Meeting and event professionals regularly source hotels, restaurants, and other venues to host conferences, incentives, exhibitions, and corporate events. But one of the biggest challenges remains: what should be included in a standard request for proposal (RFP) to ensure accurate and competitive hotel bids?
(c) Rob Hard
The key is to approach the RFP process strategically — so you save time, improve response quality, and streamline your final venue selection.
Start with a Clear and Targeted Inquiry
Industry groups such as the Events Industry Council (EIC) and professional associations including MPI and PCMA provide updated RFP resources, templates, and sustainability guidelines that align with current best practices. These tools are designed to simplify the process whether you’re sourcing a convention hotel, a boutique property, or private dining space for a smaller group event.
Essential Elements of a Hotel or Venue RFP
Every RFP should include a consistent set of details so that hotels can accurately estimate costs, room blocks, and logistics. Core information includes:
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Basic contact details (organization name, planner, phone, and email)
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Event dates (include at least two alternative date ranges)
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Guest room block requirements
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Meeting and function space needs (room size, layout, and capacity)
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Food and beverage plans
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Accessibility requirements
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Shipping and receiving needs
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Technology or A/V requirements
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Budget range and decision timeline
Hotels and venues today often use digital sourcing platforms or internal CRM tools to manage RFPs. Providing complete, organized information up front ensures faster turnaround and helps you receive more customized proposals.
Venue Details to Request
Beyond the basics, your RFP should ask for property and meeting space specifications that can help you compare venues more effectively:
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Total number of guest rooms and suites
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Total meeting space (square footage)
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Largest ballroom or meeting room size
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Ceiling height and setup flexibility
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Dedicated boardrooms or executive meeting spaces
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Availability of exhibit space
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Distance to major convention centers or airports
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Local taxes, gratuity, and service charges on food and beverage
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In-house vs. outside A/V policies and related costs
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Wi-Fi access and bandwidth capabilities in meeting spaces
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Sustainability initiatives (e.g., waste reduction, energy efficiency, local sourcing)
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Preferred payment methods and corporate meeting card acceptance
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Comp room ratios (e.g., 1 per 40 or 1 per 50 rooms)
These points reflect what most professional planners now include as part of a modern RFP checklist, ensuring that you’re comparing similar data from each property.
Describe Your Organization and Event Goals
Hotels can best tailor their proposals when they understand who you are and what you aim to achieve. Be sure to share:
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Your organization type (corporate, association, nonprofit, or government)
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The event purpose (conference, training, board meeting, gala, incentive, etc.)
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Your audience profile and estimated attendance
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The desired event experience or theme
This context helps hotel and venue partners recommend layouts, menus, and services that match your goals — from intimate leadership retreats to multi-day exhibitions.
Refine Your RFP Process
Once your initial inquiries are sent, schedule follow-up calls with shortlisted venues. Discuss key logistics such as meeting room flow, networking space, and breakout areas. Many planners now use online sourcing tools such as Cvent, HopSkip, or VenueDirectory to manage proposals, track bids, and communicate with suppliers.
By centralizing the process, you can compare side-by-side data and identify which hotels or venues best fit your event objectives, location preferences, and budget.
Final Thoughts
Hotel and event venue RFPs are more than a formality — they’re an opportunity to define your event’s needs, set expectations, and establish productive relationships with your partners. When structured clearly and supported by today’s digital tools, the RFP process saves planners hours of time while ensuring they receive accurate and competitive proposals.
Whether you’re organizing a corporate retreat, a large-scale meeting, or a client reception, a well-crafted RFP remains the cornerstone of successful business travel event planning.
Learn more tips for meeting and event professionals.
Updated. Initially published January 2, 2010.
