Conference Planning Services offers free hotel venue sourcing and site selection for meeting and event planners. This resource page answers common questions about our no-cost model, commission-based structure, contract negotiation process, and site visit coordination. We help corporate, association, nonprofit, and government planners understand how a dedicated CPS team member manages venue selection from RFP to signed contract.
Conference Planning Services (CPS) provides no-cost hotel venue sourcing, site selection, and hotel contract negotiation for meetings and events. We research venues, manage requests for proposals (RFPs), compile hotel offers for easy comparison, coordinate site visits, and negotiate rates and contract terms. You make the decisions, and we manage the details of finding and securing your venue.
No. CPS does not charge clients for our hotel venue sourcing and site selection services. For groups with fewer than 100 total room nights, a sourcing fee may apply. While in most cases our services are free for the user, your organization remains responsible for the hotel and event expenses outlined in your agreement with the hotel.
CPS receives a commission directly from the contracted hotel based on the number of room nights utilized. This allows us to provide our venue sourcing and hotel contract negotiation services at no cost to our clients.
CPS is a boutique venue sourcing agency offering personalized service and a dedicated point of contact. We take the time to understand your event, explain the differences between hotel proposals, and help you weigh costs, meeting space, and contract obligations. We work as an extension of your planning team, with ongoing support throughout the site selection and contracting process. We also have a wide network of referral partners who can provide additional event planning and management services that we can recommend.
No. CPS is not tied to a particular hotel brand or property. We source options across major hotel companies, including Four Seasons, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Loews, Marriott, Omni, Wyndham and others, as well as independent hotels. Our recommendations are based on your event requirements and priorities.
CPS works with corporate, association, nonprofit, and government clients on events that require hotel accommodations only or hotel accommodations and meeting or event space. These include conferences, conventions, board meetings, corporate offsites, training seminars, incentive trips, and athletic competitions. We also assist private groups with hotel sourcing for weddings, reunions, and other group gatherings.
We begin by learning about your preferred destinations, dates, budget, guest room needs, meeting space, and event goals. We then research suitable venues and request proposals from properties that match your requirements. Throughout the process, we help you evaluate the options and tradeoffs so you can choose the best fit for your group.
Our client input form gathers the details needed to prepare a customized Request for Proposals (RFP). These include your event dates, destination preferences, attendance, nightly room block, meeting room layouts, food and beverage needs, and budget. You can also share priorities such as walkability, airport access, accessibility, or specific amenities.
Yes. Conference Planning Services sources hotels and meeting venues worldwide. Whether you have a destination in mind or need help exploring locations, we research properties that fit your group’s budget, guest room needs, and meeting space requirements.
CPS prepares and distributes your RFP to suitable hotels, answers property questions, and follows up on details. We communicate your decision timeline and work with hotels to obtain the information you need to move forward.
We organize hotel proposals into one shareable comparison document so you can review your options side by side. The comparison includes availability, guest room rates, meeting space, food and beverage minimums, rental fees, concessions, and other relevant costs. We also identify missing information and clarify proposal details with the hotels.
Yes. CPS negotiates group room rates, food and beverage minimums, meeting room rental, concessions, and other hotel contract terms. We use our industry relationships, experience, and business volume to advocate for your group. Results depend on factors such as your dates, destination, room block, and hotel availability.
Yes. CPS coordinates hotel site visits, including appointments and itineraries, so you can evaluate your preferred properties in person. When available, we request complimentary accommodations and ground transportation; these arrangements are subject to approval by the hotel or destination partner. We can also coordinate virtual site visits when preferred by a client.
Yes. CPS reviews hotel agreements to confirm that negotiated rates, room blocks, meeting space, concessions, and other business terms are documented accurately. We also negotiate provisions such as attrition, cancellation, and payment terms to help reduce your organization’s financial exposure. Reducing your financial liability guides our review and accordingly, we request the inclusion of terms that favor the client and reduce liability. When legal advice is needed, we can help coordinate review with legal counsel.
CPS saves your team time, simplifies hotel comparisons, and provides experienced support during negotiations. You have one point of contact to manage hotel questions, proposal follow-up, and contracting details. Our goal is to help you secure a venue that fits your event while making the costs and commitments clear.
Contact us to get started. Share what you know about your dates, destination, room block, and meeting space needs, and we’ll help you identify the next steps.
