Re: ADS/LSA hotel rates

[RonButters at AOL.COM]

I guess this is a valid point. We did not meet our guarantee at the DSNA 
meeting at Duke this spring, and we did indeed have to pay a penalty, which 
ultimately will be paid for by DSNA members who attend the next meeting of DSNA in 
the form of higher registration fees (since we have no surplus to send ahead to 
the next conference hosts). The chief reason for this, however, was that 
fewer people actually attended than we expected. One always assumes that a certain 
number of people will book rooms at cheaper hotels in the neighborhood.

In the case of LSA/ADS in Boston, though, the fact that the Sheraton would 
price their supposedly discounted rooms higher than the Hilton ACROSS THE STREET 
seems to me to mean that the Sheraton is doing some price gouging. LSA should 
be complaining that the contract is unfair, which it apparently is. I realize 
that the Hilton does not have to furnish meeting rooms, so maybe this is a 
factor in making their prices somewhat lower. Maybe LSA should have given some 
thought to the possible effects of competition from across the street when they 
signed the contract with Sheraton.

In any case, I can't imagine that this is somehow a new situation, as 
Luanne's message seems to imply. Surely people have opted for cheaper hotel rooms in 
the past when the quality was the same and the convenience was no different. 
And I can't believe that people will pass up considerable savings in Boston 
because they fear that their conference registration fees may go up a few dollars 
in the future.


In a message dated 9/29/03 5:46:24 PM, lvonschn at WISC.EDU writes:


> <<Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2003 15:12:11 EDT
> From: RonButters at AOL.COM
> Subject: ADS hotel rates
> MIME-version: 1.0
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> 
> According to the May 2003 NADS, the LSA/ADS/ANS hotel is the Sheraton Back
> Bay at 39 Dalton St. Their conference rate is given as $109.00 per night.
> 
> I just booked a room at the Hilton across the street for $93.60 per night
> (including taxes and service charges), and this is a deluxe room; they have
> them
> cheaper (AAA rate).>>
> 
> 
> 
> Dear Ron and all,
> 
> As you can see from Ron's message, you can save money.  What you can't see
> from his message is the effect of this action on the LSA.  The LSA has
> guaranteed a certain number of room nights in its contract with the
> hotel.  If it does not meet this number, it must pay penalty fees.  So if
> attendees all book in a different hotel or even in the conference hotel but
> through websites like Orbitz, etc., the organization is penalized.  Which
> in turn means higher conference fees for you in the future.  Organizations
> all over the country are being majorly affected by their members bypassing
> normal conference sign-up procedures.  Please give this a thought before
> trying an alternative.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Luanne v S
> (speaking as administrator of a sister learned society)
>