For maximum fun and ease, here’s a handy primer for making your upcoming trip extra amazing.

Check your travel status

Every destination has different visa and entry requirements. Imagine planning a destination event for everyone, only to realize you don’t meet the travel requirements to get into the country. Double-check your travel status before making any plans, a few useful websites include PassportInfo and the CDC website which detail up-to-date information by country.

Lock in those group discounts

Less money spent on accommodation = more fun cash to use for on-the-ground fun. Hotel blocks are generally 15-40% lower than standard rates, which should be a good enough reason to block out a group of rooms. You can negotiate the discount with the hotel ahead of time before making any decisions, and if you do this 3 to 8 months before your event, this gives everyone enough time to plan ahead, budget for travel, and get excited

Minimize on-ground hassle

Group travel is a great way to enjoy a vacation together but it can be a hassle, especially when it comes to restaurant bookings and transportation. Getting everyone to stay in the same hotel, cuts down on a lot of logistical nightmares. And if you book a hotel block with a company like 40hammocks, they can assist with on-ground restaurant recommendations and transportation ensuring no one has to fork over extra for Uber Surge Pricing fares or be tasked with designated driver duty (bummer).

Ensure there are plenty of amenities

Booking a vacation home might mean more personal space, but hotels almost always offer more amenities, ranging from daily housekeeping to complimentary breakfast and business centers for that pesky 1:1 Zoom call. Check with the hotel before booking, and compare with other properties to ensure that the amenities offered (kid’s club, handicap-accessible rooms, playground) are those you (and your group) require.

Use google drive to keep things organized

Whether you are planning a destination wedding or a group trip, Google Sheets will be your best friend. A spreadsheet can help you budget, stay organized, and keep track of things on your to-do list. If it’s a group vacation that you’re organizing, let everyone have Viewing/Commenting privileges that way everyone gets to add in any special requirements or things they want to do.

Block rooms at multiple hotels

If you are hosting a larger event, you will likely have guests with different budgets and needs for a hotel stay. Let 40hammocks know your requirements and they can sort out a selection allowing guests to choose between rooms at two or three hotels according to their budget and preferred amenities. Make sure that at least one hotel block is more cost-effective, one is more family-friendly, and one that caters to adults.

If you’re in the midst of planning a destination event or a group trip to reunite with friends and loved ones, one nifty travel hack could be utilizing a hotel block for groups of more than 10 rooms. By block booking all parties in the same hotel, it saves everyone money and a whole lot of logistical to/fro.

Hotel block aside, here’s a checklist of handy travel tips to make your milestone celebration planning a whole lot easier.