Block Booking Of Capacity During a Peak Period
Cherita Howard, Sales Manager for the Accra Beach Hotel, a 141-room hotel on the Carbbean island of Barbados,was debating about what to do about a request from the West indies Cricket Board. The Board wanted to book a large block of rooms more than six months ahead,during several of the hotel’s busiest times,and was asking for discount. In return,it promised to promote the Accra Beach in all advertising materials and television broadcasts as the host hotel for the upcoming West Indies Cricket Series,an important international sporting event.
The Accra Beach Hotel and Resort had a prime beachfront location on the south coast of Barbados,just a short distance from the airport and the capital city of Bridgetown.Located on acres of tropical landscape and facing one of the best beach on Barbados, the hotel featured rooms offering panoramic view of the ocean, pool or island.
The centerpiece of its lush gardens was the large swimming pool, which gad a shallow bank for lounging plus a swimup bar. In addition, there was a squash court and a fully equipped gym. Golf was also available only 15 minutes away at the Barbados Golf Club,with which the hotel was affiliated.
The Accra Beach had two restaurants and two bars, as well as extensive banquet and conference facilities. It offered state-of-the-art conference facilities to local. Regional and international corporate clientele and had hosted a number of large summits in recent years. Three conference rooms,which could be configured in number of way, served as the setting for large corporate meeting,training seminars, product dispalys, dinners, and wedding receptions. A business center provided guest with Internet access, faxing capabilities,and photocopying service.
The hotel’s 122 standard rooms were categorized into three groups and there are also 13 island view Junior Suite, anf six Penthouse Suites, each decorated in tropical pastel prints