Is it me, or the hotel's "con-rates" seems to be no better than their regular rates?

[Daniel Perales 91]

Hi All!

 

        I know that Otakon (and other cons, too), tries to negotiate to get the best rates for their attendees, but I'm beginning to see prices that are really way up there. High hotel prices were the absolute reason I stopped attending Katsucon. 

 

[EdKitten 64]

E-gads!  I Just looked at those prices. 😞

 

Did a quick search at the hotels I've stayed at, for a single room for the dates:  July 27-31, 2023.  They usually gave prices for members (it doesn't usually cost anything to become a member, but am not up to speed on their policies).  And of course, staying at hotels near metro stops probably won't have other attendees around, so you'd miss out on meeting people this way.  And you might not want to travel around there at really late hours (they are good sections of town, but you know, just a precaution, since I don't know what those areas are like at midnight or thereabouts).  But for what it's worth:

 

Hilton Garden Inn, Bethesda, Maryland (about 2 blocks from the Bethesda Metro, their restaurant is open for breakfast and dinner, many stores, CVS, and restaurants are within a block or two) $131+ (phone: 301-654-8111)

Residence Inn Marriott, Bethesda, Maryland (next to the Hilton Garden Inn, their restaurant is open for breakfast, their rooms are like small apartments): $150+ (phone: 301-718-0200)

Hilton, Rockville, Maryland (across from the Twinbrook Metro, a Safeway Grocery store is next to it):  $138+ (phone: 301-468-1100)

Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, Virginia (close to the Crystal City Metro, there's an underground Mall at the Metro, and a short tunnel from the Mall to the Hotel, a RiteAid was there, but you'd want to check with the hotel to see if it's still there, since I haven't been there in years -- and you'd want to make sure the Metro is open (some stations on the yellow line are closed around July, I think -- sorry I don't have time to check on it right now) $185+ (phone 703-920-3230)

Hyatt Regency, Bethesda Maryland (right above the Bethesda Metro):  $122+ (phone 301-657-1234)

There's an AC Hotel (by Marriott), Bethesda Maryland, on the same block as the Residence Inn Marriott.  I haven't stayed there but it opened recently.  I forgot to check the prices for July, but their prices last month were in the $200-$300 range.

 

I don't know if this will help anyone.  But I guess rising prices are something we can count on these days.

 

 

 

[EdKitten 64]

Just remembered another hotel:

Bethesda North Marriott Hotel And Conference Center (across from the Bethesda North Metro (formerly known as White Flint Metro), it's a bit of a walk to the hotel because the hotel's parking lot is large, but also across from the Metro is a 7-Eleven and a McDonald's -- and about a block away from the Metro is Popeye's restaurant):  $165+ (phone: 301-822-9200).

 

I'm so sorry the high prices stopped you from going to Katsucon, Daniel!  There must be others that the high prices are affecting too.  I sure hope in the future, hotel prices come down -- or, at least they get in the reasonable range for cons!

 

[Clutch 49]

Prices don't go down for the most part. Hotels set the price on the cost of doing business plus a profit. If you try to make the profit too high, you kill your business by scaring off the guests. They have to maintain the rooms, utilities, upgrades every few years, pay staff, etc.  The new hotel up the road which was built a few years ago is $140 a night and that is in the suburbs of Philadelphia. In the city itself I bet the prices are much higher.

We all want more pay to make our lives easier and that includes hotel staff. It is a never ending cycle unfortunately.

[Daniel Perales 91]

Unless things changes, this is going to be my most expensive Otakon yet. I'm not knocking Otakon itself. My only gripe is the cost of the hotels itself.

I don't think any hotel rooms is worth the price they're charging. Especially if you're only going to be in the room just to sleep and take a shower.