Hotel Options for ITR Expo 2002
01-21-2002, 03:43 PM
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Hotel Options for ITR Expo 2002
This is an update on the hotel situation for the ITR Expo 2002. This is everything I know from having gone to GingerMan for quite a few years now, and I’ve inserted a bunch of links to various websites, so listen up.
First of all, the special rate I found on the website of the headquarters hotel, the Guesthouse Inn, (as reported here) is no longer available. In fact, if you go to their website, it will tell you that "This property is unavailable". I don’t know if they are actually full, or if they just blocked off a bunch of rooms for the CGI rate; your best bet is to telephone them and make your reservation as soon as possible.
The CGI rate at the Guesthouse Inn is around $79 per night. That may sound like a lot of money to some of you, so let me explain why that is, and what some of the alternatives are. The reason rates in South Haven are generally pretty high is because it’s a resort community, with beaches, fishing, golfing, etc. Orientation: South Haven is on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan and has a small central business district a mile west of the highway interchange (I-196, which runs north-south, at Phoenix Road, which runs east-west). The track is on Phoenix Road six miles east of that highway interchange. At the highway interchange are gas stations (BP, Amoco), fast food restaurants (Big Boy, Arby’s), shopping (Wal-Mart), etc. Also Sherman’s Dairy Bar, an ice cream parlor where they make their own excellent ice cream, practically next door to the Guesthouse Inn. South Haven has a website here with tourism information.
The Guesthouse Inn is one of three brand-new upscale budget-chain hotels clustered just east of the highway interchange, along with the Holiday Inn Express and the Hampton Inn. All have room rates that usually run from $90 to $150 a night. All are very nice, with nice big parking lots, continental breakfast, and I think they have swimming pools but I’m not positive. The biggest advantage of the Guesthouse is that this is where most of the ITR Expo people will be staying; if they’re full, the other two places are similar and next door (HIE) or right across the street (HI). One way of cutting costs is to share a room with someone else.
Anyone like me is probably thinking, okay, what other hotel options are there that cost less? Here they are:
1. Camping at the track. I don’t know if they allow this and/or if they charge for this - maybe Wes can check - but I’ve seen people do this. It’s safe, and they have showers in the rest rooms.
2. Budget Lodge, about a mile southwest of the highway interchange. This is a former Econo Lodge, and consists of an older, rather dumpy motel, with room rates $45-50 per night, along with some newer, townhouse-type rooms that are pretty nice, but with higher room rates.
3. Lots of small properties around town, many of which are bed and breakfast type places. I haven’t stayed in any of these. Rates and quality have been known to vary widely.
4. Lots of budget-type hotels (Red Roof Inn, Motel 6, etc) in Benton Harbor and St. Joseph, with reasonable ($40-50) room rates. These are far - 25 to 35 miles south on the interstate - and you’ll regret having to drive back and forth each day. BTDT.
5. Hotels in Holland and Saugatuck, 30 miles north on the interstate. Because this is also a resort community, the rates aren’t going to be much less than in South Haven.
In a nutshell, the Guesthouse Inn is really nice except maybe for the price. None of these other options is great in every way, but maybe another one might fit your personal needs. Anyway, in case you were wondering about alternatives, now you know. HTH.
[Modified by nsxtcjr, 6:50 PM 1/21/2002]
First of all, the special rate I found on the website of the headquarters hotel, the Guesthouse Inn, (as reported here) is no longer available. In fact, if you go to their website, it will tell you that "This property is unavailable". I don’t know if they are actually full, or if they just blocked off a bunch of rooms for the CGI rate; your best bet is to telephone them and make your reservation as soon as possible.
The CGI rate at the Guesthouse Inn is around $79 per night. That may sound like a lot of money to some of you, so let me explain why that is, and what some of the alternatives are. The reason rates in South Haven are generally pretty high is because it’s a resort community, with beaches, fishing, golfing, etc. Orientation: South Haven is on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan and has a small central business district a mile west of the highway interchange (I-196, which runs north-south, at Phoenix Road, which runs east-west). The track is on Phoenix Road six miles east of that highway interchange. At the highway interchange are gas stations (BP, Amoco), fast food restaurants (Big Boy, Arby’s), shopping (Wal-Mart), etc. Also Sherman’s Dairy Bar, an ice cream parlor where they make their own excellent ice cream, practically next door to the Guesthouse Inn. South Haven has a website here with tourism information.
The Guesthouse Inn is one of three brand-new upscale budget-chain hotels clustered just east of the highway interchange, along with the Holiday Inn Express and the Hampton Inn. All have room rates that usually run from $90 to $150 a night. All are very nice, with nice big parking lots, continental breakfast, and I think they have swimming pools but I’m not positive. The biggest advantage of the Guesthouse is that this is where most of the ITR Expo people will be staying; if they’re full, the other two places are similar and next door (HIE) or right across the street (HI). One way of cutting costs is to share a room with someone else.
Anyone like me is probably thinking, okay, what other hotel options are there that cost less? Here they are:
1. Camping at the track. I don’t know if they allow this and/or if they charge for this - maybe Wes can check - but I’ve seen people do this. It’s safe, and they have showers in the rest rooms.
2. Budget Lodge, about a mile southwest of the highway interchange. This is a former Econo Lodge, and consists of an older, rather dumpy motel, with room rates $45-50 per night, along with some newer, townhouse-type rooms that are pretty nice, but with higher room rates.
3. Lots of small properties around town, many of which are bed and breakfast type places. I haven’t stayed in any of these. Rates and quality have been known to vary widely.
4. Lots of budget-type hotels (Red Roof Inn, Motel 6, etc) in Benton Harbor and St. Joseph, with reasonable ($40-50) room rates. These are far - 25 to 35 miles south on the interstate - and you’ll regret having to drive back and forth each day. BTDT.
5. Hotels in Holland and Saugatuck, 30 miles north on the interstate. Because this is also a resort community, the rates aren’t going to be much less than in South Haven.
In a nutshell, the Guesthouse Inn is really nice except maybe for the price. None of these other options is great in every way, but maybe another one might fit your personal needs. Anyway, in case you were wondering about alternatives, now you know. HTH.
[Modified by nsxtcjr, 6:50 PM 1/21/2002]
01-21-2002, 05:31 PM
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Re: Hotel Options for ITR Expo 2002 (Batoutahell)
Ken,
This is very good info. Someone should add it to the FAQ at itrexpo.com. I think it should also be added to the post at the top of the page - https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=110973
It will quickly get lost among the many posts that we get on this board. If that happens, those who surf & post from work will not see this message tomorrow morning.
jmb
[Modified by jmb, 8:32 PM 1/21/2002]
This is very good info. Someone should add it to the FAQ at itrexpo.com. I think it should also be added to the post at the top of the page - https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=110973
It will quickly get lost among the many posts that we get on this board. If that happens, those who surf & post from work will not see this message tomorrow morning.
jmb
[Modified by jmb, 8:32 PM 1/21/2002]
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