TOPIC: Housing Fail - Other Options?

Hey folks,
As per usual I got shut out of housing again this year. I think I recal someone saying they got rooms via a Credit Card rewards program or something. Does anybody know which card/hotel that was through? I might look into that this year.

Also I checked out flipkey, trivago, and airbnb and came up pretty much empty. I will be traveling with my wife and 23 month old this year.

Thanks much for any assistance!
-Fizz

Rewards programs. To be able to book a downtown room during GenCon usually requires you to be at a top level of the program. Hilton Diamond status for example.

In past years I stayed down in the Southport area. About a 30 minute drive to downtown. There is space at the Country Inn on Expedia currently. Also the Baymont. Country Inn is much nicer, but the Baymont is adequate. Or at least it was a few years ago.

Expedia also has some things in the Airport area.


There are downtown rooms on Expedia, but nothing less than about $450 per night.


You can keep trying the GenCon portal. Rooms do get cancelled from time to time. Although with the new restrictions on room transfers there may be fewer this year.

We used to stay at Park Place at City Centre. I think it’s a dorm for a community college so it doesn’t always show up on sites, and it’s very close. We called them directly.

Always dicey posting phone numbers, so here’s a quest for you. Count the letters in the next two sentences to get the first eight digits to dial. May I suggest offering to telephone. I do. The last two numbers are “zero zero.”

Good luck!

I am sorry to hear about your difficulties -- especially with a toddler. I remember those days!

I have several friends who now actively choose NOT to get a downtown hotel, as they prefer to Lyft from a better and cheaper hotel outside the downtown area. I know one guy that much prefers to call a Lyft, walk to the closest street curb for pick up and then arrive at his non-downtown hotel 8 minutes later....all for about $10. He says it is far less walking and usually faster than walking blocks to a downtown hotel though the crowds.

Just a thought...as parking can be an expensive hassle for folks staying in out-of-downtown hotels.

Best of luck.

Jeff Martin wrote: I am sorry to hear about your difficulties -- especially with a toddler. I remember those days!

I have several friends who now actively choose NOT to get a downtown hotel, as they prefer to Lyft from a better and cheaper hotel outside the downtown area. I know one guy that much prefers to call a Lyft, walk to the closest street curb for pick up and then arrive at his non-downtown hotel 8 minutes later....all for about $10. He says it is far less walking and usually faster than walking blocks to a downtown hotel though the crowds.

Just a thought...as parking can be an expensive hassle for folks staying in out-of-downtown hotels.

Best of luck.

I'd consider something like that if it weren't for True Dungeon. I like to have a connected hotel to drop all my tokens off at in-between adventures. But, I (and/or my friend) carry all the tokens and treasure coins for the whole group.

Wow Jeff, not even a hint of suggesting Volunteering to get a shared hotel room.
I was in a very similar situation years ago and the year we had decided not to return to GenCon, a TD Volunteer mentioned the benefits of volunteering (a free shared hotel room, cool volunteer only tokens, a stipend, cool swag, etc).
At that point we have been back to GenCon every year since without any worries about lodging.

Of course that probably wouldn't work with a toddler.

Jeff Martin wrote: I am sorry to hear about your difficulties -- especially with a toddler. I remember those days!

I have several friends who now actively choose NOT to get a downtown hotel, as they prefer to Lyft from a better and cheaper hotel outside the downtown area. I know one guy that much prefers to call a Lyft, walk to the closest street curb for pick up and then arrive at his non-downtown hotel 8 minutes later....all for about $10. He says it is far less walking and usually faster than walking blocks to a downtown hotel though the crowds.

Just a thought...as parking can be an expensive hassle for folks staying in out-of-downtown hotels.

Best of luck.

Thanks so much Jeff! I'll talk to my wife and see what she thinks about that plan. For now I'm stalking the GenCon housing site daily. Also I'll be hosting events this year for Oracle Sights so maybe I'll get lucky and get into the DM's housing block instead? I don't know how that works exactly, so hopefully they don't expect my family to room up with someone else. One way or another we'll be there =)

Bob Chasan wrote: Wow Jeff, not even a hint of suggesting Volunteering to get a shared hotel room.
I was in a very similar situation years ago and the year we had decided not to return to GenCon, a TD Volunteer mentioned the benefits of volunteering (a free shared hotel room, cool volunteer only tokens, a stipend, cool swag, etc).
At that point we have been back to GenCon every year since without any worries about lodging.

Of course that probably wouldn't work with a toddler.

LOL I considered it but yeah my family rooming up with others probably wont work out too well. That and i'll be running events all weekend (I wont even have time to do TD this year ) so that option is out regardless.

I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for cancelations in the GC housing block!

Fizz! Hope to see you my man!

Volunteer for TD and get a downtown room.

Find a local friend in Indy and stay at their place.

jedibcg wrote: Volunteer for TD and get a downtown room.

Find a local friend in Indy and stay at their place.

Sounds like you are willing to host them Baby and all.