You have decided to move forward with an in-person (or hybrid) event and have chosen a hotel as the event venue. Congratulations! With so many things to discuss and coordinate with your contact at the hotel, it’s important not to forget the needs of your AV provider and have an understanding of the information they will need to service your AV needs properly. Here are a couple things to keep in mind when confirming your event details with your hotel contact.
Understanding Logistics of Load-in/out for events at hotels
It’s important to communicate and provide a detailed account of all of the AV you will be using and bringing in for your event. Hotels are often booked with back-to-back events and you will need to schedule times for load-in and load-out that not only work for your AV provider but the hotel as well. Make sure to speak with the hotel about dock scheduling, any limitations related to load-in/load-out, elevator dimensions and the appropriate path to the event venue, and confirming access for your AV provider. It’s also important to know the ceiling heights or anything else that could present a logistical hurdle when bringing-in large AV equipment into a space. No one ever likes to be surprised about issues that could have been avoided, including your AV provider. Confirming these details ahead of time will provide for a smooth and worry-free process for all involved.
What to know about Amps, Circuits, and Power Requirements at Hotels
When bringing in additional AV equipment, it’s important to communicate your power needs and understand what the hotel has available to support this. Discuss how and where you’ll access power, including where the power runs are, and how much power is available to use, including how many circuits will be available. If there are concerns with the power, always communicate with your AV provider ahead of time and they can discuss bringing in temporary power and generators.
Beyond Bandwidth: Understanding Internet Speeds for Events
Fast and reliable internet is one of the most important things to confirm with your hotel event venue. This will be needed for everything from a smooth check-in process to event staff and attendees being able to engage with their personal devices. Have a clear understanding of your internet needs, how much bandwidth is available, and whether you will want to use their network or bring-in your own for the event. All of these things should be discussed with the IT team at the hotel and it’s important to have a direct contact within that department.
Event Storage Needs At Hotels
Your AV provider may need to deliver items ahead of your event and will need to utilize storage space before and possibly during the event. Make sure to ask your contact how much storage space will be available for you to use and how long you can use it for. It will also be important to know where that space is, how large it is, and any other information about how to access the space.
Navigating Hotel Loading Dock Traffic and Scheduling
It’s important for your AV team to have a clear understanding of other teams that may be working during load-in and load-out, including the décor, staging, catering, and electrical teams. By communicating the timeline of when everyone will be working, you can make sure no team is holding-up another or fighting for the same spaces and resources.
COVID Requirements during Hotel Events in 2022
Many hotel venues, or your particular event, may have COVID requirements that all vendors have to adhere to, including masking and showing of vaccination cards. If that is the case, be upfront with your AV provider about what those are so they can ensure their team is aware and can follow the required protocols.
Do you have more technical questions, or have a Summer or Fall event quickly approaching? Reach out to us today to make sure your AV needs are covered!
