How to choose between similar hotel quotes
When 2-3 hotels score within a few percent of each other, the decision becomes harder than the framework alone can resolve. Here is how to break ties using structured tiebreakers — without defaulting to "we will just go with the cheapest."
Key takeaways
- When the top 2-3 hotels score within ~5% on your scoring framework, structured tiebreakers prevent gut-feel decisions.
- Tiebreakers worth using: site visit signal quality, response responsiveness, contract flexibility, sustainability score, prior relationship.
- Run a BAFO round to extract additional differentiation if budget justifies.
- Avoid defaulting to "lowest cost" when scores are tied — the ranking is tied for a reason.
The structured RFP process produces clear winners most of the time. Some events do not, however — the top 2-3 hotels score within a few percent of each other, and the decision becomes a real choice rather than an obvious selection.
This post walks through how to approach those decisions without falling back on gut feel or defaulting to cheapest.
When ties happen
A tie at the top of your scoring framework means the hotels are genuinely competitive across multiple dimensions. This is actually a good outcome — it means your RFP attracted competitive responses.
But it also means you need a structured way to break the tie.
Tiebreakers worth using
Site visit signal quality. During the site visit, did one hotel's team feel more engaged, professional, attentive? Site visit signal correlates with on-event service quality.
Response responsiveness during the RFP. How quickly did each hotel respond? How thorough were responses to follow-up questions? This predicts on-event service.
Contract flexibility. When you negotiated specific clauses (force majeure, attrition, payment terms), how did each hotel respond? Hotels that flex during negotiation tend to flex during execution.
Sustainability score. If you are operating in an ESG-procurement context, sustainability becomes a primary tiebreaker. Score it explicitly.
Prior relationship and reference quality. Have you worked with one of the hotels before? Were references for the others strong? Prior relationships have value but should not override scoring.
Brand fit. Does one venue's positioning align better with your event's brand objective?
Tiebreakers to avoid
"We'll go with the cheapest." When scores are tied, the cost line is already factored in. Defaulting to cheapest defeats the purpose of structured scoring.
"The sales contact at Hotel X was nicer." Personal rapport during sourcing is real but should not be the deciding factor.
"My boss has a favorite venue." If leadership preferences exist, they should enter the scoring framework explicitly, not as a tiebreaker.
Run a BAFO round
When 2-3 hotels are tied, BAFO is the appropriate structured next step. Ask all finalists for one final round of pricing and concessions, with explicit framing that this is the deciding round.
A well-run BAFO often produces enough differentiation to break the tie cleanly. See BAFO Round: When and How for the structure.
Document the decision
Whatever you decide, document the reasoning. The framework, the tiebreaker, and the final choice should all be in writing — for procurement, for finance, and for your own future reference.
A documented decision survives scrutiny when the event happens and questions arise. An undocumented decision exposes you when the chosen venue underperforms.
Frequently asked questions
What does "tied within 5%" actually mean?
On your TOPSIS-style score (or weighted average), the top 2-3 hotels are within 5 percentage points of each other.
Is BAFO always worth running on a tie?
For events above a certain budget threshold, yes. For very small events, the process overhead may exceed the value.
What if the tiebreakers also tie?
Run BAFO. Then if tiebreakers and BAFO both tie, pick based on a documented final-criterion decision (e.g., "we choose Hotel A because their sustainability score is highest, given our ESG procurement context").
Can the tiebreakers be quantified?
Yes — score sustainability, contract flexibility, and responsiveness on the same 1-5 scale used in the main framework, with explicit weights.
Score and break ties with the 9-dimension framework
The Hotel Scoring Matrix Template applies a defensible weighted scoring system across all your finalists.
Open the tool →