’s expectations.
FAQ
I can find a lower rate on the Internet. Why should I book at the IRES Foundation Host Hotel?
Negotiated hotel rates incorporate many benefits for you and the IRES Foundation. Based on the number of rooms in the Foundation’s block, the hotel provides complimentary or reduced rates for meeting room rental, staff accommodations, and food and beverage. In addition, a percentage of sleeping room revenue is often rebated to the Foundation. The rebate is used to cover audio/visual, electrical, and other meeting costs incurred at the hotel. If the Foundation is unable to achieve its room block commitment because attendees are making reservations at other hotels or canceling/shortening their length of stay at the host hotel, the hotel charges the Foundation an attrition fee to make up for its lost sleeping room revenue. Should this trend continue, the Foundation will be forced to increase registration fees to cover its expenses and cut back on services provided at the School such as the beverage break, Welcome Reception, audio/visual, etc. Anticipated sleeping room pickup is the Foundation’s strongest tool when negotiating future sleeping room rates and meeting space in large convention hotels. The Foundation may be forced to book its Annual School at less desirable locations or at higher rates if sleeping room reservations continue to decline at the headquarters hotel.
Is it important for me to let the reservations agent know that I’m associated with the IRES Foundation School?
Yes! Each room helps the Foundation fulfill its sleeping room commitment to the hotel. Please ensure that you reference the Foundation when reserving your room or at check-in so the reservation is counted in the Foundation’s room block.
What other benefits are there to reserving a room at the IRES Foundation Host Hotel?
When you factor in cab fares and travel time to an alternate hotel, you may discover the benefits are not as great as you originally planned. Other hotels may require that you pay one night’s lodging in advance. Many of the IRES Foundation contracted hotels require a credit card as a guarantee and not as a deposit. You also have the convenience of charging any host hotel meals, beverages, or incidentals to your room. Further, by staying at the host hotel, you gain the opportunity to better network with your peers and remain in the center of the activity surrounding the meeting. In addition, the Foundation hotel contracts include clauses that protect our attendees in a variety of areas. For example, if the hotel is oversold and must relocate a Foundation attendee to another hotel, the hotel must pay for transportation to the alternate hotel and for the nights the attendee is not accommodated at the headquarters hotel.
Why is a cancellation fee charged when I cancel my room reservation after the cutoff date?
When the Foundation’s room block fills up with reservations that are cancelled after the cutoff date, and the hotel is unable to re-sell the room to another Foundation attendee or individual guest, the Foundation may be charged an attrition fee by the hotel because it did not achieve its room block commitment. Equally distressing is the fact that because the room block is filled prior to the cut-off with a number of room reservations that will eventually be cancelled, Foundation attendees unable to reserve a room at the headquarters hotel are forced to book at alternate hotels.
Will I be charged if I reduce the number of room nights reserved after the cut-off date?
Currently, an attendee is only charged after they have checked into the hotel and they depart a day early. The charge is typically one night’s room and tax. However, shortening your length of stay after the cut-off date, but before check-in, can cause problems for the Foundation. If the hotel is not able to re-sell the cancelled room nights because you have shortened your length of stay, the Foundation is less likely to achieve its room block commitment, contributing to the likelihood of attrition. Please make your room reservations as accurately as possible and let the hotel know immediately if you must change the duration of your stay. With more time, the hotel will be able to re-sell your cancelled room nights.
What is the Foundation doing to reduce its exposure to attrition fees?
The Foundation tracks sleeping room reservations and cancellations for each School and works with future hotels in adjusting sleeping room blocks to match current trends. However, a reduction in sleeping rooms requires a similar reduction in meeting space and the surrender of concessions originally negotiated. So in the process of avoiding future attrition fees, the Foundation is giving up something that attendees must either learn to live without, or pay for with higher registration fees.
Whom can I contact if I still have questions?
Please contact any staff member of the IRES Foundation at (651) 917-6254 and we will be happy to answer your questions. Working together, the Foundation will continue to provide a meeting environment that fulfills everyone’s expectations.
