Information for YAPC::NA Sought

pudge on 2002-04-02T22:20:54

clintp writes "YAPC::NA is fast approaching (I'm all registered, got your papers submitted?) but the YAS page is still woefully lacking. Will there be dormitory housing? Where's a good place to stay for the conference that isn't a 4-hour donkey ride away? Maps would be useful. In fact, anything other than the date and city would be a bit more useful than the YAS site at the moment. STL Perl Mongers, where are you? Post replies for all to see, please!"

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cheshire

hfb on 2002-04-03T01:07:03

Stay at the Cheshire which is a short and safe walk to campus and has one of the finest scotch collections in the 3am pub. It's about $100 per night. I'd suggest the Jungle Room but....well....:)

Re:cheshire

clintp on 2002-04-03T13:03:09

Maybe I should have added "something that's not terribly expensive."

We're not all in the price range of you highly paid HP executives with your bonuses and raises, Elaine. :)

Re:cheshire

hfb on 2002-04-03T15:39:21

$100 a night in the hippest neighborhood in town is expensive? Heck, I paid $50 for a couple hours in some No-Tel Motel outside of Cleveland for a nap and the Hotel in Pittsburg for YAPC was $225 as I recall. In Boston, even the Motel 6 is $160+ per night. Well, you could rent a car for $40 a day and get a $40 a night room at the motel 8 in Festus too. I might add it's a very nice hotel too. Get someone to share the tab. $50 to be close to WU, have airconditioning, a clean shower and between 2 of the best movie theatres in the area makes up for the extra money.

There is the St. Louis Youth Hostel for $15 a night but it WILL BE HOT AND HUMID in late June so riding your bike from Soulard to WU will be strenuous and you'll require a shower. I also wouldn't consider it the safest bike ride after sundown.

And for those who haven't ever been in a Midwestern Summer. It's about 90 degress F with 90%+ humidity on any given day. If you like spending your days in the sauna, you'll adore Missouri. I will guarantee whining and regret if you cheap out and don't get A/C with your accomodations.

The point of YAPC ...

autarch on 2002-04-03T16:41:15

The whole point of YAPC is that it's supposed to be cheap!

I know for many of us who have not had steady work this year, YAPC is a viable conference because we can (we hope) plan to spend less than $40 per night for housing.

Yes, I could share a room, except that I snore really freaking loudly so I'd either have to lie to someone about that ("sure, I'm a quiet roommate") or find a deaf attendee to share with!

Re:The point of YAPC ...

hfb on 2002-04-03T17:54:05

Well, there's always camping in Forest Park! :)

He asked for a hotel, I gave him one that's cheap, nearby, has an excellent pub and is an overall nice place to stay. I'm sorry I have a paying job you damn slackers :)

Wherever you wind up, make sure there is A/C as, unless you are used to living in a cooker, you'll die without it.

*very* rough venue info

wickline on 2002-04-03T12:20:18

I'm not a slt.pm regular. In fact, I've attended exactly one meeting: the meeting after YAPC's location was announced.

After that meeting I put together some notes toward a venue page. I haven't yet done anything with them, but here are the notes if you're interested:

http://wickline.org/stl.pm/

The photos were taken one very cold day with an aim toward creating a slideshow showin how to navigate from various metro (STL light rail) stops to campus shuttle stops, and how to get to the Central West End and Loop (the two nearest neighborhoods with bars and such) from the metro. These photos will likely be re-taken when things look a little prettier.

I plead *busy* as my excuse for not doing more. Shortly after that pm meeting, my life circumstances changed such that I thought I wouldn't even be living in STL by the time YAPC came (yes, I'd already registered). When I found that out, I put together all those notes and photos so that I'd at least have done *something* to help out). Things have recently changed again, and it now seems that I'll probably be living in STL until June of 2003. However, things have still been very hectic for me.

Regarding the dorms issue: I've only attended one meeting, and nothing was known for certain at that time, but as I understood it it was *looking* like there might not be dorms.

However, whether or not that turns out to be the case, there was discussion of arranging volunteer hosts. Personally, I think I can probably talk my wife into agreeing that we'll host two folks (more if they like sleeping on the floor). I'm a block's walk from a campus shuttle stop, a few more blocks from a metro station.

-matt

proposal selections?

geoff on 2002-04-03T16:41:19

any word on when they'll be making proposal selections? I don't think I'll be attending unless I'm speaking, which leaves me in a bit of a lurch in terms of finding accomodations, flights, and so on if they delay the official announcements much longer...

YAPC not taking advantage of corporate deals.....

sherab on 2002-04-04T05:31:28

When a corporation or organization has a meeting, they can negotiate rates with a local hotel and get a kickback on the commission as well as a free room for every X number of rooms booked. I know this because I used to negotiate these rates when I was a travel manager.

Airlines also extend meeting services rates and since American now practically owns St Louis, negotiating a 5%-10% off rate on all fares for people coming into STL for the meeting.

For some reason YAPC never does this (it's not a failing specifically of STL.pm). Something for YAPC to consider for future conferences.

Re:YAPC not taking advantage of corporate deals...

mendel on 2002-04-06T07:50:17

YAPC::NA 2001 didn't arrange a corporate rate at the conference hotels in Montreal because it would have been more expensive than the university rate which we already had. Using the university rates also meant we were able to offer discounted prices at five hotels, from small-and-european through American chain all the way to a five-star hotel.

IDT "never" MWYTIM. :-)

Re:YAPC not taking advantage of corporate deals...

sherab on 2002-04-07T00:24:51

OK,...that lets Montreal off the hook.......for hotel.

"Using the university rates also meant we were able to offer discounted prices at five hotels, from small-and-european through American chain all the way to a five-star hotel."

The above says that there WERE discounts offered at hotels...I wasn't aware..