Approaching hotels for suite rental for bridal shoots?

entropy07

Have any of you done this before?

I'm collaborating with a makeup artist, a florist, and two models on a bridal shoot and they suggested finding a hotel suite. We'd obviously only need it for an hour or two in the afternoon and I was thinking of contacting hotels and see if there's anything like a day rate rather than an overnight rate they could quote us - and this would also give us the ability to shoot in the hotel's other spaces as well.

Have any of you done this with success? Tips on how to approach hotels / who would be good to contact? I'm based in Boston if anyone is local there!

cdonovan

Be upfront and honest, ask to speak with a front office manager, and tell the what you'll be doing. You'll usually find a day rate would work, but finding the right set up might be the most difficult thing. Ask to setup a time to meet and view the suites before booking. Ask for a day rate, (usually an early morning until late afternoon time frame. Honestly, they don't care that you are "just" going in to do pictures, and won't use the bed or whatever, they look at it from a slot of time that you've been there, it has to be cleaned all the same etc!
I work in the hotel industry and people have such warped ideas of how they think that things should run!
Check out the Fairmont's two properties there, the Batter Wharf is brand new, and the Copley plaza was just recently renovated... plus the have Catie Copley, the hotel dog!

Another note about pictures in the public areas, that is another separate thing that needs to be discussed. Some hotels will allow it without any charge, some will not, some will negotiate!
Good luck!

entropy07 wrote:

Have any of you done this before?

I'm collaborating with a makeup artist, a florist, and two models on a bridal shoot and they suggested finding a hotel suite. We'd obviously only need it for an hour or two in the afternoon and I was thinking of contacting hotels and see if there's anything like a day rate rather than an overnight rate they could quote us - and this would also give us the ability to shoot in the hotel's other spaces as well.

Have any of you done this with success? Tips on how to approach hotels / who would be good to contact? I'm based in Boston if anyone is local there!

entropy07

Thanks! I've modified my email to ask for whether they'd allow for suite rental, or payment for using their space. Very good point on the timing, I can totally see your point of view. I contacted Fairmont Copley by the way, they're very responsive!

entropy07

Hi everyone! Just wanted to let you know it worked! It took a little convincing, but one of the catering sales manager at a event I just recently photographed is letting me shoot in one of their best suites for 3 hours for free! (provided I give them some of the images as well) I'm so psyched! It's a 5-star hotel in Cambridge, MA... I contacted some of the other hotels as well. Some never responded, some responded saying they were under constructing, but I've found in general that a lot of the special events / catering people are very happy to accommodate under the right conditions.