HOTEL CONTRACTSHOTEL CONTRACTSBy Fiona Anderson
Below is a sample hotel contract provided by Bruce Farr. Since it has been used for an American hotel convention, it will have some very major differences from a contract for a British or European hotel convention. I would be extremely grateful if anyone could provide me with sample hotel contracts for UK or Euro hotel conventions, for inclusion in AFN.
Bruce Farr
1992 LepreCon Convention
Hotel Contract
The following forms an agreement between LepreCon, Inc., a corporation dba 1992 LepreCon Convention (called "committee" or "convention") and the Caravan Inn (called "hotel").
Supplementary agreements may be made between the committee and the hotel as called for in the following items, or as required. Such agreements, if any, when initialed by the hotel and the signer of the contract or his duly authorized successor(s) (as confirmed by the corporate officers of LepreCon, Inc.), shall become a part of this agreement and shall be as binding.
Copies of this agreement, including additional supplements and changes, if any, shall be issued to and read by each hotel division manager and shift manager within two weeks prior to the convention. In the event of personnel changes, the new division manager or shift supervisor shall be given such copy immediately.
General
1) The official dates of the convention shall be Thursday, March 26, 1992 through Sunday, March 29, 1992 inclusive. Not all functions of the convention will be occurring on each day of the convention and not all meeting space will be required on some days. A program shall be submitted one month prior to the convention to determine exact function space requirements.
2) The hotel will not book any other group requiring the use of function space into the hotel for the duration of the convention without determining that the convention has no use requirements. We require that a signer on this contract or his duly notified successor waive use of function space in writing before assigning function space on the official dates of the convention. We require immediate notification of any other groups booking more than 25 hotel rooms.
3) The hotel agrees to detail to the convention in a supplementary agreement all special fees, additional costs, and miscellaneous charges that will be charged to the Master Account no later than forty-five (45) days prior to the convention. If such an agreement is not furnished, there will be no supplemental charges of any kind. Special requests prior to the convention and after the 45-day period must be signed by a current convention-authorized signer on the Master Account.
The committee shall furnish a projected list of special needs, and expected charges thereof, no later than February 28, 1992 so as to allow the hotel to furnish said agreement.
4) The traditional discussion parties at this kind of convention tend to run right on through breakfast. While a certain amount of noise is inherent, it is unlikely that there will be cause for serious complaints. The hotel agrees that any complaints of a behavioral nature (i.e. noise, outrageous behavior, strange sounds, etc.) will be referred to the committee for handling. If the hotel security finds it must take action involving a member of the convention, then whenever it is possible, the committee will be notified prior to such action or as soon thereafter as possible. Hotel will also consult first with committee before locking out any attendee guests. The committee agrees to provide to the hotel 24-hour access to the convention's operations headquarters for such purposes.
The purpose of the prior paragraph is not to preclude the hotel from carrying out its responsibilities as assigned by hotel policy or law, but is rather to ensure that the committee will be given a chance to act where the hotel does not have to take immediate action. This is to insure that room party noise at reasonable levels will be tolerated by the hotel at all hours of the day or night, and that the personal eccentricities of convention attendees will also be tolerated.
Behavior which does not immediately endanger life or property can usually best be handled by peer pressure from the committee, and as such will not be taken out of the committee's hands.
5) The convention shall not be held responsible for any damage done by non-attendees during, prior to, or after the run of the convention.
By agreement, damage, if any, to the convention Hospitality Suite or function areas under committee control will be charged to the Master Account.
6) Upon the signing of this agreement, a Master Account shall be set up by the hotel for the convention to make all hotel charges prior to, during, and after the convention for all matters relating to the convention. No further credit applications or other qualifications shall be required by the hotel for the Master Account to be set up. The account shall be set up as follows:
1992 LepreCon Convention
Samuel P. Stubbs, Treasurer
P. O. Box 27201
Tempe, Arizona 85285
7) Unless otherwise notified in writing, only the following have authority to speak for the convention or to make charges to the Master Account:
Mr. Eric A. Hanson, Chairman
Mr. Samuel P. Stubbs, Treasurer
Mr. M. Bruce Farr, Hotel Liaison
8) Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this contract, or breach thereof, that is within the jurisdiction of the appropriate Small Claims Court shall be handled by that court. Any other controversy or claim shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the Rules of the American Arbitration Association and judgement upon the award rendered by the Arbitration(s) may be entered in any local court having jurisdiction thereof.
9) Renovations, upgrading, or other major projects that could interfere with the unrestricted use of meeting space and hotel rooms assigned to the convention will be finished prior to the convention dates or be started after the convention dates or be started after the convention dates, except for emergency reasons (e.g. floods, fire, and similar events). Renovations or major projects that do not interfere with access are accepted by the convention and work can proceed in areas not blocked for use by the convention.
1) The hotel will assign to the convention on the official dates of the convention all Meeting Room space, not including staff, on a 24-hour basis from no later than 5pm on Thursday, March 26, 1992 through midnight Sunday, March 29, 1992 inclusive (space includes the following rooms: the Bonanza Room, Dining Room, Coffee Shop, Marakesh Room, Bagdad Room, Kashmir Terrace, Convention Center, access through the Kitchen and Service Area (to the Coffee Shop, Dining Room, and Convention Center), and any other facilities and meeting rooms presently existing or that will be constructed by the meeting dates. Function space also includes non-exclusive use of the hotel's lobby and convention center poolside (including restrooms) and the courtyard poolside (including restrooms).
However, should hotel decide to open the restaurant and coffee shop areas for that use, the convention will not have those areas (as well as the Kitchen Service Area) for its use.
The convention shall pay the following amounts in total for the listed services and function space according to the total room-nights picked up during the official convention dates and two days before and after the convention dates:
150 or more room-nights $no charge
100-149 room-nights $150.00
under 100 room-nights $250.00
The hotel will provide at a rate of $250 per night total (exclusive of tax) for the nights of March 26-29, 1992, rooms 100, 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, and 118 (or 5 other rooms adjoining or as nearby as possible to rooms 108, 110, 112, 114, and 116). The rooms will not be counted towards our comp allotment of one (1) room for each fifty (50) rooms occupied over the official convention dates. The rooms shall be made available to the convention no late than 1 pm on Thursday, March 26,1992 and shall remain available to the convention until 2pm on March 30, 1992. One room (to be selected by the Committee and notified to the front desk by noon on Monday, March 30, 1992) will remain available to the convention until 7pm on Monday, March 30, 1992 at no additional charge. Those rooms of those listed immediately above that are not required by the Convention each night will be credited at a rate of $25.00 (plus tax) per night. These rooms will be used by the Committee for Hospitality, Video, and whatever other uses as the convention requires.
The convention is entitled to a $60.00 (plus tax) rate per night rate total for rooms 260-262-264. The committee's hotel liaison shall designate the nights, if any, that the room will be required by the convention. The use of rooms 260-262-264 is subject to any long-term (over 7 days) rental, lease, or general manager's use of those rooms.
2) Union members shall not be required to operate projection, lighting, sound, or similar equipment in any of the function rooms, provided operators are not paid for their services.
3) The committee may made use of non-union performers in hotel function rooms, provided they are not paid for their services.
4) The hotel will provide reasonable existing equipment (one microphone, use of the existing sound system as requested by committee, cork boards, blackboards, easels, normal room lighting equipment, staging, stands, fixtures, tables, table coverings and draping, chairs, etc.) at no charge to the convention. Additional charges for equipment rental shall be detailed to the convention as per General Item 3.
The hotel agrees that the committee shall not be required to rent equipment through the hotel; the hotel shall not be held responsible for usability or service of equipment not rented or provided through the hotel. Hotel is not responsible for suitability of outside equipment and convention will be held responsible for any damage to hotel facility from use of faulty outside equipment.
5) The hotel shall provide in-house phones where requested by committee whenever outlets already exist and are in service or can be placed in service at no additional cost to the hotel. There will be no outside calls requiring added charges placed from function or Hospitality rooms. The convention will not be held responsible for any placed from the Hospitality Suite for function rooms except where arrangements have been made by the convention's Hotel Liaison.
6) The hotel agrees that any in-house music and/or paging system (i.e. Muzak etc.) may be turned on or off in any function space at the committee's sole discretion, and at no charge to the convention. Should the paging and/or announcing facilities be available, the hotel agrees to allow the convention access to, and use of, such facilities at no charge. The hotel itself will made the actual announcements.
7) The hotel will not charge for any use of existing electrical hookups required by the committee in its function space, suites, or hotel rooms.
1) The hotel does not currently have a restaurant or bar in house.
1) The hotel will provide its standard complimentary breakfast (if any is normally served) during posted hours each morning to all convention attendee hotel guests.
2) Any and all soft drink machines shall be checked and refilled at least once daily. The prices of soft drinks shall not be raised for the run of the convention and within two weeks prior to the start of the convention.
3) The ice machines shall be kept properly filled and maintained for the official dates of the convention at the hotel's expense. Should most or all of the ice machines be emptied, special arrangements shall be made to purchase ice from the hotel at its cost (or purchase price to the hotel, whichever is lower). This price shall be quoted to the convention as set forth under General Item 3. Attendees and/or the committee may purchase ice elsewhere if desired. Hotel will provide, at no charge to the convention, 300 pounds of ice each day for use in convention's Hospitality Suite(s). This will be requested as needed by the committee.
4) The hotel agrees that there will be no corkage or other fees assessed to the convention Hospitality Suites, Convention Office, function rooms, or to parties for food or other supplies brought into the hotel. Convention will be using its own pop/beer/snacks in the Hospitality Suites and Convention Office. The convention will not serve alcoholic beverages in function space.
5) Safety deposit boxes will be made available to convention attendees staying in the hotel at no charge to attendees or convention while the supply lasts. The hotel shall make available two (2) safety deposit boxes, at no charge, to the convention itself. These boxes shall be available no later than noon on Thursday, March 26, 1992 and shall be returned to the hotel no later than noon on Monday, March 30, 1992. Should no boxes be available, the hotel agrees to provide the first two (2) available boxes.
6) The hotel will augment its staff to the degree necessary to fully serve check in and check out of convention attendees.
7) The hotel will arrange for the committee to meet with department heads and managers of all shifts to review the program and make necessary arrangements in advance of the convention.
8) An initial setup of ice water and a supply of plastic glasses shall be available in function rooms as specified by the committee at no charge. Due to a lack of service staff during the convention, the convention will be responsible for servicing the water setups. Hotel will provide sufficient plastic glasses for the duration of the convention.
9) Trash containers and ash trays will be provided and located in function rooms and any convention Hospitality Suite(s) at no charge. Garbage will be hauled away from designated areas throughout the convention by the hotel's service staff. The hotel will supply plastic bags for servicing the trash containers in hotel function space. Due to a lack of service staff during the convention, the convention will be responsible for emptying trash containers.
10) Hotel shall augment housekeeping staff to whatever degree is necessary to provide full service. It should be noted that, due to the hours normally kept by convention attendees, few sleeping rooms will require cleanup prior to 10 am.
11) All function rooms shall be kept locked while not in use by the convention. Function rooms will be locked under the inspection of an authorized committee member, and shall not be opened except as authorized by the convention (i.e. an authorized committee member to be designated later in writing), or if required by fire or similar hazard. Housekeeping will be informed by hotel of this requirement.
12) All function rooms shall be cleaned on a daily basis while not in use, or at such time as mutually agreed upon by the hotel and the convention committee. The hotel agrees that cleaning can be scheduled during any time between the hours of 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. during the run of the convention. Function areas shall require an authorized convention committee member to be present when cleaning is done; rooms and times shall be arranged at the mutual convenience of the hotel and committee. Housekeeping will be informed of this requirement.
13) The hotel's assigned convention coordinator shall be on call during the normal working hours for the run of the convention. When not on duty, the hotel shall designate someone on their staff to act in their stead.
14) The hotel shall provide access to an engineer/electrician/steward on a 24-hour basis for the run of the convention. Such person shall work at no charge to the convention during normal working hours.
It is expected that such services will be required only in the event of a breakdown or malfunction, and as such must be available on short notice. In the event of an emergency during the evening or early morning hours, the committee agrees to pay prevailing labor rates in effect. This is only for work performed at committee request and authorized by the signers of this contract.
15) The hotel shall provide a work force sufficient to implement such function room setup and breakdown as required by the program schedule. If asked, the committee can provide a minimal work force to assist with breakdown and setup of a function room.
16) The committee shall provide short-term liability insurance for the run of the convention. Evidence of such insurance will be provided if required by the hotel at least one week prior to the convention's official dates. The hotel does not require more than $250,000 of such insurance.
17) The swimming pools, whirlpool tub, and barbecue(s) shall be available to attendees on a 24-hour basis. Activities shall not be restricted except by law, safety requirements, or excessive guest complaints.
Should closure of the pool(s) or whirlpool tub be required for cleaning or maintenance, the convention prefers the hours between 5 am and 8 am, as these are the hours when the convention attendees are least likely to use the facilities. Closure for maintenance will not exceed two hours for each 24-hour period.
18) The hotel shall provide free parking space for convention attendees.
19) The committee shall provide a deposit for the Master Account of $500.00 sixty (60) days prior to the official convention dates and an additional $500.00 on taking possession of the facilities on March 26, 1992, subject to General Item 3.
The committee recognizes that major changes in requirements by the committee after the contract dates may necessitate adjustment in the deposit; minor changes shall require no further deposits.
The Master Account shall be settled in a meeting between the committee and hotel in a period between one day and one week after the close of the convention. The committee will be provided with the number of hotel rooms picked up by the convention on request any time prior to, during, and after the convention dates. Due date for payment of any balance in the Master Account (for hotel and committee) is April 15, 1992.
20) The hotel and authorized committee member(s) shall make a pre-convention walk-through of the hotel, function space, and Hospitality Suite, if any, to determine the condition of same immediately prior to commencement of convention; this is to determine the extent and area of pre-existing damage(s), if any.
21) Within 24 hours after the close of the convention, or before the takeover of function rooms or Hospitality Suite by other groups, whichever is sooner, the hotel and authorized committee member(s) shall make a post-convention walk-through of the area(s) covered by item 20 above.
The hotel shall, within seven (7) days of the close of the convention, provide an itemized list of damages for which the convention will be charged, if any. This list shall be inspected and initialed by any of the committee walk-through participants and shall contain estimated charge(s) for repair(s), if any.
Should no list be provided within this time frame, the convention shall have no liability for damage(s). All charge(s) for damage(s) are to be submitted to convention with full details provided so that appropriate paperwork may be completed for any insurance claim. Receipts are required for work performed by outside agencies and hotel costs (which shall be for actual cost to the hotel, and shall not include fixed overhead charges, markups, or other such add-ons) will be fully supported or else no charge will be made to convention.
22) not applicable
23) All elevators shall be operational, accessible to convention attendees, and be maintained 24 hours a day during the run of the convention, barring a mechanical breakdown. Should a breakdown occur, the hotel shall attempt to effect repairs as soon as possible.
The committee is aware that elevators are serviced by an outside agency and that the hotel cannot be responsible for an extended outage. It is, however, expected that the hotel will inform its maintenance vendor(s) in advance of the convention so, should failure occur, they will be immediately available for service.
The convention shall not be responsible for the cost of maintenance or non-damage repair before, during, or after the convention.
24) The hotel shall provide, on request by the convention, 3,000 reservation envelopes or cards at no charge to the convention. These are being mailed to potential convention members as well as paid convention members. Instead, the hotel may make payment to the convention for its printing of reservation forms.
1) The hotel shall hold as a block for the convention:
30 rooms Thursday, March 26, 1992
100 rooms Friday, March 27, 1992
100 rooms Saturday, March 28, 1992
20 rooms Sunday, March 29, 1992
2) Rooms rates in effect during the convention shall be $41.00 single/double occupancy and $46.00 triple/quad occupancy (all rates are plus tax) and all rates shall be effective during the official convention dates and for two days prior and afterwards, if in hotel at any time during the convention. No other charges to apply to attendee guests for hotel services (excepting sales taxes) unless requested by the attendee.
3) No advertised special rate quoting a lower room rate than the convention room rate will be available during the run of the convention.
4) Children under 18 years or younger stay free if in room with parent or guardian. If two or more rooms are required to accommodate parents and children, the convention rate shall apply to all rooms.
5) Note that rooms 100-125 and 200-225 are all non-smoking rooms.
6) The hotel shall block rooms into two zones: Party-rooms closest to the courtyard/pool; Non-Party - rooms furthest from the courtyard/pool. The hotel shall make every effort to see that specific requests are honored; should additional help be required by the hotel in this matter, the committee shall provide someone to assist.
7) The hotel will not over book its available sleeping rooms for the duration of the convention. Should inadvertent over booking occur (i.e. due to other guest(s) not checking out, etc.), the hotel shall make every effort to assist in the location of similar accommodations.
8) To avoid any possible problems between attendees and non- attendees, and to the degree possible, the hotel shall book non-attendees in the areas furthest from the convention.
9) The hotel shall honor the convention rates no matter how the reservation or check-in is presented so long as the proper group identification is presented. The proper identification shall consist of the words "1992 LepreCon Convention", "Science Fiction Convention", and/or any reasonable variation on the above. If there is a question of doubt, the hotel shall request verification from the committee. Suitable convention identification shall also be accepted as proper group identification.
10) The hotel shall accept VISA, Master Card, Diner's Club, American Express, traveler's checks and U. S. currency for payment of rooms and all charges thereto. The hotel shall also accept personal checks for those persons meeting its normal requirements for same.
11) Check-out time shall be 1 pm and check-in time shall be 3 pm on the official dates of the convention for convention attendees. Master Account rooms, up to 10 rooms, will have early check-in of 10 am on Thursday, March 26, 1992 and Friday, March 27, 1992 and late check- out of 3 pm on Sunday, March 29, 1992 and Monday, March 30, 1992. Hotel will provide free storage of luggage to all convention attendees after check-out.
12) Reservations will be held until 6 pm of the first day of stay. Hotel shall guarantee reservation(s) for late arrivals made with advance payment in the form of check, money order, cash, or credit card. All participants who are unable to make their reservations should notify the hotel at least 48 hours prior to arrival.
13) The rooms blocked for the convention will be released for sale if not reserved by convention members at a point 2 weeks prior to the official convention dates in a manner consistent with sections 6 and 8.
14) All rooms sold to convention attendees or committee at any time during official convention dates and two days prior and two days after will apply to the comp rates of one room complimentary per fifty occupied. The calculation for comp rooms shall be: [total number of room-nights over official convention dates and two days prior and after] / 50 = number of complimentary room-nights for convention.
15) Attendees are responsible for charges and damages, if any, to their own room. Only authorized Master Account signers can authorize rooms or other charges to be added to the Master Account.
16) Only rooms with convention attendees or their dependents are entitled to the convention rates. Rooms sold under convention rates with non-attendees staying in them will be subject to "rack rates", retroactive to the first day of their stay. The convention will provide confirmation of occupants as attendees; the hotel will consult with the convention before charging higher "rack rates" and will notify the convention's Hotel Liaison.
17) The hotel will provide signers on the Master Account with printouts or lists of rooms occupied whenever requested. These will be at no charge (limited to two per night) and shall include full detail of occupant and room number. Hotel will also provide signers with detail as requested prior to the convention and after the conclusion of the convention. If detail cannot be provided, the convention will be assumed to have booked its entire block for comp calculation purposes.
18) Hotel rooms unsold by the start of the convention shall be available for sale to attendees and under the rates established under this contract.
________________________________________ Dated:_________________
For the Hotel
_________________________________________ Dated:_________________
Eric A. Hanson, Chairman
_________________________________________ Dated:_________________
Samuel P. Stubbs, Treasurer