Visiting Calgary - Where to Stay?

[Devils'Advocate]

I will be coming to Calgary to attend a conference next spring. The conference is only 3 days, but I plan to stay the week to see the city. It will be my first time anywhere in Canada west of Hamilton.

However, thing is, I am a cheapskate. I go to these conferences every year and most of the attendees are paying $200/night to stay right near the venue and I refuse to pay that much. So usually I stay at the university dorms. The conferences are right after school is out, so the dorms are empty, so you can get rooms for between $50 and $80. There are usually kitchen areas and refridgerators so I don't have to eat out all the time, adding to the expense of the trip. It has worked out great for me in the past.

So the venue for conference is the Telus Convention Centreon 9th avenue. It doesn't look like there is any university building in the area... they all seem to be across the river. Is there anything affordable around the convention centre?

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

I will be coming to Calgary to attend a conference next spring. The conference is only 3 days, but I plan to stay the week to see the city. It will be my first time anywhere in Canada west of Hamilton.

However, thing is, I am a cheapskate. I go to these conferences every year and most of the attendees are paying $200/night to stay right near the venue and I refuse to pay that much. So usually I stay at the university dorms. The conferences are right after school is out, so the dorms are empty, so you can get rooms for between $50 and $80. There are usually kitchen areas and refridgerators so I don't have to eat out all the time, adding to the expense of the trip. It has worked out great for me in the past.

So the venue for conference is the Telus Convention Centreon 9th avenue. It doesn't look like there is any university building in the area... they all seem to be across the river. Is there anything affordable around the convention centre?

SAIT probably has rooms (closer to downtown than U of C).

http://www.liveatsait.com/

Unfortunately, the Cecil Hotel is no longer welcoming guests.

[Buff]

I'm going to a conference in Vegas this fall. Since it is an expensive conference and my employer pays for the conference, travel, meals and lodging I thought I would help out by using my players cards to get cheaper accomodation at a nearby hotel. They said, no, stay at the Bellagio instead of Excalibur. So, my employer rocks! What is your employer's excuse?

[Northendzone]

so are you looking for a lsit of free things to do while you are here?

i would budget about four days to walk to and from lake louise. and whatever you do, don't buy pop at a liquor store - it is uber expensive

[Bill Bumface]

U of C has built a brand new hotel, it's on the LRT line that will take you to your conference:

http://www.hotelalma.ca/

SAIT is for sure closer and has some more interesting stuff to do within walking distance (Kensington/Riley park) and has a great view of downtown from right there.

Unrelated question, how did you end up on here if you've never been and aren't a Flames fan?

[Devils'Advocate]

It's not a professional conference, but personal. It has nothing to do with my work.

*has to look up Cecil hotel to get the joke*

[Free Ben Hur!]

A pup tent in Nose Hill Park should do you.

[Rathji]

The university really isn't that much further than SAIT on the LRT. I know they have a new Hotel there as well.

To downtown: 17 mins from University, compared to 11 mins from SAIT, according to Google Maps

[Puppet Guy]

there's this lovely place known by the locals as The Ritz on the Bow. It's near the convention centre and rooms are dirt cheap, but you'll be sharing a room with about fifty people:

[Rathji]

haha

I was actually going to suggest hostels in that area, but figured the 'wildlife' might scare him off.

[Bill Bumface]

New hostel in walking distance: http://www.wickedhostel.com/testing/

[Hans Landa]

Stay at the Westin.

You live in Hamilton. You deserve it.

[EverfresH15]

There is another Hostel that is in east village.

http://www.hihostels.ca/westerncanad..._Centre.hostel

[DownhillGoat]

I'd suggest using hotwire to book a room here. Living in a 'parasite' community It's cheaper for me to get a hotel when I go out for an evening in Calgary than it is to take a cab back and forth.

Last time I went I used hotwire for a nice hotel downtown (the Hyatt) for less than $100 a night.

They don't tell you the hotel you're staying in until you pay and book, but picking a 4 star downtown Calgary you're not going to get a bad hotel.

[Devils'Advocate]

Originally Posted by Hans Landa

You live in Hamilton. You deserve it.

I don't live in Hamilton.

As for how I ended up on CP, I am from Nova Scotia so I've always had a soft spot for the Flames due to Al MacInnis and I generally found the discussions more interesting and the posters more polite (by Internet standards) than on the Devils forum.

Mmm.. I'd rather a dorm I can get to by public transit than a seedy hostel in a bad part of town. The dorms usually have better amenities (better gyms, swimming pool, free Internet, free refrigerators).

[Canada 02]

priceline or hotwire is the way to go

if it's off-peak season, you'll likely get the $50-80 price range

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

I don't live in Hamilton.

As for how I ended up on CP, I am from Nova Scotia so I've always had a soft spot for the Flames due to Al MacInnis and I generally found the discussions more interesting and the posters more polite (by Internet standards) than on the Devils forum.

Mmm.. I'd rather a dorm I can get to by public transit than a seedy hostel in a bad part of town. The dorms usually have better amenities (better gyms, swimming pool, free Internet, free refrigerators).

U of C, is on the trainline
Sait is also on the trainline
MRU, is bus fed (I would give this a miss)

U of C or Sait are your best bets for what it sounds like you are looking for. The train goes right into downtown with a stop at the convention centre.

[Hans Landa]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

I don't live in Hamilton.

As for how I ended up on CP, I am from Nova Scotia so I've always had a soft spot for the Flames due to Al MacInnis ...

Ah nice... and good, because Hamilton is depressing (though I like the people there).

I grew up not far from Port Hood... I remember as a kid (while my parents tried desperately to get me to play hockey, even though I hated it) seeing a big mural of Al MacInnis and Mike McPhee painted on the wall of the Lion's Club Arena in Port Hawkesbury.

[Devils'Advocate]

nm

[saskflames69]

Yeah.. maybe now isn't a good time to have this thread bumped.