FIRST Event Housing Provider: no access information?

[FTC5110]

We tried booking at the 2 hotels where FTC is held this year at Union Station. You'd think they'd be reserved just for FTC teams since the vast majority of them won't even know if they qualify until after super regionals in March. We're an international team and know we've qualified but even then we struck the situation where only 1 bed rooms were all that was left.

How do FRC teams even know they've qualified for the championship? I know a rather high % of them advance and some will be pretty confident but even so having 600 of them in St Louis is putting the squeeze on accomodation.

Any FRC teams care to chime in if they've booked 2 bed rooms at the Union Station hotels? Interested to know how fair the Experient "request" system is actually working....

[Matt Ciprietti]

Contrary to what I initially thought, it appears to be first-come-first-served, just like the old system. We looked at the hotel list on the first day to see how it was going to work this year, and when we looked at it again one day later many of the hotels had disappeared (e.g., many of the ones close to the dome). I can only assume that this is because they were booked up by teams. 2-bed rooms were definitely being offered at various hotels near the venues, so if you're not seeing any then it's likely because they have been booked.

[JB987]

I actually think this system is worse than Steele Mtg...at least with them you could set up an account before the selection day arrived.

We got in to system in microseconds of system opening time on day one but had to start from scratch and set up an account before we could actually select possible hotels and prioritize our selections. Within a couple hours we got a confirmation email that we got our 6th choice Did teams that previously registered for District housing have to start from scratch like the rest of us non-District teams? Good thing we booked a reasonable alternative last April.

So, once again we came nowhere close to getting into one of our top 3 choices. Kudos to those who did... If Moe got into the Drury CC again I am going to call the FBI...(just kidding )

[Navid Shafa]

Originally Posted by Matt Ciprietti

2-bed rooms were definitely being offered at various hotels near the venues, so if you're not seeing any then it's likely because they have been booked.

Well, at least this I can take blame for.

Originally Posted by JB987

I actually think this system is worse than Steele Mtg...

Even without having personally booked with Steele, I'm willing to put money behind your statement. The new system is dysfunctional.

[Carol]

Originally Posted by JB987

I actually think this system is worse than Steele Mtg...at least with them you could set up an account before the selection day arrived.

We got in to system in microseconds of system opening time on day one but had to start from scratch and set up an account before we could actually select possible hotels and prioritize our selections. Within a couple hours we got a confirmation email that we got our 6th choice Did teams that previously registered for District housing have to start from scratch like the rest of us non-District teams? Good thing we booked a reasonable alternative last April.

So, once again we came nowhere close to getting into one of our top 3 choices. Kudos to those who did... If Moe got into the Drury CC again I am going to call the FBI...(just kidding )

MOE had the same issues. We were told that morning that everybody had to re-register for Champs, even if you had previously registered.

And you can cancel the call to the FBI; MOE got the Hampton Inn Gateway Arch (is that your "reasonable alternative"?). Drury was booked by the time we got through.

[JB987]

Carol,
Hampton Inn was our number 2 choice behind the Drury...looks like you guys still made out pretty good! We'd be happy to trade you our rooms in the Plaza. Darn those millisecond delays in our signals from out West anyways

[Navid Shafa]

Update 3:

Finally heard back about our reservations. With only 3 choices left in walking distance at the time we booked, I guess I should be thankful we got our 3rd choice from those that were left...

We got the amount of rooms we requested and looks like we're going to be staying at the Hilton at the Ballpark. Even though we asked for rooms from the 21st-25th, we only got rooms for the 22nd-25th.

Time to call Experient again.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by Navid Shafa

Update 3:

Finally heard back about our reservations. With only 3 choices left in walking distance at the time we booked, I guess I should be thankful we got our 3rd choice from those that were left...

We got the amount of rooms we requested and looks like we're going to be staying at the Hilton at the Ballpark. Even though we asked for rooms from the 21st-25th, we only got rooms for the 22nd-25th.

Time to call Experient again.

Just wait until you get there and they tell you they double booked your rooms.

[Navid Shafa]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

Just wait until you get there and they tell you they double booked your rooms.

*Sigh* Why can't we just play robots?...

[Bob Steele]

Originally Posted by Carol

MOE had the same issues. We were told that morning that everybody had to re-register for Champs, even if you had previously registered.

And you can cancel the call to the FBI; MOE got the Hampton Inn Gateway Arch (is that your "reasonable alternative"?). Drury was booked by the time we got through.

We usually stay with you guys in the Drury... but we were booted too.
We were told that they were keeping the Drury for volunteers so no teams could really stay there. bummer

We are in the Ramada which is just west of the dome.
We will miss you!!

[JB987]

Bob,
987 is staying at the Ramada again. It is in decent location (right across from pit load in and we could often exit same doors), and close to restaurants on Washington. The hotel could sure use a remodel though...one of our parents tripped on big tear in her room's carpet and wound up in the hospital but otherwise it works out ok.

[Dancin103]

Originally Posted by JB987

I actually think this system is worse than Steele Mtg...at least with them you could set up an account before the selection day arrived.

We got in to system in microseconds of system opening time on day one but had to start from scratch and set up an account before we could actually select possible hotels and prioritize our selections. Within a couple hours we got a confirmation email that we got our 6th choice Did teams that previously registered for District housing have to start from scratch like the rest of us non-District teams? Good thing we booked a reasonable alternative last April.

So, once again we came nowhere close to getting into one of our top 3 choices. Kudos to those who did... If Moe got into the Drury CC again I am going to call the FBI...(just kidding )

Joe, I don't know that they actually have a process for who gets what based on your "choices". Because we registered really late, like a day later, and got our first choice. And I agree with you 100%, this is worse than Steele, and definitely am on board with Andrew - they are probably double booking a lot...

--
Cassie

[jmeissner]

I was checking on payment for Championship hotels and couldn't find a total or when payment was due.

I emailed them and they responded with the total and said that payment is due when you arrive.

We aren't using the system for regional hotels so I'm curious as to how payment works there. Did it open for you to pay online closer to the event date or did you have to directly pay the hotel when you arrive?