Get Your Game On at the library
Picking a location for GLLS2008 - need your input!
Even though we started the RFP process in October, we can't find a hotel in downtown Chicago for November 2-4. So with the caveat that we just won't be able to please everyone all of the time, here are some choices I would love to get your feedback on.
1. A resort hotel that is 14 miles from O'Hare (and not towards downtown). There is no way to get downtown if you don't have a car. On the plus side, rooms would be $129/night with free wifi in the meeting and guest rooms and free parking. The meeting space would also be free if we hit our quota of rooms, which means the registration price could be less expensive. They have a heated indoor pool and two onsite restaurants. There isn't much else around the hotel, though.
2. A hotel in Oak Brook, which would be near a good (although outdoor) shopping mall. However, there is no direct access to downtown without a car. On the plus side, they offer free internet in meeting and guest rooms, free parking, a fitness center, indoor pool, and a whirlpool, and they have three restaurants onsite. Room rates are $189/night. If we hit our quota of rooms, the meeting rooms are free, which could lower the cost of registration.
3. The Hilton O'Hare is literally at the airport, so you could take the train downtown if you wanted to get away for a while. Room rate is $139/night, and if we hit our registration numbers (for food, not rooms), they will waive the room rental fees, which could lower the cost of registration. They just renovated their fitness center, and they have two restaurants onsite. We would, however, be at the airport, with nothing else within walking distance and planes flying overhead. Internet access in guest rooms would not be free, but we would include in the registration fee wifi access for the meeting rooms.
4. We *could* go back to the Marriott O'Hare, but they jacked up their rates, and since their fees for parking and internet access in the guest rooms were already so high, I am hesitant to return there. I should note they have offered to cut the in-room rate for internet access from $12.95 to $8, but parking would remain the same.
Unfortunately, everything else is booked, so we need to decide on one of these locations or pick a different date and start the process all over again (which would definitely set back our timeframe).
So what is most important to you in location? Proximity to the airport? Costs such as room rates? Transportation to other locations? Please give me your feedback here, as I really would love to pick one, book it, and start announcing a call for speakers. I can't announce the date and open registration until we have signed a contract with a hotel/location.
Thanks!
Jenny
1. A resort hotel that is 14 miles from O'Hare (and not towards downtown). There is no way to get downtown if you don't have a car. On the plus side, rooms would be $129/night with free wifi in the meeting and guest rooms and free parking. The meeting space would also be free if we hit our quota of rooms, which means the registration price could be less expensive. They have a heated indoor pool and two onsite restaurants. There isn't much else around the hotel, though.
2. A hotel in Oak Brook, which would be near a good (although outdoor) shopping mall. However, there is no direct access to downtown without a car. On the plus side, they offer free internet in meeting and guest rooms, free parking, a fitness center, indoor pool, and a whirlpool, and they have three restaurants onsite. Room rates are $189/night. If we hit our quota of rooms, the meeting rooms are free, which could lower the cost of registration.
3. The Hilton O'Hare is literally at the airport, so you could take the train downtown if you wanted to get away for a while. Room rate is $139/night, and if we hit our registration numbers (for food, not rooms), they will waive the room rental fees, which could lower the cost of registration. They just renovated their fitness center, and they have two restaurants onsite. We would, however, be at the airport, with nothing else within walking distance and planes flying overhead. Internet access in guest rooms would not be free, but we would include in the registration fee wifi access for the meeting rooms.
4. We *could* go back to the Marriott O'Hare, but they jacked up their rates, and since their fees for parking and internet access in the guest rooms were already so high, I am hesitant to return there. I should note they have offered to cut the in-room rate for internet access from $12.95 to $8, but parking would remain the same.
Unfortunately, everything else is booked, so we need to decide on one of these locations or pick a different date and start the process all over again (which would definitely set back our timeframe).
So what is most important to you in location? Proximity to the airport? Costs such as room rates? Transportation to other locations? Please give me your feedback here, as I really would love to pick one, book it, and start announcing a call for speakers. I can't announce the date and open registration until we have signed a contract with a hotel/location.
Thanks!
Jenny
Tags: glls2008
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Beth Gallaway on
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I've never stayed at a hotel @ the airport - how loud/disruptive would the planes be? Pool and getting offsite is not that important to me (but if the cab/shuttle fare to the hotel is expensive, just to get to a cheaper room, thats silly), value for money and free Internet are priorities for me, personally.
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Permalink Reply by Rikhei Harris on -
The Marriott O'Hare jacked up what rates, in particular? Room rates, or the cost of renting the function space? Do we get any sort of agreement, as you mentioned with the other hotels, that if a certain number of hotel rooms are booked, the function space will be free?
Personally, parking is not an issue for me - I do live within driving distance (3-4 hours) of Chicago, but it seems less expensive to take a train or bus (gas alone would probably make driving more expensive, but when you also consider the cost of parking, it just makes sense). That in mind, closeness to public transportation is a good thing, and is what allows me to leave the car at home.
The Hilton O'Hare seems like a good option to me, at least with the information you've given us. I used to live within 10 miles of 2 airports (one of which was the Detroit airport), so I doubt the noise of planes will bother me too much.
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Permalink Reply by Jenny Levine on -
Sorry, Rikhei - they jacked up the guest room and parking rates (I think - wasn't parking $20 for 6-18 hours last year? now it's $22). There's also no waiving of fees for meeting rooms based on occupancy, so we'll pay full price for the meeting rooms whether we have 50 or 350 people. I don't know yet about A/V fees or food.
I was a little worried about noise at the Hilton O'Hare, too, but they say they have soundproofed rooms, and none of the reviews on the first page at TripAdvisor mention airport noise (http://chicago-hotels.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g35805-d123319-R...). There are other issues, though, especially of cost, but the question is does the fact that you can walk from the terminal to the hotel mitigate that? You'd have to pay for internet access (which sounds like it could be a little iffy), but for $139/night, it might be okay for some people.
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Permalink Reply by Christopher Harris on -
I would vote for the Hilton O'Hare as someone who would be flying in. It is so easy to grab a hotel shuttle first and then a group can manage a cab or something to get to food. Free wi-fi in rooms is always nice as well. The hotel in Oak Brook near the mall also sounds nice for getting offsite to have fun when we get sick of playing games...like that would happen!
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Permalink Reply by Kristin Boyett on
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Guest Room prices and internet are my priorities.
Following that, amenities and local attractions (esp food when we get done with hotel fare)
I'm flying in so parking is a non-issue for me, but that's just my .02
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Permalink Reply by Scott Nicholson on
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My vote would be for the airport. Given that we have gaming activities in the evening, there isn't as much reason to leave the hotel (so, we'd need to make sure there were evening activities, even "Open Gaming" would suffice).
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Permalink Reply by Donald Dennis on -
Very true! Is the idea to encourage more participation by attendees, or allow them greater access to the outside world?
I guess the other thing to consider is whether the airport location will impact the ability for locals or companies to attend. I've never organized an event at an airport hotel, so I don't know if loading or unloading cargo to that facility would be as easy as at another location. I might be able to drum up some interest with several game companies once the details of the event are hammered out. It's unlikely the increased airport security has had a large impact on the hotel facilities, but you never know.
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Permalink Reply by Liz Danforth on
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Reasonable room cost, reliable wifi (preferably free) and bedamned how close it is to downtown, airport, or anywhere else. I'll be there for the conference, and my local friends will have to track me down wherever that might turn out to be anyway.
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Permalink Reply by Merry Uk on -
If the resort hotel (#1) has a free shuttle from the airport (I wouldn't doubt that it does anyway) - I'd personally say definitely take this one, especially for the hotel room cost, free wi-fi and free parking. I'd be flying in, so the Hilton would be ultra-convenient, but it would also seem to be much easier to get in and around to the separated hotel for the locals, rather than having you all head into an airport for several days of conferencing, and most likely having to pay parking fees on top of that.
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Permalink Reply by Paul on -
I'd go with #1 as long as they had a free shuttle to the airport. The shuttle worked well last time. And as someone who stayed up late blogging to get my posts down within the 24hours I paid for last time - free internet would be nice.
The Hilton would as well. Is the Oak Brook one the same one that LOEX is scheduled for?
paul
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Permalink Reply by Jenny Levine on
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It is indeed the same hotel, although the room rate is different, probably because of the time of year. I'm also not sure how big the LOEX conference is - that might have an effect, too.
Unfortunately, I don't think they do offer a shuttle service to/from the airport, but I'll confirm that. If they don't, how would you vote?
Jenny
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Permalink Reply by Merry Uk on
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Oh that's tricky.
Pricewise, I'd daresay the resort hotel is still cheaper overall (slightly cheaper room cost + free wifi + free parking > 2x 15 minute cab ride). I would also think that this hotel would really be more convenient for all involved too - but I do see that most of us are leaning towards the Hilton and that's really just fine too.
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