Rio rooms too expensive? Try the Alexis Park!

[kallahar]

Today DT announced more rooms at the Rio at a discounted rate:
Wednesday night $138.00
Thursday night $158.00
Friday & Saturday nights $178.00

I go to defcon hard core, so it would cost me nearly $1000 *just* in the room costs for me to stay at the Rio. I don't know about you, but that seems really expensive on a hacker's budget. And it's only going to get more expensive as we get closer to con.

So, I'd like to recommend that everyone on a budget (ie, everyone) get their rooms at the fabulous Alexis Park. It's just down the road (too far to walk but it's a cheap cab ride), it's where Dallas's predefcon party is at, and if a bunch of hackers get rooms there it'll turn into the party spot. Plus the rooms are about $70/night, so you can put that $500 you're saving into booze to share with your newfound friends.

[wrøng!]

Re: Rio rooms too expensive? Try the Alexis Park!

More of a party spot than midget wrestling at the Hard Rock?

[blakdayz]

Re: Rio rooms too expensive? Try the Alexis Park!

More of a party spot than midget wrestling at the Hard Rock?

Read his tag line. I pose this question for you.

And who says there won't be midget wrestling at preDefcon?

[eris]

Re: Rio rooms too expensive? Try the Alexis Park!

I think the Rio Defcon rate is again already sold out. Defcon is offering discount rates at Bally's now which has a shuttle every half hour to the Rio. A recent quote from Rio for room rates has jumped to $499 a night for Friday Saturday. A 300% markup within a week. I really despise it when casino hotels do this.

[Bbox]

Re: Rio rooms too expensive? Try the Alexis Park!

Hey, some of us here on the forums are appalled to hear things like:

More of a party spot than midget wrestling at the Hard Rock?
or
And who says there won't be midget wrestling at preDefcon?

THAT'S JUST WRONG talking like that! It should be:


More of a party spot than LITTLE PEOPLE wrestling at the Hard Rock?
or
And who says there won't be LITTLE PEOPLE wrestling at preDefcon?

;)

[astcell]

Re: Rio rooms too expensive? Try the Alexis Park!

I never understand why a "group rate" is higher than other rates you can find online. Aren't we supposed to be special because of sheer numbers?

[Tacitus]

Re: Rio rooms too expensive? Try the Alexis Park!

I never understand why a "group rate" is higher than other rates you can find online. Aren't we supposed to be special because of sheer numbers?

Yeah, I'm confused as to why the days before/after Defcon are on the order of $138/night when applying the Defcon rate, but if I book directly trough the Rio website, I can get the same room for more like $49-$59/night

I don't know how conventions are run/negotiated, and I could see the case being made that at one point, a certain number of rooms were negotiated, and at a fixed rate, for entire timeframe, But if the Rio can directly offer the same rooms to the general public on their website for the same night at a lower rate, why can't Defcon get these same rates?

[mwerte]

Re: Rio rooms too expensive? Try the Alexis Park!

I stayed at the Gold Coast last year, and it was right across the street, not even 5 minutes of walking. 7/26 - 7/29 is around $210. It's not as swank as the Rio, but all i need is a place to sleep.

[Amazon]

Re: Rio rooms too expensive? Try the Alexis Park!

I stayed at the Gold Coast last year, and it was right across the street, not even 5 minutes of walking. 7/26 - 7/29 is around $210. It's not as swank as the Rio, but all i need is a place to sleep.

You're kidding right? I don't remember sleeping..

I'd definitely go for the AP if you're looking for a place to snooze. By no means is it swanky but at least last year we had the pool to ourselves until the cyclists came in. And when they did, they were some chill people! Last year the room rates were cheaper without a reservation. Except anywhere near or around the Rio. You simply will not get in.

[froggy]

Re: Rio rooms too expensive? Try the Alexis Park!

Yeah, I'm confused as to why the days before/after Defcon are on the order of $138/night when applying the Defcon rate, but if I book directly trough the Rio website, I can get the same room for more like $49-$59/night

I don't know how conventions are run/negotiated, and I could see the case being made that at one point, a certain number of rooms were negotiated, and at a fixed rate, for entire timeframe, But if the Rio can directly offer the same rooms to the general public on their website for the same night at a lower rate, why can't Defcon get these same rates?

I'm not a Defcon organizer, so I cannot speak authoritatively about it in particular. However, as a conference organizer, the way it works is this:

Contact with con X interfaces with a hotel rep. A contract is drawn up, passed around more than a Mexican hooker, and is signed. This contract usually defines following:

• Outright costs to rent the conference space itself
• A guaranteed pledge from the event to book N number of room nights at a pre-negotiated rate. Financial penalties are assessed if the minimum is not met.
• A pre-agreed amount of money to be spent on catering (plus sales tax and a "service charge, usually around 15 to 20%). Some events don't have this, others do. Depends on the venue.
• A slew of other bullshit to make sure the hotel gets paid even if no one shows up to the event.

With pre-negotiated con prices and the right of the hotel to sell rooms to anyone outside of the room block at whatever price they think they can get, it is entirely within the hotels ability to screw over the conference, the attendees or both. The hotel's job is to fill rooms. The mechanism by which this achieved isn't particular important.