The reservation desk via phone says 1 room left, I guess within the vicinity of the club block, but it's some kind of large suite @ something like $229/nite, plus all the fees, taxes and extra charges on top of that. The computer reservation system shows rooms available, I guess somewhere on the complex but not in the block area (assuming the block area is more-or-less together) for a lowest of $159/nite, plus the extra charges, which come out to just under $200/nite. The Holiday Inn Express still has rooms left at the block rate as of today, June 20th, via phone call to the motel directly. The website showed nothing available. Unless the economy keeps O'fest attendees away in droves, I wouldn't be surprised if another couple of motels in the area, assuming there are some, fill up w/ O'festers for the last week of Sept.
I'm going to try to find someone to share a room with because I just can't afford to spend $1,000+ on a hotel room for 6 days.
New Hotel open by OFest! There is a brand new (not yet opened) Country Inn and Suites opening across I-85 from where Chateau Elan is. It is on Hwy 124 (Braselton Hwy). Not sure if it is a Braselton address or a Hoschton one. Steve Jones
Sounds like a bait-and-switch deal with the resort where they provide only "so many" rooms at the BMW negotiated price while holding back on other rooms in order to get a higher price for them. The club national office should look into this "deal" they obtained from this place.
Hotel Rooms at Lake Lanier All, Our contracted block of rooms at Legacy Lodge has been sold out for quite sometime. (good news for O'Fest, not good news if you dont have a room) The hotel expanded our orginal block more than once and extended our rate. The available room Chuck saw is a Villa suite and is not a standard room. However the rate he saw is a discounted rate based on our negotiated rates for suites. It is possible that between now and O'fest some rooms may become available, as not everyone who books a room will attend. Please don't give up and ask the hotel to put your name on the waiting list for cleared rooms. See you at O'Fest! Frank
It was a standard room with a quoted price of $159.00 per night. They also have a standard room rate of $179/night with breakfast included. Hence I assume they do have additional rooms available since these reservations can be made as of right now. These are standard rooms in the Lodge.
That's possible, but I would think it more likely that the resort has no insight as to the likely number of O'fest attendees, and the size of the block and the discounted rate offered is more a function of the resort's expectations about whatever demand they expect for their quarters usually, in that time frame, and reserving enough non-block rooms in anticipation of other, non O'Fest demand. I don't think the club has any way to predict, beyond generally, how popular any particular O'Fest will be either - some years it's 1000+- attendees, and some other is lucky to break 400. Once the locale is determined, I would think the club probably asks for as many block-rate rooms as possible, with the end amount being the result of some negotiations with the selected venue/resort/hotel, depending on whatever the hotel is willing/able to offer. But yes, once the block rooms are taken and the place apparently has identical-to-the-block rooms left, it might look as if something deceptive is being perpetrated. However, I doubt any large resort/hotel is likely to bet that if they only offer say, 1/2 of the rooms an organization requests at a discounted rate, that they can count on selling the majority of the remainder to late-to-the-party reservers. Particularly when there is competition in the area, offering plenty of other options priced substantially less than their lowest regular, non-discount, rate. We probably could have a much larger block if O'Fest was there in, oh... two weeks perhaps, instead of late September; anyone in for all day on an auto-x giant parking lot or Road Atlanta on a 100° day with 98.97% humidity? Woohoo!
My thought process was that if there was additional demand for rooms from this very large "convention", I would meet that demand, especially this early on, by selling them rooms I have available. O'fest will be a VERY large convention for this facility. My wife and I just stayed at the Legacy Lodge back in May for a few days, and it is not "that" big of a place. O'fest will essentially own the facility while there.
How about Lake Lanier Islands Resort? I read on the home page that Lake Lanier Islands Resort is the "Host hotel" for Ofest. Yet it does not appear in the list of accomodations... http://www.lakelanierislands.com/ - Do festers stay at this hotel? - Will this be a center for the fest events? Which ones? - Are there any rebates available? Many thanks! FM
It's listed. 2nd one down since they are sold out. The Beach Party, autocross and concours will be on Lake Lanier Island. TSD Rally starts at the Legacy Lake Lodge and ends at the Performance Center in Greer, SC. No rebates. http://www.bmwccaofest.org/hotels.phtml
Will BMWCCA members who are not staying at Legacy Lodge have to pay the daily access fee at the gate to Lanier Islands for each day they want/need to enter the islands?
The gate fee is $8. When we stayed at the Legacy Lodge in May, we had to pay the $8 upon our first entry. I asked at the check-in about a refund, and they said no. They provided a pass for the remainder of our stay however. I assume for non-guests that you only have to pay the $8 once a day, but I'm not sure of that even at the moment.
There will be no charge for Ofest registrants that have pre-registered. Your name will be on a list at the gate. If you haven't pre-registered, we can't add you to the list. Most likely you will need to pay the one-time fee. So pre-register! Spectators (those not registered) will need to pay to access the island.
Steven, I haven't checked whether you have already done so, but this info should probably be publicized to attendees, not just buried in this thread. Just my $.02.
I live very close to Lake Lanier islands and may have accomodations for someone. It is a mother-in-law suite (separate kitchen, bath, entrance etc.) that is currently unoccupied. I had relatives coming in town for the event but it doesn't appear they will be able to make it. You can contact me if interested at cyvert@bellsouth.net. and we can discuss details.
