Re: EDNF conf - hotel rooms GONE?!

[Guest guest]

Hi Aase Marit:

The info I got was from the ednf website link to the Hyatt Regency

hotel. First I punched in the dates on the hotel website and got a no

rooms available. Then I called their 1-800 number and was told about

that one room. SO, if anyone wants it, GRAB IT. As someone with

severe allergies, I can't go in a room where anyone has smoked or

scented stuff is used for sleaning so when they said they essentialy

wouldn't know if I would get a room with 2 doubles or 1 king bed

until literally arrival day, I thought great. If I got a room someone

smoked in or they hadn't cleaned specifically for me (places can do

that. I even bring my own laundry beacuse I'm allergic to most of the

stuff a hotel would use and just get them to leave the bed til I get

there). So it didn't sound encouraging for my needs anyhow. ON the up

side, it did LOOK like a lovely hotel.

You make a good point - I know I would need to go lay down too.

Probably a lot of people would. It would have been better to have

taken a larger than needed block, then release what appear to be

extra rooms closer to the date. I can't imagine I would be the only

one who would want to book from now until conf date.

Part of the problem is there are 7 other conferences at that hotel at

the same time. So they would all have their blocks too. Maybe this is

just an intensive summer for Buffalo and maybe when the EDNF took

their block, it looked like there would be other rooms. I know from

personal experience that a lot of work goes into organizing a

conference, esp when you have people like EDSers would would have

certain accesibility needs that it can be hard to find a place. With

all that goes on in the summer EVERYWHERE, it would likely take a

miracle to find another hotel. Some places, you literally have to

start your planning and get your blocks 1 to 2 years in advance

particularly if your event is in the summer.

Public transit is such a problem. I had hoped, if I ever got to the

NIH to stay outside Baltimore and get a shuttle/ bus/ train in. It

was a real reality jolt to be told that none of these have seatbelts.

There is no federal regulation for that and that many are standing

room only most of the day. If I couldn't sit down, I couldn't even

get on such a thing. Even sitting, there is so much swaying and

jolting. I don't think my body could take it. Can you imagine people

like us who get hurt so easily trying to travel like that? Or a taxi

at rush hour? Uh uh. Don't have that kind of dough

I sincerely hope this is some sort of mistake but after checking the

website and calling, I'm not terribly hopeful. I did give the name of

the group when I called. I am sure this is a problem those doing the

planning definitely don't need!

Joyce