Obviously, many people spend a great deal of time worrying over this very quandary! After all, your location at Comic-Con can affect your costs, your time at the venue and where you eat and what you do! The perfect hotel and the bottom rung last-ditch choice could mean the difference between seeing that amazing panel and getting those signing you wanted or standing in line for 5 hours for a panel you will never get into and being that guy in line for swag who gets up to the table just as the last free shirt goes out to the girl in front of you... fail.
Now, there are a few important things to look into when deciding what Hotel you will choose for Comic-Con (or any convention really). Here, let me list them out for you;
1. Location -
Do you want to be in the center of the action all day every day for 5 days?
A lot of people think that being in the Marina Marriott or the Hilton Bayfront or the Hard Rock are the best options ever. And while that may be true for the die hard fans desperate to get autographs and schmooze with the industry elite, remember; those hotels are the right next to the convention halls. What that means;
The extra events held by Comic-Con that can't fit in the convention space, guess where they are held? In your hotel! Parties, Parties and many many more parties go on around the clock at these hotels, which means if you want a good nights rest between your romps around the venue, you may want to think twice about picking these hotels. Something just a few blocks away will be just as nice and convenient, and a little less rowdy in the wee hours of the morning.
But for the extremists and purists, this is the best option for completely immersing yourself in the Comic-Con world. If you have the cash to fork out for food, hotel and tickets and want to stay in Comic land 24/7, your best bet is in the small chain of hotels surrounding the hall.
Do you want the cheapest room with the best location?
For those of us on the cheap, there are many options that feature a shuttle service which, while slightly stressful itself (think Disney World hotel shuttles without the cheery "Characters" driving the bus) it is the best option to get your Con and sleep at it too! Many of the hotels in the downtown area are on the shuttle lines and that means being 5-6 miles away from the convention center is not a death sentence to fans, just a bit of a hurdle on the way to greatness! And if money is your highest priority, you cannot beat the near $200 decrease in rate from 2 miles out to 6 miles out from con-space! Just make sure you pick a hotel with food nearby and shuttle service to the Convention hall and you will be sitting pretty with that extra dough for the Exhibitors!
Do you want to be far from the insanity?
There are many reasons why people stay out in Mission Bay or other surrounding suburbs of San Diego and drive in to get on the trolley (which can drop you off right in front of the Convention). For one, it's cheaper and I mean WAY cheaper to stay as far from the convention space as possible. Food is cheaper, gas and hotel rooms are cheaper. For another thing, there is the convenience of being away from the space when the night ends. Many people like being able to relax, away from the noise and smell of comic-con (yes, there is a bit of a smell). However, remember that what you trade off for in convenience and price is accessibility and events. Drinking and driving is a big no-no in my book, and no one wants to see headlines with "Comic-Con Leads to Death of Nerds by Drunk Driving" in the news.
So when thinking about where you want to stay; decide what you want to get out of Comic-Con. Are you here for the parties and schmoozing and free stuff? Are you here for the early morning lines to get autographs and get into premiere panels? Or somewhere in between? Late nights and drinking mean its hard to get "home" if you are staying far out of town or need to drive back and forth, but would be a perfect setup for someone who wants to get in early, and leave before 8pm or so.
Do you want something in the middle?
If you aren't picky (and then congrats to you for being a very minor part of the Comic-Con attendee populous) finding something that fits your situation should be easy. Decide your priorities and what interests you at Comic Con and you should be able to pick something in the mile radius of the convention center that is economical and convenient but not too crazy and not too far from food and entertainment options. Remember the Convention doesn't stop when the panel rooms close, their are parties and night life and fun to be had all over the Gaslamp/Downtown/Bayfront area and getting a room somewhere in the middle of it all will give you the least pain in your soles for your buck!
2. Cost
How much are you willing to spend?
Everyone has a limit. Remember that for a $280.00/night room there are also roughly 15% in taxes you need to tack onto that cost (or another $42.00). Then include tips for maid service ($5-10 a day is standard), bellhops($2 a bag), valets($3-5 per time they handle your car) and you start talking about a room that can cost about $1700 for 5 nights. The cheaper rooms, the $170.00/night options start looking like $1060 for 5 nights. Obviously it depends on how many nights you stay but for anywhere between $1000 and $1800, Comic Con isn't cheap... but if you got to the hotel reservation making process and didn't already know that, I would be very confused!
Basically, the closer to the convention space you get, the more expensive the rooms. Some of the nicer resorts off away from the Convention halls are pricey, but that is the basic formula. I always recommend deciding a price point and then looking for a hotel in that range. Your hotel room is only one small part of your experience for Comic-Con, don't spend more time and money on it than you absolutely have to.
3. Convenience
What more do you need besides four walls and a bed?
Remember that a hotel is not just about its own location, it is also about the location of necessities around it! If you are flying or training in (probably using that as an incorrect verb!) then you most likely wont have a vehicle with which to get around. While that may be a bummer for some, it can be barely noticeable or a stress saver for others! Your hotel should be in the center of your needs, or close to it. Choose a hotel (well, in Comic-Con's case, choose a list of hotels) that are near by food & drug stores, restaurants, bars and anything else you might want. Do your research and know in advance the types of places you are likely to haunt outside of the convention. That will save you (and your feet) a lot of stress later.
4. Services
Breakfast? What is Breakfast?
Do you need a healthy meal to start your Comic-Con right? (Hint: The answer to this question is a resounding YES!) And what about a fridge? A microwave? A Coffee Pot? Wireless Internet Access? These are things you need to research early, think about in advance before you choose a hotel. Some of the nicer hotels have all these amenities and more... at a first come, first serve basis (or for a fee) while some provide them all at no extra hassle or charge. You don't want to get to con with a bag full of perishables or a computer with a wireless card and realize you have to eat all your frozen dinners right then and there and you can't connect with the world for ALL OF COMIC CON. Preparation, preparation, preparation is the key to getting the most out of whatever hotel you get. Knowing in advance what your hotel will and will not provide and what extra charges may result can be the difference between a stressful check in/check out and a simple and happy one.
And if your hotel of choice doesn't provide what you need, you need to plan your meals, your web access or your dry cleaning accordingly. Mapping out all of this before you get to San Diego gives you a better chance of getting the most out of your time and energy so you aren't wandering around aimlessly looking for a Subway that doesn't exist or trying to gain internet from a coffee shop that stopped providing free wi-fi last week.
5. Location
Wait, didn't you already say location?
Yep. I sure did. And you know what, your location is SO IMPORTANT it is #1 and #5 on my list. Why? Because when you get right down to it, the strategies and the costs and services all come down to one thing; where you want to be. What I find is that people forget that the area around the convention center was built for big conventions like Comic-Con and that they have spent years making sure every area has something to offer people. There are transit options of every shape size and type at your finger tips, as long as you do the research in advance and make the calls necessary, you will never have a hard time getting from point A to point B in Comic-Con time.
Using these tips to decide the best hotel option for you (or once you get your hotel, making the most out of that option) will guarantee that you have a happy convention space just right for you, even if you don't get your top pick! Because you will know how to handle any option to the best of its ability!
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