Defcon 17 Riviera Room Deal???

[erehwon]

So after all these years of attending Defcon, one thing I have learned is if I want a good night/day's sleep, I shouldn't stay at whatever venue Defcon is at. But it doesn't mean I still won't keep my eyes, ears, or private Echelon network looking out for deals around Defcon time...

Anthony Curtis' Las Vegas Advisor is reporting on October 31, 2008 that theLas Vegas' Riviera Hotel Casino is e-mailing customers to notify them of a new, uniform room rate, effective through Dec. 30, 2009 (but only if booked before Jan. 1). Sun.-Thurs, nights are $39, weekend ones are $59. These prices are not, however, reflected on the Riviera's online-reservation page, which shows triple-digit rates during Jan.-March of next year.

I haven't independently checked this out (beyond the online reservations page), and its anyones guess if there's a blackout of these rates for Defcon. Definitely worth looking into either way!

[TheCotMan]

Re: Defcon 17 Riviera Room Deal???

So after all these years of attending Defcon, one thing I have learned is if I want a good night/day's sleep, I shouldn't stay at whatever venue Defcon is at. But it doesn't mean I still won't keep my eyes, ears, or private Echelon network looking out for deals around Defcon time...

Anthony Curtis' Las Vegas Advisor is reporting on October 31, 2008 that theLas Vegas' Riviera Hotel Casino is e-mailing customers to notify them of a new, uniform room rate, effective through Dec. 30, 2009 (but only if booked before Jan. 1). Sun.-Thurs, nights are $39, weekend ones are $59. These prices are not, however, reflected on the Riviera's online-reservation page, which shows triple-digit rates during Jan.-March of next year.

I haven't independently checked this out (beyond the online reservations page), and its anyones guess if there's a blackout of these rates for Defcon. Definitely worth looking into either way!

Checked on this. If you call them, they say that you should click on the link they emailed to you in this promotion. I was not clear on the next item. I specified dates that I wanted, and they said that a supervisor is required to check on availability.

I called back when the supervisor was around and...

Blackout dates apply Thursday July 30, 2009 through Sunday August 2, 2009.
You can get rooms July 26, 2009 through July 29, 2009.

Here is how it breaks down, further:
You can get the quoted rate for daily, but if you have 4 people in one of these rooms, then add $40 for the 4 people.

Additionally, taxes and energy surcharge brings up the cost, and this only works if the amount is charged ahead of time on your credit card, and it is non-refundable, non-transferable, and the reservations cannot be altered.

$39 deal rate, + $40 for 4 people per night, + $50.71 taxes and energy surcharge = $121.71 per night for weekday.

[FarmerPete]

Re: Defcon 17 Riviera Room Deal???

So after all these years of attending Defcon, one thing I have learned is if I want a good night/day's sleep, I shouldn't stay at whatever venue Defcon is at.

Is there any place you recommend staying? Last year was my first Defcon, and I really enjoyed it. The trick is, I stayed off site (At the Hilton Grand Vacations Club on the strip) and I ended up spending most of my nights going down to casinos and whatnot. I'd like to be a little more social this year, and I was thinking of trying to get a room at the Riv. Is that a really bad idea? I was thinking of staying at a hotel further to the south and taking the train back and forth, but it's hard to fight with the $50 rooms and proximity advantage of the Riviera.

[g3k_]

Re: Defcon 17 Riviera Room Deal???

Is there any place you recommend staying? Last year was my first Defcon, and I really enjoyed it. The trick is, I stayed off site (At the Hilton Grand Vacations Club on the strip) and I ended up spending most of my nights going down to casinos and whatnot. I'd like to be a little more social this year, and I was thinking of trying to get a room at the Riv. Is that a really bad idea? I was thinking of staying at a hotel further to the south and taking the train back and forth, but it's hard to fight with the $50 rooms and proximity advantage of the Riviera.

You can always find someone to share a room with in the ride and room sharing that opens up 2 months before Defcon. Last year was my first Defcon too and I stayed off site, but I made sure I attended social gatherings at the Riv. I ended up paying a large chunk of change for taxi fare, probably enough to make up the difference for staying at the Riv.

[FarmerPete]

Re: Defcon 17 Riviera Room Deal???

Well, the Riv is close to one of the cheapest hotels I've found. I know that the prices will go up in the future, but right now I'm seeing the below prices for a single occupancy room.

Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
$34 $60 $60 $60 $27

[g3k_]

Re: Defcon 17 Riviera Room Deal???

Well, the Riv is close to one of the cheapest hotels I've found. I know that the prices will go up in the future, but right now I'm seeing the below prices for a single occupancy room.

Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
$34 $60 $60 $60 $27

Is that including taxes and the like?

[FarmerPete]

Re: Defcon 17 Riviera Room Deal???

Is that including taxes and the like?

I am looking at hotels.com. The average cost per night for the basic room comes out to $47.80, with a total room cost of $239 for the entire stay. Taxes & fees of $24.68 for a Total out of pocket cost of $263.68. I'm sure I'll probably get hit up for some other taxes and/or fees, but the base price is still silly cheap. FYI, www.kayak.com is one of the best travel site finds ever. It isn't a traditional travel site, it consolidates the prices from tons of other places. For the basic room at Orbitz, it would cost twice as much as Hotel.com

I decided to spend an extra $100 and go with one of the remodeled rooms though. Already booked. I can always cancel it if I find a different place.

July 29, 2009 ---- $47.00
July 30, 2009 ---- $73.00
July 31, 2009 ---- $86.00
August 01, 2009 ---- $86.00
August 02, 2009 ---- $40.00
Extra Person Fees $0.00
Tax Recovery Charges
& Service Fees $34.34
Total Charges $366.34

[erehwon]

Re: Defcon 17 Riviera Room Deal???

Is there any place you recommend staying? Last year was my first Defcon, and I really enjoyed it. The trick is, I stayed off site (At the Hilton Grand Vacations Club on the strip) and I ended up spending most of my nights going down to casinos and whatnot. I'd like to be a little more social this year, and I was thinking of trying to get a room at the Riv. Is that a really bad idea? I was thinking of staying at a hotel further to the south and taking the train back and forth, but it's hard to fight with the $50 rooms and proximity advantage of the Riviera.

I'll be honest here, after some quality Class III time, a few days and nights of Black Hat, by the time Defcon rolls along in the week, I am only awake due to massive amounts of Red Bull and adrenaline. Normal sleep patterns are whatever you make of them. (generally on the flight home) I just like to find some place comfortable and that I can insure that my neighbors won't be playing Norwegian death metal at 2am.

With that in mind you may want to stay away from the Riv, but you might also want to chip in with a few friends and have a 'crash pad' at the Riviera when taking a taxi back to your hotel at 4am doesn't sound like a good idea after a long night/morning of playing Edward Fortyhands.

[DJ Jackalope]

Re: Defcon 17 Riviera Room Deal???

Are you people trying to sleep during con or something?

I have been doing to Defcon since DC7. The first 2 years I stayed off site. Granted, this was during the AP era where we had wonderful social contact with each other at the pool and were able to communicate and share ideas and talk without getting throw out of everywhere we went. (Pool2girl, etc)

I have been at the convention hotel every year since. Even though unfortunately human socialization is sparse at the Riv, I highly recommend staying there for the few moments it does actually happen.

[Dark Tangent]

Re: Defcon 17 Riviera Room Deal???

Are you people trying to sleep during con or something?

I have been doing to Defcon since DC7. The first 2 years I stayed off site. Granted, this was during the AP era where we had wonderful social contact with each other at the pool and were able to communicate and share ideas and talk without getting throw out of everywhere we went. (Pool2girl, etc)

I have been at the convention hotel every year since. Even though unfortunately human socialization is sparse at the Riv, I highly recommend staying there for the few moments it does actually happen.

I hope to have details in the next week or two about being able to have the pool area open longer.. the only bit is how much longer. I would like to make it a bigger hang out area open later past dark, but we'll see what happens. I'll keep everyone informed!

[DaKahuna]

Re: Defcon 17 Riviera Room Deal???

I hope to have details in the next week or two about being able to have the pool area open longer.. the only bit is how much longer. I would like to make it a bigger hang out area open later past dark, but we'll see what happens. I'll keep everyone informed!

DT - Good luck with that.

I hosted a company event at the Riviera the Wednesday before and Monday and Tuesday after Defcon last year. I wanted to have a "pool party" Monday evening after our meeting had adjourned and was informed by the hotel that it was for safety reasons (no lights in the pool and a dark bottom) that the pool had to be closed as early as it was.

[erehwon]

Re: Defcon 17 Riviera Room Deal???

DT - Good luck with that.

I hosted a company event at the Riviera the Wednesday before and Monday and Tuesday after Defcon last year. I wanted to have a "pool party" Monday evening after our meeting had adjourned and was informed by the hotel that it was for safety reasons (no lights in the pool and a dark bottom) that the pool had to be closed as early as it was.

I'd be willing to bet, given the lead time to Defcon that Uncle Ira could source some portable water-resistant pool lights that would make the lights on top of the Luxor look like a single light bulb.

[Tacitus]

Re: Defcon 17 Riviera Room Deal???

Aside from this, Is there going to be an "official" Defcon room rate/reservation code this year as we have had in previous years at the riv? (Deluxe rooms at around $99/night).

I seem to recall this rate has been linked on defcon.org around February each year.

[shrdlu]

Re: Defcon 17 Riviera Room Deal???

Aside from this, Is there going to be an "official" Defcon room rate/reservation code this year as we have had in previous years at the riv? (Deluxe rooms at around $99/night).

I seem to recall this rate has been linked on defcon.org around February each year.

Perhaps the financial obstacles are slowing down the site update?

Riviera gets notice of technical default; stock tumbles

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009...stock-tumbles/

While this is less dire than it appears, it still isn't good news.

[BeefWellington3]

Re: Defcon 17 Riviera Room Deal???

Ok, so I got my room reserved last week at the Riviera for defcon. I tried the internet, using the defcon event info so I could get the "defcon rate"..however it said all those blocks were already used up. So I looked at regular rate and it was like 139.00 per night (uuggg). So I called the reservations number for the Riviera and was able to get a $99.00 per night rate. Just thought I would share the info.

Sir Beef Wellington Esquire The III