Possible Hotel for Next Year?

[FizzTheCarbonated]

Hallo hallo.  I am not on the staff, but as I was driving back out of Portland my boyfriend and I noticed that there was a rather large Doubletree hotel on the waterfront.  I decided to look it up when I got home, so I did.

I really think this might be a possuible convention hotel for next year.  I know it isn't up to me, but I thought I would suggest it anyway.  The home page is:

http://doubletree.hilton.com/en/dt/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=RLJB-DT

I was checking out the convention center stuff, and it has 34,113 square feet of meeting space.  That is 10,000 square feet more than at the Mariott.  It's also located right in the middle of the Jantzen Beach shopping center thingie.  Lots of convinient food places.  It has fewer rooms than the Mariott did, but we didn't use all the rooms at the Mariott anyway, and there are other hotels in the area that could be used for spillover.

It also claims to have complimentary parking.

I have no idea the convention center at the Mariott cost or anything, and it's entirely possible that this could cost more, but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway.  If it isn't much more than what the Mariott cost, I think that it could seriously be a viable con hotel.  

I checked the prices, and at the moment the cheapest price is $119 a night, but they do offer reduced rates for those people attending meetings at their hotels if they use the group code.  They also claim to always give the best rate possible, blah blah blah.

Anyway.  I think that the con staff for next year should definately check it out.  I am a full-time student working my way through school, or I'd be right there with you.

FizzTheCarbonated

[SailorNaboo]

Thanks!  We'll make sure to check it out!

[RemSaverem]

it was very, very thoughtful of you to take the time to research and report that to us. thanks so much! there is, i believe, another doubletree by the lloyd center, as well.

if anyone has any other such suggestions and details, this would be a great place to mention them!

fondly,
rem.

[FizzTheCarbonated]

Hey, researching it was no problem.  I just hated those stupid stairs at the Mariott and as I understand it, the staff at the Mariott weren't very helpful to the staff of Kumori-con.  

I wan't to help out in any way I can with next year's con, but between full-time school and working my way through said school, the only real way I could help is if I could do everything online or by phone, and that's not always an option.

And like I said before, this Doubletree is right near lots and lots of convinient food.

FizzTheCarbonated

[SailorNaboo]

And the advantage of any Doubletree:

HUGE cookies delievered to the rooms (I think it's one per guest per day).  They are almost with the price of admission!)

[BlackjackGabbiani]

Hey, researching it was no problem.  I just hated those stupid stairs at the Mariott and as I understand it, the staff at the Mariott weren't very helpful to the staff of Kumori-con.

I'll say they weren't helpful! I called them a few days in advance and they said they didn't even know there *WAS* a con scheduled!

Although the setup staff was nice.

[modab]

The setup staff WERE helpful. and some of the upstairs staff knew about us, but some of them most certainly did not. Not very helpful...

[BeeSideBeauty]

I wrote this in another topic and though this was the better place for it.

First of all I'd like to say KumoriCon was my first con ever. That said I had an awesome time! However I was dissapointed to be turned down at the door when I arrived. A bigger venue would be much appriciated.

Luckily they let in 30 more people on Saturday (I was #20), but I feel bad for the #31+. Someone mentioned the Convention Center in Portland and I agree, that would definately be a venue I'd look into. Another idea is to talk to the local colleges like Reed College. A college campus is large enough for 1000+ people, you can sell (most likely) cheaper rooms, and you can always arrange food units through the college (and I know for a fact that Reed has great food).

...So yeah...That's my two cents...

[modab]

I agree, colleges can be a great place for venue, especially regarding price, but here are some negatives:
if you realize that a lot of the people who set things up for them are often less professional than at hotels, so doors may remain locked when you desperatley need to setup inside the rooms.
they often have more specific rules on what is allowed and not on their campus.
rooms can be very far away from convention space, which can also be extremely spread out, and that's no good for cosplayers especially.
they have a LOT more paperwork, and can be slower to respond to you if you have emergencies that need taking care of during the con.
Basically you get what you pay for on college campuses. And of course many of these things are handled differently on different campuses, so this is not a blanket statement, just a concern.
As for the Convention Center, I'm unfamiliar with it, but does it have attached hotels? Again, cosplayers need to be really close to the action.
And we couldn't possibly reserve an entire center, so we would be sharing with another convention like this year (yuck!). I really want to rent out an ENTIRE place.

[psyentific]

but what if you could arrange to share the center with something more on par with what's being done?  The convention center has a great space AND more privacy between events.  

Also, checking out PSU might be an option.  They recently bought out what I believe was formerly a Doubletree downtown to convert into a conference center.  It may not help much with finding food around the area, but it may help with cost and an avoidance of overlap.  PSU in general also has the benefit of being pre-set-up in most rooms for tech and for being on bus lines blocks away from hotels, though it's not the same as a convention center with a hotel.

[modab]

We would get hundreds of complaints if cosplayers had to bus from hotel to conspace. It would be a nightmare, really :-)

I always pictured us moving into the convention center when we were drawing 10,000 people a year!

[KevinMcKeever]

Lets also keep in mind that Kumoricon did not have full use of the marriot. They were sharing with another event so that put a limit on what could be done with the space. (Does anyone remeber the room on the lobby level being used by that other group)

Most conventions that go on in convention centers need attached hotels or a hotel with easy (right across the street) walking distance for them to work. Anything further often results in costume damage and irked cosplayers.

[Keroleen]

Hallo hallo.  I am not on the staff, but as I was driving back out of Portland my boyfriend and I noticed that there was a rather large Doubletree hotel on the waterfront.  I decided to look it up when I got home, so I did.

I really think this might be a possuible convention hotel for next year.  I know it isn't up to me, but I thought I would suggest it anyway.  The home page is:

http://doubletree.hilton.com/en/dt/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=RLJB-DT

 I'd also suggest their sister Doubletree, Columbia River, which is where OryCon is held every year. It's in the same area, and has the added advantage of staff who're used to seeing people in strange costumes running around.

[zenix]

a hotel with few windows would be nice due to the fact that if u have a line by the windows with the sun beamin in it gets very hot very quick like sakuracon cosplay line

[psyentific]

We would get hundreds of complaints if cosplayers had to bus from hotel to conspace. It would be a nightmare, really :-)

I always pictured us moving into the convention center when we were drawing 10,000 people a year!

I've been to cons where the conhotel and the center were a mile away or more by foot.  That's cause for complaints.  A con in the downtown area in Portland where you have to walk at most 10 blocks and you're complaining is just being spoiled.  It wouldn't be my first choice, but it's still an option.  But I'm also probably the only one who felt utterly claustrophobic at times with the low cielings down at the Marriott

As to the convention center, I've been to events there with far less people than we had at KC.  The overwhelming positive of that location or a location in that general area would be commute-ability (MAX and bus) and an area who's mainstay economy is not an office district that will have a number of things going on foodwise/etc for congoers at a much later hour than downtown Portland.

The Marriott does have a plus for out-of-town non-car congoers in that it's right next to the bus stop for the 54 which goes directly to Uwagimaya/Kinokuniya/etc, but I don't think any non-portlanders knew that

[acidraven]

From what I heard the problem with some of the more decent convention hotels is that everyone who runs any form of a convention knows about them, the Two Dubble trees on the river are realy Nice for cons, but they have things booked a year plus in advanvce. One of the reasons that I think Some one Should at least be looking into a hotel for KomoriCon 2006, it would be nice to see information and sign up flyer in Program Book for 2006 in the 2005 Book.
Just an Idea

[SailorNaboo]

I think that's a great idea.  

I'd like to see us book what date we can still get for 2005 and then book the date we really want for 2006 and announce it way in advance so other cons will know and can take it into account for planning.  I'll make sure to bring it up at the next meeting.

[spindrift76]

I keep seeming to lose my post but I had suggested the airpor Shilo Inn because the rooms are cheeper and bigger and they have a convetion area.  

The double tree sound nice too.  

I also thing we should work on 2006 as well !

[mira]

I keep seeming to lose my post but I had suggested the airpor Shilo Inn because the rooms are cheeper and bigger and they have a convetion area.  

The double tree sound nice too.  

I also thing we should work on 2006 as well !

I am attending a convention in November at this hotel for MOMS club regional luncheon (www.momsclub.org  -for stay at home moms we basically have fun and do charity work. I am on the board for my local chapter).  The rooms are not cheaper for us.  As I understand it the cost is determined by how many people attend the con and pay for a room.  So you can't really know until you book it.  MOMS club is expecting a much smaller number than Kumori con this year (I think we are at about 500) and our rooms are 85 bux single and 95 double occupancy.  Maybe with Kumori-con's numbers that would equal a cheaper room.  Maybe not.

I shared this in another thread but there was some angst for me upon check out.  The clerk at the Marriot asked me why I hadn't arranged for the weekend special instead of the con reservation.  I paid for parking for four days along with breakfast.  Apparently the special includes parking and breakfast buffet with the room.  

I could have saved 150 dollars but the hotel staff didnt' tell me until AFTER the fact.  Something that was rude IMO.  Unless they were going to extend the discount rubbing the fact that they over charged me in my face was flat obnoxious.  Regardless of where the con is next year I hope that some kind of package is addressed.

 I won't book at the Marriot again under the convention code if it means losing that much money again.  I know this is not good for the con but we are a family of average means.  $150.00 dollars is a lot of money to pay needlessly.  Getting a couple of kids all cosplayed up and fed every morning makes eating in for at least breakfast a convenient and attractive option.  It makes the "weekend" special the obvious choice as much as we wish to support Kumori-con.

(BTW: I do hope it's in a hotel, it's much more intimate and fun.  It was great to be able to put on your jammies and attend some late night shows)

mira

[SailorNaboo]

I keep seeming to lose my post but I had suggested the airpor Shilo Inn because the rooms are cheeper and bigger and they have a convetion area.  

The double tree sound nice too.  

I also thing we should work on 2006 as well !

I shared this in another thread but there was some angst for me upon check out.  The clerk at the Marriot asked me why I hadn't arranged for the weekend special instead of the con reservation.  I paid for parking for four days along with breakfast.  Apparently the special includes parking and breakfast buffet with the room.  

I could have saved 150 dollars but the hotel staff didnt' tell me until AFTER the fact.  Something that was rude IMO.  Unless they were going to extend the discount rubbing the fact that they over charged me in my face was flat obnoxious.  Regardless of where the con is next year I hope that some kind of package is addressed.

 I won't book at the Marriot again under the convention code if it means losing that much money again.  I know this is not good for the con but we are a family of average means.  $150.00 dollars is a lot of money to pay needlessly.  Getting a couple of kids all cosplayed up and fed every morning makes eating in for at least breakfast a convenient and attractive option.  It makes the "weekend" special the obvious choice as much as we wish to support Kumori-con.

mira

This hits us just as hard as it did you.  Wow!  I thought we were getting a great deal compared to regular price.  This sounds like great information for the hotel committee -- making sure that the hotel agrees that the con rate will match their lowest price available to the public for the con.  If a lower special comes along, we need it in our contract that it becomes the new con rate!  

Since so many of us are Eugene based, we all had to pay for rooms too and we didn't get any special "Staff Rate" that was any better than the regular con rate.  I could have used the extra money.  As it was, I only missed maxing out my credit card by about $30.

[Kei-Kei]

If you guys do choose a new hotel, I'd really appreciate it if you kept it at a hotel in Portland, possibly as close to the MAX or bus like the Marriot is. I'd really like to avoid driving through downtown Portland to get the convention. The MAX is much less trouble.

[mira]

This hits us just as hard as it did you.  Wow!  I thought we were getting a great deal compared to regular price.  This sounds like great information for the hotel committee -- making sure that the hotel agrees that the con rate will match their lowest price available to the public for the con.  If a lower special comes along, we need it in our contract that it becomes the new con rate!  

Since so many of us are Eugene based, we all had to pay for rooms too and we didn't get any special "Staff Rate" that was any better than the regular con rate.  I could have used the extra money.  As it was, I only missed maxing out my credit card by about $30.

The story I was given was that the Marriot did give us the best price ON THE ROOM RATE.  

If I had been willing to drive around unknown territory with two young girls in tow in the middle of the night to find cheaper parking I would have saved.  Leaving later to find parking meant dragging them out in costume and braving unknown territory.  Ditto for the breakfasts.  

The difference in the charges were all in the parking fees and the breakfast not the room rate.  Those things could have been included for a modest increase in the room rate and it would have saved me a bundle is what I found out.  

What I'm suggesting is that the hotel committee negotiate a price for THAT package in addition to the straight room rate.  I would have gladly paid a little extra to get a break on the parking and to have the convenience of the breakfast buffet.  Food options were limited if you didn't know the area (or weren't willing to walk around in an unknown city's industrial area).  

The Marriot engaged in a bait and switch if you ask me.  The said it was the best room rate.  It was. But they didn't want con goers to know they could get a better deal because they made more money charging us for parking and their breakfast buffet separately right.  As I said there was a total of about 150 bucks I could have saved on the parking and breakfast alone.  I could have gone elsewhere for those things so the Marriot figures they've been fair.  But they know that many out of towners won't venture out of the hotel if they are attending a convention.  They take advantage of that.  It's good business I guess.  I still say it was rude of them to point it out to me as I checked out.  Next year I hope the con won't let them get away with it.

mira