Hotel Questions

• I heard that some hotels will put an immediate charge on your credit card when you make a reservation. Do I have to worry about that?
• I tried to make a reservation online and it said the hotel was sold out. What do I do?
• I want to reserve a room, but I do not have (or do not want to use) a credit card. What do I do?
• How many people are we allowed to have in a hotel room?
• Do the Westin's elevators work?
• Does the hotel have high-speed internet access?
• Are there any cheaper hotels in the area?
• Where do we get good cheap food?
• Where is a good place to meet up with my friends?
• Is there a charge for parking?
• What is the minimum age to rent a hotel room?
• Are there refrigerators or microwaves available in the Westin's hotel rooms?
• What is Anthrocon's policy on room parties?
• Can the hotel set up a party floor?
• Where can I find the nearest (liquor store, Mosque, etc.) to the hotel?
• The convention dates are June 26th-29th, but the hotel's reservation system has different dates. What's up with that?
• What are the taxes on hotel rooms?
• I heard that some hotels will put an immediate charge on your credit card when you make a reservation. Do I have to worry about that?

Not immediately. The Westin will charge one night's room and tax as a deposit at the end of April; this will be applied to your stay when you check out. The Omni will do the same thing about a week later. Please see this link for more information. At the time you check in, a "hold" will be placed on the card for the full amount of your stay, plus a little extra for incidentals (usually $60 or so). This is standard practice and is designed to protect the hotel from chargebacks and other discomforts.

• I tried to make a reservation online and it said the hotel was sold out. What do I do?

First, check this link as well as our "hotel questions" board to see if the hotel is actually sold out. If we have not announced it, then most likely we have just filled up our block on one or more of the nights. We can often call and have rooms added to our block, although that only works while there are still physically rooms available. If you get the "no availability" message, try changing the arrival and departure dates, making your stay shorter. The early and later dates traditionally fill up first, since our blocks are smaller on those days. Email ceo(at)anthrocon.org if this happens and let him know which dates appear to be sold out, and he will see about increasing the room block.

• I want to reserve a room, but I do not have (or do not want to use) a credit card. What do I do?

Email Jaime Andrade at jaime.andrade(at)westin.com. She will tell you your options.

• How many people are we allowed to have in a hotel room?

The fire marshall does not like to see more than four people in a room, so that is usually the limit. There is no reason for anyone to go into a room and count noses, so if there is an extra person hiding under the bed, they are not going to be noticed. Of course, if you advertise the fact that there is an extra person hiding under the bed -- such as by announcing it on our message boards or asking the hotel for eight extra pillows and towels -- the hotel is sort of obliged to do something about it.

• Do the Westin's elevators work?

They work wonderfully; even under the full onslaught of nearly three thousand people all trying to get to their rooms at once. The hotel has assured us that their maintenance staff will be keeping a close eye on things.

• Does the hotel have high-speed internet access?

The Westin provides "wired" high-speed internet access in the rooms through Wayport for $9.45 per day. They also have wireless access which offers a slower connection, but which is free. The Omni, likewise, has free wireless access. We still plan to be providing our usual Internet Room through the courtesy of Tigerden Internet Services, however.

• Are there any cheaper hotels in the area?

There are no cheaper hotels within the immediate area that Anthrocon can recommend. Even if there were, we would strongly encourage our attendees to stay at the Westin, Omni or Doubletree. Anthrocon's very existence depends on filling a certain number of hotel room-nights, as per our contracts with the hotels.

If you have financial concerns about getting a hotel room at the Westin, Omni, or Doubltree, we would recommend that you look into sharing your hotel with one or more other attendees.

• Where do we get good cheap food?

The Westin is located in the heart of Pittsburgh's business and cultural district. We are told that there are more than 90 eating establishments within walking distance. At the convention we will have more information about where to go for affordable food.

• Where is a good place to meet up with my friends? How about the hotel lobby?

Since Anthrocon covers so much acreage, it can be a challenge to pre-arrange a meeting spot with your friends for dinner or whatnot. We do not recommend people meet in the hotel lobby. It's not that big and it needs to be kept clear for traffic flow. Here are some places that you might consider for a meeting place.

The Zoo: Allegheny Ballrooms II and III, 3rd floor of the Westin. Can also be a bit crowded!

The West Corner of the Park: Outdoor turfed patio, 3rd floor of the DLCC near the Spirit of Pittsburgh Ballroom (aka the “South Terrace”). There is an indoor sitting area adjacent to it, as well.

Noresco Riverside Terrace: Outdoor terrace overlooking the river, 3rd floor of the DLCC.

North Terrace: 4th floor of the DLCC (with the amazing blue scrolling novel!)

We also recommend checking out the free Twitter service. It can be updated from a cellphone or IM and updates can also be sent to cellphones and IM. This is a potentially useful tool when trying to find out what your friends are up to while traveling.

• Is there a charge for parking?

There is. It is $10 per night to park in the Westin Hotel's garage; $20 per night to park in the convention center's garage. There are, however, many more choices in parking locations that are close by.

• What is the minimum age to rent a hotel room?

The minimum age to rent a hotel room is 18. This is because that is the minimum age at which an individual can enter into a legal contract. (such as a rental agreement for a hotel room)

• Are there refrigerators or microwaves available in the Westin's hotel rooms?

The Westin only has limited rooms that provide mini refrigerators. They also have a limited stock for people that request them; however, they will not be able to accommodate everyone.

There are NO microwaves available for any of the rooms at the Westin.

• What is Anthrocon's policy on room parties?

Traditionally, Anthrocon has taken the view that what happens in private hotel rooms is not our business; however, if we receive reports that illegal activity is taking place therein, such as the serving of alcohol to persons under 21 years of age, we have both a moral and a legal responsibility to take action. Room parties are perfectly allowed, provided they do not cause sufficient noise as to warrant complaints and are completely contained with the appropriate room.

• Can the hotel set up a party floor?

No, they cannot. Hotels located in a downtown area have different rules from hotels located further out. None of the hotels in the area are willing to set up party floors and non-party floors.

• Where can I find the nearest (liquor store, Mosque, etc.) to the hotel?

Go to Yahoo's Yellow Pages. Click "change location" and enter the zip code 15222 and, if you want to be really accurate, the address "1000 Penn Avenue." Then search the appropriate keywords ("restaurants japanese", "alcoholic beverages", "churches Moslem", etc.).

Alternatively, you can go to Google Local and search for things like restaurants near 15222.

• The convention dates are Junew 26th-29th, but the hotel's reservation system has different dates. What's up with that?

That reflects the days that our group rate at the hotel is valid, usually 3-4 days before the convention to 3-4 days after the convention. This allows you extra time to stay in Pittsburgh and see the city if you like.

• What are the taxes on hotel rooms?

The taxes on hotel rooms are:

6% Pennsylvania sales tax
1% Allegheny County sales tax
7% "Occupancy" tax

This comes to 14% in total. So if your room rate is $100/night, the bill would come to $114 per night after taxes are added in. Please keep this in mind if you are sharing a room.

For further information on our hotels, please see our hotel page.