Convention Hotels

Sometimes, a convention hotel offers attendees a fantastic rate to encourage them to stay and spend money at the hotel. At Telefantastique 2, in the UK in 1999, the con hotel's best rates online were in the £180-200 area. Alternate sources had rooms as low as £130. The convention rate was £45 for a single, and that included tax and breakfast! The fans were appropriately appreciative and pretty much drank the place dry.

However, if you are ever planning to attend a science fiction convention, especially in Australia, it may pay to check into alternate ways to book your accommodation. Some hotels seem to believe that con attendees are simply a captive audience, to be milked at the door.

Here are a few examples. Note that these are real prices. US hotels usually try to misrepresent their prices by leaving taxes out. Priceline and Hotwire are even worse, as they also add fees to their quoted nightly rate.

Convention Dates Hotel Con rate
per night Lower rate
per night Where to book Notes

Conquest 90 5-7 Oct 1990 Mayfair Crest $135 $126 Flag Inns Required (free) membership of Flag's Inn Club to obtain the lower rate

Swancon 26 Easter 2001 Rydges Perth $146 $138 Hotelclub.com Rydges themselves offered an even lower weekend rate near the time

ConJose 29 Aug-4 Sep 2002 Hyatt Sainte Claire US$130.90 US$61.30 Priceline.com Unusually lucky, but shows how much hotels may discount rooms sometimes

Swancon 28 Easter 2003 Kings Perth $95 $78 Hotelclub.com

Continuum 11-13 Jul 2003 Hotel Y $115 $102 Hotelclub.com Cheap rate wasn't available close to the convention, as the con filled up the hotel

Swancon XXX Easter 2005 Emerald Hotel $95 $80 Entertainment Book

Continuum 3 14-17 Jul 2005 Hilton on the Park $170 $157/$140 Hilton.com $140 rate for Sunday only

Interaction 4-8 Aug 2005 Glasgow Hilton £100 £95 Hilton.com Cheaper rate only worked for booking 3-8 Aug, but many would arrive the 3rd anyhow

Convergence 2 8-11 Jun 2007 Rydges Melbourne (Spa suite) $259 $199 Rydges.com Standard rooms were marginally cheaper through the con.

Nippon 2007 30 Aug-3 Sep 2007 Intercontinental The Grand Yokohama ¥31,000 ¥20,790/¥32,340 Intercontinental.com Official con bookings had to be paid in full in advance, as well as costing more! ¥32,340 rate was for Friday only

Denvention 3 6-10 Aug 2008 Sheraton Denver US$171.12 US$80.39 Hotwire.com Cheaper rate for Thursday onwards, even available when the con rate was sold out

US$158.12 Tchotelsavings.com Cheaper rate for Sunday only, even available when the con rate was sold out

Aussiecon 4 2-6 Sep 2010 Hilton Melbourne South Wharf $225 $152.50 Hilton.com For Fri/Sat/Sun, including breakfast, if booked and paid by 31 Jan

$188 Hilton.com Pre-paid rate

Crowne Plaza Melbourne $215 $211.75 Ichotelsgroup.com Avg. Entertainment Book rate for con

Holiday Inn On Flinders $205 $189.75 Ichotelsgroup.com Avg. Entertainment Book rate for con

Hotel Enterprize $95 $85 Ubook.com.au

Convention	Dates	Hotel	Con rate per night	Lower rate per night	Where to book	Notes
Conquest 90	5-7 Oct 1990	Mayfair Crest	$135	$126	Flag Inns	Required (free) membership of Flag's Inn Club to obtain the lower rate
Swancon 26	Easter 2001	Rydges Perth	$146	$138	Hotelclub.com	Rydges themselves offered an even lower weekend rate near the time
ConJose	29 Aug-4 Sep 2002	Hyatt Sainte Claire	US$130.90	US$61.30	Priceline.com	Unusually lucky, but shows how much hotels may discount rooms sometimes
Swancon 28	Easter 2003	Kings Perth	$95	$78	Hotelclub.com
Continuum	11-13 Jul 2003	Hotel Y	$115	$102	Hotelclub.com	Cheap rate wasn't available close to the convention, as the con filled up the hotel
Swancon XXX	Easter 2005	Emerald Hotel	$95	$80	Entertainment Book
Continuum 3	14-17 Jul 2005	Hilton on the Park	$170	$157/$140	Hilton.com	$140 rate for Sunday only
Interaction	4-8 Aug 2005	Glasgow Hilton	£100	£95	Hilton.com	Cheaper rate only worked for booking 3-8 Aug, but many would arrive the 3rd anyhow
Convergence 2	8-11 Jun 2007	Rydges Melbourne (Spa suite)	$259	$199	Rydges.com	Standard rooms were marginally cheaper through the con.
Nippon 2007	30 Aug-3 Sep 2007	Intercontinental The Grand Yokohama	¥31,000	¥20,790/¥32,340	Intercontinental.com	Official con bookings had to be paid in full in advance, as well as costing more! ¥32,340 rate was for Friday only
Denvention 3	6-10 Aug 2008	Sheraton Denver	US$171.12	US$80.39	Hotwire.com	Cheaper rate for Thursday onwards, even available when the con rate was sold out
Denvention 3	6-10 Aug 2008	Sheraton Denver	US$171.12	US$158.12	Tchotelsavings.com	Cheaper rate for Sunday only, even available when the con rate was sold out
Aussiecon 4	2-6 Sep 2010	Hilton Melbourne South Wharf	$225	$152.50	Hilton.com	For Fri/Sat/Sun, including breakfast, if booked and paid by 31 Jan
		Hilton Melbourne South Wharf	$225	$188	Hilton.com	Pre-paid rate
		Crowne Plaza Melbourne	$215	$211.75	Ichotelsgroup.com	Avg. Entertainment Book rate for con
		Holiday Inn On Flinders	$205	$189.75	Ichotelsgroup.com	Avg. Entertainment Book rate for con
		Hotel Enterprize	$95	$85	Ubook.com.au