7 Rules for Choosing a Hotel

Call me silly or too demanding, but in the age of everyone-has-a-voice, I choose to write this post to share my seven rules for taking a client to, or staying at a given hotel. As a corporate planner in a past life, event designer now and a regular conference attendee, these are the things that drive me bonkers! The hotel sales or catering manager or conference planner would be wise to pay attention: if I am (or any other guest is) on property and these seven things are missing, my perceived experience of the venue or the conference will be less high than it probably ought to be:

Rule 1: When you inquisitively inquire through your online room reservation process to learn that I like high floors, extra pillows and being as far away from the elevator as possible with my room, don't put me on 2, across from the elevator doors with one pillow.

Rule 2: If I cannot get a A) Cheeseburger, B) Fries, and C) Strawberry Milkshake after 10:30 PM - I am going somewhere else.

Rule 3: Take every planner (and vendor) through the back of house on a site visit. It is way more helpful to know up front that to get to the dock, you need to make 3 sharp lefts, go through a smaller-than-average, single door and walk 927 yards than to figure that out when the lounge furniture can't make the corner to get into the freight elevator.

Rule 4: Not everyone drinks coffee. Put soda and water into every coffee break. Yes, even at 10 AM.

Rule 5: Desk, Chair, Lamp, Internet Connection: Must mean this is a workstation in my room. So why are the only free outlets in the bathroom? (Subsequent points: the chair should be tall enough to comfortably work at the desk, not just a decorative accessory. Put in more than one extra outlet at the desk - Really, I need at least 3. And stop it with the glass top desks or the really well finished wood. No mouse ever works on these. Give me a mouse pad or a surface that functions - because the amenities price list is too small a surface to use as a substitute.)

Rule 6: Now I know as a planner that hotel room blocks are booked months and years in advance of the conference, meeting or event. And I know that clients can and do pay big attrition rates on the rooms that don't fill up. But stop telling me that you negotiated a great rate at the conference hotel when a 30 second search on Google shows me (attendee) that the rate at every hotel in the neighborhood is $50-$100-$200 less expensive. Re-negotiate the rate.

Rule 7: Internet is not a marketing ploy. Low/Mid-range business hotels promote regularly the free internet offered in their $89-$129 rooms. So why is it $12.99+ (++) in my $200+ (++) hotel room. It is no longer a relevant bargaining tool for only the big conferences. Internet should be free. Period.

Rule 7.1: Internet should be free. Period. In all meeting and event space and rooms, general access to Internet should be provided for all attendees, presenters and conference organizers.

Garage Sale Anyone?

Event Peeps: the time has come. Get rid of the stuff. All that stuff on your shelves. The great pieces which go out every weekend. And those pieces which go out every once and a while. And the deal you got on those 40 whatchamawhosits which you have never used. It is time to get rid of the stuff, because for the events of tomorrow - the stuff doesn't matter.

Ok, so maybe you don't have to trash or sell your stuff to stay in the event business (though in the last two year, I am sure some professionals thought about it and other downsized at least a little). But I am not promoting a more economical version of your business. I am writing this note to promote your people, because for the events of tomorrow, people are what count.

As I have continued to create new projects for clients across the country, I have come into a strong appreciation for the value of trustworthy event partners. As a designer there is nothing better to have than a great lighting designer who supports your vision. As a producer, your technical director is invaluable. But people have known this for years and everyone knows relationships are how this business functions. But as the dust settles on the shake up we are emerging from, the importance of those relationships I think are going to become more and more important. The new normal for events require that we open our eyes and look up from our sketch pads to see who else is working-creating-producing-designing in the field. To do that well, means that we all must become better at building teams and discovering the people who can be true partners for the sake of the project. Clients want us to collaborate to create better projects than any one person or company can do on their own. And the companies that win are the companies learn to market and sell their best assets: their talented staff.

Let me try to explain this with an example - and I think audio visuals provide the perfect example. When I travel with a show, I want to have production crew who I know, who I trust, and who I know have the best interests of my client and our project front of mind. The typical model for hiring and working with an audio visual company is that you hire the talent, you book the stuff on their shelves. And if you are headed out of town, you will truck that stuff along with you. But here is the problem: almost always, that "stuff" is anywhere my client is headed. Why waste energy and dollars shipping equipment across country when that equipment already resides at your destination. But that trusted production crew is not at your destination. The stuff in the production companies truck has no value but the people have tremendous value.

I know this is counter to how most of these companies make money - but we live in a new world and those models are tired. I want the people - I don't need the stuff. And the companies who are able to figure out how to rent out their qualified staff with or without the stuff from the shelves are, in my opinion, the companies who will keep creating innovative events.

And if per chance, you are thinking about selling some stuff: try usedeventstuff.com. A very cool event recycling concept!