Hotels Discussion

[evaunit01berserk 0]

i present to you, troublemaker A,

tries to make excuses for destruction of property and causing a general uproar

my response?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v511/Eva...99591713588.jpg

no your not getting a copy of your exploits, and if your so bored with otakon that the highlight is getting a gun pointed at you, causing road hazards and destroying a hotel floor, let me be the one to tell you this; don't come back. you and your little group that seems to think it was so fun to cause so much grief are not welcome anymore. no im not staff, but i speak from an attendee stance. a bunch of little punks aren't going ruin our con

[The INfamous MC 24]

People who love otakon, look at anime expo's website, it's better. Their con runs smoothly, and has better known guests. So, until otakon is like AX, expect fun to happen elsewhere.

I'm sorry you feel that way. We try to make our con enjoyable for everyone. We are not forcing you to come to our convention. Otakon will NEVER be like AX, the reason why, because we are NOT AX. We are Otakon and we are very proud of what we do for our con.

With that...

~RESUME TOPIC

[calculusman 0]

Maybe if Otakon doesn't cancel tons of panels and has working knowledge of what's going on, I might stay at the con instead of playing around at the hotel, but the hotel was the highlight, not the con, because otakon's staff is a bunch of no good, take the current website upddates with hotels. Everyone knows the hotels are full, but they won't update their site, it also seems they didn't really negotiate the discounts well with any of the hotels, as no one knew what was going on.

People who love otakon, look at anime expo's website, it's better. Their con runs smoothly, and has better known guests. So, until otakon is like AX, expect fun to happen elsewhere.

Edited January 15, 2008 by calculusman

[The INfamous MC 24]

Oops...really resume topic now lol. (I guess I should have read the 4th page before responding...)

Um yeah, you should have.

Please keep this about hotel discussion and hotel discussion only. Any further discussion needs to be either made into another topic entirely or taken to PMs if you are addressing one person specially.

Again, topic please.

[D4rkone 0]

2) Tremont is good except for the distance. They have a free shuttle that'll take you to the convention (but i'd tip the driver a couple bucks anyways - for 4 or 5 people, that's not much). Maximum number of people officially is four. But I have...*coughcough* heard *coughcough* that there have been more. Even up to 8. But doing so is at your own risk and at the discretion of the hotel on what they'll do if they find out.

[Benjinx 0]

Getting back on topic....I do have another question.

What circumstances have you heard of people getting 8 in a room? I booked one for guys and girls and I think I might go over that limit. So far, with all accounted, girls outnumber guys.

Also, kinda of a manners question, related to my previous question, won't the front desk hotel people be annoyed if I repeatedly call every day to ask if there have been any cancellations? Is it a possibility I could be put on a "waiting list" sorta deal?

Edited January 15, 2008 by Benjinx

[Fifthrate 0]

Anyone staying at the Brookshire Inn and Suites? It's about 3 blocks away from BCC. I got a decent deal on travelocity.

[chocolate moonbunny 0]

Will otakon at anytime include the Brookshire suites, or the harbor courtyard at all within the next few months at all. I am trying to register for a room, and so far I have managed to find nothing whatsoever at all. Or will those come into play at the minute. Plus will otakon please update the hotel stats on the page to say that everything is sold out completely.

[Fifthrate 0]

Will otakon at anytime include the Brookshire suites, or the harbor courtyard at all within the next few months at all. I am trying to register for a room, and so far I have managed to find nothing whatsoever at all. Or will those come into play at the minute. Plus will otakon please update the hotel stats on the page to say that everything is sold out completely.

[calculusman 0]

Did you try travelocity? That's how I got my room. It might not be an "Otakon" discount but it's still a discount.

[Usagi.Hoshino 0]

I've a problem, Are the rates at the Otakon Hotel info page per day or for the whole weekend? X_x because I checked with Tremont and the whole weekend was about $800 .. totally freaked me out!! let me know T___T I'm on a budget x_x

Thanks

[The INfamous MC 24]

I've a problem, Are the rates at the Otakon Hotel info page per day or for the whole weekend? X_x because I checked with Tremont and the whole weekend was about $800 .. totally freaked me out!! let me know T___T I'm on a budget x_x

Thanks

The rates are per day.

[calculusman 0]

I've a problem, Are the rates at the Otakon Hotel info page per day or for the whole weekend? X_x because I checked with Tremont and the whole weekend was about $800 .. totally freaked me out!! let me know T___T I'm on a budget x_x

Thanks

[iczer-1 0]

Called a bunch of hotels today in hopes that an Anniversary year for Otakon might be another big year J-music-wise..much like 2004 & 2006 were.

Most of the Hotels are sold out out of the Otakon blocks even though it doesn't state that on the Hotel vitals page & have been for sometime. Especially Saturday, although I thought Otakon did away with 1-day membership it seems alot of the hotels just don't have Saturday available but some of the other days. For me & my otaku, we stay 4 nights Thurs-Sat for prereg & rest. Anyways, the Wyndham, Treemont, & Radisson are all sold out of Otakon block rooms for at least Saturday if not all together, so I was lucky enough to score a room for me & the gang else ehere at the The Otakon price point for the Thurs-Mon weekend extravaganza...whew that's a lotta stress off...

[alabaster 0]

We haven't updated the page because we've been waiting for official confirmations from the hotels themselves. My understanding is that we have received those confirmations (earlier this week) and it's a matter of getting the updates to our webmaster. The people who need to do that were travelling Tuesday, so I'd expect to hear something official via the website by the end of the week.

[rozone 0]

I heard that all the hotels in Baltimore are out of rooms? Any truth behind this?

[MattTheMinion 0]

The hotel update we've received this afternoon indicates that pretty much all the hotels with a special Otakon rate room block are for all intents and purposes sold out. A few hotels have rooms available on Sunday only, and several of the hotels actually have offered more rooms at the special rate than we had contracted.

The only hotel we have not heard a definite answer from at this point is the Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore. I'd assume that they are close to selling out by now, and we'll post that information as soon as we get it.

[rozone 0]

so in other words, get your room's fast. I just hope theres some left when i get my taxes back, thats when im getting the rooms and the pre-reg for badge

[F00LY 36]

The Raddison is where I mad my reservations about a week ago due to complications delaying me. When I called they had about 7 rooms left or so they said.

[tstidm1 0]

so in other words, get your room's fast. I just hope theres some left when i get my taxes back, thats when im getting the rooms and the pre-reg for badge

[rozone 0]

so in other words, get your room's fast. I just hope theres some left when i get my taxes back, thats when im getting the rooms and the pre-reg for badge

If you have a check card or Credit Card, you can reserve the room now. There is no money taken out of your account until you check in at the hotel. You can even cancel up to a couple days before the convention depending on the hotel (some hotels you can cancel the day of, some need at least 24-72 hours advanced notice).

[rozone 0]

The Renissance Hotel(location 12) still has rooms it the Otakon Block.I got two of em

[Revengel 30]

Sadly I am one of those who has *unfortunately* taken to monitoring the Otakon website for hotel info...and as a result it looks like I'm short (for the first time since Hunt Valley) on the room front for now.

Are there any plans to add rooms that anyone is aware of? Or should I just chalk this up as the first Otakon I miss in over ten years?

[Goddess of Darkness 0]

For the Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore, When I called a couple of days ago they said the Otakon block was sold out. I think it was for just Sunday, but I'm not sure...

Edited February 4, 2008 by Goddess of Darkness

[ChibiNeko 0]

I just want to know if Otakon is planning to add more hotels to the list? I know last year a few out of Downtown area hotels were added a lot later then the first batch. I already have my room booked but it doesn't hurt to keep looking for something a bit cheaper.

[Aludian 0]

Otakon room blocks tend to sell out faster and faster every year.

Days Inn, Sheraton and Hyatt Regency are among the first to sell out the fastest. I think Days Inn sold within 45 minutes of Otakon 2008's date announcement.

Last year I had a room in the Holiday Inn but about 5 weeks before con I saw on Hyatts website that they were offering this special summer deal that had rooms for $250 a night including parking and breakfast. An amazing deal considering parking is around $20-$30 a night depending on the lot.

What most people don't know is that the Otakon room blocks are reserved for Otakon but the hotels normally still have rooms that are the standard hotel rate. If you simply reserve one of those rooms it puts you on a placement list for the hotel. If a special deal becomes available a few weeks before con you can change the room to the other room type.

All in all I would say keep trying to call some people may drop out of their rooms. It does happen

happy congoing!

[Aludian 0]

otherwise, hope that the Hilton is open before Otakon. It will have Skywalk access too.

[evaunit01berserk 0]

otherwise, hope that the Hilton is open before Otakon. It will have Skywalk access too.

[Daniel Perales 108]

otherwise, hope that the Hilton is open before Otakon. It will have Skywalk access too.

chances are about 0.000000001% they will be ready

[Kaze Neko 0]

Well I must admit I am a little upset that the website says different than what the hotels are saying, but then I just read that they are waiting for official confromation, but other than that lets remember that people probably just reserved them. I'm sure that as convention time comes some might realize that they cant go and might canel their reservation. On the otherhand I look at the whole selling out of hotel rooms on a brighter side. Its all part of being a con goer, looking for hotel rooms, finding out that every place you look is sold out, and going for days frantically wondering what your going to do about it. Yep its all in the fun of being a con goer.

P.S. I was upset about the location 5 hotel. Website says that their is 127 slots left, but when a friend of mine tried to reserve a room they said they were sold out for the weekend that otakon is being held so. So...uh...if some of you otakon staff, or chair people might wanna give them a call to find out why they have been withholding the infromation then please do so. I mean Im sure you guys have your own way of doing these things, but Im just throwing it out there....heh I'll go now.

[MattTheMinion 0]

P.S. I was upset about the location 5 hotel. Website says that their is 127 slots left, but when a friend of mine tried to reserve a room they said they were sold out for the weekend that otakon is being held so.

Actually the website said "127 out of 670 available Room Nights remaining." which came from the previous update we received from the hotel. A room night is one room open for a single night, and does not necessarily imply that the same room is open the next night. Unfortunately, hotels only give us information in room nights and not actual rooms. They do this mostly because they are more concerned with how full the hotel is each night, instead of for the entire weekend. As such, the 127 available room nights number they gave us could have been broken down to 40 rooms available on Thursday night, 5 Friday night, 14 Saturday night, and 68 rooms available on Sunday night with everything in between booked. Of course as I mentioned above they don't give us the breakdown.

Regardless, I just received confirmation from the powers that be this afternoon that the Radisson is sold out.

If negotiations with other area hotels open up room blocks there, that information will be posted on the website. Otherwise you may want to consider taking a look here for other area hotels that you might want to consider contacting.

[iczer-1 0]

Its all part of being a con goer, looking for hotel rooms, finding out that every place you look is sold out, and going for days frantically wondering what your going to do about it. Yep its all in the fun of being a con goer.

Edited February 4, 2008 by iczer-1

[Kaze Neko 0]

Lucky you...Im still looking. If not a hotel then I still have my grandmother, but she's running out of room.

[ChibiNeko 0]

Kaze Neko there are a few hotels not listed on the Otakon block rate that have rooms available. I'm staying at the Hampton Inn Candem Yards and its not far from the convention center at all. They still have rooms available (a bit pricey rooms), but its something. Plus the closer it gets to the con the more dropped rooms will become available.

[Flying Scotsman 0]

Just as a note:

I popped into the Holiday Inn Express down on S. Russell St. near the bus station yesterday, and they said they still had a handful of rooms (maybe 10-15) left at their normal rates (ca. $210). In addition, they said they will be running their courtesy shuttle van back and forth to the BCC as much as possible that weekend.

I asked if that was normal motel yield management of holding a few rooms aside for later reservations, and they said "no, that's the WHOLE building--everything!" Now, they say that normally they see turnover of the usual sorts as people with reservations cancel.

You understand now why it's getting harder and harder for us to get discounted rates.

[Daniel Perales 108]

Just as a note:

I popped into the Holiday Inn Express down on S. Russell St. near the bus station yesterday, and they said they still had a handful of rooms (maybe 10-15) left at their normal rates (ca. $210). In addition, they said they will be running their courtesy shuttle van back and forth to the BCC as much as possible that weekend.

I asked if that was normal motel yield management of holding a few rooms aside for later reservations, and they said "no, that's the WHOLE building--everything!" Now, they say that normally they see turnover of the usual sorts as people with reservations cancel.

You understand now why it's getting harder and harder for us to get discounted rates.

[Flying Scotsman 0]

And it is also the reason why I just can't help but feel like every Otakon that I attend may also be my last.

I had this idea that I know that a lot of people here will not like: Why don't Otakon negotiate with the hotels to get a good number of rooms for a very special low cost "con-rate", but for attendees to get that rate, they must pay for their reservations as soon as they make it (in other words, their CC cards will immediately be charged) . If they cancel, they will forfeit at least a one night charge. If they cancel a week before the con, they will forfeit two nights worth. That will keep most people from warehousing these rooms.

[Daniel Perales 108]

Much as I may like your way of thinking "outside the box", This wouldn't work for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which is the corporate chain nature of these places, credit card restrictions, and other regulations. If we were dealing with independent places, maybe.

[syntaxerror37 0]

I understand that, I really do. I never heard of anyone scalping rooms just yet (there was someone at the Katsucon forum who had an extra room that he don't need and was asking $50 to transfer the reservation for it). But I do read and hear people who boast about reserving several rooms at once (they don't even wait for the con rates), thinking that they will have willing roomates to share the costs, since they can't even afford the rates on their own. Eventually, they will cancel the reservations for the extra rooms because they didn't get enough roomies to cover the costs.

[alabaster 0]

The alternative I'd like to see, but which hasn't yet managed to become feasible for a variety of reasons, would be that you simply could not get into the room block until you'd pre-registered for the con.

But hotel reservation systems are so backward, ancient, and incompatible with themselves, tying into them is a nightmare and frankly it's not worth the time to do it.

I do know that we're looking at alternatives -- but it may simply be reaching the point where it's just not worth it for us to negotiate rates in an age where Priceline and other discounted online reservation systems exist.

[Daniel Perales 108]

I understand that, I really do. I never heard of anyone scalping rooms just yet (there was someone at the Katsucon forum who had an extra room that he don't need and was asking $50 to transfer the reservation for it). But I do read and hear people who boast about reserving several rooms at once (they don't even wait for the con rates), thinking that they will have willing roomates to share the costs, since they can't even afford the rates on their own. Eventually, they will cancel the reservations for the extra rooms because they didn't get enough roomies to cover the costs.

That is a big problem but there is nothing the Con or the hotels can do about it. You can't prohibit someone from reserving three rooms.

[kiryu 0]

What's the procedure for transferring a hotel reservation to a different party? Does this vary for each hotel? Instead of canceling I would rather give my reservation to an Otakon con-goer. I originally was on a waiting list for the Days Inn and was supposedly 3rd on the list. When they finally called me they said that all the $199 rooms were all taken so they ended up putting me in a room for $229 on Friday and Saturday night. Due to the high cost, I have decided to room with someone else.

[ithilienne 2]

What's the procedure for transferring a hotel reservation to a different party? Does this vary for each hotel? Instead of canceling I would rather give my reservation to an Otakon con-goer. I originally was on a waiting list for the Days Inn and was supposedly 3rd on the list. When they finally called me they said that all the $199 rooms were all taken so they ended up putting me in a room for $229 on Friday and Saturday night. Due to the high cost, I have decided to room with someone else.

Contact your hotel to find out - the policy generally varies with each hotel chain.

[Transepoch 9]

The alternative I'd like to see, but which hasn't yet managed to become feasible for a variety of reasons, would be that you simply could not get into the room block until you'd pre-registered for the con.

But hotel reservation systems are so backward, ancient, and incompatible with themselves, tying into them is a nightmare and frankly it's not worth the time to do it.

That sound like a fun option, if for no other reason that all the run-around given by hotel agents who already think that's how everything is done.

[Neardawg 7]

Anyone staying at the Brookshire Inn and Suites? It's about 3 blocks away from BCC. I got a decent deal on travelocity.

[Fifthrate 0]

Anyone staying at the Brookshire Inn and Suites? It's about 3 blocks away from BCC. I got a decent deal on travelocity.

When I found out that all hotels were booked I found the brookshire on Hotels.com. The price I got was right in line with con rates at other hotels. Plus all the reviews I read were glowing, so I'm looking forward to checking this place out.

[Usagi.Hoshino 0]

Being this my 1st otakon I've a question..

Is it worth waiting until may or june to book a hotel? Maybe someone doesn't use the rooms and there's a last deal chance there. I have no experience in booking for a con so answers would help.

Obviously I couldn't book beforehand because I didn't know I was going to be there for those dates until recently and now the otakon fare as well as many near by and decent hotels are all booked up.

So.. what to do? ^^ Btw I would go to the Otakon from Maryland so it's like one hour to Baltimore. The other possibility would be me returning to Baltimore every day from there..

Thank you in advance

[ithilienne 2]

Well... Baltimore is in Maryland, and Otakon is in Baltimore - so unless you're staying outside of Baltimore, it should only be a few minutes from your hotel to the con.

Try to book a hotel now. Don't wait - as you mentioned, most are already sold out.

[Usagi.Hoshino 0]

I mean that I will go from Peru (far, I know) to Hyattsville, MD and stay there during my vacations so I have two choices, booking a hotel at Baltimore and going every day from Hyattsville to the Con (I know that the whole otakon illusion will vanish in every trip from one place to the other) or, getting a hotel room at baltimore. My concern is regarding the price, right now I can't afford to book a hotel for those 3 - 4 days but I will be able to around may. So My question was basically if expending that money in a hotel is worth it (I will share with a friend) having in mind that I will be at hyattsville that is around 40 min from there. I don't know a lot about transportation around those areas but will going from hyattsville to baltimore from thursday to sunday be less expensive? What about using priceline, that name your price thing..?

Sorry I ask a lot ^^" is just that is my first otakon ever and I want to be prepared. Thank you again ^.^

[sven72383 1]

I hope this helps.

I know this has been mentioned somewhere else, but you do know that you don't pay the whole price at the time of booking the hotel, right? You would just pay a cancellation fee if you don't end up going and forget to cancel your room early. I paid at checkout last year (if I remember correctly). The hotel did want my credit card up front for incidentals (damage the room, room service, mini bar, etc.)