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How does a hotel room block work?
A room block is a set of rooms a hotel holds for your group. On the cutoff date, any rooms nobody has booked go back to the hotel. In a contracted block, an attrition clause sets how much you owe if too few rooms get booked.
Last checked Nov 1, 2026. This is general information, and conditions change, so confirm the details in your quote.
The key terms
- Cutoff date: the date the hotel stops holding your rooms and releases the unbooked ones to the public.
- Attrition: the share of rooms the group must fill. If fewer get booked, the group may owe for the shortfall.
- Courtesy block: some hotels hold rooms with no financial obligation, but they may shrink the block before the cutoff. One IHG hotel's wedding policy, for example, reduces the block 60 days out and releases unbooked rooms 30 days out.
What to ask before you sign
- Is pickup measured across all nights, or night by night?
- Do rooms the hotel resells count in your favor?
- Do guests who book outside the block count toward it?
- Can you reduce the block before a review date?
- Does the cutoff come before your RSVP deadline?
Common questions
What is a hotel room block cutoff date?
It's the date the hotel releases any unbooked rooms in your block to the public.
What is attrition in a hotel room block?
It's the share of the block your group agrees to fill. Falling short can mean paying for the unfilled rooms.
Can someone set up a hotel room block for my group?
Yes. Send your dates, city and expected number of rooms, and we'll email you options.
Sources
- Cvent: Developing a hotel room block strategy
- IHG Staybridge Suites Franklin: Wedding blocks policy (PDF)
- Offsite: Hotel attrition clause
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