jleidel

All, not sure if this is an enzo or not, but I just booked my hotel for the US Grand Prix next year in Austin, TX. A colleague here at work did an exhaustive search and found a Hampton Inn ~60 miles south of the track in La Grange, TX for $99/night. If you go 20 miles closer to Bastrop, the price jumps to $255/night and its already over $700/night in Austin proper.

The reservation does *NOT* have to be prepaid, so we're safe if they change the race date.

This is by no means a 5-star establishment, but it should do nicely for a race hotel.

link: https://secure.hilton.com/en/hp/hote...tyhocn=AUSLGHX

txhokie4life

Wow -- $700/nt

I might have to consider renting my house out :-)

I'll send the family on vacation and I'll sleep at the shop!

Mike

Glen McCartney

Is the tentative date still June17th?

hacker-pschorr

If so I just found 6 rooms in Austin for under $200 a night.

jleidel

Glen, so far yes. However, there is a group that is putting together a petition for the FIA to change the race date to later in the season [likely October]. They're worried that the Texas heat in June will affect the fan/team participation [rightly so].

pcar928fan

If next June is like this June, they will be in BIG HUGE TROUBLE and it will be a great showing the first year and that will be the end of it...NO ONE will come back! This has been insane heat this year! UNREAL! Our June has been like a normal August for us and my lawn looks like it does in Aug/Sept! TERRIBLE SUMMER SO FAR! Of course we have had some VERY COOL June's too...well that might be a bit of an overstatement, but we have had some nice June's. Last year was great actually!

Very end of Oct or first of Nov would be PERFECT! That is the best weather all year here...Nov! Oct can still be pretty hot, but Nov and Dec (at least the first half) are usually quite spectacular!

I am stunned by hotel costs! I hope someone is taking that info to the city council today!

SeanR

Roger and I had talked of taking over the Hampton in Marble Falls again, it's not like they won't set 30 or so rooms off to the side for us. About an hour or so drive to the track.

hacker-pschorr

For what? It's called supply and demand, same thing happened every year for the USGP at Indy. One year we booked late and paid $350 a night for a flea bag hotel that was $29 any other night of the year.

Hotel prices go up every weekend of a home Packer game in Green Bay.

Same goes for Elkhart Lake and I'm sure every other race track / major sporting event.

Dennis K

Some hotels clearly realize that the F1 money train is coming to town, while others remain blissfully ignorant. Deals are out there. Witness:
http://www.kayak.com/#hotels/Austin-...-06-18/2guests

I am not staying at the $709/night Hampton Inn but have chosen the $76/night Red Roof Inn near the airport.

James Bailey

Ah...."I am stunned by hotel costs! I hope someone is taking that info to the city council today! ...."
The city council actually would be thrilled at the prospect of all the money which would flow into the local economy !

pcar928fan

That would be an optimistic drive time for sure! Considering traffic and such I will be hard pressed to make it there in an hour from my house I think! Hell, it is 40 min from my house on a good day as it is!

I am seriously thinking of setting up the R/V down there on site (I suspect they will have places for that) and then coming and going really late or early and/or just sleeping there onsite!

SeanR

Wouldn't be in a hurry anyhow. You know no one would be getting up early as it is.

pcar928fan

EXCELLENT CALL! Nice place and you will be close too!!

Jim, you are exactly right! Big fight going on right now over the "economic impact" of the race...this would PROVE the point that there is a HUGE positive impact for the local businesses with this event happening! They have been questioning this from the get go...that and they want it to be a "GREEN" race! Not sure how Austin can impact that aspect of F1 but leave it to the greenie weenies in Austin, TX to ask for that! IDIOTS!

77tony

James, Would it be to much to ask to clear out your 8+ 928's from your garage for a few days. Many airbeds could fill these spaces for Austin's first F1 weekend. You could even rent out your 928's to your new guests ? T

pcar928fan

My nightly rent would be high enough to make house payments for MONTHS! Cheaper to get a room at Red Roof Inn by a long shot and MUCH, MUCH closer to the track as well!!