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Hotels for 2009 - GREAT move!


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Best. Idea. Ever.

There is something to be said for 'striking while the iron is hot' and the fact that you had new hotels for Otakon 2009 posted *as soon as I got home from Otakon 2008* was brilliant. BRILLIANT!!!

I have my room already.

My question is: What other hotels will be added? Will they use the same interface? I know you have just finished an AWESOME Con (top 5 experiences for me...maybe top 3!) but I figured I'd start this topic anyway.

Oh, and for those who don't know there's a link to the hotels on the website. When you make a reservation through the portal you'll recieve your confirmation via e-mail pretty much immediately.

Revengel

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this is already being discussed in the "reserving hotel blocks" thread, as far the best idea ever, theres alot of people that beg to differ and theres a major problem right now with room scalpers that where reserving rooms right when the con started

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this is already being discussed in the "reserving hotel blocks" thread, as far the best idea ever, theres alot of people that beg to differ and theres a major problem right now with room scalpers that where reserving rooms right when the con started
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I can't seem to find any openings - perhaps because I am trying to reserve for check in Thursday/check out Monday?

I tried for Friday/Sun and got three expensive options. Is everything booked already? @_@

Edited by Revengel
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I'm sure not all the hotels have been added yet but I am particularly keeping an eye out for the Sheraton at the Inner Harbor...when I checked the hotel listings, there were no rooms under that hotel, so perhaps they haven't been added yet. I'm not sure how fast updates are now (but they seem pretty efficient to me), though if anyone gets word of that hotel being added, mind dropping me a line? (I know, it's like a shot in the dark.)

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My question is: What other hotels will be added? Will they use the same interface? I know you have just finished an AWESOME Con (top 5 experiences for me...maybe top 3!) but I figured I'd start this topic anyway.

More hotels will be announced when the contracts are signed.

I think we have several more that are waiting for a little ink.

Also we're working on putting together a page on our website that will summarize the info and hopefully explain the interface a little.

So much to do and so little time...

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The one issue I'm having is with the multiple rooms thing...it only let's me reserve one room at a time...so it's got me a little confused. Do I have to reserve each room one by one?

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My question is: What other hotels will be added? Will they use the same interface? I know you have just finished an AWESOME Con (top 5 experiences for me...maybe top 3!) but I figured I'd start this topic anyway.

More hotels will be announced when the contracts are signed.

I think we have several more that are waiting for a little ink.

Also we're working on putting together a page on our website that will summarize the info and hopefully explain the interface a little.

So much to do and so little time...

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Booked my Hyatt room on Monday! Not at Otakon price though, that was gone. Had to stay in the Harbor Court Intercontinental this year, not fun. 5 stars my eye!

Any chance of Hilton rooms coming available? It pay the money plus my cancelation fee if there were rooms.

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Yesterday we had booked a room at the Hyatt outside of the con block. We really wanted to stay at the Days again for the location and cheaper price but when they weren't accepting reservations online we panicked and jumped on the first thing we could find just so we'd KNOW we'd have a place to stay.

Thank goodness the Days wasn't filled up after all. That con rate is AMAZING! O_O Even more so considering my AAA rate outside the con block was cheaper than the con rate this year. My fellow roomies are going to be so happy.

Edited by Cyanna
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I have a room at the Days Inn and it was easy and didn't cost an arm and an leg. It is also easily cancelable in case of issues up to a week before the con.

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I just got done booking a room at the Days Inn for $120 a night. I am so happy right now considering we booked through the hotel this year and payed $199 a night.

I booked myself a room as well - best to plan ahead!

How come the Days Inn con rate is so much lower this time? Not that I'm complaining, but I'm just curious :D

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The raddison was a pretty nice hotel. Rooms had ample floor space, but the beds were a little small (i wouldnt really want to double up in one with someone (unless we were very close XD)). But the hotel had really good placement too. Walking back from the con, if you took a left, it would take you to the hotel, if you took a right there was a tasty subway there. I liked it.

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Even with sold out rooms (which I think don't exist, as I just checked, and all the "sold out" rooms are open for me), more hotels are going to be added down the line, I suppose these are just the ones they could confirm immediately.

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The room reservation people who you can call will book multiple rooms. Unless you are part of school organization or other club type thing they like to have one name per room. Every time I've called they've been really helpful, they even respond to email within 2 hours which is awesome for me.

Also if you have a room one place and then decide you want to reserve a room somewhere else at the con rate (like somewhere cheaper) they will happily do that for you if you just call.

i really doubt that its otakon doing the large blocks reserving, unless they adopted a 1 room per staff member policy

you also have the problem with people trying to play hero and reserving rooms when they arent going to go, just so they can transfer them to people "in need"

If you have 550 staff at 4 per room thats well over 100 rooms for just staff. Now add music guests, special guests, translators, and other people who are required to keep the con running and need a hotel room and you could easily climb to 200 rooms. Plus say just 8000 people staying 5 to a room have rooms planned for them the day after the con it really adds up fast to fill hotels.

How does one plan for life one year in advance, though?

Will I be able to reserve a room later in time? From what it sounds like, if I don't book now, I won't be able to get a room.....

For me to plan such things I know that in one year if I don't have these rooms the members of my anime club will be unhappy. Even if I'm not around this needs to have been done.

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i really doubt that its otakon doing the large blocks reserving, unless they adopted a 1 room per staff member policy

you also have the problem with people trying to play hero and reserving rooms when they arent going to go, just so they can transfer them to people "in need"

It really is us doing large block reservations, at least the initial ones. If I remember correctly we have somewhere around 200 rooms blocked across 3 hotels.

Nan was correct that this is to account for staff (mostly 4 to a room), contractors (typically 1 or 2 to a room via their specific contracts), guests and their managers/handlers (usually 1 to a room, but sometimes with their families), and on and up it goes.

Of course once our numbers become more solid, we will release rooms we don't need to the pool (as we usually do every year).

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I saw this on the site and decided to check it out and the fact that they were doing the room reservations this way is a great idea I booked my room for the Hilton for 2 nights. Lets be honest, the Hilton is now gonna be THE hotel to get cause who wants to walk outside in the hot summer weather. its a great boon for cosplayers, No more sweat ruining the make-up job they put on for who knows how long, right? ^_^

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You put in the dates for next year right? 7-17-09 through 7-19-09 is what i used and rooms poped up. try that

I just went in and tried to get a room, and it says there are no lodgings that match my criteria (one room). Please advise.
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How does one plan for life one year in advance, though?

Will I be able to reserve a room later in time? From what it sounds like, if I don't book now, I won't be able to get a room.....

You can't play for life one year in advance, but you just reserve the room anyway which is what I did.

You don't have to pay any money just to reserve the room and if something comes up you can always just cancel your reservation. It's best to get your reservation in as early as possible, so I would recommend that you do that.

And even if you can't cancel the reservation, there will always be someone willing to take it off your hands as the con date approaches!

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I can't believe it, looks like there are no hotels available and the con is nearly a year away. This will make it 3 years in a row I don't make it to Otakon. I tried using the passkey website and nothing comes up. So I went outside and the Hilton (where I usually would stay) is already sold out. The Hamton Inn only has rooms at over $200. Geez, perhaps I will do Anime Expo instead who's hotels are not released until January.

Sigh, maybe in 2010 I can finally come to Otakon!

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I can't believe it, looks like there are no hotels available and the con is nearly a year away. This will make it 3 years in a row I don't make it to Otakon. I tried using the passkey website and nothing comes up. So I went outside and the Hilton (where I usually would stay) is already sold out. The Hamton Inn only has rooms at over $200. Geez, perhaps I will do Anime Expo instead who's hotels are not released until January.

Sigh, maybe in 2010 I can finally come to Otakon!

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Thanks! Took your adviced and looked farther out not using the passkey website and found a nice Hampton for $99 a night. Since I have to come from Indiana, I will be coming up at least Thursday, probably Wednesday and that seems to be the problem with all the hotels on the passkey sight. I did find a hotel for Fri-Sun right near the con so I will just swap hotels on Friday. I am a diamond member at Hilton, so like sticking with their hotels, especially since I get extra benefits being a diamond member.

Horray! I can come and I love it is in July vs August. I can do Gen Con in August then!

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I can't believe it, looks like there are no hotels available and the con is nearly a year away. This will make it 3 years in a row I don't make it to Otakon. I tried using the passkey website and nothing comes up. So I went outside and the Hilton (where I usually would stay) is already sold out. The Hamton Inn only has rooms at over $200. Geez, perhaps I will do Anime Expo instead who's hotels are not released until January.

Sigh, maybe in 2010 I can finally come to Otakon!

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also remember guys if you cant get a room at a con rate you should also look into what other discount offers any of the hotels have like most of them run a AAA discount

Just so you guys know we have added 'lowest rate' clauses in our contracts with the hotels.

Essentially, this means that they have to give us the lowest rate they offer anyone else (including many travel sites or AAA).

Of course some travel sites take a loss in selling rooms, selling it for less than what they paid but making the cost up in other user services. Still if you do see a lower rate for a room than our rate, please take a screencap and let us know.

Of course if our room block is sold out, by all means check for things like AAA rates for rooms outside of our block.

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Just so you guys know we have added 'lowest rate' clauses in our contracts with the hotels.

Essentially, this means that they have to give us the lowest rate they offer anyone else (including many travel sites or AAA).

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also remember guys if you cant get a room at a con rate you should also look into what other discount offers any of the hotels have like most of them run a AAA discount

Just so you guys know we have added 'lowest rate' clauses in our contracts with the hotels.

Essentially, this means that they have to give us the lowest rate they offer anyone else (including many travel sites or AAA).

Of course some travel sites take a loss in selling rooms, selling it for less than what they paid but making the cost up in other user services. Still if you do see a lower rate for a room than our rate, please take a screencap and let us know.

Of course if our room block is sold out, by all means check for things like AAA rates for rooms outside of our block.

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So, I've gotten word that the Sheraton is already booked up...and I didn't even see it on the passkey site.

Perhaps I'll call them later on to see what's up...

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I spent all of last night checking the site every hour on the hour, my credit card was in a friends van so I couldn't make my reservation til they decided to pity me and drive over to my place. Was absolutely terrified the Hilton would book up. It vanished and came back like three times, when I finally got my card the Holiday Inn was back so I saved myself a good 150. I'm still hoping to see the days inn pop up again and change my reservation.

If you mess with the dates a bunch some hotels have one bedded rooms available one night and two bedded on other nights. If you go through and do night by night reservations insted of your full stay more hotels pop up. Might just have to switch rooms in the hotel.

Edited by lykopis783
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Okay everyone was panicking about this last year too. But for Otakon '08 I didn't reserve a room until mid June and I got one at the Radisson for $160/nite. We told them we wanted the Otakon discount that that is what we got. So rooms free up, stuff happens. It is waaaaay too early to panic and think you can't come to Otakon '09!

Not sure how we got $145/nite this year. Cheaper, woo! If I'd have known about the Days Inn at $120! I might be making a call there to check up! :) Love to save money! :P:D

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Hmm...I'm wondering though, does the guest count actually matter when the rooms are forwarded to the actual hotel? Only because, I'm sure some friends will drop out the day of (happened this year and last year)...and I don't want them to rebuke us in case that happens, since we don't have the correct amount of guests.

=/

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Ak, tried to reserve @ the Days Inn but it's gone... All gone....

Well, There's a group of us looking for shares in a Days Inn Otakon 2009 room. Anyone offering shares? (looking for a 6 person room)

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