A Note About Room Reservations at the Madison Concourse Hotel

 

Our room rates at the Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club, are guaranteed only through Wednesday, May 24. Our headquarters hotel is located at 1 West Dayton Street, Madison, WI, 53703. This is where we'll board our buses every morning and drop off at the end of the day. Once registered for the Fling, use the unique code we sent/send you to book your room at our special rates. Use this link to learn more about the hotel: Madison Concourse Hotel. Don't miss out!

Downtown Madison is known for easy walk-ability, bike paths for miles, delightful festivals, an awe-inspiring farmers’ market, dozens of live music venues, world-class restaurants, and art museums—all nestled on an isthmus between two sapphire lakes and steps from the Concourse Hotel.

The hotel is also located just a short walking distance from the pedestrian-only State Street, the State Capitol, and the waterfront summer hangout Memorial Union Terrace.

The entire isthmus is a busy, vibrant area full of opportunities to explore and enjoy!

Each room at the Concourse has complimentary wifi access, making it easy to check in on social media and connect with friends and family. An indoor pool and fitness center are also available if you’re so inclined.












You’ll find contemporary American dining at the CIRC restaurant, which crafts seasonal dishes featuring ingredients from local farmers and producers.

The Bar, located on the first floor near the lobby, offers an extensive wine list, an impressive craft beer selection, and artisan cocktails. In addition, a full-service Starbucks is adjacent to the lobby.

The Concourse offers gathering spaces throughout the lobby—perfect for relaxing and catching up with other Flingers.

State Street is just around the corner from the hotel, and you’ll want to explore this seven-block, bustling pedestrian thoroughfare for shopping, dining, or simply people-watching. We're also planning some time on Saturday morning to explore the Dane County Farmers' Market, conveniently located on the tree-lined grounds surrounding the Wisconsin State Capitol building, near the hotel.

If you're planning on an extended stay, we've also provided information about additional plant shopping, garden visiting, sightseeing, and entertainment opportunities in Madison and the surrounding area. Consider adding a day or two on the front or the end of the Fling dates.

Our reserved (limited number of rooms) room rate is $179/night for single and double; $189 for triple; and $199 for quad. At registration time, you had/have access to the special rates.

Don't miss out on these special rates!









Photos courtesy The Concourse Hotel and Governor's Club

Our Hotel for the Madison Garden Bloggers Fling

When you arrive in Madison—a vibrant cultural hub of art, music, food, and more—you’ll be staying at the Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club, located at 1 West Dayton Street, Madison, WI, 53703. This is where we'll board our buses every morning and drop off at the end of the day.

Downtown Madison is known for easy walk-ability, bike paths for miles, delightful festivals, an awe-inspiring farmers’ market, dozens of live music venues, world-class restaurants, and art museums—all nestled on an isthmus between two sapphire lakes and steps from the Concourse Hotel.

The hotel is also located just a short walking distance from the pedestrian-only State Street, the State Capitol, and the waterfront summer hangout Memorial Union Terrace.

The entire isthmus is a busy, vibrant area full of opportunities to explore and enjoy!

Each room at the Concourse has complimentary wifi access, making it easy to check in on social media and connect with friends and family. An indoor pool and fitness center are also available if you’re so inclined.












You’ll find contemporary American dining at the CIRC restaurant, which crafts seasonal dishes featuring ingredients from local farmers and producers.

The Bar, located on the first floor near the lobby, offers an extensive wine list, an impressive craft beer selection, and artisan cocktails. In addition, a full-service Starbucks is adjacent to the lobby.

The Concourse offers gathering spaces throughout the lobby—perfect for relaxing and catching up with other Flingers.

State Street is just around the corner from the hotel, and you’ll want to explore this seven-block, bustling pedestrian thoroughfare for shopping, dining, or simply people-watching. We're also planning some time on Saturday morning to explore the Dane County Farmers' Market, conveniently located on the tree-lined grounds surrounding the Wisconsin State Capitol building, near the hotel.

We'll be blogging about all of this in much more detail as we get closer to the Fling. If you're planning on an extended stay, we'll also provide information about additional plant shopping, garden visiting, sightseeing, and entertainment opportunities in Madison and the surrounding area. Consider adding a day or two on the front or the end of the Fling dates.

Our reserved (limited number of rooms) room rate is $179/night for single and double; $189 for triple; and $199 for quad. At registration time (very soon!), you'll have access to the special rates.

Registration will open soon, so keep reading the blog regularly for more info and details. We expect to fill up fast, and we want to make sure you can join us!






Photos courtesy The Concourse Hotel and Governor's Club

Fabulous hotel location has fun all around for flingers to enjoy

When you arrive in Austin, the Live Music Capital of the World, you’ll be staying at the Marriott Courtyard Austin/Convention Center, located at 300 East 4th Street, Austin, Texas 78701. This is where we'll board our buses every morning and drop off at the end of the day.

The Marriott is located in the heart of the city, just a short walking distance from the famous 6th Street entertainment district, the State Capitol, and beautiful Lady Bird Lake.  You're guaranteed to get a feel of that unique “Keep Austin Weird” vibe that people love about Austin.

We'll send out a link you can use to make your reservations when we open registration.

Early morning starts will be easy with free wifi to check in on social media and a Starbucks®   conveniently located right inside the hotel.

You'll also find inviting gathering spaces throughout the lobby - perfect for relaxing and catching up with other Flingers.

For a late night snack or cocktail, head into the Champions Restaurant and Bar or find the perfect spot on 6th Street.

A gym and indoor pool are available for bloggers who don't get enough exercise during our 3 days of dawn till dusk garden tours.  When sleep finally calls, cozy beds and hotel rooms will make you feel right at home.

For the evening/dinner on your own Friday night, you'll find an array of places to eat great food, listen to hoppin' live music and just plain people watch.

Strolling down 6th street is an experience all on its own.  On the 6th Street website you'll find so many options it may be hard to choose.  

We'll be blogging about it all in much more detail as we get closer to the Fling.  We'll highlight 6th Street and all the other hip places like SoCo, Rainey Street, the East Side that you can check out while you're here.  

If you're planning on an extended stay, we'll be also providing information about additional nursery shopping, garden visiting, sight seeing and entertainment opportunities in Austin and the surrounding Hill Country.

Enticed yet?  If you're not already considering staying a little longer, you might want to rethink it!

Registration will open in early November, so keep reading the blog regularly for more info and details.  It's sure to fill up fast, and you don't want to miss out.

Toronto Fling: Our Fling hotel, the Fairmont Royal York

 

For the Toronto Fling, we have negotiated a great group rate of CDN $179 (plus fees & taxes*) at the city's "grande dame" hotel, the Fairmont Royal York. [NOTE: Our Standard room rate above sold out quickly, though ask about any cancellations. But, we also have a great rate on Deluxe rooms.]

This rate includes wifi and applies, on a first-come, first-served basis, from June 1 to June 10, 2015 – plenty of shoulder room to work around your best flights or enjoy a longer visit to Toronto. And we have plenty to see and do beyond the gardenesque. (Some of these might even be on our itinerary.)

When you register for the Fling, we'll include our Fling discount code for the hotel and reservations number or weblink to our online reservations page.

The Fairmont Royal York is right downtown, just across Front Street from Union Station, for travellers by train and for subway transit for those extending their visit to explore the city.

Directions to the hotel are here. We're also crossing our fingers that the brand spanking new Union Pearson Express rail service from/to Pearson International Airport (YYZ) will be finished on schedule and in time for our Fling. We'll keep you posted. Other options for land transport from the airport can be found here. And downtown's Billy Bishop city airport (YTZ) is just a few blocks away by cab.

The Royal York is also directly connected to the city's PATH system, our huge underground shopping network.

Construction is a way of life in any major city, and downtown Toronto is no exception. But with the Pan Am/Parapan Am Games happening just a few weeks after the Fling, we hope to show you a city that looks and works at its best.

*All room rates are subject to Ontario’s 13% Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) as well as a DMP – Destination Marketing Program Fee of 2.66% plus HST = 3%.

Getting to the hotel...

Once the Portland Fling is underway we've got your transportation needs covered (no, not a personal limo, a bus) but you're probably wondering how exactly to get to the hotel from the airport. Here's a list of options from Heather...

Light rail:
The MAX (our light rail) goes directly from the airport to our downtown. There is only one line, so you don’t need to worry about getting on the wrong train. When you get off your plane, head downstairs toward baggage claim/ground transportation. The MAX station is on the south end of baggage claim, as seen in this map. You can always ask someone “where’s the MAX?” if you get confused. Fare is $2.50. You can download an app to your smartphone to buy tickets or buy tickets right at the station.

Once on the MAX, your trip will take about 45 minutes. A robotic voice will announce every stop and there are digital displays that tell you which stop is upcoming. Sit back and enjoy the scenery. You’ll know you’re entering downtown when you cross the river.

Your stop is Pioneer Square North. It drops you right off next to a Starbucks and a bunch of people playing chess in Pioneer Square. You’ll want to walk north on Broadway. Can you see the Baskin Robbins? That’s north. You’ll cross Alder, then you should see a Peet’s Coffee. That’s your hotel!

A special note: while our city is relatively crime free, if you’re a woman who doesn’t enjoy traveling alone
late at night, we’d probably advise against taking the MAX. If you’re coming in at a reasonable hour, don’t sweat it. If your flight is coming in late at night we’d recommend taking a shuttle or taxi. (Heather here: I’ve taken the MAX at all times of day and night in all sorts of conditions and I’ve never felt unsafe. Your mileage may vary—do what feels right to you.)

Taxi:
If you’ve had a long flight and you’d rather not spend another minute with a bunch of people, you can take a cab. Cabs are located in the same area as the MAX station (head downstairs toward baggage/ground transportation). Radio Cab charges $33.50 to go from the airport to the Marriott City Center. Fares are regulated, so any cab company should charge roughly the same amount. A very few cabbies don’t take credit cards, so be sure to ask if that’s how you’re paying. Depending on traffic, this option should take 20-40 minutes.

Shuttle:
Blue Star Bus has an express shuttle that leaves from the airport and will take you right to the door of the hotel for $14. You’ll be stopping at places on the way, so I’d guess this option will take about 45 minutes.


Our hotel of record is the Portland Marriott City Center: 520 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205. If you
have any issues or get lost, please call Heather Tucker at 971-221-5278.

Fling Hotel Open For Reservations!

The Fling Committee scoured through a myriad of downtown hotels until they found the perfect one for the Fling. Centrally-located in the heart of Downtown, the Portland Marriott City Center will be our Home Base during the Fling.


"Located in the heart of Rose City, Portland Marriott City Center allows guests to tap into the pulse of Portland's most enchanting urban rhythms. Boasting the city's best location among boutique hotels in downtown Portland, we are a traveler’s delight. Centrally located in the business district near shopping, restaurants and MAX Light Rail, we have it all."


DEN Drink Eat Network - Our restaurant near Pearl District Portland offers local food, local wine surrounded by local art in a warm and inviting atmosphere. Dine in at any point during the day for a casual meal while catching up on the day’s adventures with friends and family.
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.


• High-speed Internet access is available in all guest rooms and meeting rooms to keep you connected.
• Downtown Portland accommodations have refrigerators to keep food and drinks cold and refreshing.
• Premium cable, flat-screen TVs and on-demand movies are offered in hotel rooms.
• Our lodging destination includes in-room coffeemakers with complimentary coffee and tea for guests.
• Sleep in one of our PURE hypo-allergenic rooms when you stay with us for an allergy-free night.
• With an ADA-accessible hotel room, downtown Portland accommodations at our property are top-notch.
• This hotel has a smoke-free policy
---Please note...we've negotiated as part of our rate that all Fling Attendees will get FREE WiFi internet during their stay. You'll still have to sign up as if you are going to pay the first time you use it...but the charges will be backed out upon your checkout...just like at the hotel in San Francisco last year.



Just like the Event Registration, we anticipate the rooms to fill up fast...so book your rooms TODAY!!!




UPDATE: If you want to add on days before or after the fling, just give them a call...they are happy to help you out!

DOUBLE UPDATE: Usually calling the hotel directly will work, but if you run into a roadblock, please let me know by sending me an email HERE.  I'll do my best to find a solution, if I can :-)

The Early Blooms Get Pollinated

This is a story about the block of rooms reserved at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel for the Garden Bloggers Asheville Fling 2012.

Based on the attendance at the last two Flings in Buffalo and Seattle, 50 rooms were blocked for our use at the discounted group rate. Part of the signed agreement I made with the hotel was that inside 90 days of the events dates I would be responsible for 90% of the cost of all those room nights reserved for the group. Mr. Planner Man has no intention of getting stuck with a bill like that if the rooms are not filled. So at that 90 day cut off point I will have to decide if some rooms in our reserved block have to be let go if they haven't come closer to being filled.

Our official registration only went live two weeks ago and we are doing very well. Thirty two rooms are booked, ten of them as double occupancy. We encourage you to share rooms to help cut costs for this fun event. More money left to buy plants and shop downtown.

Several members of our planning team only live blocks away and won't be sleeping at the hotel, but still count as attendees. One bus is filled and we are now filling the second. For just two weeks that is a great response.

This year's Fling is in May not July so that leaves less time to procrastinate. The last day you can reserve a room at the hotel before I may need to let rooms go is Sunday, February 19th. On Monday February 20th I will adjust the number of rooms in our our reserved block so any possibility of me getting screwed is removed.

If I need to reduce our reserved block of rooms I can ask for more once they are filled. I can ask. That doesn't mean once they have been set free I will be able to get them back at our discounted rate. Our discounted group rate is valid until April 17th, 2012 only on the block we hold.

The bottom line of this long story is that to ensure a discounted room rate in the downtown hotel of record you need to book a room by February 19th. After that the lower rate gets a little riskier. The longer you wait the riskier it gets. Got it? Asheville being what it is, the longer you wait, the higher the possibility you may even need to book at a different hotel.

Registration for attending the Fling itself will be closed in mid April. Official headcounts will be needed in advance for all of our food vendors and many of our swag sponsors. The exact day in April will be determined on another day.

The Four Points Sheraton link above will take you to the hotel reservation site. Fill those rooms.