Perhaps the rule should be that at least one hotel per city is under $99/night, preferably all of them.

My fear with that, Vortex, is that the other hotels will be shinier enough that the will of the group will be to go with someplace more expensive.

In this case, I'm very concerned about the rights of the minority, even at the expense of a bit of the will of the majority, since it is the difference between someone being able to attend or not vs. shininess of accomidations.

I'm all for finding a place that's a bit cheaper than what we've had for the last couple of years, but $100 including taxes is too low of a maximum in my opinion. Was your intention that the $100 be all inclusive, Debet?

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I think that $100 a night in a major city is a farfetched expectation given all of the amenities that we want. Maybe I'm just judging by DC standards, and I'm not saying that it can't be done, but it's very limiting.

It does seem unlikely that under $100 and high speed/wireless internet connection in every room will go together. But that's just my Boston/Cambridge experience.

My feeling is that for the absolute max cost of a hotel room (especially with the amenities that are being requested) to stay under $100, we'd need to be looking at places like, I don't know, San Jose or Atascadero.

I like Vortex's idea. And if a $89 a night hotel (probably without the amenities) is close in proximity to a $119 a night hotel, people that aren't sticklers for a wireless connection in their room could stay there.

Does any of that make sense? I need coffee.

I like Vortex's idea. And if a $89 a night hotel (probably without the amenities) is close in proximity to a $119 a night hotel, people that aren't sticklers for a wireless connection in their room could stay there.

Or, if those are our choices, we can discuss and determine what takes priority. I'm still strongly in favor of letting the pimps pimp what they think are the best options based on the host of requirements, and seeing where that takes us.

If they're in close proximity (as was the case in LA, I think), that works as a unified option, I think.

It does seem unlikely that under $100 and high speed/wireless internet connection in every room will go together. But that's just my Boston/Cambridge experience.

Same for Minneapolis.

I'm happy to wait and see what the pimps pimp, but yeah.

I think that $100 a night in a major city is a farfetched expectation given all of the amenities that we want.

I think Vortex is right. $100 is a reasonable goal, but I think really we should be ecstatic to get anything under $125 with the amenities we want.