UnrepentantSinner
A post by Alan Smithee
IIRC the Stardust allowed us to bring our own food and drink for our party in the hospitality room, but then again, all that's left of the Stardust is memories.
TAM 6 Party Suite...
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IIRC the Stardust allowed us to bring our own food and drink for our party in the hospitality room, but then again, all that's left of the Stardust is memories.
That is correct.
RSLancastr
www.StopSylvia.com
You might want to see a doctor about that.
I've gone over this a lot in this forum. Let me see if I can summarize the reasons why I prefer the suite over a large hall: better atmosphere (couches, separate rooms, jacuzzi), guests can bring drinks (no one allows that in a reception hall), no need to hire a bartender and make guests pay for drinks (nearly every place demands that), no need to pay for food service (ditto), and the location will be convenient.
Again, if anyone wants to throw a party in a reception hall, go for it! I wouldn't have as much fun at a party like that, but that doesn't mean you can't organize it.
I was wondering about costs for the party suite at TAM6. Who is paying for the suite, and are they interested in donations to help defray the cost? I cannot imagine that it's cheap
ETA: If you don't want to respond publicly, feel free to PM me.
I pay for it all. For past parties, I've been transparent about the costs of renting the room and buying snacks, and guests are encouraged to bring drinks and chocolate and drop some money in a bucket if they enjoy themselves and want to help cover the costs. If anyone wants to give an amount more than $20 prior to the party, you can e-mail me at skepchick@skepchick.org or just PayPal a donation to that address.
I'll have a breakdown of the costs later.
Good question, not positive at the moment as I totally flaked about the presence of a balcony. Lemme get back to you.
Yeah, for those who don't know the history: up through TAM4, the forum party was held in a hospitality suite. That's like a big hotel room with couches instead of beds, that the Stardust offered to conference organizers. The JREF was nice enough to allow forumites to use that room for the party.
At TAM5, we moved from the Stardust to the Riviera, and sadly the Riv did not give the JREF a hospitality suite like that and Jeff mentioned in chat that there'd be no party that year. I started discussing the options with him, and eventually decided that I (on behalf of Skepchick) would fork over the money to secure the best possible space and trust that forumites would help me set up and recover the costs. Happily, I was right, so I did it again at TAM5.5 and I'm doing it again now.
Normal Dude
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The Central Scrutinizer
Penultimate Amazing
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The Central Scrutinizer
Penultimate Amazing
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Probably because that counted as a guest room and not a public area.
Wowbagger
The Infinitely Prolonged
Oh, so I guess wine and cheese tasting events never took place in any of them fancy hotels.
Is the hotel aware that there is going to be an all-night party, with hundreds of people, in this suite?
If not, maybe you should let them know, and maybe they might just come up with other options. (Or, you could do this anonymously, as if you were renting a room for the first time, if you are afraid they'll yank the room you already have, just for mentioning this.)
If you already asked, then never mind. Most of the rest of this post might not apply.
Maybe they have some special far-off (from sleeping guests) courtesy-suite-type of rooms, or something. Maybe something similar to what the Stardust (may it rest in pieces) had?
Even if we did get a catering hall:
Who says we can't set up couches and partitions in the hall? Who says the hall even has to be that large?
I am no expert at hotel dealings, but again, I wonder how wine and cheese tasting events get away with it.
Forgive me, I had no idea we would have to march 30 miles, through treacherous jungle, to reach the catering hall sections of Caesar's Palace. (Though, given how freakin' large the building is, it would not surprise me.)
Please don't take any of my snarky comments as harsh criticism. You are a most excellent party host, Rebecca!! I will happily attend the party, no matter where it is, and get kicked out by the cops, again, just like everyone else, when it is over.
But ask yourself this question: Do you really want Skepchick (and JREF for that matter) to gain the reputation of being a bunch of inconsiderate jerks?!
Oh, so I guess wine and cheese tasting events never took place in any of them fancy hotels.
Is the hotel aware that there is going to be an all-night party, with hundreds of people, in this suite?
If not, maybe you should let them know, and maybe they might just come up with other options. (Or, you could do this anonymously, as if you were renting a room for the first time, if you are afraid they'll yank the room you already have, just for mentioning this.)
If you already asked, then never mind. Most of the rest of this post might not apply.
Maybe they have some special far-off (from sleeping guests) courtesy-suite-type of rooms, or something. Maybe something similar to what the Stardust (may it rest in pieces) had?
Even if we did get a catering hall:
Who says we can't set up couches and partitions in the hall? Who says the hall even has to be that large?
I am no expert at hotel dealings, but again, I wonder how wine and cheese tasting events get away with it.
Forgive me, I had no idea we would have to march 30 miles, through treacherous jungle, to reach the catering hall sections of Caesar's Palace. (Though, given how freakin' large the building is, it would not surprise me.)
Please don't take any of my snarky comments as harsh criticism. You are a most excellent party host, Rebecca!! I will happily attend the party, no matter where it is, and get kicked out by the cops, again, just like everyone else, when it is over.
But ask yourself this question: Do you really want Skepchick (and JREF for that matter) to gain the reputation of being a bunch of inconsiderate jerks?!
How are you not getting this, wow?!?!
Vegas is a big city with lots and lots of places to have a party. Take your ideas of costumes and banquet halls and ice sculptures and whatever the hell else you want and put them into practice if you want. Rebecca wants a party in a suite, because she (and many of the rest of us) find the casual atmosphere more fun.
The Central Scrutinizer
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Oh, so I guess wine and cheese tasting events never took place in any of them fancy hotels.
Huh? What on earth are you talking about?
Wowbagger
The Infinitely Prolonged
I understand all that! My only question is: Why can't she throw such a party far away from sleeping hotel guests?
Forget the catering hall stuff, then. Surely there must be some hotel with an adequate Hospitality Suite (which I mistakenly called a "courtesy suite" in my last post), somewhere around there?
I've never been to one, myself. But, I hear such things exist: A bunch of wine and/or cheese connoisseurs get together to taste each other's cheeses and/or wines. And, NONE of it provided by the hotel. They just rent the room, and throw their little haute culture party in it. I don't know how they get away with it, but I think it demontrates how hotels can be flexible with food and alcohol terms.
ETA: If the hotel is already aware of the party plans, then perhaps this won't be an issue, and I will retract my raising of it.
Last edited:
Wolfman
Chief Solipsistic, Autosycophant
Wowbagger,
I have worked in hotels...albeit in China...and believe I can answer your question re: wine and cheese parties. Our hotel (a 5-star) also hosted events like this.
Basically, we had two different rental rates for rooms that were rented out for public events (as opposed to a guest's hotel room); one was a higher rate, which was charged if they were only renting the room; the other was a lower rate, if we were providing food and drinks (for which they paid based on consumption). We generally made far more money on the latter, and would give such events priority. The former were not really good money-makers...but they were viewed more as marketing events. They brought in a specific 'class' of people: the kind of people that might want to take advantage of the facilities and services offered by a 5-star hotel.
But there's one very important feature to these -- any events such as a wine and cheese party were held only for groups who were primarily local residents, who would be likely to return and use our hotel at other times (restaurants, entertainment, etc.). For tourist groups, we'd pretty much never offer such a deal, since not only would we get little money from it, we'd also have little or no chance of getting significant repeat/return business from it.
I'm sure that if you went to the hotel, and told them you had a bunch of middle-to-upper class Las Vegas locals who wanted to use their hotel to host a wine-and-cheese party, that the hotel would be happy to do so, and at relatively minimal cost. It would be a great marketing tool for them. But a group of tourists? I guess its possible...but only if such rooms are entirely unwanted by anyone else. Its gonna' be a rather low priority from the hotel's point of view.
Vegas hotels put out big time for those from whom they expect to get big money. I'd suggest that our group will not be perceived by them as belonging in that category. Now, if a few of us wanna' go drop ten grand or so on the casino floor, I'm sure they'd be more amenable to making such an arrangement
As to the situation of "being located far away from everyone else"...well, I've gotta' say I'm with a lot of the others here on this. I don't particularly want the kind of party that would require a major separation between us and anyone who might hear us. If there are some who want that, it is easy enough to just take off to one of the numerous public venues both inside and outside of the hotel -- bars, clubs, etc. -- where such behavior would be not only tolerated, but welcomed. Or, as mentioned already, someone else could organize such a party themselves.
If I'm faced with an "either or" scenario, I'd prefer a Rebecca-style party to a Wowbagger-style party. If I'm given a choice of both, I'd likely go for Rebecca's party earlier in the evening, then hit the Wowbagger party later in the evening (like after 1:00 in the morning).
I'm gonna' be one tired wolfie when I get back to China. At least I hope I will be. If I'm not, it'll mean I did something wrong...
I have worked in hotels...albeit in China...and believe I can answer your question re: wine and cheese parties. Our hotel (a 5-star) also hosted events like this.
Basically, we had two different rental rates for rooms that were rented out for public events (as opposed to a guest's hotel room); one was a higher rate, which was charged if they were only renting the room; the other was a lower rate, if we were providing food and drinks (for which they paid based on consumption). We generally made far more money on the latter, and would give such events priority. The former were not really good money-makers...but they were viewed more as marketing events. They brought in a specific 'class' of people: the kind of people that might want to take advantage of the facilities and services offered by a 5-star hotel.
But there's one very important feature to these -- any events such as a wine and cheese party were held only for groups who were primarily local residents, who would be likely to return and use our hotel at other times (restaurants, entertainment, etc.). For tourist groups, we'd pretty much never offer such a deal, since not only would we get little money from it, we'd also have little or no chance of getting significant repeat/return business from it.
I'm sure that if you went to the hotel, and told them you had a bunch of middle-to-upper class Las Vegas locals who wanted to use their hotel to host a wine-and-cheese party, that the hotel would be happy to do so, and at relatively minimal cost. It would be a great marketing tool for them. But a group of tourists? I guess its possible...but only if such rooms are entirely unwanted by anyone else. Its gonna' be a rather low priority from the hotel's point of view.
Vegas hotels put out big time for those from whom they expect to get big money. I'd suggest that our group will not be perceived by them as belonging in that category. Now, if a few of us wanna' go drop ten grand or so on the casino floor, I'm sure they'd be more amenable to making such an arrangement
As to the situation of "being located far away from everyone else"...well, I've gotta' say I'm with a lot of the others here on this. I don't particularly want the kind of party that would require a major separation between us and anyone who might hear us. If there are some who want that, it is easy enough to just take off to one of the numerous public venues both inside and outside of the hotel -- bars, clubs, etc. -- where such behavior would be not only tolerated, but welcomed. Or, as mentioned already, someone else could organize such a party themselves.
If I'm faced with an "either or" scenario, I'd prefer a Rebecca-style party to a Wowbagger-style party. If I'm given a choice of both, I'd likely go for Rebecca's party earlier in the evening, then hit the Wowbagger party later in the evening (like after 1:00 in the morning).
I'm gonna' be one tired wolfie when I get back to China. At least I hope I will be. If I'm not, it'll mean I did something wrong...
Short on time at the moment and haven't read the above responses in full, but just wanted to mention that yes, the hotel does know we are throwing a party. If you call a hotel in Vegas and tell them you're having a party and want a suite, this is the kind of room they give you.
I'll try to pop in later to catch up with any additional questions, though those of you who are crafting long-winded posts debating things that are already set in stone might not want to bother...
I'll try to pop in later to catch up with any additional questions, though those of you who are crafting long-winded posts debating things that are already set in stone might not want to bother...
Wolfman
Chief Solipsistic, Autosycophant
Actually, that was pretty short-winded by my standards...
...well, count on the Chinese delegation being there
Wowbagger
The Infinitely Prolonged
Thanks for the info! But, I suspect we already ruled out catering halls for "Rebecca-style" parties, anyway.
My only concern is the common courtesy to our fellow humans: We should try to avoid organizing a party that would be at risk of keeping the neighboring hotel guests from sleeping. It is a courtesy issue, not a style issue, or anything like that.
I suppose we could try to keep quiet for long enough. But, if there are going to be several hundred people in there, it is not going to be easy.
This is not a style issue. If Rebecca thinks it is impossible to host a Rebecca-Style party in a catering hall, then forget that whole idea.
In the future, we should seek Hospitality-type rooms, similar to what the Stardust (may its memory last longer than its West Tower) had. Maybe even cozier ones, with Jacuzzis and whatnot, if that's what y'all want. Just as long as it is not near sleeping guests.
I could be wrong, but I suspect that the only real difference between a Rebecca-style party and a Wowbagger-style party, is that the Wowbagger-style party would include at least one song from "Weird Al" Yankovic in the music mix.
ConspiRaider
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Check yer skepchick email there, 'becca...
Wowbagger
The Infinitely Prolonged
Well that settles it!! Maybe the noise won't be such an issue, then?
But... if we get this heated debate over with now, we won't have to deal with it, next year.
The Central Scrutinizer
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The only one engaging in a heated debate is.....you.
Wolfman
Chief Solipsistic, Autosycophant
Yeah...but I was more long-winded.