Five Reasons Some Hotel RFPs Get Better Deals & Faster Responses
“The most effective hotel RFPs are the clearest, not the longest, according to Conference Planning Services. Strong RFPs lead with essentials, preferred dates, guestroom block and room type mix, target rate, meeting space needs by function, estimated F&B spend, and load-in requirements so hotels can respond quickly without back-and-forth. CPS recommends holding concession requests until two or three finalist hotels remain, addressing operational needs like outside AV policies and union labor early, limiting searches to about two cities with well-matched properties rather than sending RFPs broadly, and maintaining active communication with hotels throughout. A February 2026 Skift Meetings article notes that delaying meeting bookings carries real financial downside, reinforcing the value of a focused, fast RFP process.”
