A series of snowstorms barreled through the New York metropolitan area in March and April, causing power outages, school closings, fallen trees and other misfortunes. As airlines and Amtrak delayed and canceled flights and trains, distressed passengers flocked to the nearest hotels, hoping to find a room for the night.

When bad weather is on the way, the corporate clients who use our Manhattan hotels respond proactively, booking blocks of rooms to house essential employees who may not be able to get home on the evening of the storm or, more critically, show up the next day for work.

Having been caught off guard frequently in the past, airlines also react more proactively, committing to blocks of rooms throughout the metropolitan area to house their flight crews. Airlines then go to the added time and expense of shuttling their personnel back and forth to the airports as weather conditions improve and flights are rescheduled.

Such room blocks are called “hard blocks,” meaning that the company or airline guarantees to pay for the rooms even if they’re not needed.

Hotels also must decide whether to reserve rooms for their own associates. Given hotels are 24-hour-a-day operations, employees work on shifts, meaning some might be delayed if roads haven’t been plowed and mass transit isn’t fully operational. By providing overnight accommodations to selected staff, general managers make sure there are sufficient hands to do the work.

Meanwhile, some guests, faced with storm-related flight cancellations, may opt to extend their stays, creating a challenge for front desk staff, who must find enough open rooms to house these guests along with other stranded guests and hotel employees. Meanwhile, the housekeeping team also is pressured to turn over needed rooms quickly. The situation may be stressful, but front desk agents and housekeepers are trained accordingly.

On the plus side, guests who are faced with circumstances beyond their control generally tend to appreciate efforts made on their behalf. They often express their gratitude by making comments on TripAdvisor, often praising the team for going above and beyond.