Hotel Rooms for 2009 NGS Conference in Raleigh, NC

[Updated 18-Nov-2008]

A few months ago I wrote an article complaining about outrageous charges for hotel rooms at or near the various national genealogy conferences. I have now vowed that I will never pay those rip-off prices again. Today I made my reservation for a hotel room at the 2009 conference of the National Genealogical Society's annual conference to be held in Raleigh, North Carolina, on 13 through 16 May 2009.

There will be a shortage of hotel rooms in the city during the 2009 NGS conference. Three major universities in the city reportedly will all hold their graduations the same weekend. As a result, hotel rooms are expected to be fully booked months in advance. If you are planning to attend this conference, I'd suggest you make a reservation NOW in some hotel.

The official conference hotel will be the Marriott City Center, adjacent to the convention center. Don't bother checking for rooms; it is already sold out, seven months in advance of the conference. The hotel charges $124 a night plus taxes.

Other nearby hotels listed on the conference web site include the Sheraton Hotel at 421 South Salisbury Street (a short walk away, $120 a night plus taxes but with free parking) and the New Clarion State Capitol Hotel at 320 Hillsborough Street at $79 per night (nine-tenths of a mile away and also with free parking). Both of those locations are too far to walk for some people.

I just made reservations at the Raleigh Days Inn at 300 N. Dawson Street. The price is $59.49 per night plus taxes.

UPDATE: The Days Inn is still offering rooms on the www.DaysInn.com web site for $59.49 per night for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday ONLY but have now increased the rate to $102.00 for Friday and Saturday night. I am guessing that is in reaction to all the graduations going on in Raleigh that weekend.

That price includes free parking, free high speed Internet access, and a free continental style breakfast. It also includes a king-sized bed in a non-smoking room with a micro-sized refrigerator. I doubt if the Days Inn will be as nice as a Marriott or a Sheraton, but I don't plan to spend much time in the room. I expect to spend long days in the convention center. What more could I need?

The Raleigh Days Inn is about two miles away from the convention center. That's an easy drive if you have an automobile but too far to walk. I suspect there will also be parking fees at the convention center. Even so, I decided that the savings in hotel fees alone will more than pay for a rental car plus parking fees. Besides, having a rental car also provides more freedom in choosing restaurants and other travel.

You can learn more or even make a reservation at http://www.daysinn.com/DaysInn/control/home. If you prefer to use the telephone, call 919-828-9081.

You can see even more hotels in the vicinity of the 2009 NGS Conference at http://tinyurl.com/ngs-hotels.

I think it is high time to fight rip-off prices at conference hotels. There are many cost-effective alternatives, I'd suggest using one of them.

For more information about the 2009 NGS conference, look at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/Conferences/2009/index.htm?CFID=4802765&CFTOKEN=60385986.

My thanks to Carole Magnuson for telling me about the Days Inn hotel in Raleigh.

Comments

[George G. Morgan]

BRAVO!

[Barbara Vines Little, CG]

A few corrections. All three conference hotels have free parking (the Marriott and Sheraton limit it to one space per room). The Sheraton is NOT four-tenths of a mile from the convention center. It is diagonally across the street from the Convention Center with the hotel entrance in mid-block. The Clarion is seven blocks from the Convention Center. I walked it with ease when I was there earlier. I have stayed in the newly renovated Sheraton and personally viewed the recently renovated Clarion. Both hotels have nice, clean rooms with good beds. The Marriott is brand new. Both the Sheraton and Marriott have coffee bars in the hotel and all three hotels have coffee makers in the rooms.

Free high-speed Internet access is available in the Convention Center lobby and at the Clarion.

There is a charge for Convention Center parking; however, there is a free trolley that will run in the downtown area between the restaurants, museums and Convention Center. There is no need to rent a car.

Organizations work hard to find the appropriate mix of space and cost; it is not easy. We think we have found it in Raleigh.

Barbara Vines Little, CG
NHS Family History Conference Chair, 2009, Raleigh, NC

[Carolyn Putterman]

Another option.....
For those of you that have Recreation Vehicles there is the NC State Fairgrounds which is 5 1/2 miles from the convention center.

It is $25 a night full hookup 30 & 50 amp available.
Contact me for further info.

[Carolyn Putterman]

For Recreational Vehicles and the NC State Fairgrounds post above. I have more info available.
My apologies…. For not including how to contact me.
Carolyn Putterman
ancestor1776@optonline.net

[Virginia Lapham]

I was able to book two rooms at the Clarion after they were full. Not at the $79 conference rate but close. After listing my various senior and other affiliations, I got two rooms with my Costco membership for $85. I think most hotels keep some rooms for other guests when a conference is booked so it may be worth a try.

Virginia

[Linda]

It is unfortunate that the hotel block at the Marriott is sold out already. Maybe a little more research as to what other events might be going on in the area at the same time might have helped prevent the primary hotel option from being sold out. I disagree that $124 a night at a brand new conference hotel is a rip-off. That would have been very acceptable. I always appreciate being able to go between my room and the conference and being able to settle down in a room that is at the comfort level of a Marriott room vs. an economy hotel room. Hotel prices do go up during events (supply and demand) and prices are higher within large cities and near airports that have conference facilities so not sure what you could expect that would meet the expectation levels of a wide range of members.

[Sandy]

I just called the Raleigh Days Inn at 300 N. Dawson Street. The price was not $59.49 per night plus taxes. The man answering the phone said the room at this price must have been booked on-line. They wanted $129.00 a day for the room. Sounded good!

[PKS]

Sometimes Travelocity, Orbitz, and other travel sites have a block of rooms available. This worked for me in Salt Lake.
Disclaimer: I have no interest in any of these commercial ventures or hotels. This is FYI.

[Dick Eastman]

Yes, that room was booked online. I travel a lot and always book my hotel rooms online.

- Dick Eastman

[Dick Eastman]

I just checked the Days Inn web site again. They are still offering rooms at $59.49 per night for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday ONLY but have now increased the rate to $102.00 for Friday and Saturday night. I am guessing that is in reaction to all the graduations going on in Raleigh that weekend.

That price is for one person staying in a non-smoking room with a single king-sized bed.

If you want to attend this conference, I'd suggest that you make reservations in some hotel NOW. I suspect that rooms will be difficult to find and/or priced out of sight if you delay much longer.

- Dick Eastman

[Trish Hackett Nicola, CG]

When I checked the Sheraton Hotel online the AARP rate was about $159 ($179 with tax). Do we need a promotional code to get the $120 rate?

Trish Hackett Nicola, CG

[Zadruga Guy]

Virginia, the Clarion is NOT sold out yet -- it is the Marriott that is sold out. I successfully reserved two rooms today at the $79 price by using the code shown on the NGS website.