OOPS! My Bad... Hotel Rooms and FanimeCon - The Future?

[PassingTheBuck]

Hi Everyone,

When I originally took on the job of handling (among the other jobs that I do for Fanime) the hotels for FanimeCon, I attempted to see into the future and figure out how many hotels and rooms we would need for the next ten years in the downtown San Jose area.  I thought it was safe to assume that we would only need the five downtown hotels; I mean these are the five largest hotels in downtown San Jose, being the Hilton, Marriott, Crowne, St. Claire and the Fairmont properties.

That's about 2,000 rooms between them; I thought it would take you, the attendees, about nine to ten years to fill all those room up.  Boy was I wrong, in less than four years you have gone from filling about 600 rooms to just about filling up four hotels last year and I thought we might last be able to last until 2010 when we took on the Fairmont hotel as an overflow property.  Wrong again, with over three months before FanimeCon, we have just about sold out all four of the surrounding hotels to the convention center and the Fairmont is already filled by a 25%.  That means we will run out of hotel rooms long before the start of the convention.

While we are still looking for additional hotels, we are only looking at properties that have more than 100 rooms attached to it.

By the end of this month (February), we will have sold 95% plus of all available rooms for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights for the four closest hotels.  It's not always possible to sell 100%, because of key factors that interfere with achieving 100% rating for three days, such as one hotel might have rooms available on Friday, but nothing available for Saturday and Sunday nights. 

Once we fill up the Fairmont, which I might remind everyone out there is a four star hotel, the only one in the downtown San Jose area that has a normal weekend rate of $239.00 per night for a double bedded room, which we are getting for $105.00 a night is filled, there is nothing left.  When am I guessing that the Fairmont Hotel will be pretty much filled?  My best guess is by the middle of March (some far I'm 0 for 3 on guess correctly, normally it happens sooner) and that leaves ten additional weeks that I need to find hotels and rooms for everyone else who was late in ordering a room.

I've had several talks with the City of San Jose and our housing agency (CMR) and they have in turn been talking to those neighboring hotels, located outside of the downtown corridor. 

Here's the question that they have for all of you for now and the future.

Are you willing to travel on the light rail (aka VTA)? 

If the City and CMR are able to work out a plan where you didn't pay for a VTA pass for the period of FanimeCon, would you be willing to travel to the Hyatt and the Doubletree hotels?  If the room rates were lower then the downtown hotels, would you be willing to travel the extra distance and time that it would take to come to the convention center to attend FanimeCon?

There are a number of factors what need to be worked out, of course, such as roaming police and/or security patrols along the route, hours of operation of the VTA lines, the frequency at which they would travel during those hours of the day and night, the cost that either the City or Fanime would have to absorb for the VTA passes, what rate and extras are those hotels willing to give to get your business, what happens if the VTA has a problem with the line, what are the contingency plans?

What I would like to know is your thoughts about the idea of traveling along the VTA route to the other hotels?

Care to make any suggestions?

Craige...

[phoenixphire24]

I'd have no problem using the light rail if it was going to run late into the evening and there were options available in case it wasn't running properly. Slighly lower prices at those hotels would cover the added travel time. The weather in SJ is fine in May and as long as area was safe, it's no big deal. However, I don't know if I would want to do this if I was doing a lot of cosplay since the added distance would increase the time needed for changing and there's a higher possibility of something getting ruined. But, if the choice is between a further away hotel room or no hotel room, I'd take the room.

[Rainbow Ichi]

I can imagine, If I put myself in the shoes of a person who reserved after the main downtown hotels nearby are full, that someone will be really frustrated. Tried going home from Doubletree and walking toward the lightrail dragging my luggage is tiring, plus you have to go around to safely cross the street before you end in the underpass and cross again to get to the other side of First Street, and walk by Dennys and cross once more going to the Light Rail. It would take some more time :( Hyatt Hotel people won't have problems walking to the Light Rail tho, as its just one block away, and only once crossing to take place each transition from hotel to light rail.
So if a knowledgable person knows this, his/her option is to wake up 1 hour earlier then usual then board the light rail, and of course board the light rail before 1am strikes in the early morning to catch the last light rail run.
I think it would inlcude a portion of a person's strenght and time, just to get to Fanime. :|

Edit: Oh and I forgot to answer the question. No for doubletree, yes for hyatt, for walking distance reasons.

[Xeluu]

I wouldn't, simply because if I continue to cosplay in a mascot costume, I need access to my hotel room within 5 minutes of walking. It gets VERY hot in there, and having access to my room means I have access to cool off and grab a drink. Not to mention, I enjoy the late night screenings and activities, and wouldn't feel safe going too and from the convention center.

But that's just me, being 18, female, and slightly paranoid when it comes to my safety. ^^; It just means I'll make sure to reserve my room as soon as they're available from now on. I'm willing to be there would definitely be people willing to go that distance to save some money, and if the other rooms were sold out though, just... not me.

[FanFicGuru]

The Hyatt and the Doubletree are both very nice hotels...and I'd imagine that for some people, being able to stay in them for discounted rates, even if they were a bit further away from the convention, would be a good thing.

I know there will be people who wouldn't want to make the trip, but if the VTA pass was provided, I have a feeling that many people would indeed take the opportunity.

Again, I know both of those hotels to be very nice, and to have CMR work with them to offer discounted room rates would be great.

[Stormfalcon]

Not bad, but I think a main issue for folks would be how late light rail runs, particularly on weekend and holiday night schedules.  For those who enjoy the late-night events and programming, light rail may not run late enough for them.

[PassingTheBuck]

Not bad, but I think a main issue for folks would be how late light rail runs, particularly on weekend and holiday night schedules.  For those who enjoy the late-night events and programming, light rail may not run late enough for them.

Yeah, I'm working on the City to have the VTA doing limited runs for us every 15 minutes from midnight until 8:00am.  That's the reason I want the security patrols on the VTA too.

Craige...

[phoenixphire24]

Not bad, but I think a main issue for folks would be how late light rail runs, particularly on weekend and holiday night schedules.  For those who enjoy the late-night events and programming, light rail may not run late enough for them.

Yeah, I'm working on the City to have the VTA doing limited runs for us every 15 minutes from midnight until 8:00am.  That's the reason I want the security patrols on the VTA too.

Craige...

Yes, that would be a big issue for me. My friend and I don't usually stay too late, but we might be there until midnight or 1am. If I couldn't get a ride back to the hotel, I wouldn't want to stay there.

[Moonblossom]

If they have a smoking room, sure!

*ducks*

In all seriousness, it looks like even the Hilton may not have smoking rooms next year augh, so that bit's irrelevant to me at this point. So long as there was some sort of transportation provided until late, or really clearly marked walking directions, I think I'd be alright with it.

The Double Tree looks nice, but I can't find pictures of a Hyatt in San Jose online? Maybe I'm just a dope. Does anyone have links?

[Shi_Musouka]

The Doubletree might be workable if some sort of shuttle/bus bridge thing from the hotel to the lightrail station could be negotiatied(since some of us aren't too keen on the walking distance from there, especially in cosplay), but that might be a little too costly.

Just my two cents on the matter...

[otakuya]

First off, congrats Fanime for becoming the large con that it is today! So big that several hotels in the area are already sold out 3 months before then con! I remember that it was a big deal trying to fill up the SC Westin (now Hyatt) back in the day.

As for alternatives, there is the Hotel De Anza right on the north end of Alamden Blvd. and several other smaller hotels/motels around the HP Pavilion area. Transportation-wise, I'm not exactly sure which buses (if any) go to the convention center. In the HP Pavilion area, you can take the light rail from the arena to the con center, though. There is also something called DASH, VTA's Downtown Area Shuttle, a free shuttle that circles the downtown area, from SJSU to the arena; but I don't know their hours and if it operates on weekends and special events.

Light rail may be the best idea for hotels farther away. Off of the Gish station is Fanime's old home, the Wyndham, and several motels, a Denny's, and House of Genji. A few stations away is the Doubletree and other airport hotels. And way further north is Santa Clara's convention center and hotels (also Fanime's old home).

[AbsolutelyCursed]

The only bus that goes to the convention center is line 23 (line 85 was deleted). The DASH shuttle only runs on weekdays until around 7pm or so; does not run on weekends and holidays. So forget late nights, Saturday and Sunday and Monday (Memorial Day). The light rail that runs from the arena to the convention center (Winchester) runs mostly every half hour; especially on weekends on holidays.

If other hotels in the future were to be involved with easy access to light rail, your best bet would be along north 1st street as already been mentioned.

[otakuya]

Out of curiosity, is the Ramada SJ also selling out? It's the one off of 2nd st, near the CC. I haven't heard any news or stories about it.
Ramada Limited San Jose Convention Center

[PassingTheBuck]

Out of curiosity, is the Ramada SJ also selling out? It's the one off of 2nd st, near the CC. I haven't heard any news or stories about it.
Ramada Limited San Jose Convention Center

It's not part of our block, we are hoping next year getting them to join us, so I really don't have any word on it.

[Runewitt]

Out of curiosity, is the Ramada SJ also selling out? It's the one off of 2nd st, near the CC. I haven't heard any news or stories about it.
Ramada Limited San Jose Convention Center

It's not part of our block, we are hoping next year getting them to join us, so I really don't have any word on it.

i noticed a lot of con-people there last year, the rooms are decent, its close, and theres free wifi and a fridge in every room. if you can get them to join in and offer a little discount, they'll be packed.

[darkstar]

I would warn people about the kind of people that ride the light rail late at night.

Let's just say this guy was willing to walk up to me and forced a nice Japanese family to literally run from the train screaming.

The guy was willing to take on everyone on the train.