FAQ about DEF CON Hotels...

[TheCotMan]

There are many questions that come up about the hotels used by people attending DEF CON.

In my search for answers about unrelated items, I found answers to items that have come up here in the past:

I want to ship something to Caesars by UPS, FedEx, Postal Service, etc.
* If you are part of a contest, event, Village, that is part of DEF CON, please check with your contact in the DEF CON "CEV" (Contests Events Villages) department.
* If you are part of another official DEF CON thing that is not part of a "CEV," then consult your DEF CON contact.
* If none of these apply, and you want to ship something for yourself, unrelated to official DEF CON stuff:
# Caesars: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...etail/a_id/811
# Bally's: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap.../804/related/1
# Paris: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap.../805/related/1
# Flamingo: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap.../806/related/1
# LINQ: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap.../808/related/1

Maybe you want to ship something from your hotel back home, and not carry it with you on the flight? Copiers? Maybe you want to live *dangerously* and login to your employer's corporate network from a computer that has suffered multiple users that have historically shared physical access?

Maybe you need to ship something from your hotel back home? Copiers? Use a shared computer that many people have shared physical access with?
# Caesars: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...1022/related/1
# Bally's: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap.../347/related/1
# Harrah's https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...1020/related/1
# LINQ: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...1024/related/1

Some people use coffee makers to get hot water so they can have instant soup and save money. Others like coffee or tea. What coffee makers are in rooms?

# Caesars: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...tail/a_id/1318
# Paris: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...1306/related/1
# Flamingo: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...1328/related/1
# Bally's: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...1296/related/1
# Harrah's: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...1334/related/1

Arriving too early for check-in? Staying later than check-out? Need to store luggage somewhere because your room is not ready and you want to do other stuff?
* Visit the Bell Desk: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...tail/a_id/1348

* Times for Ballys, or Paris:https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...etail/a_id/330

* Caesars: https://www.caesars.com/content/cet-...ssibility.html
(Not many details. More screen real-estate used for an image than for text. I guess they want you to contact them for specific questions. If you have questions and get answers, please share what you find.)
* Wheelchair rental (including motorized) https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...etail/a_id/968 ( links at the end of this link for Harrah's, Flamingo, Paris, LINQ and Bally's )

* Caesars pools , hours, FAQ: https://www.caesars.com/las-vegas/th...o-do/pool/faqs

* How will I know if special room requests are honored? https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...tail/a_id/1359
* Roll-away beds, cribs? https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...tail/a_id/1180

* Caesars or other hotels, daily Internet service if you don't want to use your own carriers data plan, or the DEF CON wifi, or exceed the 2 devices per room when at Caesars, or just want to know how much it would cost for more devices with their provider: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...ternet-service
* Alternate: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...etail/a_id/892

* Caesar's Forum Shops Lost & Found: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...tail/a_id/1321
* From the concierge page ( https://www.caesars.com/caesars-palace/hotel/concierge ) at the bottom, a link to "Lost and Found" ( https://www.chargerback.com/ReportLo...ustomerID=7322 ) form to submit what was lost.
* From Paris page off Caesar's website ( https://www.caesars.com/paris-las-vegas ) bottom of the page has a link for lost and found ( https://www.chargerback.com/ReportLo...ustomerID=7319 )
* From Bally's page of Caesar's website ( https://www.caesars.com/ballys-las-vegas ) bottom of page has link to lost and found ( https://www.chargerback.com/ReportLo...ustomerID=7321 )
* From LINQ page of Caesar's website ( https://www.caesars.com/linq ) bottom of page has link to lost and found ( https://www.chargerback.com/ReportLo...ustomerID=6099 )
* From Harrah's page of Caesar's website https://www.caesars.com/harrahs-las-vegas bottom of page has link to lost and found ( https://www.chargerback.com/ReportLo...ustomerID=7317 )
* From Flamingo page of Caesar's website https://www.caesars.com/flamingo-las-vegas bottom of page has link to lost and found ( https://www.chargerback.com/ReportLo...ustomerID=6436 )

* Shuttle service linked-to by the hotel: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...tail/a_id/2307
* Ground transportation: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...tail/a_id/1353
* Monorail is primarily for hotels on the east-side of Las Vegas Blvd (The Strip) not for Caesar's Palace. You can always walk, but you have to cross The Strip: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...etail/a_id/324
* Car Rental from hotel: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...etail/a_id/887
* Shuttle to/from Rio from other Caesar's Properties (only to/from Rio, not each other): https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...etail/a_id/131

Caesars Parking FAQ: https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...tail/a_id/1014 (see bottom of this URL's page for Harrah's, Flamingo, LINQ, Paris and Bally's parking links)

Driving to Caesars? I've been looking at this, and if you want to use "Self-Park," access to self-park is terrible. There are few directions provided, and if you arrive through the main entrance, few signs. (Try using google maps "street-view" and navigate from main entrance as though you are driving a car, and see for yourself.) If you want to use their Valet Parking, plenty of signs are available.

Nearly everyone that has been to Las Vegas knows that it is best to avoid the strip; it can take 30 minutes or more to travel only 5 Las Vegas city blocks on the strip when it is busy. When possible, it is best to avoid the strip. There is a "rear entrance" for Caesar's Palace to a self-park parking garage for Caesars, but access to the frontage road that parallels I-15 (Frank Sinatra Dr.) is not convenient.

For self-park, from I-15, an option to try appears to be:
* I-15 North,
* Exit 38, Flamingo Road,
* Head west (towards Rio Hotel) on Flamingo Road
Choose one of these:
# Enter Rio hotel entrance, drive north through parking lot, an exit their north lot taking right on "West Twain Ave."
# Take right from "Flamingo Rd" onto "South Valley View Blvd" and then take that down to "West Twain Ave." and take a right onto West Twain Ave."
* From "West Twain Ave" take a left onto "Dean Martin Dr." and drive under the freeway (I-15)
* From "Dean Martin Dr." take right onto "Frank Sinatra Dr".
* From"Frank Sinatra Dr" take a left onto "Jay Sarno Way"

If you do not like the above, try to make your own. Here is a destination for you to build your own directions. If you have other ideas on avoiding "The Strip" (Las Vegas Blvd.) please suggest them:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/36.1...15.1799454,17z

Use "StreetView" to see an entrance to a self-park at Caesars.

* Casino cage and Foreign Exchange of cash currency currencies : https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/ap...tail/a_id/1669

In your search for things related to hotel of DEF CON, what questions have you searched for? Have you found answers? What were they and would you provide the source? Share your knowledge and experience of these hotels with others.

[btdc20]

Does anyone know what hotels will have DEFCONTV for 2016?

[TheCotMan]

Does anyone know what hotels will have DEFCONTV for 2016?

DEF CON 24 was for 2016 and has happened. I am assuming you meant 2017 and DEF CON25, yeah?

There is no guarantee with these things. Even when it (talks to rooms) as part of DC TV was introduced at the Alexis Park, service was unreliable, and still sent with analog over coax meaning risk for static was also a problem. Our first year at the Riviera, there was a promise that DC TV would include talks piped to the hotel rooms, but there were non-technical issues that prevented that from happening. It worked at the Rio, but with occasional problems.

Next, this is not my department. Nothing I write about this is authoritative. What I write here is based on past experience. use at your own risk.

With this being understood that there are no guarantees, plans have been stated in public that there will be an attempt to get videos available to rooms at the same hotel as the convention (Caesar Palace.) This does not mean it will happen. Technical issues and non-technical issues are always a risk. I know there has been interest expressed in also seeing speaker talks piped to affiliated hotels too (like Bally's Hotel and Casino, or the Paris Hotel and Casino, etc.) but that has a lower probability of success than Caesars. The other requested item is for "Internet Streaming" of all talks, but that has even more complications and an even lower chance of happening. (There was a trial run of Internet Streaming of *one* track, with limited coverage last year, and it mostly worked. I do not know if this will happen again next year, and if it does, if it will be expanded, or not.)

That is the state of things; there are no guarantees.

Once you are at DEF CON, the *usual* places to find details on DC TV are the printed program (or PDF) and the main DEF CON website https://defcon.org/ and also the http://defconnetworking.org/ website or https://twitter.com/DEFCON_NOC . Historically, members of the NOC team worked to support DCTV, so their website/pages would include information like which channels in the hotel room TV matched to which speaker track, and updates on the goons knowing about problems, and what is being done. Last, check on twitter and follow the DEF CON Information Booth on twitter https://twitter.com/dcib/ (and if using the DEF CON network https://updates.defcon.org/ ) and the main feed https://twitter.com/defcon . It was also the def con networking site that has a test link for Internet streaming of just one track of talks.

So, best bet? Caesar's Palace. It was announced that the convention will take place in the Caesar's Palace convention space. This is the bet I would wager money on. I'd estimate significantly better than 50/50 chance of it working at Caesar's Palace.
Next best bet? Bally's or Paris (since we have been there before) , but I would not put money on this bet.
Live Internet Streaming of all speaker tracks and village talks? Chances are so low of this happening, I'd probably bet money against it.

It is also possible there may be a kind of blended service, where there is Internet streaming access but only from the hotel networks at Paris, Bally's, etc.

Use the above listed resources and watch them for updates on DC TV for DEF CON 25.

HTH,
-Cot

[Quiet]

FYI.
The Casears Entertainment and MGM Resorts hotel/casinos in Las Vegas are now charging for self-parking and valet parking.
More Las Vegas area hotel/casinos are also planning on charging for parking this year.
(AFAIK... the parking fees are going towards paying for and maintaining the new mega sports stadium being build in Las Vegas)


For Casears Entertainment properties...
Total Rewards Platinum, Diamond, and Seven Stars level members = free self-parking and valet (must show Total Rewards card)
Nevada residents = free self-parking only (must show NV DL)

Bally's Casears Palace, The Cromwell, and Paris self-parking fees:
0-1 hour = free
1-4 hours = $7
4-24 hours = $10
24+ hours = $10 for each 24 hour time period (24-48 hrs = $20, 48-72 hrs = $30, etc.)

Flamingo, Harrah's, and The Linq self-parking fees:
0-1 hours = free
1-4 hours = $5
4-24 hours = $8
24+ hours = $8 for each 24 hour time period (24-48 hrs = $16, 48-72 hrs = $24, etc.)

Bally's Casears Palace, The Cromwell, and Paris valet fees:
0-4 hours = $13
4-24 hours = $18
24+ hours = $18 for each 24 hour time period (24-48 hrs = $36, 48-72 hrs = $54, etc.)

Flamingo, Harrah's, and The Linq valet fees:
0-4 hours = $8
4-24 hours = $13
24+ hours = $13 for each 24 hour time period (24-48 hrs = $26, 48-72 hrs = $39, etc.)


For MGM Resorts properties...
M Life Rewards Pearl level members = free self-parking (must show M Life Rewards card)
M Life Rewards Gold, Platinum, and NOIR level members = free self-parking and valet (must show M Life Rewards card)

Aria, Bellagio, Delano, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, Mirage, and New York New York self-parking fees:
0-1 hours = free
1-4 hours = $7
4-24 hours = $10
24+ hours = $10 for each 24 hour time period (24-48 hrs = $20, 48-72 hrs = $30, etc.)

Excalibur, Luxor, and Monte Carlo self-parking fees:
0-1 hours = free
1-4 hours = $5
4-24 hours = $8
24+ hours = $8 for each 24 hour time period (24-48 hrs = $16, 48-72 hrs = $24, etc.)

Aria, Bellagio, Delano, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, Mirage, New York New York, and Vdara valet fees:
0-4 hours = $13
4-24 hours = $18
24+ hours = $18 for each 24 hour time period (24-48 hrs = $36, 48-72 hrs = $54, etc.)

Circus Circus, Excalibur, Luxor, and Monte Carlo valet fees:
0-4 hours = $8
4-24 hours = $13
24+ hours = $13 for each 24 hour time period (24-48 hrs = $26, 48-72 hrs = $39, etc.)

[astcell]

...checking for total rewards platinum cards on ebay.....