Guilt trip from the APA

[SlaveToTheGrind]

While reading at the Planning website, I came across this under the "Housing" section for the DC conference. Does this sound like APA is trying to guilt trip those who don't use the conference brochure to book a hotel? When I went to Chicago, I booked my room two weeks before the conference on the internet for $20/night cheaper than what it would have cost if I booked through APA (it was a conference hotel too).
http://www.planning.org/2004conference/housing.htm

 

[Repo Man]

Screw 'em. If they can't get you a better rate than you can find on the internet, you should feel no obligation to "support" the APA by booking their overpriced rooms. Save your money for beer and food.

I have run into the same situations with wedding blocks. Often you can get a better rate on hotels.com or expedia.com then the bride and groom get when they reserve a block of rooms

 

[Big Easy King]

APA has become ridiculous when it comes to costs for utilizing its services. Damn, it's discouraging!

 

[JNA]

I have attended only 2 conferences in 10 years
because I could stay with family/friends to save money on lodging and food
attending both conferences was entirely out of my own pocket,
not planning to attend washington gotta save my money/vacation time for something better?
no guilt here about missing the conference.

 

[Zoning Goddess]

Well, if planners can get a cheaper rate in another way, or another place, APA needs to lower their room commitment.

Case in point: I work for government. Cheap, cheap, cheap. I went to a planning conference at Disney World when I was VERY pregnant. Not only would my employer not pay for the conference hotel (at $129/night), they made me stay in the cheapest motel ($24.99) in the Disney area. Sure didn't feel safe there, I was in lockdown after sundown.

 

[SkeLeton]

...they made me stay in the cheapest motel ($24.99) in the Disney area.

25 bux the hour or the night?

 

[Zoning Goddess]

25 bux the hour or the night?

I don't think it would have been worth the hourly rate since I was already pregnant. Yes, it was nightly, with the worst breakfast buffet on earth.

 

[Chet]

Cheers Repo - Im doing the same to my Portland Trip in January (assuming they dont cancel because of budget BS). For the price of the conference hotel, I am getting lodging 2 blks from the Portland convention center AND airfare.

We generally travel on our citixens tax dollars. We owe it to them to be frugal.

 

[Dan]

I booked independently for the APA Denver conference, instead of through the Web site. My rate was about $20 cheaper. The city would have paid for the full rate, but I feel a sense of obligation to find a cheaper rate. Spending for conferences always raises some suspicion in the eyes of taxpayers.

One thing that was important was that the hotel be dog friendly. It's much cheaper to bring my dogs along when I travel than to put them in doggie day care. (I'm paying ... $250 or something, to have my two dogs boarded and entertained while I'm in Portland from Wednesday to Saturday. The boarding and doggie day care for my dogs cost more than my hotel room!)

 

[JNL]

I have attended only 2 conferences in 10 years
because I could stay with family/friends to save money on lodging and food
attending both conferences was entirely out of my own pocket,
not planning to attend washington gotta save my money/vacation time for something better?
no guilt here about missing the conference.

OT: JNA - are you a poet? Your line breaks often seem poetic. If not, maybe you should be!

 

[Cardinal]

Well, if planners can get a cheaper rate in another way, or another place, APA needs to lower their room commitment.

Exactly.

The rooms at the Chicago Hilton, where the ICSC dealmaking forum will be next week, are $218 per night. The Hyatt is $179, and $119 on Friday night. I always check, and almost always take the cheapest room within a reasonable distance of the cofenerce center. It is my responsibility to my employer to do so.

 

[Jeff]

I thought we were all staying at PGs house?

 

[donk]

When I call to book i always ask for the government rate, even for personal travel. If the conference rate is cheaper I then say give me the conference rate. For CIP I stayed just as close to the meeting rooms as the official hotel, but paid about $50 a night less.

I'll know soon about washington, I'm asking when I get back from vacation about working something out with my current employer for me to go.

 

[PlannerGirl]

guys you dont have to stay in DC their hotel tax is 14.5% Try looking at places along the metro lines in Arlington or Alexandria. Dont do Maryland you will spend too long on the metro to make it worth your time.

There are a boat load of places in Crystal City aka Arlington right on the Blue line. Dont bother with places not along the metro unless your IN the City driving is a nut case here and taxis are confusing as hell and your still sitting in traffic. Take my word for it METRO.

If anyone needs any help with DC stuff let me know and Ill try all I can.

PG

 

[Jeff]

Best Western Pentagon is where its at!

Or PGs house.