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[EAST] PAX East 2013 Hotel Discussion Thread [link in OP]

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Posts

  • KapolKapol Registered User regular
    edited October 2012
    Alright, this is going to be my first PAX if I manage to go (being an umemployed college student makes it hard). I'd like to know a few things. First off, it sounds like the Westen and Seagate are often considered the best hotels judging by what I've seen. While a few others have asked, what was the price for these hotels last year? Being on a bit of a budget means that I need to pay close attention to that, and they both seemed to normally cost $300+ a night normally. I think Westin would be ideal given my previous experience. Just staying right at the convention centre seems to be a major hassle savor. You can run swag and stuff up to your room without missing much. I did this for The Escapist Expo (the only other convention I've been to) and it saved me so much time and effort. Though that might be because getting to the room took a minute at most since the hotel was right there. Plus it sounds like a lot of people do stuff on Thursday/Sunday at that hotel as well.

    As well, I keep seeing mention of OnPeak. Is that the site which has the 'book hotel room now' on the PAX East page, or is it something else? I'd rather know now then when it opens up and I have no idea where to go. Also, just how much of a rush is it going to be to get these two hotels? Is it something I'm going to have to check every couple hours, or will I have 12-24 before it runs out? I ask because I'm going to be using parents' credit card to reserve (as from my understanding they withdraw a 'hold amount' that would overdraw me on my debit card). Because of this, I'll have limited access to the card and as such limited access to booking. I'm just unsure of how the whole OnPeak process goes and finding out something when it happens is normally a bad idea.

    Similarly to that last question, about what time does OnPeak normally open bookings? Mornings, afternoons, or evenings? A weird question, yes, but important none the less.

    Finally, thanks to any help I get for this. I appreciate any assistance I can get on this matter. :)
    I would like to humbly request it gets posted here rather than a new thread (or at least in addition to a new thread). It's nice to be able to check my bookmarks for my other PA discussions and also be able to see if OnPeak goes live.

    Also, this would be very useful. Since I don't check these forums much (which is something I may change in time depending on a variety of things), it'd be nice to be able to just bookmark this thread and not stress out as much about it. Because it sounds like getting a hotel is somewhat akin to the mass rush of Black Friday sales.

    Kapol on
  • whypick1whypick1 PAX [E] Info Booth Manager ~2' from an LCDRegistered User regular
    In order:

    2 bed at Westin is more like $200
    Westin and Seaport will be the first to go, since they're the closest (Seaport is a very short walk, Westin is right next to the convention center)
    Yes, OnPeak is the travel registration service
    Probably want to check every couple of hours
    Most likely to open late morning, early afternoon, but nobody knows exactly what time of day

    Is it PAX <insert nearest future PAX here> yet?
  • KapolKapol Registered User regular
    edited October 2012
    Thanks for the response. $200 a night for 4 nights is a lot, but at the same time will likely be worth it if I can get it. Any idea on Seaport cost?
    I'll make sure to check when I can then. Thanks for the advice.

    Edit: further question about both the Seaport and Westin. I've noticed Seaport's parking is $32 a night for non-event parking. Does the stay for PAX East count as event parking? As well, how much does Westin's parking normally cost? And are there good parking alternatives nearby?

    Kapol on
  • whypick1whypick1 PAX [E] Info Booth Manager ~2' from an LCDRegistered User regular
    That's what room-sharing is for.
    Seaport's price I believe are comparable, but have better amenities.
    No clue about hotel parking, but I recall seeing that the BCEC parking was quite competitive. Perhaps someone else can chime in on that.

    Is it PAX <insert nearest future PAX here> yet?
  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    Kapol wrote: »
    Thanks for the response. $200 a night for 4 nights is a lot, but at the same time will likely be worth it if I can get it. Any idea on Seaport cost?
    I'll make sure to check when I can then. Thanks for the advice.

    Edit: further question about both the Seaport and Westin. I've noticed Seaport's parking is $32 a night for non-event parking. Does the stay for PAX East count as event parking? As well, how much does Westin's parking normally cost? And are there good parking alternatives nearby?

    Westin's parking was $30+ per night. The BCEC has fairly inexpensive parking but no overnight parking as far as I know.

    Seaport costs a little more than the Westin if I'm remembering correctly, but as whypick1 said, you get a few more amenities.

    Don't forget about the Renaissance, it's also extremely close to the BCEC. Not as nice as the Seaport, but it's an incredibly viable alternative and won't fill up nearly as fast as the other two.

  • gljvdgljvd Registered User regular
    I'm already booked at the marriot water front. Its $300 a night , hopefully i can rebook when the deals go up and get it down closer to $200/$250 . So far its the hotel i like the most in the area . Its a 10 minute walk to the convention center and there are good resturants around it

  • vttymvttym Ardent Gamer Northern NJRegistered User regular
    edited October 2012
    Seaport was $159.00 a night last year, looking at my confirmation emails. Throw in tax and all that, and it probably came out to about $180 or so. Parking was either $30 or $38 a night.. but I got one night free for using a hybrid vehicle.

    One thing to note - Seaport is a non-tipping hotel - they charge $3 a night to cover all tips.

    vttym on
  • kemikalkemikal Registered User regular
    For those saying that Seaport has better amenities, what kind of amenities do you mean by that?

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  • InuFayeInuFaye Registered User regular
    The seaport has very rude staff. The main reason im paying more for the westin.

  • AxonAxon Registered User regular
    edited October 2012
    InuFaye wrote: »
    The seaport has very rude staff. The main reason im paying more for the westin.

    I can confirm this. Through some bizarre circumstances, my card was charged for two room deposits. They had input a code or something incorrectly and I was (1) charged for two rooms and (2) the second charge, though identical to the first ($702 iirc) was by a florist, because the merchant code was incorrectly assigned by the Seaport desk clerk.

    Though they did refund me fairly promptly, they were extremely rude about it when I called to inquire. They were absolutely convinced that additional $702 charge was by a different merchant, even though it was made at exactly the same time as the first charge, Seaport had a record of the second charge in their system, and citibank confirmed it came from their hotel on a three way call with the hotel staff.

    Overall, I'd say my experience was good barring that hiccup. I know they hire people who are cynical by default, but damn.

    Axon on
  • kamahlrfkamahlrf Registered User regular
    edited October 2012
    Hey there all! This will be my first time attending PAX East (AnimeBoston is generally the same weekend :( )

    Anywho, I e-mailed OnPeak, trying to get an inquiry about when I would be able to reserve a room, mainly out of boredom and not really expecting a timely reply, and was quite shocked to receive this response:


    Dear Ryan,

    We thank you for your request. This show will open on 10/8 and at that time you may call our housing desk below to book or book online below as well. Thank you.
    *********************************************************
    Any further questions or concern, please contact us at 1-866-220-9473 OR 1-312-527-7300 OR email to pax@onpeakevents.co. You can also check our website at http://east.paxsite.com/


    Thank you for your attention,
    PAX EAST OFFICIAL HOUSING



    Take it with a grain of salt as you will, but I'm pretty convinced that my girlfriend and I will be calling that number at 12:01am this upcoming Monday just to check anyway. No idea if I was supposed to keep this a secret, but oh well :P

    kamahlrf on
  • tvethiopiatvethiopia Salem MARegistered User regular
    kamahlrf wrote: »
    Hey there all! This will be my first time attending PAX East (AnimeBoston is generally the same weekend :( )

    Anywho, I e-mailed OnPeak, trying to get an inquiry about when I would be able to reserve a room, mainly out of boredom and not really expecting a timely reply, and was quite shocked to receive this response:


    Dear Ryan,

    We thank you for your request. This show will open on 10/8 and at that time you may call our housing desk below to book or book online below as well. Thank you.
    *********************************************************
    Any further questions or concern, please contact us at 1-866-220-9473 OR 1-312-527-7300 OR email to pax@onpeakevents.co. You can also check our website at http://east.paxsite.com/


    Thank you for your attention,
    PAX EAST OFFICIAL HOUSING



    Take it with a grain of salt as you will, but I'm pretty convinced that my girlfriend and I will be calling that number at 12:01am this upcoming Monday just to check anyway. No idea if I was supposed to keep this a secret, but oh well :P

    i would certainly take that grain of salt. i won't go into details, but this is not the first time onpeak has given someone a date and they have been wrong before. i'm guessing the decision to open up booking is not theirs alone, so if pax organizers aren't actually ready for hotels to go live that day, they won't go live.

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  • GhostDanGhostDan Registered User regular
    tvethiopia wrote: »

    i would certainly take that grain of salt. i won't go into details, but this is not the first time onpeak has given someone a date and they have been wrong before. i'm guessing the decision to open up booking is not theirs alone, so if pax organizers aren't actually ready for hotels to go live that day, they won't go live.
    [/quote]

    That and I think it takes some of the fun away knowing the date. It's exciting to check out the site every day little a little kid waiting for santa.

  • flatlineflatline Registered User regular
    tvethiopia wrote: »
    i would certainly take that grain of salt. i won't go into details, but this is not the first time onpeak has given someone a date and they have been wrong before. i'm guessing the decision to open up booking is not theirs alone, so if pax organizers aren't actually ready for hotels to go live that day, they won't go live.

    The issue is that OnPeak may well open up reservations again on the 8th (via the phone lines if nothing else), whether or not PAX staff is ready to advertise it as open. As someone else stated earlier, OnPeak probably doesn't want to get into the business of deciding who gets rooms, they just want to book lots of them.

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  • DirewolfDirewolf Boston, MARegistered User regular
    edited October 2012
    GhostDan wrote: »
    That and I think it takes some of the fun away knowing the date. It's exciting to check out the site every day little a little kid waiting for santa.

    Yes... exciting... no one's being obsessively, nerve-wrackingly paranoid about this
    *twitch*

    Direwolf on
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  • tvethiopiatvethiopia Salem MARegistered User regular
    flatline wrote: »
    tvethiopia wrote: »
    i would certainly take that grain of salt. i won't go into details, but this is not the first time onpeak has given someone a date and they have been wrong before. i'm guessing the decision to open up booking is not theirs alone, so if pax organizers aren't actually ready for hotels to go live that day, they won't go live.

    The issue is that OnPeak may well open up reservations again on the 8th (via the phone lines if nothing else), whether or not PAX staff is ready to advertise it as open. As someone else stated earlier, OnPeak probably doesn't want to get into the business of deciding who gets rooms, they just want to book lots of them.

    that's definitely possible, but as i mentioned, they gave a date once before and that day has come and gone with nothing opening up.

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  • KapolKapol Registered User regular
    zerzhul wrote: »
    Westin's parking was $30+ per night. The BCEC has fairly inexpensive parking but no overnight parking as far as I know.

    Seaport costs a little more than the Westin if I'm remembering correctly, but as whypick1 said, you get a few more amenities.

    Don't forget about the Renaissance, it's also extremely close to the BCEC. Not as nice as the Seaport, but it's an incredibly viable alternative and won't fill up nearly as fast as the other two.

    So what the parking aspect is telling me is that taking a train is a fairly good alternative if I can make it work.

    From what I've seen, Westin costs more then Seaport by about $30 a night. I'm thinking I'll likely go after the Seaport first, or maybe the Westin and see about room-sharing. Though I'll keep Renaissance in mind. Thanks for the advice. :)

    whypick1 wrote: »
    That's what room-sharing is for.
    Seaport's price I believe are comparable, but have better amenities.
    No clue about hotel parking, but I recall seeing that the BCEC parking was quite competitive. Perhaps someone else can chime in on that.
    [/quote]

    Now, assuming I can't find any local friends to go, I've heard that some people get together on these forums to share rooms. Is that correct, and if so, is it a good idea? Saving money is obviously helpful, but I'm a bit worried about the idea of sharing a room with a person/people I don't know.

  • Josh5890Josh5890 ChicagoRegistered User regular
    Would it be weird if hotels go up before badges are available? Otherwise shouldn't we be expecting badges first?

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  • NoisymunkNoisymunk Registered User regular
    edited October 2012
    Nope, hotel reservations first is how it usually goes down.

    Noisymunk on
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  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    Josh5890 wrote: »
    Would it be weird if hotels go up before badges are available? Otherwise shouldn't we be expecting badges first?

    No. Last year hotels were up well before badges. Doesn't mean anything for this year though, one way OR the other.

  • AxonAxon Registered User regular
    Josh5890 wrote: »
    Would it be weird if hotels go up before badges are available? Otherwise shouldn't we be expecting badges first?

    No. In my experience, hotels often open before badges, it's just kept very quiet.

  • KapolKapol Registered User regular
    Another question for me (sorry for being such a pain). When we reserve through OnPeak, do we still get a full refund if we have to cancel our trip?

  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    Kapol wrote: »
    Another question for me (sorry for being such a pain). When we reserve through OnPeak, do we still get a full refund if we have to cancel our trip?

    You don't pre-pay for the hotel. The cancellation policy will be detailed out to you during the reservation process, but typically if you cancel 2 weeks prior to PAX, you cancel with OnPeak, and you don't get charged anything. Between the two week mark and 72 hours prior to your reservation starting, you will have to cancel with the hotel directly, and you still won't be charged anything. If you cancel < 72 hours prior to checkin, you may be charged the first night's stay. Also if you don't show up at all AND don't cancel, you will be charged the first night's stay.

    This is based on booking with OnPeak, with a CREDIT CARD, in past years. YMMV.

  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    Another major point that always seems to be glossed over/forgotten is that since OnPeak is a THIRD PARTY company, the hotel itself will have ZERO knowledge of your reservation until the 2-ish week mark when OnPeak transfers its booking information to the hotels.

  • Josh5890Josh5890 ChicagoRegistered User regular
    zerzhul wrote: »
    Kapol wrote: »
    Another question for me (sorry for being such a pain). When we reserve through OnPeak, do we still get a full refund if we have to cancel our trip?

    You don't pre-pay for the hotel. The cancellation policy will be detailed out to you during the reservation process, but typically if you cancel 2 weeks prior to PAX, you cancel with OnPeak, and you don't get charged anything. Between the two week mark and 72 hours prior to your reservation starting, you will have to cancel with the hotel directly, and you still won't be charged anything. If you cancel < 72 hours prior to checkin, you may be charged the first night's stay. Also if you don't show up at all AND don't cancel, you will be charged the first night's stay.

    This is based on booking with OnPeak, with a CREDIT CARD, in past years. YMMV.

    Out of curiosity, do we get an e-mail notifying us if our reservation is transferred over to the hotel or should we call to confirm.

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  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    Josh5890 wrote: »
    zerzhul wrote: »
    Kapol wrote: »
    Another question for me (sorry for being such a pain). When we reserve through OnPeak, do we still get a full refund if we have to cancel our trip?

    You don't pre-pay for the hotel. The cancellation policy will be detailed out to you during the reservation process, but typically if you cancel 2 weeks prior to PAX, you cancel with OnPeak, and you don't get charged anything. Between the two week mark and 72 hours prior to your reservation starting, you will have to cancel with the hotel directly, and you still won't be charged anything. If you cancel < 72 hours prior to checkin, you may be charged the first night's stay. Also if you don't show up at all AND don't cancel, you will be charged the first night's stay.

    This is based on booking with OnPeak, with a CREDIT CARD, in past years. YMMV.

    Out of curiosity, do we get an e-mail notifying us if our reservation is transferred over to the hotel or should we call to confirm.

    *Usually* in the past I never got emails. However for Prime 2012, for the first time, I got an email from the hotel confirming that my reservation had been transferred over. I think this was due to in past years them getting huge volumes of calls from people trying to confirm that their reservation was transferred properly at around the two week mark. Either way, you can ALWAYS call OnPeak first, and they will tell you whatever the most current info is, and if you will need to call the hotel directly or not.

  • GhostDanGhostDan Registered User regular
    zerzhul wrote: »
    *Usually* in the past I never got emails. However for Prime 2012, for the first time, I got an email from the hotel confirming that my reservation had been transferred over. I think this was due to in past years them getting huge volumes of calls from people trying to confirm that their reservation was transferred properly at around the two week mark. Either way, you can ALWAYS call OnPeak first, and they will tell you whatever the most current info is, and if you will need to call the hotel directly or not.

    This is why it's great if they transfer over your loyalty points. A lot of the sites, including starwood (westin) let you see upcoming reservations that use your loyalty number. I don't know if this applies to reservations through the pax system, and I seriously doubt it, but it also gets you better rooms in most situations, for example most starwood properties have a floor dedicated to SPG members that slightly upgraded rooms, etc

  • whypick1whypick1 PAX [E] Info Booth Manager ~2' from an LCDRegistered User regular
    Not sure if I got any perks, but when I entered my SPG number it did let me see that my reservation to the Sheraton got transferred. Yay for not having to panic.

    Is it PAX <insert nearest future PAX here> yet?
  • jdixon1972jdixon1972 Registered User regular
    Yeh, I did get a confirmation email for the Westin last year too. It really put my mind at ease.

  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    GhostDan wrote: »
    zerzhul wrote: »
    *Usually* in the past I never got emails. However for Prime 2012, for the first time, I got an email from the hotel confirming that my reservation had been transferred over. I think this was due to in past years them getting huge volumes of calls from people trying to confirm that their reservation was transferred properly at around the two week mark. Either way, you can ALWAYS call OnPeak first, and they will tell you whatever the most current info is, and if you will need to call the hotel directly or not.

    This is why it's great if they transfer over your loyalty points. A lot of the sites, including starwood (westin) let you see upcoming reservations that use your loyalty number. I don't know if this applies to reservations through the pax system, and I seriously doubt it, but it also gets you better rooms in most situations, for example most starwood properties have a floor dedicated to SPG members that slightly upgraded rooms, etc

    You can usually enter your loyalty # during reservation with OnPeak, but like all other information it doesn't get transferred to the actual hotel until 2-ish weeks prior to PAX.

  • SchmulkiSchmulki Registered User regular
    OK, so is there a "sure-fire" page I can obsessively keep refreshing for the next couple of months (or however long it is until hotel reg is out), to be sure to see as soon as hotels are available? I know this thread should be updated, but the "hotels and travel" link on east.paxsite of course goes to last year's stuff and I don't see any kind of page on onpeak that should display it as soon as it's available. Anyone know of one?

  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    Schmulki wrote: »
    OK, so is there a "sure-fire" page I can obsessively keep refreshing for the next couple of months (or however long it is until hotel reg is out), to be sure to see as soon as hotels are available? I know this thread should be updated, but the "hotels and travel" link on east.paxsite of course goes to last year's stuff and I don't see any kind of page on onpeak that should display it as soon as it's available. Anyone know of one?

    This thread is the best place.

  • tvethiopiatvethiopia Salem MARegistered User regular
    zerzhul wrote: »
    Schmulki wrote: »
    OK, so is there a "sure-fire" page I can obsessively keep refreshing for the next couple of months (or however long it is until hotel reg is out), to be sure to see as soon as hotels are available? I know this thread should be updated, but the "hotels and travel" link on east.paxsite of course goes to last year's stuff and I don't see any kind of page on onpeak that should display it as soon as it's available. Anyone know of one?

    This thread is the best place.

    also the twitters. i would guess that the hotels will go up at the same time or shortly after the paxeast site is updated with 2013 info, so i've just been checking the main page now and then to see if that's updated.

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  • ChorazinChorazin Lancaster, PARegistered User regular
    The reactions to that email from OnPeak is why I didn't post the date they told me in an email. :lol: Since it's past already, they told me reg would open on 09/28/12, which obviously didn't happen.

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  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    tvethiopia wrote: »
    zerzhul wrote: »
    Schmulki wrote: »
    OK, so is there a "sure-fire" page I can obsessively keep refreshing for the next couple of months (or however long it is until hotel reg is out), to be sure to see as soon as hotels are available? I know this thread should be updated, but the "hotels and travel" link on east.paxsite of course goes to last year's stuff and I don't see any kind of page on onpeak that should display it as soon as it's available. Anyone know of one?

    This thread is the best place.

    also the twitters. i would guess that the hotels will go up at the same time or shortly after the paxeast site is updated with 2013 info, so i've just been checking the main page now and then to see if that's updated.

    Twitter is good, but it will likely be here before it's on the official_pax twitter.

  • AxonAxon Registered User regular
    Schmulki wrote: »
    OK, so is there a "sure-fire" page I can obsessively keep refreshing for the next couple of months (or however long it is until hotel reg is out), to be sure to see as soon as hotels are available? I know this thread should be updated, but the "hotels and travel" link on east.paxsite of course goes to last year's stuff and I don't see any kind of page on onpeak that should display it as soon as it's available. Anyone know of one?

    No need to obsess. Check this thread and the PAX east site a couple times a day. As long as you get in on the first day, you should have no trouble getting a good room.

  • SchmulkiSchmulki Registered User regular
    "Need" is such a subjective word ;)

  • Lady AmaltheaLady Amalthea Registered User regular
    Schmulki wrote: »
    "Need" is such a subjective word ;)

    THIS. Obsession is also a subjective word.

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  • AxonAxon Registered User regular
    edited October 2012
  • misterjeffmisterjeff Registered User regular
    Kapol wrote: »
    Thanks for the response. $200 a night for 4 nights is a lot, but at the same time will likely be worth it if I can get it. Any idea on Seaport cost?
    I'll make sure to check when I can then. Thanks for the advice.

    Edit: further question about both the Seaport and Westin. I've noticed Seaport's parking is $32 a night for non-event parking. Does the stay for PAX East count as event parking? As well, how much does Westin's parking normally cost? And are there good parking alternatives nearby?

    There's a parking lot nearby, roughly a 5-10 minute walk from the convention center, that charges roughly $12 a night for overnight parking. I've used them for the past two years, and they've been great.

This discussion has been closed.