Inn Suites in Tucson

[journalmom]

I am looking into Inn Suites and River Park Inn in Tucson for October NAC. Did anyone stay there before? How was your experience. It says it's about a mile from the convention center. I'm trying a different hotel other than Hotel Arizona - very unpleasant experience there although it was a walking distance to the venue.

[oiuyt]

Check this thread starting around post #17 for a discussion of the other hotels.

-B

[Phincer]

Try TripAdvisor to see if there are any reviews. I find this site usually tells it exactly as it is.

[sleepyweasle]

Originally Posted by journalmom

I am looking into Inn Suites and River Park Inn in Tucson for October NAC. Did anyone stay there before? How was your experience. It says it's about a mile from the convention center. I'm trying a different hotel other than Hotel Arizona - very unpleasant experience there although it was a walking distance to the venue.

We stayed at the Inn Suites and, while not really in walking distance to the convention center, it was fine. The rooms were OK - not great - but the free breakfast, pool and free glass of wine during cocktail hour were most appreciated. The free breakfast was actually pretty good - much better than most of the breakfast freebies we've had. It's an easy drive to the venue - but a bit of a walk (although we did see some brave souls making the trek). I don't know if there was a real on-site restaurant - we went out to eat.

[journalmom]

Originally Posted by oiuyt

Check this thread starting around post #17 for a discussion of the other hotels.

-B

I tried finding threads that can give me some info about this and I couldn't find it. How did you do that? And how did you get the words 'this thread' to show as a link? I'm forever amazed at you techy guys. Bless you! And thanks for the info.

And I'll check Tripadvisor too. Thanks guys.

[journalmom]

Originally Posted by Phincer

Try TripAdvisor to see if there are any reviews. I find this site usually tells it exactly as it is.

Hey lady in Texas. I'm also looking at NAC B in Dallas in Nov. Any thoughts on where to stay???

[oiuyt]

Originally Posted by journalmom

I tried finding threads that can give me some info about this and I couldn't find it. How did you do that? And how did you get the words 'this thread' to show as a link? I'm forever amazed at you techy guys. Bless you! And thanks for the info.

I remembered we'd talked about the other hotels, include the River Park Inn in the thread about the April NAC in Tucson.

As for making a link, select some text, then click the icon that has a world and a couple of links of chain (right below the smilie icon). Resting your cursor there should bring up the text "Insert Link". Clicking on it brings up a dialog box where you can enter the URL for the link.

-B

[NNR]

My daughter stayed there last year with another fencer (they are teenagers) and it was walking distance, albiet not a pleasant walk, and the hotel was perfectly serviceable for the purpose. I also got a cheaper rate on line directly from the hotel that THS offered.

[Phincer]

Originally Posted by journalmom

I tried finding threads that can give me some info about this and I couldn't find it. How did you do that? And how did you get the words 'this thread' to show as a link? I'm forever amazed at you techy guys. Bless you! And thanks for the info.

And I'll check Tripadvisor too. Thanks guys.

I haven't booked that one yet. Perhaps someone from the Dallas area can help us out.

[oso97]

Originally Posted by Phincer

I haven't booked that one yet. Perhaps someone from the Dallas area can help us out.

Seeing as how the USFA National Staff made the arrangements for the Dallas NAC without consulting any fencers who actually live in and are familiar with the Dallas-Fort Worth area, its not going to be pretty. The Dallas Convention Center is in downtown Dallas, a part of the city that shuts down almost completely after working hours (the sole exception to this is an area known as the "West End" which is perhaps a block and a half of an attempt at a tourist area). Dallas is NOT a "pedestrian friendly" city. Repeat, NOT a pedestrian friendly city.

There IS a light rail stop at the Dallas Convention Center (see www.dart.org for more details on Dallas mass transit) and it is also actually somewhat decently placed for access to the convention center (how well placed it is for access to the part of the Convention Center the USFA will be using, is of course, another question entirely!!). This is, from what I can gather, going to be the linchpin of the USFA's plan for travel in the city. The host hotel is the Adams Mark Dallas, which is decently placed for access to the light rail line.

The Hampton Inn Downtown is a reasonable option, as is the Amerisuites (these are both near the West End, which is the only place you'll find anything open in Downtown Dallas after working hours). There is a Day's Inn and Suites downtown also near the rail line. There is a Hyatt Regency not too far from the Convention Center (but you'll be walking probably - *shudder*).

Another option you have is to stay outside of downtown Dallas, and use the rail line to get in and out of the downtown. Given the insanity of Dallas traffic patterns during all hours of the day, this is a reasonable idea (I'll be commuting to the venue via rail line, and I live in this area - there is no way I'm going to drive downtown on a workday!). If you choose this option, you do have some interesting possibilities. There are a couple of hotels near the rail line north of downtown. You can also stay in downtown Fort Worth, approximately 45 minutes train ride away.

I do hope the USFA is getting a heck of a deal on the convention center space to make up for circumlocutions people attending this NAC are going to have to go through! Doing it in downtown Fort Worth on the other hand would have had a much greater access to better hotels and afterhours dining. And you wouldn't have to be scared of walking around downtown. That being said, it will be easy to travel here: DFW is a major hub for American and you can get a direct flight from pretty much anywhere you can think of. There are also plenty of SuperShuttles and other options for getting from the airport to the downtown area for a reasonable cost.

If anyone has any specific questions about certain hotels or what not, I'll do my best to answer them.

Oh, and one good resource for finding stuff to do in Dallas - www.guidelive.com. Dining reviews, locations, etc.

[fencing freakster]

how's the hyatt regency? It says you can walk to the convention center from there? Is it not safe???
Thanks!
Freakster

[oso97]

Originally Posted by fencing freakster

how's the hyatt regency? It says you can walk to the convention center from there? Is it not safe???
Thanks!
Freakster

Hyatt Regency is a nice hotel. And "safe" has a couple of different possibilities.

One is "free of danger of physical violence." That area of Dallas is no worse or worse in this respect than the business district of any downtown of a major city in the USA. You aren't in serious danger of being mugged, assaulted, or suffering other indignities.

However, and I repeat - DALLAS IS NOT A PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY DOWNTOWN. It is possible to make the walk you are suggesting. Its possibility while lugging fencing equipment is a matter open to interpretation.

Bottom line, stay at one of the hotels in the West End, and take the light rail.

[4qtrs]

Great, sounds like Dallas is a fly in, fence, and fly out kinda town. Even Arlington had places to eat after 5pm (even though most of those ran out of food).

[oso97]

Originally Posted by 4qtrs

Great, sounds like Dallas is a fly in, fence, and fly out kinda town. Even Arlington had places to eat after 5pm (even though most of those ran out of food).

Pretty much. At least, Downtown Dallas is. I'll be taking some of my various friends and associates to other places worth visiting in the city after fencing .

[Phincer]

Originally Posted by 4qtrs

Hey, there used to be a very old Bar-B-Que place in Downtown Dallas. It had the BEST sausage and ribs!! I was there in the late seventys and I swear I can't remember the name of the joint. Any ideas? (I think it was someones name and it was more in North Central Dallas then the Turtle Creek area.)

OMG-that brings back some memories-But that was almost (mumble,mumble) years ago. When the erl bidness was good. What WAS the name of that place???

[qatet]

oso - Can you give me any input on these addresses and their various PITA factors for transport? My club prefers to stay at Residence Inns when possible, but I don't know the first thing about Dallas traffic patterns. These are listed in order of distance from venue.

Thanks!

Residence Inn Dallas Market Center - on 183/35E, northwest of venue
6950 N Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, Texas 75247

Residence Inn Dallas Central Expressway - on 75, north of venue
10333 North Central Expressway
Dallas, Texas 75231

Residence Inn Dallas Addison/Quorum Drive - on Dallas N. Tollway, north of venue
14975 Quorum Drive
Dallas, Texas 75254

Residence Inn Dallas Las Colinas - on 114, west of venue
950 Walnut Hill Lane
Irving, Texas 75038

[oso97]

Originally Posted by qatet

oso - Can you give me any input on these addresses and their various PITA factors for transport? My club prefers to stay at Residence Inns when possible, but I don't know the first thing about Dallas traffic patterns. These are listed in order of distance from venue.

Thanks!

Residence Inn Dallas Market Center - on 183/35E, northwest of venue
6950 N Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, Texas 75247

Residence Inn Dallas Central Expressway - on 75, north of venue
10333 North Central Expressway
Dallas, Texas 75231

Residence Inn Dallas Addison/Quorum Drive - on Dallas N. Tollway, north of venue
14975 Quorum Drive
Dallas, Texas 75254

Residence Inn Dallas Las Colinas - on 114, west of venue
950 Walnut Hill Lane
Irving, Texas 75038

Short version is PITA from all of them. Man, do I sound pessimistic or what? The least PITA is going to be the Residence Inn Market Center. Be prepared to hire a taxi and have that drive be 30-45 minutes in morning rush hour traffic (although the traffic gods could smile upon you - don't depend upon it). The one in Las Colinas is not very well placed for access to the Dallas Convention Center, to put ti mildly, and you'd be traveling right past the one at Market Center anyway. For the sake of your own sanity, do not stay at the one in Addison or the Central Expressway one - those are on two of the main arteries from which the north (and heavily populated) suburbs access the business district, which you'd have to go directly across to get to the Convention Center...