Well, CES is just under five months away. I know that seems like a long time, but I’ve learned from experience that you do not want to wait until, say, November to try booking a hotel room. Not unless you’re made of money or want to stay on the other side of town and take a taxi to the show each day. Which is its own special hell, imagine literally thousands of people lining up for the taxi queue at the end of the show day, every day. You want to wait four hours for a cab? Be my guest. (Actually, tip – take one of the free shuttles to a con hotel, any one, and catch a cab there. Much quicker, but it still sucks.)
After five years running at CES I’ve decided on two important guidelines:
1. Book early.
2. If the hotel isn’t on a monorail stop, I’m not interested. (Seriously, since the monorail opened things are much better. Best way to get around.)
As you might have guessed, I just got around to registering for CES 2009 and booking my hotel. Once again I’m at the Sahara. Not the swankiest joint in Vegas, but it is on the monorail (and conveniently the other direction from the LVCC than most of the other hotels, which means most people are trying to pack into trains going the other way), the rooms are fine for me (I’m a man of simple needs – a clean room to crash in), and it is inexpensive. I’ve stayed at the Sahara the past couple of years. The Imperial Palace is also on a monorail stop and cheap, and I stayed there a few years ago, but frankly it was kind of nasty. The hallway carpeting was sticky and there was a funky odor. Ick.
This time around I’ve registered as Press/Blogger, though I have to see if Gizmo Lovers passes muster and they accept me. We’re no Engadget or Gizmodo, but I’d like to think we qualify. I’d like to be able to attend some of the press-only events that I couldn’t get into last year.
I’m looking forward to covering CES once again in January.
