How can we help?

Engine Groups is an end-to-end lodging service for stays that need nine or more rooms, extended stays of 28 nights or more, or bookings with unique requirements that benefit from a personal touch. A dedicated trip manager negotiates rates, handles contracts, and manages bookings on your behalf.

Fill out a trip request form with as much detail as you can — dates, city, room count, budget, and any special requirements. Our team starts sourcing hotels immediately, sends proposals as we negotiate, and once you accept one, you'll sign any required agreements and get ready for your upcoming trip.

Booking room blocks and extended stays with Engine Groups ensures you get the best available rates and terms. Our free platform lets you browse properties, lock in competitive rates, and book in one place. We handle rate negotiation, book the rooms, gather signatures, and reconcile charges after checkout — saving you hours per trip.

Yes. We leverage our hotel partnerships to source competitive group rates and negotiate concessions like waived resort fees, complimentary parking, or breakfast credits. Engine is free to use — we're paid by hotel commissions, not by you, and our platform will never mark up your rates.

You'll receive a minimum of two proposals for every trip request so you always have options to compare. If you have specific hotels or brand preferences, share them in your request and we'll prioritize sourcing from those properties first.

You can pay by Direct Bill (one consolidated monthly invoice), by charging an advance credit card, or by letting individual guests pay the hotel directly at check-in. For weddings and social events, letting guests pay directly is the most common setup.

Any changes or cancellations go through your dedicated trip manager, who works directly with the hotel to update the contract, adjust the room block, or process the cancellation. Turnaround is typically within one business day.

Log into your Engine account and open your Groups dashboard to see live status, view proposals as they come in, review contracts, and message your trip manager. You can also submit multiple trip requests at once for different events and track each one separately.

Nope — our team secures the best rates and terms by negotiating with hotels on your behalf. If you have questions, contact your trip manager at [email protected]. The only time you'd communicate with the hotel directly is if you choose to have individuals pay the hotel themselves for their rooms, managed through the hotel's group booking link.

Otherwise, our team handles all changes, requests, and communication with the hotel for you.

On average, hotel quotes are delivered via the Engine platform within 4 business hours — sometimes as fast as 10 minutes. Your trip manager will send you hotel proposals as they come in, so check your dashboard and email regularly to stay on top of new options.

Yes. In your trip request form you can indicate preferred amenities, a target nightly rate, budget range, and any other details that matter — from free breakfast and parking to specific brands or room types. We'll use these preferences to prioritize which hotels we source from.

Yes — submit as many trip request forms as you like. Our team gets to work as soon as each completed form comes in, and you can track every request separately from your Engine dashboard. This is helpful for planners juggling multiple events or hosts booking rooms across several dates.

A courtesy block holds rooms without a contract or financial commitment: guests book on their own and any unbooked rooms are simply released back to the hotel. A contracted block guarantees rates and inventory but includes attrition — you're responsible for a share of unbooked rooms below the negotiated threshold. Your trip manager will explain which structure makes sense for your event.

Most hotels honor proposal rates for 7–14 days from the send date. Our platform tracks each proposal's expiration and warns you 48 hours before it lapses so you never lose a negotiated rate. If you need more time, we can request an extension directly with the hotel.

Yes. We'll source parallel proposals so you can spread inventory across a host hotel and one or more overflow properties. Guests see a single booking link and pick their preferred hotel, and we track all inventory in one place so nothing falls through the cracks.

Absolutely. Rate, room mix, dates, and amenities are all negotiable. Send edits through the proposal card and your trip manager will re-quote with the hotel — typically within one business day.

The cut-off date is a deadline set by the hotel — the last day it will honor the proposed rate and number of rooms in your block.

After the cut-off date passes, unbooked rooms are typically released back to the hotel's general inventory, and your group rate is no longer guaranteed. If your timeline shifts, reach out to your Group Sales Manager by messaging them through your dashboard — they'll work with the hotel on your behalf.

If you choose to have guests book their own rooms and pay individually, you'll get a booking link once the hotel has finished setting up your room block. Once the hotel has confirmed your room block, they'll send over a booking link via email. You can share this link with your guests so they can book and pay for their rooms directly with the hotel - you don't have to manage anything.

Go to your dashboard to add more hotels and request proposals. If you've already chosen 5 hotels, our Sourcing team will supply more options for you to choose from.

Yes! When you're selecting hotels, you can request meeting or event space as part of your group booking request, and we'll source properties that fit.

Already submitted your request? No problem — just message your Group Sales Manager (GSM) directly. The chat on your dashboard is the fastest way to reach them, and they'll work with hotels to add meeting space to your proposals.

Some hotels do offer complimentary shuttle service, but it's typically limited to airport transfers or, at downtown properties, a set route with stops at nearby landmarks. It's uncommon for a hotel to shuttle guests to a specific event venue unless the hotel and venue have a dedicated partnership — and if one exists, your venue will know.

Your GSM can confirm which of your hotel options offer shuttle service. If you're looking to arrange transportation to your event, your venue's point of contact is a great starting point for local vendor recommendations.

In most cases, yes. Hotels require a signed agreement to hold a room block — it's what locks in your rates, room count, and terms.

You won't be signing anything blind: our legal team reviews every contract before you sign, checking the rates, terms, and conditions (things like cancellation and attrition policies) so there are no surprises. Your GSM manages the paperwork, and everything is handled right in the platform.