Frequently Asked Questions

Am I required to reserve my hotel accommodations through Halpern Travel?

Some events require out-of-area attendees and groups to reserve their accommodations through Halpern Travel as a condition of participation in the event.  If your event requires you to book through us, this usually will be stated as part of the event's registration information and/or on the event’s website. If you have questions concerning this policy, please contact us at 888.640.6400, or contact the organization hosting your event.

May I reserve my room directly with the hotel?

No. Please do not call the hotel to make your reservation. Our hotel contracts do not allow hotels to take reservations directly. All reservations at partner hotels for listed events must be made through Halpern Travel.

Does Halpern Travel work with a variety of hotel brands?

Halpern Travel willingly works with any hotel that event participants favor. 

Can I earn my hotel rewards program points when making my reservation through Halpern Travel?

Yes.  Either provide your hotel rewards number when you check into your hotel, or enter your hotel rewards number into the special request field when making your reservation online.  Once you arrive at your hotel, please reconfirm with the front desk that your rewards number is part of your reservation to ensure that your hotel stay is credited to your account.

Is my credit card information required to make my reservation? 

Yes.  Your credit card information is used by the hotel to guarantee your reservation.  Unless otherwise noted, credit cards are charged in the event of a late cancellation or no-show. Also, within 30 days of arrival, hotels may authorize debit cards for an estimated cost of stay, with a resulting "hold" on that amount.

Is my credit card information secure?

Our online booking engine partner, Alliance Reservation Network, uses secure-socket-layer (SSL) encryption, the standard encryption on the Internet. This encryption allows our users to feel confident and secure about supplying their credit card and personal information. SSL provides assurance that you are doing business with us (not an impostor) and that the information you are sending to us will not be intercepted or decrypted by anyone other than the intended recipient.

Should teams wait to book their rooms until after they are accepted into the event?

No. The most popular hotels will sell out quickly.  Therefore, we encourage you to book your rooms as soon as possible.  In the event your team or group is not accepted to participate in the event, please go online to cancel your reservation immediately.  Please be aware of cancellation deadlines.

Do I need to collect credit card information from my team's families and send Halpern Travel a reservation list?

No. Upon requesting your team's block of rooms and receiving your block hotel confirmation via email, you will be provided with a secure online team reservation link, allowing each individual team family to make its own reservation online from the team's block.

What happens after I make my online individual reservation?

Immediately after you make your individual reservation, you will receive an email confirmation that shows the reservation details. 

What happens after I make an online request for a team room block?

Immediately after you make your request for a team room block, you will receive an email confirmation that shows the request details and a link to send to your team families, so that each family can reserve its own room from the team room block.

Is it possible to use my credit card to guarantee the team’s reservations?

Yes.  But, it is inadvisable to do so because your credit card will then be responsible for the entire team’s rooms. If there is a late cancellation or a no-show, your card will be charged a penalty.  Instead, each reservation should have its own individual credit card to guarantee.

What is Halpern Travel's standard cancellation policy?

The cancellation policy for an individual reservation varies by hotel. Unless otherwise noted, teams have a 30 day cancellation penalty period. A team cancellation is defined as 50% or more of the team's reservations being cancelled. Charging cancellation penalties is up to the discretion of the hotel.

Will the team’s rooms be blocked together?

Reservations are submitted to hotels by team, with the request that teams be blocked together to facilitate communication and team unity.

May I check-out early?

Each hotel sets its own early departure policy.  Such policies vary and are subject to change.  Inquiries about early departure policies are best made upon check-in.

Do hotels allow early check-in and late check-out times?

Requests for early check-in and late check-out times cannot be guaranteed.  Hotels may or may not meet such requests based on housekeeping schedules and hotel occupancy.

May I make special requests?

Special requests, such as for a rollaway or for adjoining rooms, will be noted but cannot be guaranteed.

May I have a different room type (for example, a suite)?     

Please call Halpern Travel at 888.640.6400 to request a different room type.  Availability and rates may vary.

How do I make arrangements for a team meeting room or banquet room?

Please call Halpern Travel at 888.640.6400 for the name of a contact person at the hotel to assist with reserving a meeting room or banquet room.