FUDCon Fact-finding Trip

[Chris Tyler]

I stopped by the FUDCon candidate hotels and Dave & Buster's this
afternoon.

Hilton Garden Inn:
- More expensive than Marriott ($129/dbl occupancy)
+ A bit nicer (e.g., Herman Miller desk chair)
+ Adjacent to Viva station, 600m to D&B
+ Restaurant is breakfast/lunch/dinner, room service available
+ Reliable wireless signal
- 1.6 Mbps download, 1 Mbps upload on wireless, carrier is Rogers
+ Has offered a king suite for hospitality ("hacking room"), discounted
breakfast vouchers

Marriott Courtyard:
+ Cheaper ($99/dbl occupancy)
- Slightly more basic decor
- 600m to Viva station (5-10 minute walk), adjacent to D&B
- Restaurant is breakfast-only
- Wireless only in lobby
+ 2.66 Mbps download, 2.66 Mbps upload, carrier is MTS Allstream

The hotels are otherwise basically equivalent (pool, hot tub, fitness
room (Hilton's is slightly larger), close to other restaurants for
Thursday/Sunday night, etc).

If the Hilton will drop their price a bit to better compete with the
Marriott, they would get my recommendation. I'll see what I can talk
them into.

Dave & Busters:
- We could easily spend over the budget, but there are some ways to do
it for $30.
- Best option appears to be an appetizer-style buffet in a room that has
9 pocket pool tables, 1 snooker table, and two shuffleboard tables.
- They're going to forward a proposed package for our review, I'll pass
it along when it arrives.

--
Chris