WINNER

Introduction After 30 years of hotel negotiations, I can predict with reasonable accuracy what a meeting planner has left on the table in a hotel contract they've negotiated independently. Not because planners aren't smart or capable — but because knowing what to ask for, and how, is a specialized skill that takes years to develop. Here are the concessions I see missed most consistently, and what I do differently. The comp room ratio: almost always better than what planners a

Introduction I'm going to give you an honest answer to this question, even though it's my own business we're talking about. Do you need a third-party hotel sourcing consultant? The truthful answer is: it depends on what you're doing and how you're currently doing it. Here's how I think about it. When a sourcing consultant adds the most value The clearest cases: you're planning meetings that require 20 or more hotel rooms and you don't have a dedicated meetings team. You're pl

Introduction Room blocks are one of those event planning concepts that seem intuitive until they're not. I've helped clients navigate room block situations ranging from the straightforward to the genuinely complex — including a few where a poorly sized block or an unfavorable contract term turned into a significant unplanned expense. Here's what I always make sure my clients understand before they commit to any group hotel agreement. The room block commitment in plain terms W