Past NIWeek Discussions
NI Week 2016 Accommodation
I am excited that you are coming to NI Week!
The conference rates via the NI website are typically better than what you can get elsewhere, but the number of rooms are limited. This year, we booked again at the Radisson, but I've stayed at several other places (hampton inn, hilton garden inn, omni etc.) over the years. they are all pretty close, except for the omni, which is a few more blocks away. The radisson got a nice remodel a few years ago and is right on the lake next to congress bridge.
It gets cheaper if you go further away, but there are probably no real good deals during the big conferences. One year we stayed at the super 8, which is quite a dump but was only about $60/night. (Probably more by now). I actually enjoyed the 20 minute walk along Waller Creek, it was not a big deal. In addition, it was close to Franklins BBQ (look at the well deserved ratings!), but you might not have time to stand in line for 2 hours 🐵
There are other options such as airbnb, but I am not familiar with them. Ask around, maybe you can share a room.
Yeah go through the NI week recommendations if you can. I heard they give discounts for saying you are there for the conference. The Hilton is probably the best for its location, but isn't cheap. Luckily that's where I'll be staying for the first time.
The first year I went I stayed at the Holiday Inn, which wasn't terrible but it is a 1 mile from the convention center, but it is in the opposite direction of most of the action after the convention which is generally to the north. In the morning the hotel would give free rides to the convention, then I'd either walk, find a ride, or get a pedicab back at night. Rainey isn't the best area and walking through it at night can be a bit shady but I never felt worried. They turned a bunch of homes there into restaurants that stay open late but I remember few street lights. Not terrible overall but having a hotel closer, where you can drop off stuff would have been nicer.
I also stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn last year and it was close enough and had good enough accommodations, and close enough.
Oh and I stayed at InnterContinental which was nice too, and in the general direction of the after event action.
@Intaris wrote:Cool, thanks guys. Just wanted to double check I wasn't about to make some noob mistake going for the NINTENDO recommended hotels.
Hey, the NES was the greatest video game system EVER!!! Too bad all of the hotels I have seen on it were either 4 beds in an open room (yes, I have played way too much Final Fantasy) or there are criminals all over the place that you have to shoot to get the real bad guy. So I do not recommend staying in any of those.
