51+ Sample Hotel Request for Proposal

What Is a Hotel Request for Proposal?

A hotel request for proposal is a formal request submitted by a client or buyer seeking bids from potential vendors. In this case, the event organizer or planner is typically the one who sources hotels as potential venues for events. 

According to an online article by tech company G2, the actions or activities usually involved in the request for proposal or RFP process include the following: determining needs, writing, distributing, evaluating, reevaluating and finally, decision-making.  

How Can a Hotel Refine and Improve Their Establishment?

Not all hotels are created equal. There are also different kinds of hotels from five star luxury hotels down to smaller, business hotels. But more than merely focusing on the type of hotel, there can be many ways to improve the state of a hotel and especially its service. Hotels fall under the hospitality industry and thus, makes it a part of the service sector. The following examples below describe simple steps on how hotel operators can work to become better for its guests. 

Excellent Employee Training. In the hospitality industry, training is everything. Or at the very least, it is a crucial factor that can either make or break a hotel’s reputation. Most successful hotels have well-trained staff and personnel. This, of course, is not achieved overnight. It takes a significant amount of time and investment to properly train hotel employees. And taking into account company size and other factors, it also entails a considerable budget and a lot of resources to mobilize professional development plan. However, despite the expense, it is a necessary one. A hotel, or essentially any service-oriented establishment, should always prioritize their manpower’s training and development. Novel and Personalized Service. There can be hundreds of hotels in an area or vicinity. If you live in a city, there can be thousands of establishments catering to both tourists and locals. From a customer’s point of view, most hotels basically serve the same purpose and most will fail to stand out in their mind. Thus, the important question that hotel operators must ask is what will make them stand out. If hotels want to really make an impact, they must have a deep understanding of what they can offer their guests. What can set them apart from other hotels? Offering novel and personalized experiences (e.g. water sports, curated tours, specialty cuisine, etc) that no other hotel offers is one way to add value to a guest’s otherwise ordinary hotel stay.Value Guest Feedback. One crucial aspect of hotel management is customer service. Without paying guests and outside visitors, hotels will cease to exist. Therefore, it is important to not just ensure guests have a comfortable and quality stay, but to value their honest feedback and actually act on it. Regardless if the comments and suggestions are positive or negative, it ought to be taken into consideration if there is to be any improvement. Majority of hotels these days encourage guests to write reviews and share their opinions of their stay. Doing so helps hotel operators and management refine their service and facilities. In addition, public reviews also often help other potential guests in their decision-making of whether to book a stay or not.Consistent Upkeep and Maintenance. It is a given that successful hotels care about the maintenance and image of their establishment. This does not only mean keeping every room and common area tidy and orderly. It also entails being proactive when it comes to building maintenance and upkeep. This means quickly responding to a guest’s feedback about a leak or a broken tile. Even something seemingly simple as a minor crack, giving urgent attention and priority to repairs is good practice for hotels to preserve its good condition. No one wants to stay in a dilapidated hotel. So it is important for hotels to practice consistent maintenance of its building, facilities, and amenities.

Why Is There a Need For a Hotel Request for Proposal? 

If you are an event planner, you would obviously need information and the right suppliers to help you execute your event. Whether it is a small intimate dinner or a grand week-long summit, a hotel request for proposal is a formal and official way to initialize a partnership between a supplier and an organizer. The following examples are some of the most common reasons why a hotel request for proposal or RFP is required.  

Weddings. One of the most traditional venues for weddings are hotels. Event planners or specifically, wedding planners look at hotels first as one of the top priorities during the initial phase of planning. Couples need to book venues early enough because hotels hold other events as well. This is to ensure that they are accommodated properly and have reserved a location for the wedding reception. The event planner submits a hotel request for proposal detailing the information of the wedding ceremony, the expected number of guests, preferences of the bride and groom and other relevant information. Submitting a HRP signals the interest of the wedding planner (on behalf of the couple) to book the hotel as a wedding venue. Vacations. Another reason a hotel request for proposal may be required is for people looking for vacation spots. Whether it is a simple weekend getaway or a long-term staycation, people planning for vacations typically canvass accommodations first since having a place to stay is as basic as booking a flight itself. Although a hotel request for proposal is not always necessary for regular vacations, the traveler can still opt to submit if he or she is looking to find more nuanced information about the hotel. A vacation is normally synonymous with travel for leisure or pleasure. And anything that calls for leisure such as beach activities, spas, island hopping or water sports may be mentioned in a hotel request for proposal. Meetings and Conferences. Hotels are popular venues for all types of meetings and seminars. Whether it is an international conference, board meeting, team building session or even a training seminar, hotels make good venues for such activities. Event organizers may decide to submit a request for proposal to several hotels so they have more options to choose from. After collecting the bids from prospective hotels, they can then weigh and decide on the best venue that suits their organizational needs. For meetings and other professional events, obviously the requirements differ from vacations. Thus, a hotel request for proposal would need to detail the needs and preferences of that specific meeting or event. It is important for the hotel to know what to expect if the company eventually decides to hold their event there. Corporate Travel. For companies or organizations who engage in corporate travel or business trips, one of the main priorities is accommodation. Especially for big groups, a formal hotel request for proposal may be required. Some corporations sponsor company trips or team building events. For occasions such as those, sometimes multiple rooms are needed to accommodate the big number of employees. These small but relevant details must be present in the hotel request for proposal. The purpose for doing this is to inform the hotel of their needs and specifications ahead of time.

How to Create a Hotel Request For Proposal

To create a hotel request for proposal, you must gather enough important information about the event or occasion. You do not necessarily have to start from scratch; there are different sample templates above that are easily editable and printable. You can simply choose one that best suits your needs and follow the tutorial guide below. 

Step 1: Provide a Brief Background

Since you are initiating the request, you need to introduce yourself professionally. This section is merely an opening or introductory part of your request. Depending on the kind of event you are planning, a general background can be anything from a brief company overview or a short description of your business, products, services or even interests. It should not be too lengthy, a few brief paragraphs should suffice. Do not forget to include your company name or the individuals or group you are representing as an event organizer.    

Step 2: Describe the Event and Its Objectives

The next step is offering a clear and concise description of the event or occasion. The hotel would want to know if their hotel can meet the type of event you are planning for. Describe and provide basic details such as the kind of event, date, time, and all other general information. Along with basic information, you can also state the objective and purpose of holding the event. For instance, if you are planning a wedding, make sure to include the proposed date and time of the event.    

Step 3: Specify the Requirements 

In a hotel request for proposal, you are essentially asking the hotel if they can help you execute your event. It is important that as the vendor, they are given the right specifications in order for them to properly meet your needs. Once you have given a general description of the event itself, you can take a step further and identify your needs for each aspect of the event. For instance, you can include in your request for proposal your need for audio-visual support, catering, meeting room size, or even hotel room packages. The hotel can easily curate a price quote for you if you provide them with the details beforehand.   

Step 4: Offer Contact Information

Make sure to leave your contact information in your request for proposal. Make sure to include your complete name, work address, email address, mobile number or social media account. If applicable and if you are a professional event planner, you can also include your complete company name, address and official website. You also want to ensure that the information you provide are updated and active so it will be easy for the hotel to reach out to you once they have received your request for proposal.  

Step 5: Ask Additional Questions  

Once you have covered all the basic information in your request, you can still leave a portion or space for any additional questions you may want to ask the supplier. This section is reserved for any other requests or concerns you may have. For example, you can ask ahead of time for the hotel’s guidelines on pets, outside food, use of amenities and other related matters.   

FAQs

How do you write a hotel request for a proposal?

To write a hotel request for a proposal, you need to provide a brief overview of your company or business, describe the event in detail (e.g., wedding, conference, etc.), offer specifications on your event requirements and share your contact information.

What does RFP stand for in tourism?

RFP stands for request for proposal. A buyer, organizer or client typically sends these out to prospective suppliers or vendors (e.g., hotels).

What is a request for proposal used for?

A request for proposal is typically used for gathering information to enable an individual or team to select the appropriate vendor for a particular project or event. For a hotel request for proposal, an event organizer or event planner seeks proposals from prospective hotels to hold their events or gatherings.

A hotel request for proposal is relatively simple to make, all you need is the correct information. But with the help of any of the sample templates above, you can get it done in no time! Browse the editable forms, select one that matches your needs and download a free template today!