NAHSL 2016 CPC: Hotel

Omni room specs

Omni menus

• Hotel contract is generally negotiated by conference chair and Donna Wikstrand. Conference chair signs it on behalf of NAHSL. The signer incurs no personal financial liability.
• Check with CE Chair before determining room nights in hotel contract. The offering of CE classes in the morning (or not) and their timing will affect room numbers on Saturday night. CE will not know at time of contract what will be offered, but they can give a general indication of their intentions.
• Hotel reps are very likely to change over the two years of conference planning. Keep e-mails, so that promises will be honored by subsequent hotel contacts.
• Be careful not to contract for too many rooms. Look at room-night numbers ("hotel pick up") for previous years, and discuss with Donna Wikstrand. One year out, there is a possibility to adjust room numbers slightly--not so much as to lose any hotel concessions.
• Returning to the same hotel or inn usually gives us a discount for repeat business.
• Some hotel chains will discount (often substantially) for repeat business at different locations. The Omni is one, as all hotels are owned by the corporation. Omni has locations in Providence, New Haven, Boston and New Hampshire (Mt Washington Resort). Those hotels owned on a franchise basis are less likely to discount for different locations.
• Work with conference chair to estimate the number of people likely to attend each meal, for budgeting purposes. Vendors are there on Monday only.
• We feed attendees several times throughout the conference, especially on Monday. Look not only at food for the individual meals and breaks, but at the amount of food in total. It is often much more than needed. Breaks with food can become just coffee breaks. Fewer hors d'ouevres can be served, especially if a full meal will soon follow. The hotel may recommend a certain amount of food, but it is their job to increase sales.
• 5% is an expected increase in food prices from one year to the next. If prices increase more than 10%, discuss with Donna Wikstrand.
• There is a Handoff Luncheon at the close of the conference, at which the outgoing CPC discusses their experience with those next in line. As many people as possible from the two CPC's should attend, as well as the incoming Education chair and the newly-appointed chair of the conference to be held two years hence.

The Hotel Committee Chair is the primary contact between the conference planning committee and conference hotel.  Although the majority of work will take place during the three months before the conference, there are multiple steps and responsibilities that must take place in order to ensure a successful event.

Filling the hotel room block is a critical issue for all conference planners. Conference Hotels Unlimited, which has represented NAHSL for many years, has information on number of rooms reserved (room block) for past conferences. Some hotels will grant us complimentary rooms or suites depending on the size of the block requested. NAHSL's Hotel chair works with CHU in hotel negotiations.

The following should be taken into consideration when visiting prospective conference hotels: