Hotel group room blocks: cut-off, attrition and rooming lists
A group room block holds rooms at an agreed rate until a cut-off date. How attrition, rooming lists, deposits and quotes work, with a worked example.
A hotel group room block is a set of rooms held for a group at an agreed rate for agreed dates. The contract sets a cut-off date, when unbooked rooms return to general sale, an attrition allowance, the share of rooms the group can release without paying, and a deadline for the rooming list of guest names.
Groups can fill many rooms with one sale, but a poorly written block can also hold rooms you could have sold elsewhere and then release them too late. This guide explains each term, shows a worked attrition example, and gives a checklist for quoting and managing blocks.
What is a group room block?
A block, sometimes called an allotment, is an agreement between the hotel and a group organiser. The hotel holds a number of rooms per night, often called the room pattern, at a group rate. The organiser then fills the block, either by sending a list of names or by letting attendees book their own rooms with a code or link.
Typical groups include weddings, sports teams, conferences, corporate trips, tour operators and family celebrations. Each has a different risk. A wedding party tends to know its guests early. A conference may not know how many delegates will travel until close to the date.
Key group block terms explained
| Term | What it means | What to set in the contract |
|---|---|---|
| Room block | Rooms held per night for the group | Room types and number per night (the room pattern) |
| Group rate | The agreed price per room per night | Rate, meal plan, taxes and fees, inclusive or on top |
| Cut-off date | Date when unbooked rooms are released to general sale | A fixed date before arrival, and whether later bookings get the group rate if rooms remain |
| Attrition | How much of the block the group can fail to use without paying | An allowance, how it is measured (room nights), and the charge for any shortfall |
| Rooming list | Names of guests assigned to each room | Deadline, format, who sends it, how changes are made |
| Deposit and payment | When and how the group pays | Deposit amount and dates, master account or each guest pays |
| Cancellation | What happens if the whole group cancels | Charges by date, separate from attrition |
| Complimentary rooms and extras | Any free rooms or upgrades for the organiser | Only if agreed; state the rule clearly |
How does a cut-off date work?
Until the cut-off date, the hotel holds the rooms for the group. On the cut-off date, any room not yet booked or named goes back into general inventory and can be sold to anyone. After cut-off, group members can still book if rooms are available, but the contract should say whether they get the group rate or the public rate.
Choose the cut-off by demand. On dates when you expect to sell out, a longer gap between cut-off and arrival gives you time to resell released rooms. On quieter dates, you can accept a shorter gap. Your own booking pace data is the best guide: look at how many rooms you usually sell in the last weeks before those dates.
What is attrition and how is it calculated?
Attrition protects the hotel when a group books fewer rooms than it promised. The contract allows the group to release part of the block without penalty. Below that level, the group pays for the shortfall, usually measured in room nights.
Example, for illustration only: a group contracts 40 rooms for 3 nights at $150 per room per night, with an attrition allowance of 20%.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Contracted room nights | 40 rooms x 3 nights | 120 room nights |
| Minimum the group must use | 120 x 80% | 96 room nights |
| Room nights actually used | Final pick-up | 80 room nights |
| Shortfall | 96 – 80 | 16 room nights |
| Attrition charge | 16 x $150 | $2,400 |
Examples use US dollars; the same maths works in any currency.
Write down how the charge is calculated, whether taxes apply to it, and whether rooms you resell to other guests reduce it. Agree these points with your legal and tax advisers, and keep the wording the same across all group contracts.
How do you manage a rooming list?
The rooming list turns a block into real bookings. Set one clear deadline, usually at or before the cut-off date, and one format. A spreadsheet with arrival, departure, room type, guest names, number of adults and children, meal plan, special requests and who pays is enough for most groups.
- Name one contact at the group who sends the list and all changes.
- Confirm the list in writing and send back the booking numbers.
- Agree how name changes are handled after the deadline.
- Flag VIPs, accessibility requests and connecting rooms early.
- Share the final list with front office, housekeeping and the restaurant before arrival.
For groups where attendees book their own rooms, a booking code or private link replaces the rooming list. Each guest books and pays, and the hotel tracks pick-up against the block.
How should a hotel quote for a group?
A good quote is fast, complete and easy to accept. It should include:
- Dates, room pattern by night and room types.
- Group rate per room per night, with taxes and fees shown clearly.
- Meal plan, meeting space and any add-ons, priced per stay, per night or per person.
- Cut-off date, attrition allowance, rooming list deadline.
- Deposit schedule, payment method and cancellation terms.
- How long the quote is valid.
Price the group against what the rooms would otherwise earn. If the dates are likely to sell out at higher rates, a large discount costs you money. If they are quiet, a group can fill rooms that would stay empty. Check your forecast and your ADR, RevPAR and occupancy before you agree a rate, and see our dynamic pricing guide.
Group block checklist, from enquiry to departure
- Log the enquiry with dates, numbers, room types and budget.
- Check availability and expected demand for the dates.
- Send a quote with all terms, including cut-off and attrition.
- On acceptance, sign the contract and take the first deposit.
- Hold the rooms in your inventory so they cannot be sold twice.
- Send the organiser a booking code or link, or a rooming list template.
- Track pick-up weekly and remind the organiser before cut-off.
- Release unbooked rooms on the cut-off date and update rates and availability.
- Confirm the final rooming list and share it with all departments.
- After departure, settle the account and calculate any attrition charge under the contract.
How goDirects handles groups
goDirects supports group booking with quotes, so organisers can request rooms and the hotel can reply with a clear offer. Multi-room booking lets smaller groups and families book several rooms in one cart with one payment. Corporate and booking codes in promotions give attendees access to the group rate, and ARI Studio lets you manage availability, special dates and restrictions around the event. Meetings, weddings and conferences go through events and MICE enquiries.
For more on events, read selling hotel events and weddings online, and for deposits see deposit and prepayment policies. There is no monthly fee and no setup fee; you pay only on confirmed, paid bookings. To see a group quote built on your own rooms, book a demo.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between attrition and cancellation?
Attrition covers a group that arrives but uses fewer rooms than it contracted. Cancellation covers the whole group, or a large part of it, not coming at all. Contracts usually treat them separately, with an attrition allowance and charge for shortfall, and a cancellation scale based on how close to arrival the group cancels.
How far before arrival should the cut-off date be?
There is no single right answer. Set it by demand. On dates you expect to sell out, choose an earlier cut-off so you have time to resell released rooms. On quieter dates, a later cut-off can help the group fill more rooms. Use your own booking pace data for those dates to decide.
Who should send the rooming list?
One named contact at the group, such as the event planner, tour leader or company travel manager. Agree a deadline, a format and how changes are made after the deadline. Confirm every list and change in writing, and send back the booking numbers so both sides work from the same record.
Should group guests pay individually or on one account?
It depends on the group. Corporate events often pay rooms on a master account, with guests paying their own extras. Weddings and conferences often let each guest book and pay for their own room with a code or link. Write the arrangement into the contract and brief the front desk before arrival.
Can group members book after the cut-off date?
Yes, if rooms are still available, but the contract should say which rate they pay. Some hotels extend the group rate when rooms remain, others apply the public rate. Either way, released rooms go back into general sale on the cut-off date, so late bookers are not guaranteed a room.