There’s nothing better than a newly renovated hotel. Find out when the hotel was renovated; guestrooms, meeting space, etc. And, ask if the hotel has renovation or construction plans that will be happening over the dates of your meeting. Although there may be financial incentives to meeting at hotels undergoing renovations during your meeting dates, it’s not always the best option. Always include a contract clause to get out of the agreement if an unanticipated hotel’s renovation project will interfere and interrupt your meeting.

The noise and dust can cause a lot of dismay for your executives and guests who are gathering in what should be a quiet & clean environment. Often, hotels will claim your group won’t be affected by the noise, yet more often than not, this is not true. Hotels are open for business 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, and will continue to operate filling guestrooms and meeting space during construction. As the meeting planner, when searching to find a hotel, you’ll want to know if a hotel is about to embark on a renovation that will be in place over your dates. Ask this question when searching, “does the hotel have plans for renovations over our dates?” 

If, after contracting a hotel for a meeting, you are informed that the hotel is starting a renovation or a construction project over your dates, having contract language in place will help you 1) get released from the contract without liability, and or 2) determine if holding your event during this time is going to affect your group negatively. There is always quiet touch up projects taking place at hotels like painting or duct cleaning; jobs that truly will not affect your guests. By having contract language in place, if a hotel informs you that their project will be occur over your meeting dates, you can be in control of what you want to do; get out of the contract, or keep the meeting at that hotel.

And, if you choose to stay in a hotel that is going to close a bar or restaurant, a spa, or partially closing off part of the lobby, etc., for construction or renovations, ask for concessions as a reward and incentive for not taking your group elsewhere! In negotiations, taking something away from an existing contract, such as a bar not being open that you agreed would be open, you are entitled to receiving an incentive for having somethings taken away.

You deserve to be completely satisfied with holding your meeting at a hotel you contracted with for your event.  And the hotel wants you to be happy as well! You can’t control when a new project pops up to take place over your dates; however, you can control getting out of the contract or gaining concessions in return for the inconveniences. You always want to be absolutely content with the outcome.