Finding a Close-Enough Hotel

Where should I stay? I am usually a fan of staying at a the conference hotel: it makes everything so easy. But I was sluggish of the registration bat, so I need to admit defeat and stay somewhere else. I'm not eager to to pay taxi fees, so the free shuttle between the Westin Pasadena and the Langham makes it seem like a good choice, and I have a week or two before the cut off of June 2nd. However, I'm also interested in paying as little as possible: we're all on budgets, and I feel like doing due diligence means looking a little longer and considering other hotels.



And now I see that the Westin's online reservation site says that the group rate is available until... May 21st? When did that change? It said June 2nd, but I oughtn't to be surprised: may 21st was a month in advance. Hurriedly I check the internet: Google has a list of ten or so hotels. Hotels.com, Travelocity, Expedia all have a range of prices and locations. So there's bound to be someplace! Only once have I truly been out of a place to stay...


Ten years ago I remember arriving in a hotel to discover they had given away my reservation by accident. I next discovered I was visiting a city that was well and truly out of hotel rooms. After my third hour of no success, a clerk took pity on me. He'd arrange for a cot to be pulled out into one of the meeting rooms... Just as soon as the night's party was over. I agreed to this, but shortly after 1:00 a.m., I regretted the deal because the party-ers hadn't seen eachother in 20 years and were still catching up. I snuck quietly through the room as the revelers jawed away, pulled my cot behind a pillar, and sacked out. I woke up to peace, quiet and a new confidence in my ability to improvise while traveling.


Now, I frown at the screen. Where are these places? I'm not afraid of hoofing it sometimes: you just start early, put on your walking shoes and go. And I've been on foot in Pasadena: I remember sidewalk-botanizing on one early morning walk to the regional AABGA conference a few years back. I don't think I'll have much trouble if I plan well. I just need to measure the distance between these available hotels and the Langham. Or the Westin, and catch the shuttle, but I still want to save on price. Now, the work goes to checking each listing one by one. (To be continued...)