It's never too early to see what rooms are available - especially as the hotel lottery is less than three months away as I post this.

Here's a spot I stumbled across a few years ago: Emerson, just south of I-465.  A few "amenities" (Rally's, White Castle, Steak & Shake, McDonald's, Firehouse, and a few others, plus a WalMart), plus four hotels, all of which have rooms available for GenCon weekend (I checked for 7/30 through 8/5):
Super 8 - $85 for two doubles or one queen
Holiday Inn Express - $155 for two kings, nonsmoking
Red Roof - $153 for two fulls or one king
La Quinta - $209 for two queens or one king

Most people who are going to want a room will want it Downtown near the convention.

While your posting is nice, you might also want to include links to said hotels too. I think there are something like 5 La Quinta's in the Indy area alone.

 gib_rebeg wrote:Most people who are going to want a room will want it Downtown near the convention.
While your posting is nice, you might also want to include links to said hotels too. I think there are something like 5 La Quinta's in the Indy area alone.

As for the hotel locations, while there are five La Quintas in Indianapolis, only one is near Emerson and 465.  Still, you make a point:
La Quinta Indianapolis South

Red Roof Inn Indianapolis South

Holiday Inn Express Indianapolis Southeast
(not South - that's a different location, although that's not a bad area either, with a Comfort Inn and another La Quinta)

Super 8 Indianapolis (on South Emerson)

To early? My friend you're running a little late. Many of us have our downtown room already reserved 
 

Hmm...  The purpose of this thread is to assist people with tips on lodging.  I think you may be in the wrong place -- I think Fight Club serves a different purpose.

Just booked a king size bed at the Le Meridien (couple blocks away) via Hotwire.  Free cancellation and no down payment for $291/night

https://vacation.hotwire.com/Indianapolis-Hotels-Le-Meridien-Indianapolis.h8600.Hotel-Information?tmid=21579014132&currency=USD&rfrr=Header.Currency.USD&exp_dp=277&chkin=7/30/2019&chkout=8/4/2019&rm1=a2&paandi=true

Looks like the still have a couple left after booking

First time GenCon-goer here.  How tight, if anyone knows from experience, is the time frame on those downtown hotel room blocks come January?  I'm really looking into specifically getting the Marriott because of its closeness to the con center.  Any insight would be helpful, thanks.

If you do not have a Hotel Lottery number within the first 2 hours it is unlikely you will get a DT room through the lottery. However, there are always opportunities to get a DT room if you are willing to pay.

Yes, you probably won't get a downtown room that day and a good chance you won't at all if you don't have time within the first 3 (2018 I had a 2:15 and got one).  The reality is that downtown rooms will begin to slowly and occasionally show up in the portal between the first day and the time they are locked in.

Better luck will occur if you aren't picky on your room size (willing to take a single bed instead of requiring 2 beds) and you don't need a connected hotel.

Of course, people will also post ALL THE TIME about wanting a roommate or a few; if you aren't lucky on the lottery, that may be an option.

Downtown rooms stayed available through 3:45 PM (Eastern Time) last year. This will hopefully improve as more and more downtown rooms are added to Indy. Some of us believe it was due to the changes in the transfer policy for rooms as well. 

I should clarify, two bed hotel rooms sold out fairly quickly, but King rooms at downtown hotels stayed more available. 

missed on the lottery (6hrs out) but watched the portal off and on and was able to snag a marriott king 10 days before the locked in

Hotel lottery last year lasted to ABOUT 4hrs for downtown rooms. So that's pretty dang good. 

Which is true, many of us have been working the system for months. Something popping up is a rarity now. Especially for "airport cost" 
 

If I have the money I’m definitely going to book a room for 2020 in July 2019. As it stands I have an AirBNB a mere 1.4 miles from the Convention cheaper than a hotel room. Also looking for a female willing to go halvsies and take the couch (I’m bringing a mattress)

Very slim pickings downtown right now. Not even at ridiculous prices unless I am missing something? I reserved a back up at the Staybridge, ways from the convention center but a extended suite with kitchen so that is nice. Got in block at the Hyatt Regency last year and that spoiled me so I don't really want to go back to $450 for half mile walk.