Originally Posted by
MoreMilesPlease
Not quite true. You can negotiate anything wth an individual hotel. If you want "event planner points" then negotiate that with everyone paying their own room. If you want a free room for yourself, or breakfast included for everyone then negotiate that.
Everything is negotiable but make sure and get EVERYTHING in writing. Verbal assurances have no meaning when the points fail to show up!
I have to disagree. While individual hotels have a significant amount of discretion to award points and stay credit in the form of bonuses, the meeting planner reward programs tend to have somewhat rigid requirements which cannot always be overruled by an individual property. In any event, I have never seen a hotel award points to a planner for a room block where the rooms were paid for individually unless it was a signing bonus. I suppose it's possible but it would be highly unusual.