Posted by L on August 03, 19101 at 14:20:23:
In Reply to: Open Bar Prices posted by Katie on August 02, 19101 at 09:52:08:
I think that's about what our hotel would have charged if we paid per person per hour. But we decided to pay for our bar on consumption instead. (Those prices were pretty ridiculous as well, but it's your only option if you chose to have your reception in a hotel, especially in DC.)
You have to evaluate your guests - if you have a lot of heavy drinkers (averaging at least 1-2 drinks per hour) then it might be worth it to go with the per hour price. However, if you have a mix of heavy drinkers, light drinkers and non-drinkers, consumption might be the way to go. No matter what, be prepared to pay a pretty penny for the bar at a hotel reception and don't forget the bartender fees!