Is there a chance for housing to open up?
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Posted by aabacus
#1

The good news is that we've got a room at the Staybridge just a 15 min walk to the front door of the center.
The bad news is that it's $480/night. I have certainly spent more on a hotel...but never a Staybridge.   

That's about twice what I wanted to spend.  

Is there any chance that housing downtown will open up in one of the nicer hotels nearby or attached or is what's done...done?
 

Posted by buffythecatslayer
#2

Yes, people do cancel, especially once the events open in May.  You have to keep checking the portal, and look for posts here.

Posted by aabacus buffythecatslayer
#3

buffythecatslayer wrote:
Yes, people do cancel, especially once the events open in May.  You have to keep checking the portal, and look for posts here.
Do you know if you can refund your tickets if you can't get housing?

Posted by squirecam aabacus
#4

aabacus wrote:
The good news is that we've got a room at the Staybridge just a 15 min walk to the front door of the center.
The bad news is that it's $480/night. I have certainly spent more on a hotel...but never a Staybridge.   
That's about twice what I wanted to spend.  
Is there any chance that housing downtown will open up in one of the nicer hotels nearby or attached or is what's done...done?
 
Yeah that’s a hefty price for a Staybridge. Its good if your events are at Lucas Oil. It’s a bad walk back early a.m. if they are not.

 

Posted by austicke aabacus
#5

aabacus wrote:
Do you know if you can refund your tickets if you can't get housing?

Badges may be refunded up until June 16 (minus $10 fee).

_____________________________________
Alec Usticke, Fans of Gen Con Facebook Group

Posted by dynel
#6

Our room at the Hampton is about the same price, outside of block.  But I'd rather pay that, honestly, than stay out of downtown and have to rely on a rental car or Uber/Lyft.  But that's me.

Posted by aabacus dynel
#7

dynel wrote:
Our room at the Hampton is about the same price, outside of block.  But I'd rather pay that, honestly, than stay out of downtown and have to rely on a rental car or Uber/Lyft.  But that's me.
That was where we landed as well.  
We'll see....   
 

Posted by aabacus austicke
#8

austicke wrote:
aabacus wrote:
Do you know if you can refund your tickets if you can't get housing?

Badges may be refunded up until June 16 (minus $10 fee)._____________________________________
Alec Usticke, Fans of Gen Con Facebook Group
I just learned this! Thanks!!!

$10 per ticket plus 5% per event ticket.  

It ends up costing me $20 to find out that I lost the lottery.  

Meh. I've had worse things happen.  Will see what I can turn up.  

I was $2,000 - $2,500 interested in 4 days of gaming...I am not $4,000-$5,000 interested.  

Flight...food...fiddly bits... it all adds up.   

Posted by buffythecatslayer aabacus
#9

aabacus wrote:
buffythecatslayer wrote:
Yes, people do cancel, especially once the events open in May.  You have to keep checking the portal, and look for posts here.
Do you know if you can refund your tickets if you can't get housing?

So, you don't get a downtown room and you just blow off the whole Con?  That seems strange to me.  I've never stayed downtown, and have always had a blast at Gen Con.

Posted by aabacus buffythecatslayer
#10

buffythecatslayer wrote:
aabacus wrote:
buffythecatslayer wrote:
Yes, people do cancel, especially once the events open in May.  You have to keep checking the portal, and look for posts here.
Do you know if you can refund your tickets if you can't get housing?

So, you don't get a downtown room and you just blow off the whole Con?  That seems strange to me.  I've never stayed downtown, and have always had a blast at Gen Con.
That little difference changes a $1,000 housing lark that might be fun for my wife and I to do together into a $2,000 lark (with taxes it's even higher). Love me some gaming but not $1,000-$1,500. 

Posted by squirecam aabacus
#11

aabacus wrote:
buffythecatslayer wrote:
aabacus wrote:
buffythecatslayer wrote:
Yes, people do cancel, especially once the events open in May.  You have to keep checking the portal, and look for posts here.
Do you know if you can refund your tickets if you can't get housing?

So, you don't get a downtown room and you just blow off the whole Con?  That seems strange to me.  I've never stayed downtown, and have always had a blast at Gen Con.
That little difference changes a $1,000 housing lark that might be fun for my wife and I to do together into a $2,000 lark (with taxes it's even higher). Love me some gaming but not $1,000-$1,500. 
You can try to find a roommate to share the costs.

Posted by ar6474
#12

You dont have to rely on the housing block. I never do .

FYI, I just checked Marriott's site and I found several hotel within 15 miles of DT that have standard rates starting at $141 per night. Buy the parking pass from Gate 10 and arrive early. The last 3 years this is what we did. I was able to get DT rooms this year. However I was also able to get special rates at the Hampton through Costco.

IF you are willing to drive 20 minutes and park you can still get good rooms

https://www.marriott.com/search/filterSearch.mi?filter=false

Posted by hendelbolaf
#13

There is no need to stay downtown. Save the extra $1,000 to $1,500 that you are talking about and rent a car (if you are flying into town) and park in any one of the many parking garages around the convention center. Parking will run between $22 and $30 a day plus whatever deal you can get on the rental car and then a cheaper (much cheaper) hotel 6 to 15 miles away.

I know this is said over and over again, but lack of a downtown hotel should not ruin a trip to GenCon. I have stayed downtown a total of once in the past and now this year due to a lucky lottery slot and I have enjoyed every visit. It takes a little more planning.

Tired? Go to your car or rest in a chair in a hotel or convention center, there are tons of places to rest in both.

Purchase something? Go drop it off in your car.

I am not trying to convince anyone of anything or say anything that has not been said a million times, but GenCon is what you make of it and not just what happens to fall into your lap via housing lottery.

Good luck!

Posted by jennifer-cole squirecam
#14

squirecam wrote:
aabacus wrote:
buffythecatslayer wrote:
aabacus wrote:
buffythecatslayer wrote:
Yes, people do cancel, especially once the events open in May.  You have to keep checking the portal, and look for posts here.
Do you know if you can refund your tickets if you can't get housing?

So, you don't get a downtown room and you just blow off the whole Con?  That seems strange to me.  I've never stayed downtown, and have always had a blast at Gen Con.
That little difference changes a $1,000 housing lark that might be fun for my wife and I to do together into a $2,000 lark (with taxes it's even higher). Love me some gaming but not $1,000-$1,500. 
You can try to find a roommate to share the costs.
Yeah losing the lottery for housing and the unreasonable prices of the remaining options make it impossible to travel with kids. (No one wants a family of 4 as roommates.) 

Posted by aabacus jennifer-cole
#15

jennifer-cole wrote:
squirecam wrote:
aabacus wrote:
buffythecatslayer wrote:
aabacus wrote:
buffythecatslayer wrote:
Yes, people do cancel, especially once the events open in May.  You have to keep checking the portal, and look for posts here.
Do you know if you can refund your tickets if you can't get housing?

So, you don't get a downtown room and you just blow off the whole Con?  That seems strange to me.  I've never stayed downtown, and have always had a blast at Gen Con.
That little difference changes a $1,000 housing lark that might be fun for my wife and I to do together into a $2,000 lark (with taxes it's even higher). Love me some gaming but not $1,000-$1,500. 
You can try to find a roommate to share the costs.
Yeah losing the lottery for housing and the unreasonable prices of the remaining options make it impossible to travel with kids. (No one wants a family of 4 as roommates.) 
The thing about the gaming community is that it's one big family. Everyone helping everyone else. It's amazing and not something most people would see, appreciate or understand.   
So...please take my true appreciation at the great and helpful ideas but I don't see that my wife and I (50 Y.O.) are going to share a room with a stranger. It's a great plan and I did it in my 20's and 30's. It just doesn't work for us now. Still looking at options...

Posted by buffythecatslayer aabacus
#16

aabacus wrote:
buffythecatslayer wrote:
aabacus wrote:
buffythecatslayer wrote:
Yes, people do cancel, especially once the events open in May.  You have to keep checking the portal, and look for posts here.
Do you know if you can refund your tickets if you can't get housing?

So, you don't get a downtown room and you just blow off the whole Con?  That seems strange to me.  I've never stayed downtown, and have always had a blast at Gen Con.
That little difference changes a $1,000 housing lark that might be fun for my wife and I to do together into a $2,000 lark (with taxes it's even higher). Love me some gaming but not $1,000-$1,500. 

How does a room outside downtown *increase* the cost?  The further away you get from DT, the cheaper the rooms get.  My group & I booked 3 rooms at the Hampton Inn NW for about $770 (each, w/tax) for Wed-Sat.  Other hotels are even cheaper, in or out of the block.

Posted by aabacus hendelbolaf
#17

hendelbolaf wrote:
There is no need to stay downtown. Save the extra $1,000 to $1,500 that you are talking about and rent a car (if you are flying into town) and park in any one of the many parking garages around the convention center. Parking will run between $22 and $30 a day plus whatever deal you can get on the rental car and then a cheaper (much cheaper) hotel 6 to 15 miles away.
I know this is said over and over again, but lack of a downtown hotel should not ruin a trip to GenCon. I have stayed downtown a total of once in the past and now this year due to a lucky lottery slot and I have enjoyed every visit. It takes a little more planning.
Tired? Go to your car or rest in a chair in a hotel or convention center, there are tons of places to rest in both.
Purchase something? Go drop it off in your car.
I am not trying to convince anyone of anything or say anything that has not been said a million times, but GenCon is what you make of it and not just what happens to fall into your lap via housing lottery.
Good luck!
I have tried the: get a room way out and drive in shuffle. You're right! It works and can be a little bit of an adventure! Rental car is $100/day depending on discounts. So that works out to $150/day with taxes and parking. I'll add it to the list of maybes. May even be able to drive the 8 hours instead of fly. Dunno. Need to put that into the bucket and see what the wife is up for.  

Posted by aabacus buffythecatslayer
#18

buffythecatslayer wrote:
aabacus wrote:
buffythecatslayer wrote:
aabacus wrote:
buffythecatslayer wrote:
Yes, people do cancel, especially once the events open in May.  You have to keep checking the portal, and look for posts here.
Do you know if you can refund your tickets if you can't get housing?

So, you don't get a downtown room and you just blow off the whole Con?  That seems strange to me.  I've never stayed downtown, and have always had a blast at Gen Con.
That little difference changes a $1,000 housing lark that might be fun for my wife and I to do together into a $2,000 lark (with taxes it's even higher). Love me some gaming but not $1,000-$1,500. 

How does a room outside downtown *increase* the cost?  The further away you get from DT, the cheaper the rooms get.  My group & I booked 3 rooms at the Hampton Inn NW for about $770 (each, w/tax) for Wed-Sat.  Other hotels are even cheaper, in or out of the block.
I think I was unclear or your parsing engine isn't following. I was counting on a $200-$250 / night downtown rate (I haven't been to GenCon in 14 years so my $ estimates didn't track with reality) and willing to splurge for a nice hotel. It's now $500 for Staybridge. It increased my expected cost for housing by $1,000 - $1,500 (I don't know what the final taxes etc will be.). I'm looking the outside of town options. We'll see. Maybe we can put it together.   

Posted by buffythecatslayer
#19

I have tried the: get a room way out and drive in shuffle. You're right! It works and can be a little bit of an adventure! Rental car is $100/day depending on discounts. So that works out to $150/day with taxes and parking. I'll add it to the list of maybes. May even be able to drive the 8 hours instead of fly. Dunno. Need to put that into the bucket and see what the wife is up for.  

You could also just Uber/Lyft, probably about $50-60/day, if you don't want the hassle of driving.  Right now, best rental car rate on Travelocity is about $220, includes tax.

Posted by gitzlaff
#20

Also, make an account on www.openhotelalert.com if you haven’t already. It runs periodic searches for specific hotel room availability and shoots you an email when one is found. It isn’t perfect, but it saves a lot of trouble monitoring hotel sites and aggregators.

This is for ppl considering rooms outside the GC “block,” if that wasn’t clear. 

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