You need to book a conference room or/or space as far in advance as possible and there are a number of checks you should undertake prior to booking in order to avoid a wasted journey and or problems later on.
Ask About Hold Periods
Most venues will hold a room provisionally for 48 – 72 hours while you confirm numbers and budget. The venue may ask for a deposit to convert the provisional booking to a fixed booking.
Check Peak Dates Early
Racing meetings in Cheltenham fill the hotel’s diaries quickly and Conference Rooms in hotels near the town centre book up months in advance for the date of a race meeting. So if you are looking for a conference venue on a date near a race week it is best to ask for alternative dates at the initial booking.
Clarify Minimum Numbers
Some venues list all of their rooms but have minimum numbers for booking (e.g. 8, 20). You need to check which of the venues’ rooms your numbers will qualify for.
Get the Hold Confirmed in Writing
Seek confirmation in writing once a date has been provisionally held, to ensure that you have confirmation of the room name, layout and any other aspects such as catering, and are able to check the cancellation policy for the venue before you finalise anything. Cheltenham Hotel Conference Rooms is covered in more detail at https://tewkesburypark.co.uk/hotel-conference-rooms/.
Handle Delegate Data Carefully
Be aware that when sharing a list of attendees with a venue for a confirmation of numbers that you will be sharing personal data and you must adhere to the venue’s processing of that data under GDPR. The ICO website has some helpful information on sharing data with venues and how you can share a spreadsheet of delegates.
It’s easy to prevent most of the problems that can occur when booking a conference room for your meeting if you just complete a few simple checks before you book.
