How can we negotiate a discount in this situation?

alarafan

Sorry - this is a bit long.
to summarise they offer a sit down meal for £1000/35 people - we want them to set up the room for 100 and we will have our own buffet with outside caterers for the same £1000 for use of the room and setting up the tables.

Details

Theholiday inn offers a fantastic £1000 deal for a three course sit down meal for 35.

We re having 100 people and they said it would be just over £3000.

For the £1000 package the following is included

-three course sit down meal
- 6 weeks gym membership for bride & groom befoe the wedding
- Welcome drink of sparkling wine
- sparkling wine for the toast & wine with the meal
- bride & groom get honeymoon suite
- Anniversary meal for bride and groom 12 months later
- wedding planner & master of ceremonies
- discount for guests' rooms

I really like the venue HOWEVER
Although they treble the price, you do not get treble the gym membership, THREE nights free stay in a room, Three anniversary meals, THREE wedding planners...you get the point.
- 50% of our guests are teetotal for religious & cultural reasons so would be having soft drinks which would cost the hotel a lot less than wine.
- we would not be able to make use of the hotel gym membership because we live too far away
-we did not intend to stay the night at the hotel's honeymoon suite

I really did likethe venue & the fact I would not have to faff around with hiring tables etc like for a hall.

What I wanted to suggest to them was that we have our own caterers do a buffet for us (£5 per person!) ,have the wedding cake as the dessert
so instead of providing a sit down meal for 35 people, they are just setting up the room for 100 - and they will save the money on the food and waiting staff.

They said that room hire only is £2000 and none of the package offers would be included.

Could you suggest any way of negotiating with them about this.

svjenni

peronally i'd look elsewhere as another venue may be able to give you a better deal for what you want

floss2

TBH, I would speak to the Holiday Inn or negotiate on the catering at your chosen venue - do you have to have 100 people? Could you have a buffet for 100 rather than sit-down? I know our venue offers this in option (Barcelo hotel).

Maydot

I think that with any offer (and the Holiday Inn one is really good) unless you fit into the bracket that they are aiming at then it stops being such an amazing deal. Saying that, the price you have been quoted also seems very reasonable.

I like the idea of negotiating but I think in this instance you could only ask for a discount relating to the offer of gym membership and use of the honeymoon suite. For all the other extras you get (which would be really expensive if you hired them all in individually) even if you only got £100 knocked off it would still be a good deal and in a venue that you really like. I suppose you could always ask if they would quote you for a buffet alternative to the 3 course meal at a reduced price, its worth a try.

Have you looked at other venues in the area? Its always worth phoning round and seeing what smaller hotels have to offer and they will often put together a package tailored exactly to your requirements.

Good luck with your search and let us know if you are able to negotiate a discount with the Holiday Inn

hunnycat

you have said that no one really drinks and that it would be all soft drinks. Hotels dont like this! They make money on drink and alcohol is the one they make most on as the more people drink the quicker they drink. I know people who dont drink and they sit with the same glass all night!

Also have you asked the hotel if your allowed your own caterer? most of the ones i asked said it must be thier own we used.

I would try find somewhere else, you could get a hall with all decorations and a bar for less than to £1000.

hope you get it sorted

caitybabes

I would approach them (or get a friend to approach them) afresh. Don't mention the wedding deal, just ask how much it would be to hire their venue for a party for 100 people. Could be interesting...

Horace

In this instance I would be inclined to look for a venue more suited to your needs. There is no point going to a hotel where a package is on offer that you say you won't use. The hotel will not let you use your own caterer either they will want you to use theirs.

Look for a different venue, use an outside caterer and hire tables (the caterer may well do that for you if you don't want to faff).