Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

Just wondering.

How many rooms did you reserve and how easy was it to make your reservations? Did you get the hotel you wanted?

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

Man you guys are organized! Coming from a first time scheduling Championships person, when do we need to have these reservations made by?

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

I just reserved 26 rooms at the Mariott Marquis for Team 1114. We were hoping for the Embassy Suites, but at a savings $138 per room, we just couldn't pass up the Marquis. I did have trouble with the online system, so I ended up phoning in my reservation. Getting all the names in the system was a long process, but the representitive from Steele Meetings Inc. was very helpful. Kudos to FIRST and Steele for setting up this system.

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

Omni is not even on the list this year. We called and the reason is that the Omni is booke with another conference. We do not lk epaying for the party, so we will book outside of FIRST.

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

Beth:

Travel coordinators for Championship teams should have received an e-mail reminding them that the reservations will be open. Here is the e-mail I received yesterday.
==========================
The FIRST 2007 Championship official housing will open tomorrow morning, December 7th at 9:00 a.m. EST. We have received several inquiries from our first email and hope that the following information will be helpful.

There are three ways you can make reservations: through the FIRST Championship website on the community page, through the call in center at toll free number 866-413-5151 or international at 506-637-0282, or by fax at 506-433-3033.

For those booking on the web-site, when you get to the website, go down to the bottom of the page to ‘Find a Hotel’. In the drop down box ‘Who are you?’ click on Teams. You do not need an access code once you have selected Teams. Then select your arrival and departure dates, the number of rooms (up to 20 at a visit) and the maximum number of people you will have in the room. Then click on ‘Find Hotels’. You will then be able to select which hotel you want. The rate shown is the lowest average nightly rate. We recommend that for groups booking over 20 rooms that they book either by fax or through the call center as they can handle larger blocks of rooms and to ensure that all the rooms are at the same hotel.

Please find below the cancellation policy outlining important dates and deadlines:

• You may make name changes up to 72 hours prior to arrival.
• Credit Cards will be charged March 7, 2007 for any reservations made prior to this date and for which a check has not been received. Your credit card will reflect the charge from Steele Meetings, Inc.
• Payment in full is due March 14, 2007. Reservations not paid for by this date will be released.
• You may make modifications to room type, name changes and cancel any of the packages prior to March 19, 2007 and receive a refund minus a $10 administration fee per package.
• Any cancellations after March 19th forfeit all payments. Any additional requests after March 19th will be subject to availability and receipt of payment.
• Payment must be in the form of one check or money order per Team or by credit card. Credit Card payments will be charged a 3.5% handling fee.

Please find following some helpful links when making your reservations:

Map of Atlanta highlighting the hotels in relation to the Georgia World Convention Center and the Georgia Dome go to: www.steelemeetings.com/atlantamap

A copy of the Fax Registration Form may be found at: www.steelemeetings.com/regform

You may copy the second page to add additional rooms if needed.

A copy of the package rates by room for all hotels may be found at: www.steelemeetings.com/packages

We look forward to working with you and wish Team 365 a very successful FIRST season.

Steele Meetings, Inc
6346-65 Lantana Rd.
Suite 117
Lake Worth, FL 33463
customerservice@steelemeetings.com
===========================

If you have not contacted Steele Meetings yet, I would recommend you plan to do so soon.

Good luck!

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

Paul:

I am very disappointed that the Omni was not an option for the FIRST packages. Also, based on our group size, the Embassy Suites was also not an option either.

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

I'm glad they're still doing the Hyatt Regency; we stayed there in 2004, and aside from a 15-20 minute walk to the Georgia Dome (which I think we can avoid this year with good MARTA planning) it was wonderful (the walk wasn't bad either, gave lots of talking time).

I was wondering why there were 2 hotels on that map that weren't on the price list.

These are good prices for including tickets to the wrap party; I don't think there's a difference in price between getting reservations from the hotel itself (so no wrap party) or through Steele meetings (includes wrap party) in some cases.

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

According to our teacher, we got into the Embassy Suites (best hotel in atlanta, imo). The Omni was a little disappointing last year, compared to all the hype. We'll be glad to be back in the huge rooms at the Suites with an awesome free breakfast every morning :)

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

All I can say is: painful!

We have a large team and, according to Steele, there is no room for us anywhere except at the Capitol. How is this possible? I have no idea. I have been on the phone with them for 2 hours and counting (I'm on hold now). So if it is like this for us this early, then how is it going to be for other teams later?

I feel the freight train coming ...

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

I believe that teams looking for 5-10 rooms should do okay with this process. However, large teams (MOE is looking to book 38 rooms) will find this to be a difficult process. Many of our choice hotels are not available and we need to make some quick decisions to get in anywhere. Looks like right now, MOE will be in the Hyatt.

SUGGESTION - If you have a large team, please book soon or plan to split your team into smaller groups at different hotels.

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

Yup, John has it right. Booking online for a large group is virtually impossible via the online system. I tried this morning and eventually got fed up with the whole process. Thankfully I ended up with a helpful rep from Steele on the phone. I spent 90 minutes on the phone with the rep, and eventually got the rooms booked.

As for the choice hotels being booked, I have a suspicion that those teams who faxed in orders in advance, were given priority. When I got onto the system this morning at 9:00 am, I could not secure any rooms at the Embassy Suites.

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

I am pretty sure that we do not use FIRST recommended hotels in Atlanta, we stay at the holiday mid-town north, they are pretty good to us. Good luck :)

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

I toook over 45 minutes to enter in our info for the 19 rooms 1038 plans to use. We'll be at the Wyndham. It was tedious, but problem-free. We were hoping to stay at the Omni, too :(

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

It is confirmed that MOE 365 will be staying at the Hyatt Regency. If any team has stayed here before and has some suggestions / comments, please e-mail me.

I hope your team's Championship Hotel reservation process went well.

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

I have a feeling that teams who don't qaulify for ATL until the end of March at their regional are gonna have a hard time booking close, convenient rooms.

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

Hm, just tried to book via the online system and didn't get very far. Does anyone know if these reservations are only available for FRC, FVC or FLL teams? Are they available for volunteers who are considering flying down to help? And are wrap party tickets available for volunteers who are not affiliated with teams?

~Kathie
(not affiliated with any particular team!)

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

Not terribly impressed.

Our travel coordinator called precisely at 9:00am on the day reservations opened and was DENIED a block of rooms at the Embassy Suites. Rather than wasting time and getting shut out of anything near the venue we went with the Westin.

If...

A) You can't block larger quantites of rooms, we should have been told.

B) There were a small number of rooms available at particualr hotels, we should have been told.

C) There was a more efficient way to get the larger blocks of rooms, we should have been told.

This is the first time since Orlando that our team will participate in the post-competition party. In the past I have questioned the price tag (in Orlando it was free and definitely worth paying for had they asked!) and this year decided it was time to give it another go. I'm hoping it's worth the expense otherwise this will be the last year our team attends the party.

I'm sure the reservation system is good for smaller teams and new teams but when your traveling with 45+ people, it doesn't seem to offer many benefits.

Just my 2 cents.

Sean

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

Team 254 had no problems calling in when the system first went up. We got rooms at Embassy Suites.

The other team we work with had big problems. One of their mentors called at exactly 6 am local time to book some rooms. She was told that Embassy Suites had 11 rooms open that could be blocked for her. She started to give the woman on the phone the names of the students in the rooms, and asked some questions about the process, assuming that those 11 rooms had a hold put on them as soon as she said she wanted them.

After entering around 20 names, she found out that infact they do NOT put a hold on the rooms prior to taking the names. So she lost all 11 rooms because someone else snuck in before she could finish giving names.

She was understandably quite mad that they gave her rooms away, and asked to speak to someone higher up to complain to. Steele told her that she'd have to send an email, which wasn't likely to get anywhere, and unacceptable in her mind. She tried to find contact info for anyone at Steele other than the number given to make reservations and was unsuccessful.

Moral of the story--don't waste your time giving them all the names. Tell them you want john doe in every room 4x, or you run the risk of losing your rooms.

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

There is definitely inconsistency in the Steele room booking process. I called at exactly 9am. MOE needed more than 20 rooms, so it was recommended that we speak to an agent directly (this came from the FIRST e-mail that was sent to travel coordinators). We followed these instructions and were told by an agent that, since we were a large group, we should fax all the information.

Well, since I was already on the phone with the agent, I asked if I could book these rooms live instead of fax. I was worried that our fax would be put into a queue and we would be behind teams who already faxed in their reservation list. I gave the agent one name for each room. It was a tedious process, but as others have stated, it was the best way to ensure we got the rooms.

At 9:00am, I was told that there were no rooms available at the Embassy Suites. I am disappointed that the agents were not communicated the same message. Obviously, there were rooms available, however, they were in smaller blocks and we could not have gotten all our people in. I asked point blank how many rooms were available at the Embassy and the reservation agent told me that they never had any.

FIRST - please read the feedback here in future planning. It is a shame for teams to go through this process with large teams. Per these comments, a number of teams are not participating in the wrap party and others are booking outside of the package deal.

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

Mr. Moe, regarding the Hyatt, We stayed there last year and three years ago and found it to be very nice. We had no complaints except the fact that it took forever to get the entire team downstairs becuase of so many people using the elevators but you can't really avoid it unless you lave earlier than everyone else.
They also have this dinner buffet thing that they offer and I think it was worth the cost.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

We went a different route. We booked our 16 rooms at the Hampton inn & suites a week or so before the Steele information was available. I understand that we will not be able to go to the wrap party but in my 6+ years it hasn't been anything special since Orlando 2000. We had no problems getting a large group reservation & at a HUGE savings over the previous 3 years (Hyatt, Marriot, Hyatt) We really liked the Hyatt but at an estimated $200 per room savings and adding in that we have suites it was hard to pass up.

Mr. Moe the Hyatt is very nice and quite accomidating. If anyone knows anything about the Hampton inn & Suites I would love more input. & if you want to know about the Hyatt or Marriot Marquis send me a message.

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

One of our team's mentors stayed at the Hampton last year. The rest of the team was in the Omni. He thought the Hampton was great. They had a nice room, and free breakfast. Infact, the only reason the rest of the mentors ate breakfast all weekend was because he brought us food from their free breakfast.

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

What do teams do about hotel reservations when you don't know if you'll qualify until March? Reserve and cancel if you don't make it? Wait until you know you qualify, then scramble?

I'm wondering if a number of hotel rooms free up in March from teams that hoped to qualify, then didn't.

Until last week, we didn't even dream of going to Atlanta, as only 3-4 Vex teams out of 50 get to attend. But after doing better than expected at our Vex Scrimmage, I'd say we have a chance, albeit a small one. Our team only has 5 students, so we'll probably only need 2 rooms, 3 max.

Suggestions/recommendations would be appreciated.

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

you should have made reservations back at the beginning of the season, around september. with 100,000+ people going to nationals, all hotels get filled extremely quickly.

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

The story I heard about Omni is that all FIRST teams were banned from staying there by hotel management because we didn't comply with their rules well enough. Can anyone confirm this as correct (or incorrect)? Maybe it is time to leave Atlanta, if we are not allowed to stay at the most conveniently located hotel.

I think we are staying at a Day's Inn near Centennial Park.

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

i agree, i think the hotels(expecially the "richy" ones) are getting tired of all the hyped up and spirited teams in thier hotel lobbies pretty much non-stop. next year we should do it across the country, as in california or even alaska!:D

Re: Championship Hotel Reservations - How Did it Go For you?
 

Can you tell us more about the dinner buffet? We're trying to figure out how to feed 80 to 90 people on Friday night without spending a fortune. Do they have a large room where the buffet is held? Do you remember how much it cost? Were food the choices sufficient to accommodate everyone?