Charlottesville info for filkergem's service
Hi everyone,
If you're one of my regular readers, don't be confused. I'm helping smcmullan with info about lodging and other logistics for the memorial service for filkergem in Charlottesville a week from Sunday. My journal will return to its irregularly scheduled weirdness soon enough.
I looked into booking blocks of rooms, but the discount was not that great, and there were other issues, so no blocks are booked at this time. Over the next couple of days, I'll be updating this entry as I get more information.
Beware of most of the low-end options near the church - I list a few to avoid later in this post.
The most affordable option near the church that seems reasonably well-maintained and sanitary is:Red Roof Inn
1309 West Main Street, Charlottesville, VA 22903
Near the University of Virginia
(434) 295-4333, (800) 843-7663, fax (434) 295-2021
A somewhat nicer option near the church that is well-recommended is:
Hampton Inn
2035 India Road, Charlottesville, VA 22901
Off of Route 29 North, Seminole Square Shopping Center
(434) 978-7888, (800) 426-7866, fax (434) 973-0436
In both of these cases, I'd recommend calling the hotel's local phone number instead of the 800 number. Both hotels heard about the fire, and the managers were very sympathetic when I spoke to them. They're expecting calls from friends and family. Both hotels offer AAA and AARP discounts. If either hotel is fully booked when you call, please post a reply to this note, so that this post and smcmullan's post can be updated.
Both of these hotels are less than a mile from the church, and as I understand it, both have restaurants nearby. You might not even need to rent a car at all. You can take a taxi from Charlottesville airport. I'm looking into other transportation options between the airport and the two hotels.
There are actually a lot of hotels in the area, since the University of Virginia is located in Charlottesville; I'll be posting that information soon. If you need more info before I've updated, ask. I'll be checking frequently over the next couple of days.
In the meantime, here are the ones to avoid:
Update 1: Hampton Inn has an airport shuttle - if you have to pay to get to the Red Roof Inn, vs getting a free shuttle ride to Hampton Inn, that might end up making the total cost of each hotel more even.
Update 2: Red Roof Inn is ~9.3 mi ~0.9 mi from the airport. Hampton Inn is ~7 mi ~0.7 mi from the airport.
Update 3: There is another Hampton Inn in Charlottesville - make sure that you don't book a room there unless you want to be a lot farther from the church.
Update 4: Charlottesville actually has public transportation, believe it or not. I have no experience with this system, and I have no idea how reliable, timely, frequent, or safe it is. More info can be found about airport ground transportation options here. Pay specific attention to the "CHO Airport Taxis and Limos" section if you're going to use either of those two options.
Update 5: The distances in update 2 were VERY wrong, and that update has been corrected.
If you're one of my regular readers, don't be confused. I'm helping smcmullan with info about lodging and other logistics for the memorial service for filkergem in Charlottesville a week from Sunday. My journal will return to its irregularly scheduled weirdness soon enough.
I looked into booking blocks of rooms, but the discount was not that great, and there were other issues, so no blocks are booked at this time. Over the next couple of days, I'll be updating this entry as I get more information.
Beware of most of the low-end options near the church - I list a few to avoid later in this post.
The most affordable option near the church that seems reasonably well-maintained and sanitary is:Red Roof Inn
1309 West Main Street, Charlottesville, VA 22903
Near the University of Virginia
(434) 295-4333, (800) 843-7663, fax (434) 295-2021
A somewhat nicer option near the church that is well-recommended is:
Hampton Inn
2035 India Road, Charlottesville, VA 22901
Off of Route 29 North, Seminole Square Shopping Center
(434) 978-7888, (800) 426-7866, fax (434) 973-0436
In both of these cases, I'd recommend calling the hotel's local phone number instead of the 800 number. Both hotels heard about the fire, and the managers were very sympathetic when I spoke to them. They're expecting calls from friends and family. Both hotels offer AAA and AARP discounts. If either hotel is fully booked when you call, please post a reply to this note, so that this post and smcmullan's post can be updated.
Both of these hotels are less than a mile from the church, and as I understand it, both have restaurants nearby. You might not even need to rent a car at all. You can take a taxi from Charlottesville airport. I'm looking into other transportation options between the airport and the two hotels.
There are actually a lot of hotels in the area, since the University of Virginia is located in Charlottesville; I'll be posting that information soon. If you need more info before I've updated, ask. I'll be checking frequently over the next couple of days.
In the meantime, here are the ones to avoid:
- Budget Inn has very poor service and though they claim to be ADA-compliant, the property is not really handicap-friendly, and the staff has no idea how to accommodate special handicap requests.
- Econo Lodge is filthy with bedbugs and has actually been flagged by the Health Department, and parking is a real problem.
- Courtyard by Marriot is noisy and the service isn't great (especially if you need help with your bags), but parking is surprisingly good.
- Residence Inn by Marriott got horrific reviews for service and cleanliness, including one mention of food poisoning. The only saving grace is that the property is pet-friendly.
Update 1: Hampton Inn has an airport shuttle - if you have to pay to get to the Red Roof Inn, vs getting a free shuttle ride to Hampton Inn, that might end up making the total cost of each hotel more even.
Update 2: Red Roof Inn is ~9.3 mi ~0.9 mi from the airport. Hampton Inn is ~7 mi ~0.7 mi from the airport.
Update 3: There is another Hampton Inn in Charlottesville - make sure that you don't book a room there unless you want to be a lot farther from the church.
Update 4: Charlottesville actually has public transportation, believe it or not. I have no experience with this system, and I have no idea how reliable, timely, frequent, or safe it is. More info can be found about airport ground transportation options here. Pay specific attention to the "CHO Airport Taxis and Limos" section if you're going to use either of those two options.
Update 5: The distances in update 2 were VERY wrong, and that update has been corrected.