I spoke with the hotel earlier today about this issue. They said if the local operators are busy your call gets bumped to a remote reservation office that can't access the full inventory. So, if you do call the hotel, ask for "In-house" reservations. If for some reason you're told the room block is sold out, follow Peter's suggestion and state: "I had been told that there would be rooms available for anyone attending the conference even after the block set aside was filled." If necessary, tell them this directive came from Marcia Sheingold, the Menger's Director of Sales.
In short, yes our block was sold out at least a week ago, but the hotel wants all of our business and is committed to adding rooms to our block up until April 17 - they just seem to be adding these rooms in very small increments.
Brenda Nelson-Strauss
ARSC Conference Manager
812-855-7530
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-----Original Message-----
From: ARSC Library and Archives Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Peter Hirsch
Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2017 11:12 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Conference Hotel - There are plenty of rooms!
I attempted, unsuccessfully, to get a room on through the online link yesterday. I got a calendar with only a couple of dates, not during our conference, in May that were available. I called the 800 number and got someone who initially told me that there was nothing available on the dates I was requesting, despite my identifying myself as attending the ARSC conference before I even asked for a room. I said that I had been told that there would be rooms available for anyone attending the conference even after the block set aside was filled. Then, she said that she would be able to give me a room at the agreed ARSC rate. The amount that appears on my confirmation email looks to be correct, so, it worked out, but not without a bit of persistence and I still can't figure how I was told there were no rooms at all and then she gave me one anyway with our discount.
Just sending this off to warn attendees about what they might be encountering and to advise not taking the hotel's word about rooms until you get what you want.
Peter Hirsch
On Tue, Mar 21, 2017 at 5:33 PM, Nelson-Strauss, Brenda < [log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I sent an update about our room block to the list on Friday, which
> resulted in a surge of reservations over the weekend. Consequently,
> the ARSC block was temporarily sold-out - but the manager added
> additional rooms on Monday. She has assured me that our room block
> will be continually restocked until the April 17th cut-off date and we
> won't need to find an overflow hotel. However, since she will be on
> vacation until the 31st, it's possible that certain nights might sell out again before her return.
>
> If you are told there are no rooms, please contact me immediately -
> and provide information on the room type (single or double) and the
> dates requested - so I can notify the hotel. If you made reservations
> outside of the ARSC room block over the weekend and paid a higher
> rate, I would urge you to contact the hotel and request a room in our
> block (not only will you receive a lower rate, but the room will be
> applied to ARSC's total pick up and benefit our organization).
>
> I would also encourage people to call the hotel directly using the
> toll free reservation number (800) 345-9285 and group code 0517ARSC,
> since the online portal is a little clunky.
>
> Brenda Nelson-Strauss
> ARSC Conference Manager
> 812-855-7530
> [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>
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