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Organizing a Group Stay

Group Hotel Stays

If you are managing a meeting or event where ten or more people will be staying at the same hotel during the same time for commonwealth business, it makes sense to negotiate with a hotel to set aside a block of rooms for your participants.

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to organize a group stay:

  1. Follow procurement guidelines – the entire cost of the group arrangements must be included
        a. Do you need to get three verbal bids?
        b. Do you need to get a formal bid?

  2. Refer to the Commonwealth Preferred Lodging Guide – choose a preferred hotel if the hotel meets the meeting/group needs

  3. Contact the sales department of the hotel
        a. Is the space sufficient?
        b. Is the date available?
        c. Is the rate at or lower than the preferred rate?
        d. What is the meeting space cost? Will they waive meeting room rental fees?

  4. Finalize the details with the hotel
        a. Advise the hotel the Commonwealth is exempt from any local tax

  5. Obtain an agreement from the hotel

  6. Send a copy of the agreement to Adtrav for review at copahotels@adtrav.com
        a. Include in the subject line the agency, the hotel, and the date
        b. Attach the group agency lodging card request form

  7. Adtrav reviews for terms and conditions and returns with comments in three business days

  8. Make any necessary changes with the hotel sales contact

  9. Authorized person signs the agreement and returns it to the hotel

  10. Maintain a rooming list of attendees who need overnight lodging
          a. See the sample rooming list (DOC) as a guide
          b. Indicate on the form any guests who will be using the agency lodging card
          c. The maximum limit for the agency lodging card is $5000, which includes tax

  11. Provide the hotel and Adtrav with the rooming list by the contracted due date
          a. Copy your agency lodging card coordinator
          b. Provide the hotel with the REV 1220 tax exempt form for the group

  12. Adtrav will send the hotel the agency lodging card authorization form
          a. Agency lodging card is valid for room and tax only
          b. All guests are responsible for any incidentals

  13. Adtrav will send the agency contact and coordinator an approval email notice

  14. Adtrav will send BCPO a copy of the approved agency lodging card listing

  15. Update the rooming list with any changes
          a. Send to Adtrav, ALC coordinator, and hotel

  16. Advise all guests they must obtain a hotel receipt upon check out even if there are no other charges incurred and must submit the receipt with their travel expense report


A note about conference hotels…


Not all conferences are booked at government rates. When attending a conference or event that has a pre-arranged block of rooms, it’s still important to ensure that you pay the lowest possible cost.

If the conference is held at a preferred hotel, check the online booking system to ensure that the conference rate is at or below Pennsylvania’s preferred rate.

If the conference rate is higher, go ahead and reserve your room through our online booking system instead of using the conference procedure.

If the conference rate is lower, book your room via the conference procedure and note the lower cost as justification on your expense report.

If the conference hotel is not a preferred property and is charging a higher rate than our preferred hotels, ask yourself, “Is it imperative for my job function to stay at this hotel?” If it’s not, please stay at any nearby preferred hotel. If so, note the reason as justification on your expense report.