Usenix versus Uniforum

[Brad Templeton]

One thing I found annoying about the Grand Kempinski is that they forbid
entertaining of any sort in the rooms and suites.   You want to do a
hospitality "suite", you must do it in their ballrooms or special
reception rooms (smallest -- capacity 125), fully catered by
the hotel at $4/beer, etc.   I'm not IBM, and I probably don't have the
budget for a fully catered room of that size.   I was hoping to do
something.

The Marriott (I thought USENIX swore never to return to Marriotts?) alternate
hotel is "2 blocks" away in the brochure, so I called their Bell Captain
and asked how far to the Grand K.   He said 15 minutes, then 10 minutes, and
then when I suggested holding a reception in their hotel he said 1 minute!

Perhaps there are some restaurants etc immediately adjacent to the Grand
K?  I have zero knowledge of the area.  If anybody who does know it and would
be willing to help me could send me e-mail, that would be appreciated.

If the hotel would let me, I would be glad to fill the bathtub with drinks
like they do at SF Cons and invite USENET people up to chat, get their
extra-special surprise premium, see the demo if they like (of course) and
hang out.   But it seems that SF Cons are the only people who ever can
convince hotels to allow this.   The USENIX crowd is more my crowd than
the Uniforum crowd, even if they don't hold as many purse strings.

Anybody else got Usenix hospitality plans?
-- 
Brad Templeton, ClariNet Communications Corp. -- Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473