WHAT IS A
COURTESY BLOCK AND
HOW DO YOU GET ONE?
A courtesy block is a set of hotel rooms held at a group rate for your wedding, reunion, or event. There's no financial commitment. If your guests don't book every room, the hotel simply releases what’s left over. Engine lets you set one up for free.
- 100% free to use
- No obligation to book
- No credit card required
Ready to get started? Set up your room block for free.
Step 1
Find hotels you like and contact each of them individually for rates and availability.
Step 2
Compare the proposals you get back, select the one(s) you like, and hotels send you a booking contract.
Step 3
Your guests book through the block you set up and you are not on the hook for any unused rooms.
Setting up a courtesy block usually means hours of emails and phone calls with individual hotels. Engine does it in minutes. Enter your details once, get proposals from multiple hotels the same day, and manage everything from one dashboard. It's free because hotels pay Engine when your guests book.
Why 100K+ groups use Engine to book a room block:
There's no obligation to book
One booking link to share with guests
No penalties for unused rooms
Free support at every step of the process
Hotels usually respond same day
100% free to use, always
Compare rates in one place
Get up to 22% off online rates
COURTESY BLOCK VS CONTRACTED
BLOCK.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
| What to consider | Contracted block | Courtesy block |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Signed agreement for a guaranteed room count | Hotel holds rooms until a certain date |
| Attrition | Penalty if a percentage of rooms aren’t booked | No attrition clauses are included |
| Financial risk | You pay a penalty if you don’t meet the attrition clause | Any unused rooms go back to the hotel |
| Rates | Discounted because it’s a guaranteed contract | Can be discounted, but not guaranteed |
| Contract | Signed agreement with clear terms | No formal contract in most cases |
| Deposit | Often required upfront | Typically none |
| Availability | Guaranteed. Hotels can’t sell your rooms to anyone | Hotels prioritize contracted blocks during peak dates |
NOT SURE WHERE TO START? ENGINE CAN HELP
Start your room block →ROOM BLOCK TERMS WE THINK YOU SHOULD KNOW.
Attrition
The minimum number of rooms your group has to fill in a contracted block. If you don't hit that number, you pay a penalty for the empty rooms.
Cut-off date
The deadline your guests have to book by. After this date, the hotel reviews your rooming list and any unbooked rooms are no longer held for your group.
Release date
The date the hotel is allowed to start selling your held rooms to other guests. This is usually the same as the cut-off date.
Group rate
The discounted nightly rate the hotel gives your block. This is usually 10-25% lower than what your guests would find online.
Room night
One room for one night. If a guest stays for 3 nights, that counts as 3 room nights toward your room block.
Rooming list
The list of guests in your block. For contracted blocks, you submit this to the hotel. For courtesy blocks, it builds automatically as guests book.
Booking link
A URL the hotel provides that you send your guests so they can book a room through the room block that you set up.
Comped rooms
Free rooms the hotel gives you when your block hits a certain size. Most hotels offer 1 free room for every 20-40 that get booked.
Minimum night stay
Some (not all) hotels require guests to stay a minimum number of nights to qualify for the group rate.
100,000+ GROUPS HAVE FOUND THEIR PERFECT STAY ON ENGINE IN THE PAST YEAR
Across the US and beyond
Most groups hear back in hours, not weeks
Savings compared to online rates
Across 3,639+ verified reviews
No membership fees. No obligation to book
From wedding guests to disaster relief crews
BOOKING GROUP TRAVEL WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.
Start your room block →
Frequently asked questions
Making group hotel reservations through Engine Groups is simple.
Fill out the trip form above, and one of our trip managers will invite you to our free platform. There, you can select room types, must-have amenities, and more.
Our platform will match you with hotel properties that fit your needs. Your trip manager will negotiate the best rates and terms for your group and even handle the logistics of booking rooms and managing the reservation.
Booking hotel room blocks and extended stays with Engine Groups ensures you receive the best possible rates and terms for your group trip. Our free platform allows you to browse properties, compare rates, and book your stay—all in one place.
You'll save hours of time because we simplify every aspect of the booking process for large groups. We handle rate negotiation, book the rooms, gather signatures, and even reconcile charges after your checkout.
Engine Groups makes getting discounted group rates for hotels a seamless process.
Once you select a hotel property for your group, our trip managers will negotiate directly with the hotel to secure rates and terms you can't find online.
From construction crews to wedding parties and sports teams to company offsites, Engine Groups makes booking hotels for any group a breeze.
All you need is a valid business email address to access our free platform, and then we'll walk you through the process of reserving hotel room blocks for your group.
Absolutely! Engine Groups specializes in group hotel bookings and can accommodate any special requests and needs for your group.
Whether arranging meeting spaces, finding properties with free breakfast, or ensuring proximity to event venues or work sites, we ensure your booking meets your specific requirements.