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Hotel Discussion Thread and Poll. ONLY WIRED Internet @ Shearton & Marriott!

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  • WingedillidanWingedillidan Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    It may be a little late to say this, but the PAX East Hotel Sharing thread may help you get a high-cost room at a low price with other attendees. You'll be rooming with other PAX goers and, if booked at one of the skybridge-linked hotels near the con, you'll be in the center of all the action (and parties)!

    Wingedillidan on
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  • FrugusFrugus Photographer MontrealRegistered User regular
    edited February 2010
    Onmitsu wrote: »
    I'll be crashing at the Marriott Copley Place with a couple friends of mine. It's probably the most expensive place, but the bunch of us splitting it make it pretty reasonable. Even if it seems more costly, BOOK CLOSE TO THE CON. IT IS WORTH IT.

    A little tale for those thinking of commuting from farther...
    Over the summer I went to Anime Boston with several friends of mine, twas my first large geeky con. We'd planned to go fairly late, so the best we could end up booking was a Motel 6 in a town called Braintree about an hourish outside boston by train. Initially, I didn't think this was so bad. Get up early, head in, have the whole day in the con, with time to get dinner and catch the train in the evening. Best of all, it was only about 70 bucks per person for the hotel! Great, right?

    Oh, so, so wrong.

    First, the commute. I'd handily forgotten that trains run on times NOT of my choosing. Neither do my friends. On the first day of the con, I woke up bright and early, showered, and shimmied into my costume, white silk mage robes, ready for an awesome day of con-ness. Turns out I was the only one ready. I pulled back the curtain, and let the glaring rays of the morning sun do all the work in waking my friends up, and as they got ready, two realized they still needed to finish sewing their costumes, so they'd have to catch up with us later. So, one other friend and I worked our way to the train station, only to wait 20 minutes for the train in the sweltering summer heat. Let me tell you something, silk is WARM. It was a miracle I didn't bust through my deoderant. We ended up getting to the con near 12, plenty of time left in the day, but nearly as early as we'd hoped. My other friends didn't make it to the con until 3. The con itself was an utter blast, but turns out that needing to catch the train back by 12 much more constraining than I'd thought, especially with friends who like to get lots of sleep. We met tons of awesome folk, doing tons of awesome things... late at night. Late night panels, dances, and absurdities, missed since I was the only person who wanted to take the last train out, the midnight one. Even worse than that, the train was rife with drunken angry redsox fans because the mets had beaten the everloving crap out of their team, looking to take out their frustrations verbally on a bunch of cosplayers.

    And that was just the first day!

    I won't regale you with further woes of the commuting itself, because now I get to tell you how it didn't save us money! I'd forgotten to factor in commuter and parking costs! We had to park in Boston twice, once to pick up our badges, and once on the last day of the con since we had to check out of the hotel. Boston parking is *not* cheap. Pretty much, all in all, it ended up costing about the same if we'd booked one of the cheaper places in the city in advance.

    Now, don't get me wrong, I had an awesome time at the con, and I don't regret it a minute. BUT, if you are going for the whole thing, do yourself a favor and get a room a few blocks away. There's so much you can miss if you need to leave early every night, lets you be flexible with what you do if you have friends who need more sleep than you, and the money saving is pretty trivial in the end.

    A thousand times yes.

    I know, I'm late to reply on this one, but sifting through the forums I found this and it rings so truly.

    Always consider the following:
    • You are NOT going to be able to come back late from anything if you are using public transportation. At the very least prepare cab money or downtown parking money.
    • Buying swag is awesome. Carrying swag is not. Carrying fragile swag for an entire day is horrid. Carrying fragile swag in a convention filled to the brim with Mountain Dew Addicts is a nightmare.
    • I don't run marathons. You? Sure, this is the Christmas of Geeks (or something), but consider that most people need to take breaks - even from gaming.
    • Function [Distance from Hotel] multiplied by [Time spent at any event] = Lots of money spent in restaurants. Sorry, your granola bar and melted Smarties won't cut it.

    Maybe it's just me, but the last few cons I went too where quite exhausting. There is great fun to be had, but to me they where far from being like trips where I would play tourist, stroll around and take in the sights.

    Ways around this - Park your car as near as you can and stuff your swag / ice box in them. Of course, don't put any swag that can be seen through windows, ect.

    All in all, staying close has it's advantages. In our cases we managed to find a well rated hotel for a fraction of what people seem to have paid. They even have a kitchenette. Walking distance ridiculously close, even more so if I could enter the convention from within the shopping mall. Strangely enough, no one has mentionned this hotel... I know it's booked solid now though.

    Our plan - Eat there, sleep there, take breaks there, park there, ect.

    Frugus on
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  • james1221james1221 Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    i guess the marriot will be a desolate place. my bags will be in the marriot and i'll be sleeping on the floors of the sheraton!

    james1221 on
  • ransimransim Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    erasmus310 wrote: »
    So, I'm about to book my hotel, and I'm looking at either the Back Bay Hotel, or the Fairmont Copley Plaze. Any recommendations? I'd like to stay someplace where there are a lot of othef PAX attendees, but I can't afford the Sheraton. Anyone else staying at either place?

    Me and my other half will be staying at the Back Bay Hotel. I've been to Doyle's hotel in DC, the Dupont Hotel and its lovely so based my decision on that.

    I was able to get a sweet deal on the Back Bay through AAA too, but that was back in December. Well and they have free internets in the room. Major factor for me. >_>

    ransim on
  • DragonKittyDragonKitty Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    The Marriott will be pretty desolate, but the Sheraton is so close anyways that it's really not a big deal. You don't even have to step outside to get between the two, so I'm going to be spending quite a bit of time there. The Sheraton also has a bar in the lobby, though it's terribly expensive, as you can well imagine. I know there's already a thread for that, however, so I'll leave it there. Otherwise... I'm with everyone else, hanging at the Sheraton sounds like good times.

    And for those who need to know... I'm about 95% sure the last Green Line train out of the Prudential (the stop at the Hynes) leaves at about 12:18 or something of the sort.

    I also highly recommend grabbing food at the Shaws next door versus eating at the restaurants. Much cheaper.

    DragonKitty on
  • chupamiubrechupamiubre Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    Hmm i would not count the Marriott out yet or even kind of. Only a handful of people post in the forums that are going to PAX and even fewer post in the pax specif board. Some 50,000+ people are going to invade Boston and a good number are out of state and will need a place to stay.

    chupamiubre on
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  • EvelynEvelyn Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    I've gone to Anime Boston for five years in a row now. It's generally around the same time that PAX is being held this year, so I know the hotels to stay at. Just to let ya'll know....the Sheraton is more convenient, but the elevators are a hassle AND their service isn't that great. I stayed there for three of those years and the fourth year I stayed at the Marriott.

    It's been the best thing I ever did. I get a good morning walk to the convention AND I have a Dunkin' Donuts across the street for my morning coffee. This Dunkin' Donuts hardly EVER has a line, unlike the one in the mall next to the convention center which is always a half hour+ wait. The 24 grocery store you cannot beat. It's a lot cheaper than eating out, plus the Marriott gives you a neato little fridge to stuff full of delicious foods to snack on while you're getting hammered.

    I sound like an advertisement. HAHA. Anyway, I really just wanted to tell ya'll about the lovely surprise that hit me when I first got to a Boston hotel.

    They charge you a $200 refundable fee that covers the cost, unfront, for any room damages that may occur during your stay. Don't get surprised like I did and have to use most of your spending money. =O

    Glad I could warn you. =)

    Evelyn on
  • Lord JezoLord Jezo Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    What's the best place to park for those of us staying at the Sheraton? It does not have to be next door, we can drop off our bags and walk a ways if it's cheaper.

    Not driving to PAX is not an option.

    Lord Jezo on
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  • WaduWadu Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    Lord Jezo wrote: »
    What's the best place to park for those of us staying at the Sheraton? It does not have to be next door, we can drop off our bags and walk a ways if it's cheaper.

    Not driving to PAX is not an option.

    Check out the FAQ thread for detailed info. Your best bet is to park outside the city and take the T in with your bags if you are able. Alewife station (end of the red line) is a great place to park for this.

    Wadu on
  • Lord JezoLord Jezo Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    Wadu wrote: »
    Lord Jezo wrote: »
    What's the best place to park for those of us staying at the Sheraton? It does not have to be next door, we can drop off our bags and walk a ways if it's cheaper.

    Not driving to PAX is not an option.

    Check out the FAQ thread for detailed info. Your best bet is to park outside the city and take the T in with your bags if you are able. Alewife station (end of the red line) is a great place to park for this.

    Does that T go near the convention center? Looking at the map of the route I can't tell.

    Lord Jezo on
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  • PrincePrince Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    Lord Jezo wrote: »
    Wadu wrote: »
    Lord Jezo wrote: »
    What's the best place to park for those of us staying at the Sheraton? It does not have to be next door, we can drop off our bags and walk a ways if it's cheaper.

    Not driving to PAX is not an option.

    Check out the FAQ thread for detailed info. Your best bet is to park outside the city and take the T in with your bags if you are able. Alewife station (end of the red line) is a great place to park for this.

    Does that T go near the convention center? Looking at the map of the route I can't tell.

    Depends on which line you're on. The green line has 3 or 4 stops stops (Copley, Prudential, and Hynes Convetion center... worst case Symphony) that are rock tossing distance from the convention center. Both VERY easy walks!

    If you're coming from Alewife (Red Line) you'd need to ride to Park St. stop, then hop off and switch to the green line (either E or C trains).

    Now, that said, I'm going off what little knowledge I have of the T, and the MBTA map. So someone with more experince can guide you in a better direction. So the easy answer would be
    "YES, it does go near the convention center"

    LOL

    Prince on
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  • WaduWadu Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    Prince is right. If you get on the T anywhere you can get to the convention center. From Alewife you will need to transfer trains once from red to green at Park Street.

    Google maps is your friend.

    Wadu on
  • Lord JezoLord Jezo Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    How does the T work? Havent been on it for a decade now.

    Do you pay once to get on like NYC and all transfers are free or is it swipe to get on and varying price to get off depending on where you travel to, like the DC metro?

    Lord Jezo on
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  • PrincePrince Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    When I rode it you paid when you got on... but I haven't been on that stucker in a while.

    Prince on
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  • WaduWadu Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    One price gets you anywhere on the T, you pay when you get on. More info at http://www.mbta.com and http://www.mbta.com/fares_and_passes/subway/.

    Wadu on
  • DragonKittyDragonKitty Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    Be careful about some stops on the T, if you want to switch from inbound to outbound. Chinatown, for example on the Orange line, you have to physically leave and get back in to get inbound/outbound, versus other stops such as Park Street or Downtown Crossing that let you go wherever, really, without issue. Otherwise, the folks in the booths around the T are very helpful people, and will actually map out where you need to go. For getting to the Hynes on the Green line, be careful what line you take. I'm fairly certain you can actually take any line, just get off at the Prudential stop.

    DragonKitty on
  • Lord JezoLord Jezo Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Whats the chance of the Alewife station actually having parking during the week? I'll be showing up on Friday morning.

    Lord Jezo on
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  • WaduWadu Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    This is getting off topic of hotel discussion but more info from mbta, The site is a great resource...

    Parking Spaces: 2,733
    Average Weekday Availability: 10%
    Rate: $7.00/day. $8.00/overnight
    Accessible Spaces: 24

    Depends when you are arriving, want a real parking spot on a weekday? Aim for around 8am or earlier. That said if a whole bunch of PAX'ers are going to be parking there who knows...

    I have not had to park there during commuting hours in a long time so someone else may know better.

    Wadu on
  • 1up1up Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Anyone else staying at the Hilton Boston Back Bay? Hope the walk over to the Hynes isnt that bad.

    1up on
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  • WingedillidanWingedillidan Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Woooh duuude.. all the hotels just hit 0 except for 3 nights at the Sheraton... PAX Hotel rush! Wonder why Sheraton still have open spots? Is it cause they're bigger or something :o

    Wingedillidan on
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  • SingolloSingollo Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Woooh duuude.. all the hotels just hit 0 except for 3 nights at the Sheraton... PAX Hotel rush! Wonder why Sheraton still have open spots? Is it cause they're bigger or something :o

    All hotels that offer a discount pax rate only flag so many rooms available at said rate. So as rooms get reserved they become unavailable as the reservation is canceled spots will open. However all hotels still have space cause they keep some rooms that are not included in the discount rate for non pax people. Though if you ask me id hate to be in a hotel and not be a pax person. This is what i have seen over the years though so assume its accurate or least somewhat on par.

    Singollo on
  • PrincePrince Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Thankfully they usually place Con rooms together (same floor/wing/etc) to avoid to many grumpy guest. Can you imagine if they didn't? One room of paxers, followed by random guest, followed by room of paxers.
    LOL

    Poor random guest might have a few complaints with the all night gaming, early wake-ups, and DS parties in the hall way. :-P LOL

    Prince on
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  • LevityNYCLevityNYC Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Just booked my hotel. Im staying at the Boston Omni Parker hotel. Its about a mile from the location. The hotels blocked off by Pax were more than what I wanted to spend, plus I didnt want to be located near a whole bunch of gamers who have never been away from home in their lives.
    I booked the smallest room possible. It literally has a double bed in it. From what I read online, its like a 150 year old place but it was just renovated. I had some Expedia coupons and discounts so it only cost me 200 with tax for both nights.

    The ones a few blocks from Pax that were blocked off ended up being over 400.

    LevityNYC on
  • Moe FwackyMoe Fwacky Right Here, Right Now Drives a BuickModerator mod
    edited March 2010
    LevityNYC wrote: »
    The hotels blocked off by Pax were more than what I wanted to spend, plus I didnt want to be located near a whole bunch of gamers who have never been away from home in their lives.
    This is a condescending attitude right here. You're entitled to your reasons for booking away from the con area, but don't assume that everybody there is a stereotypical basement-dweller.

    Moe Fwacky on
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  • LevityNYCLevityNYC Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Im not saying its a bad thing at all. In fact, I think its awesome that people will be out in the hallways playing DS games and such.

    I just get very grumpy if I can't fall asleep or get woken up due to noise. I figured I'd rather sleep away from the craziness. I'm sure the hotel I book will have a few gamers as well. I noticed today that the hotel was completely booked.

    LevityNYC on
  • ValantineValantine Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Staying at the Back Bay Hilton.Arriving Thursday morning to see some sights and attend a few pre-PAX events. free Internet, coffee machine, and a microwave means i can hit up the near by Trader Jo's for some hangover essentails like coffee and yaki onigiri...as for party at the Hilton?.. I'll be there so its a party!

    Valantine on
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  • Full Tilt 101Full Tilt 101 Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    FYI on the Sheraton : According to two separate calls to Guest Services, their TV's do not accept game consoles. Not so sure I buy it but figured I'd throw the alert up.

    Full Tilt 101 on
  • CanadaJoeCanadaJoe Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I'm staying at Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel. Got it from Priceline for 100.00 :)

    First time I've ever used Priceline. Its .3 miles away from the Pax East site.

    CanadaJoe on
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  • o the afermatho the afermath Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Im staying in the fairmont copley anyone else??

    o the afermath on
  • Lord JezoLord Jezo Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    So what should those of us who are staying in the Sheraton do about internet access?

    Lord Jezo on
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  • ValantineValantine Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Wow, Sheraton was my first choice but it sounds like i got a better deal at the Hilton. If using your fav. console or PC in your room is really super important I think the only thing you can do is consider cancelling your reservation and trying another close by hotel. personally I plan to use my room as little more than a place to hold my stuff and squeeze in some REM. I was going to bring my laptop to use as a travel guide but i can accomplish the same thing with my Ipod touch. AND play the ocarina at the same time! I heart that app so hard.....(i digress) No worries guys, PAX should have plenty to keep you entertained.

    Valantine on
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  • ZeroHourHeroZeroHourHero Allentown, PARegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    The Lenox, where I'm staying has free wifi and really nice rooms. No idea about hooking up consoles, didnt ask, didnt need to.

    ZeroHourHero on
  • Lord JezoLord Jezo Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Did the hotels get the reservations from the PAX system yet? So if I call will they have my name?

    Lord Jezo on
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  • mentok1982mentok1982 I could never leave you PAX baby. BaltimoreRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I have edited the title of this thread in order to remind people that the Sheraton and the Marriott do not have wireless Internet access (technically the Marriott has wireless access in public areas, but that will probably not work from your room). This is important to know because it means you will need a splitter or router if you want to use more than one Internet device in your room.

    This message brought to you by an Eagle Scout who wants to remind you all to 'Be Prepared'.
    8-)

    mentok1982 on
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  • itzerokewlitzerokewl Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Wow, I used to have a room at the Sheraton, good thing I'm now staying at the Lenox :)

    itzerokewl on
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  • yanksrul5yanksrul5 New JerseyRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    My hotel has free wifi but it is not even remotely in walking distance. I am training it in the mornings and cabing at night. All worth it for wifi. Oh, I am staying at the Marlowe in Cambridge. Cheap too.

    yanksrul5 on
  • Moe FwackyMoe Fwacky Right Here, Right Now Drives a BuickModerator mod
    edited March 2010
    The Colonnade has free internet for all PAX guests.

    Moe Fwacky on
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  • AngrypastaAngrypasta Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Urgh, what a nightmare this was...

    So me and my friends are planning on staying at the Holiday Inn Brookline.

    Today we decided that we wanted to depart Boston on Monday morning instead of Sunday night, so I used the onPeak PAX compass site to modify the reservation that I made back in December. To clarify, the original Brookline reservation I made on the PAX compass site was from 3/25 to 3/28, today I edited it to 3/25 to 3/29; and the price change was reflected on the site.

    Here's where it gets messy.

    I decided I better play it safe and call the Holiday Inn's reservation department to confirm my reservation. Turns out they did indeed have my reservation, except it was booked for 3/25 to 3/27. I really have no idea how this happened, as I have my original e-mail from the compass site showing me that my reservation was indeed until the 28th. Some WTF-moments later, the woman on the phone tells me she can't do anything for me and tells me to call the front desk at the Brookline.

    So I called the front desk and explained my situation to the woman at the Brookline. She confirms that my reservation does show that I'm only booked until the 27th. Confound it all! That said, she is very accommodating and extends my room reservation until the 29th as I wanted, and gives me

    The puzzling thing is that the price she gave me over the phone is actually cheaper than what is currently shown on the PAX compass site ($531 vs $576.) I'm not rightly sure what is going on. A few questions:

    *When all is said and done, I will only be charged by the hotel, correct? By reserving a room on the compass site, you're not paying the room charges through them, are you?

    *It's not possible that this somehow created a double-booking, meaning I'd get charged for using one room, and charged for not checking into another?


    Fortunately, it seems like nobody else has really had these kinds of problems, but I thought I'd bring this to light to make sure nobody gets screwed out of a room. I recommend those who haven't called to confirm their rooms do so, because it sure would have been awful to show up on Thursday and have it decided for me that I was checking out on Saturday.

    Regardless, see you all at PAX East!

    Angrypasta on
  • WingedillidanWingedillidan Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Oh jeez... Sheraton regrets :/ speaking of Sheraton, will the bridge doors be open? Or do you have to walk out & around?

    Wingedillidan on
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  • SammySammy Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    *watches the lone tumbleweed blow through the lobby of the boston hotel buckminster*

    anyone staying there? or at least quite near? i already know me and the other half will be drudging along in our 15 layers of clothing at 2am back to our hotel after concerts and general deviousness.
    it would comfort me to know we'd have PAXers walking with us at least most of the way.

    thank you!!

    Sammy on
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