APhA in Orlando - hotel reservations

[bananaface]

Hey everyone! Mags and I are wondering if anyone from another school wants to go in on a group thing on the hotel for the annual APhA converntion in Orlando, FL on April 1-5 We could save quite a bit by negotiating our price as a larger group. While we would all be placed in the same area of a hotel, each school would have each school in it's own block of rooms, not sharing with other schools (unless there are odd people).

Basically, the way it works is Mags would need to get a head count from each school participating. Once there is a head count, she would contact various hotels in the area and see who will give us the best deal. Each school's contact person (prob APhA representative) will then be responsible for contacting the hotel directly and booking the spots for their school, mentioning that they are part of the big group and are to recieve the discount rate, as negotiated. Mags used to do this for a living, so she knows how to run the logistics and negotiate the rate.

Basically, the procedure is the same from each school's standpoint, except that Mags needs a head count, and you would have to tell them which large group your school is booking under when you call. As with any hotel booking, the school coordinator reserves the rooms on a credit card, but is never charged. When student's check in, they pay for their own rooms. Any school can pull out until 24 hours before check in with no penalty.

Is there any interest in this idea? Any questions?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Caverject]

How close to the convention center are you talking here? There are a bunch near the convention center, but they will be on the APhA bus loop, therefore making them official APhA hotels. Will you still be able to book a large block when APhA has a block at the same hotels? Also, by doing this, doesn't that kind of undermine what APhA does for us already since APhA has to spend money to reserve the block of rooms for it's members?

 

[lord999]

Better contact your school before you make those plans. U of M generally quarters all of us together with the group discount rate. My alma mater, Midwestern, does the same thing, so your idea may not be necessary.

By the way, the APhA discount isn't all that great. Both my universities haggle separately and seem to get much better results.

 

[bananaface]

Mags is the person in charge of coordinating the arrangements for my school.

As long as the hotels have space, there would be no problem if APhA had a block at the hotel as well. APhA does not require those of us who sign up for the convention to get hotel reservations through them. If we get a better rate ourselves, why not go for it? Until people book up the APhA hotels, APhA isn't giving the hotels anything. They have nothing to lose, so we aren't screwing them over.

I'd have to have Mags check out availability to see how close we would be to the convention center. This early, everything should still be wide open.

 

[dgroulx]

We get our rooms arranged and paid for by UF, but we only have a certain amount of money available. In other words, we are on a budget - 4 students to a room. The two convention hotels, the Peabody and the Rosen, are expensive but really nice. The convention center is on International Drive which is the home to tons of motels. There shouldn't be any problem finding cheaper rooms.

 

[Mags]

Also, by doing this, doesn't that kind of undermine what APhA does for us already since APhA has to spend money to reserve the block of rooms for it's members?

I don't believe APhA books hotel rooms for students, just practitioners....

as banana said... i used to do this for a living.. its very simple... and all i would need would be a head count for room numbers...

as for being cheap.. of course i want to find us the best deal available, and yes, i would be assuming 4 ppl to a room which has 2 double size beds...

i know how to negotiate this... i spent 3 years in the hotel industry, 2 as a front desk assistant, and 1 as a rooms reservation manager for the grand hyatt in seattle....

and sure each school does their own every year.. but wouldnt it be fun if we could book out a whole hotel and have all the students together? imagine the connections, friendships and discussions you could make /have..

as for availability.. orlando actually already has some hotels that are sold out for those dates.. so i say we move quickly if we want to
and yes as for location, i would book on international drive, which is right near the convention center...

 

[Caverject]

and sure each school does their own every year.. but wouldnt it be fun if we could book out a whole hotel and have all the students together? imagine the connections, friendships and discussions you could make /have..

What if we don't like the other students? I couldn't give you an answer until december about it since we are not currently in school.

 

[bananaface]

What if we don't like the other students?

You mean your classmates? Or us?

 

[MNnaloxone]

Roomate problems? Just stop up and visit us at the Sleep Inn. You won't get any sleep, but our residents don't plan on this being a business trip anyway. Free pens, free CE, and a free trip to Florida. Best of all, it is a week where I get paid, but don't have to show up at work.

 

[Caverject]

Any idea as to what hotel Mags is thinking of

 

[bananaface]

We are going to just let this idea go...