Questions to ask each hotel

  • Will gifts be placed in rooms or given at check-in?
  • Can the property accept them before guests arrive?
  • Are there handling, storage or room-delivery fees?
  • Which name and booking detail should appear on each label?
  • Are food, alcohol, glass or liquids restricted?
  • Who signs for the delivery and confirms distribution?
  • What happens if a reservation or room number changes?

Policies differ by property and can change. Obtain the answers directly from the hotel handling your group rather than assuming one arrangement applies everywhere.

Build one reliable delivery list

Include booking surname, guest names, arrival date, hotel, room number if assigned, gift version and notes. Avoid circulating passport numbers or unnecessary personal data. Mark changes in the same master document so your planner, gifting partner and hotel are not working from different files.

Label for people and operations

Each finished gift needs a clear recipient label; each transport carton needs the hotel name, wedding name, bag count, carton number and contact. Put a duplicate list inside the first carton. Removable labels make room moves easier than permanent personalisation.

Choose the delivery moment

Deliver too early and storage becomes a burden; too late and early arrivals miss the welcome. Agree a window based on the hotel’s capacity and arrival pattern. If guests arrive over several days, decide whether the hotel will hold and distribute the remaining bags or whether a second handover is needed.

Document the handover

Count cartons together, record the receiving staff member and retain confirmation. The handover should state whether the hotel is storing, placing or distributing the gifts. This is especially important when one wedding uses multiple properties.

Backup plan: hold a small reserve in one known location and designate one person who can respond to a missed guest. Do not send the couple searching through storage on the wedding day.

Plan the exceptions

Late bookings, room shares, name differences and moves between hotels are normal. Neutral spare bags and detachable name cards solve more problems than attempting last-minute custom production.

Protect guest information

Share only what each delivery partner needs, use a controlled document and delete outdated versions when the project ends. Do not leave room lists visible on the outside of cartons.

Frequently asked questions

Can hotels place gifts inside guest rooms?

Some can and some cannot. Access, timing, staffing and fees vary, so written confirmation from the specific property is essential.

When should the final room list be sent?

Agree a cutoff with the hotel and gifting team. Send updates through one named contact and preserve a small contingency for changes after the cutoff.

What if guests stay in villas or rentals?

Arrange a secure host handover, give gifts at the welcome event or ask one designated guest to receive them. Never leave items outside without explicit agreement.