juliana, can you arrange for it to be in Madison?

Hee hee hee.

"But, juliana, this is a solar party. Having it in conjunction with 'vampire' types doesn't seem...appropriate, somehow."

"Listen, bucko, once y'all see these women in their corsets you will forever eschew your outmoded sun worship and embrace the dark side. Plus, mojitos!"

I have put in my request for time off

Can someone remind me if we have a hotel in Madison yet?

Tom, I'm doing the comparison spreadsheet from the proposals SailAweigh sent out. We'll let people here narrow the choice down and I'll visit the sites and we can make a choice by the beginning of April, maybe? Which should give us ample booking time.

Here's the info on the hotels that responded to my RFP. Not all of them provided all the information I requested, but we at least got room rates from most of them. The last place seemed to think knowledge of the room rates should be a state secret. Also, as a side note on room rates, all these rates were quoted for May. A quick search of a few of these sites shows that rates for June will be $10-20 higher.

Candlewood Suites

Candlewood Suites, location.

Room rate: $109
Event room: $250
Prom catering: $19.95-$23.95 pp

Kitchenettes, TV's, etc. in rooms
Free internet & wifi
Shopping & restaurants in vicinity, complimentary shuttle to the surrounding area (5 mi. radius)

InnTowner

Best Western InnTowner, location

Room rate: $109
Event room: $300

Free internet & wifi
Complimentary area shutte (2 mi. radius)
Complimentary airport shuttle

Inn on Park

The Inn on Park,

Room rate: $119 (1 bed)/$139 (2 bed)
Event room: $450
Prom catering:

No hospitality suites that include kitchenettes and a $150/day fee + cost of a/v equipment

Marriott

Madison Marriott West, location

Room rate: $119
Event room: $250
Prom catering:

Greenway Shopping Center
Complimentary airport shuttle

Crowne Plaza

Crowne Plaza, location

Room rate:
Event room:
Prom catering:

Was there one that you got a better feeling from than the others, Sail? The Candlewood Suites looks like the best one to me, from the info above, though I wonder if we'd be able to bring in our own food instead of having them cater, if we wanted. Would they be able to provide a hospitality suite?

I like the idea of the shuttle at the first two. Do you have a sense of where they all are in relation to town?

Kate, Cash genned up the post based on all the e-mails I've received so far. If there isn't a quote for one listed, they didn't offer a quote. Cash and I thought we could let everyone see what's out there, let folks air their opinions, narrow it down to the top three and then do site visits on those places so that we can get enough info for everyone to vote.

Anyway, my top three are (in no particular order):

Candlewood Suites is very nice. It's got a very nice restaurant attached and is close to a couple of other high end restaurants, in addition to a Brew Pub and some smaller restaurants and fast food joints. On the flip side, it's five miles from downtown, which is where all that is hip and happening. They do have a complimentary shuttle (with a five mile radius, how convenient), though, so all is not lost.

The Inn on the Park is smack downtown, right across from the Capitol building. It's a little older, the place has been renovated, but it doesn't have the luster it was noted for 30-40 years ago. Still, prime real estate, especially for pub crawling in this town. Capitol Square is anchored on one corner by State Street (the hotel is two blocks up, on another corner) and that is primo pub crawling. From the upper levels of the hotel you can see at least two of the lakes in Madison, maybe all four.

The InnTowner is located in the middle of an area known for student housing. It was actually built to take advantage of the nearness to the VA hospital and the UW hospital. There isn't a terrible lot of stuff close to it. One prime restaurant, a few decent ethnic restaurants and a liquor store (just keep in mind, you can not buy alcohol from stores after 9:30pm, you gotta go to the bars to do your boozing if you run out at home.) It is within two miles of State Street (downtown), Monroe Street (a two-three block shopping area with at least one nice restaurant), and University Station (a couple of shopping plazas, where there is a restaurant called Firefly, Asian-American fusion) which is the radius of their complementary shuttle. Actually, if you don't mind walking (and June is prime walking weather), it's a very pleasant walk to State Street. I lived in that area and walked to school every day (which is one end of State Street.) Monroe Street is probably actually a little closer than State Street and University Station is about 6-8 blocks from the hotel.

I've stayed at the InnTowner. I would recommend in on the Park, since it's closer to stuff. But, I have no knowledge of the the Candlewood Suites.

I love the idea of the Inn on the Park.