I was planning all week to write a diary today about Netroots Nation, which is now just 7 6 short weeks away (ack!)
I thought I might be lacking for ideas to talk about today, but that's clearly not the case. We've been hearing from folks (and reading on dkos) that the hotel situation is getting a bit dicey so I thought I'd try to explain some of what folks are experiencing while also offer some alternatives.
And if anyone is looking for a roomshare or rideshare, feel free to include it in the comments.
I've heard from several folks this week who have not been able to get rooms at one of our two official hotels. This is - mostly likely - not because all the rooms are sold out for the entire weekend, it's because those hotels are very low on available rooms for Tuesday and Wednesday night.
We book our hotel contracts about a year out, which is actually much shorter than conventions of our size usually book. This means that - despite historical data - we're guessing which rooms we'll need on which nights. Every year is a little different, Vegas last year was one huge hotel, and it was Vegas. Pittsburgh was two hotels, one connected, one not. Austin was one big hotel and then we wound up adding extra blocks at nearby hotels because it filled up.
So our block of rooms is pretty much sold out for Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Some folks might get through and get a room, but they're largely gone for those nights (it's a fluid reservations systems, sometimes kind of like booking plane tickets).
So what's a Kossack to do? Fear not, there are many, many hotel options in downtown Minneapolis!
I'll list out a bunch of hotels that I pulled this morning here. (I did a quick search on hotels.com this morning to see who had rooms on Tuesday and Wednesday and have noted that where applicable)
OTHER HOTEL OPTIONS FOR MINNEAPOLIS:
Best Western Normandy (union hotel)
405 S. 8th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phone: (612) 370-1400
* 4 blocks from the Hilton, 5 blocks from the Convention Center
Crowne Plaza Northstar (union hotel)
618 2nd Ave. South, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone: 1-612-3382288
* 3 blocks from the Hilton
* had rooms this morning (5/6) on hotels.com
Graves 601 (union hotel)
601 First Ave. North, Minneapolis, MN 55403
* 10 blocks from the Hilton
* A bit trendy
Holiday Inn Express (union hotel)
225 S. 11th St., Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: (612) 341-3300
* Between Hilton and Convention Center - nice little hotel!
Marquette Hotel (union hotel)
710 Marquette Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone: 612-333-4545
4 blocks from Hilton
Radisson Plaza Minneapolis (union hotel)
35 South 7th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: (612) 339-4900
* about 5 blocks from Hilton (toward Target Field)
* had rooms this morning (5/6) on hotels.com
Residence Inn Minneapolis Downtown/City Center (union hotel)
45 S. 8th St., Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phone: (612) 677-1000
* about 5 blocks from Hilton (toward Target Field)
* had rooms this morning (5/6) on hotels.com
Hotel Ivy (union hotel)
201 So. 11th St., Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: (612) 746-4600
between Hilton and the Convention Center
A little bit high-end/trendy
Doubletree Guest Suites Minneapolis (non-union)
1101 Lasalle Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403
(612) 332-6800
* about 3 blocks from the hilton
* had rooms this morning (5/6) on hotels.com
Hilton Garden Inn Minneapolis Downtown (non-union)
1101 4th Avenue South, Minneapolis - (612) 339-6633
* right across the street from the Convention Center, about 2 blocks from the Hilton
* I toured this hotel, it's relatively new and nice
And we've got one more option for you, there's a hostel not too far from the convention center.
Minneapolis International Hostel
2400 Stevens Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Phone: +1-612-874-0407
** Looks like about a mile down the road from the convention center
That's the info I was able to cobble together.
Folks can use the comments to discuss these options, roomshares, pooties or whatever else you'd like on this Friday afternoon!