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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

CE16 Accomodation in London

Discussion in 'Star Wars Celebrations' started by Obi Anne , Jun 30, 2015.

  1. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 1998
    Since the question came up in another thread I figure it would be best to make a separate thread for hotels and other forms of accomodation.

    As of now it is not possible to book any rooms. I could not find any information on the SWC site about official hotels. Hotels usually open up their own booking systems one year in advance, so that should be in around two weeks from now.
     
  2. Jedicanada

    Jedicanada Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2015
    Thanks Obi-Anne, by the way could you tell me how many special guests were at celebration Europe 2? Trying to get as many London actors as i can.
     
  3. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 1998
    From what I remember it was a pretty good group of guests, for example it was the first time I think that Ian McDiarmid had a panel.

    Oh, and different reservation sites, like booking.com, has opened up their systems for July 2016 now. I haven't been able to get to any of the closest hotels, but I have one booking for a hotel that's 15 minutes walk away, and another that's 6 minutes away with the DLR. I just need to talk to my room buddy on which one we should choose. If you are looking on hotels it's a good thing to check the public transport site to see the options for getting to the Excel.
     
    jawajames likes this.
  4. Jedicanada

    Jedicanada Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2015
    I sent an email to reed pop this weekend. They responded saying the hotel list would be released within the month. Reed pop is just finalizing the links on the site.
     
  5. Mr_Mundi

    Mr_Mundi Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 24, 2002
    Ian McDiarmid had a panel at CVI called "The Phantom Menace: Ian McDiarmid"


    As for signing guests, this was the list:
    [​IMG]
     
  6. Jedicanada

    Jedicanada Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2015
    Official pix did not renew their license with Star wars. Does that mean they will not be at celebration? Thoughts?
     
  7. Mandalorian Ray

    Mandalorian Ray Jedi Knight

    Registered:
    May 31, 2014
    I just booked a room at Connaught House Hotel London ExCeL. 5 minutes walk away from the convention center. Very Fawlty Towers looking place. But had great reviews on TripAdvisor and Booking.com.
     
  8. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 1998
    A contact of mine that emailed ReedPop about the issue says that there will open up rooms through starwarscelebration.com, but no words on when that might happen.
     
  9. Jedicanada

    Jedicanada Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2015
    They said within the month or into August.
     
  10. jawajames

    jawajames Former RSA // stawars.com contributor star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA VIP

    Registered:
    Apr 26, 2002
    waiting for them to open it up!
     
  11. Glorious

    Glorious Jedi Knight

    Registered:
    Jul 17, 2015
    Hi, noob here and Celebration virgin :)

    Just to say that's the Premier Inn Excel opened for booking. I called the hotel at midnight last night to check when it would be open. Got the number for guest relations to call today, but I checked at 08:30 this morning and I was able to book 3 nights, 14-16 July. This hotel is next to the Excel car park - doesn't get much closer.

    We stayed in this Premier Inn (2 adults, 2 kids) a few years ago for an Iron Maiden gig at the O2. The staff, rooms and food were all spot on. Hope this helps some of you out :)
     
    Hando likes this.
  12. Hando

    Hando Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Jul 7, 2013
    Howdy, just happened to find this thread in a search of Google regarding the ongoing situation with hotels and the event.
    (Not been on here in a long time, for which I'm sorry but long story to any who may see this reply)

    Thanks for the post Glorious, really useful bud but on a personal level unfortunately its looking beyond the reach of my pocket now with the wife and kids in tow. £200+ in tickets and £320 hotel for two nights when we were going to stay for 4 originally is just beyond my limit now. Gutted.:(
    REALLY gutted. :(:_|

    May have a search about and see what else can be done. [face_idea]
     
  13. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 1998
    One good thing with being in London is that the public transportation is good. If you want someplace cheaper do take a look at the tube/DLR map and see what you can find with a good connection.

    I would advice against going on the circle line though, it has so many stops that it's quite slow.
     
    Hando likes this.
  14. Glorious

    Glorious Jedi Knight

    Registered:
    Jul 17, 2015

    Yeah it's certainly not cheap Hando, but as we've never been to a Celebration before we decided since it was UK again we would make the effort to get the kids down to London (from Edinburgh).

    Just trains to book and that's us done - will have to ask for another favour from my train driving friend again!
     
    Hando likes this.
  15. Hando

    Hando Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Jul 7, 2013
    Good advice cheers. ;)
    My wife has some family in the area who may be able to help suggest a place to stay where you don't have to pay two and a half times the normal rate!

    On a positive note Glorious Celebration Europe was superb in '07, one of my most favourite weekends ever!
     
  16. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 1998
    Premier Inn Docklands (Excel) which is on the premises has released rooms on their own site, not through any booking site. I just booked there for myself.
     
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  17. Hando

    Hando Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Jul 7, 2013
    I have had an email back from Reed Pop myself today and they said there is still no firm date for when hotel rooms will go live. Deals are still being worked out so it is looking like August at the earliest. I was advised to "use my own judgement" about booking and securing a room which people have started doing already.

    We've managed to pre-book some rooms now which is fantastic, would have loved to have been on the site again but I begrudge paying that per night. OK we'll have to pay £10 to travel in to the site but Meh, the kids will enjoy the ride in and it'll give us more money to spend on goodies!

    Whatever happens I hope everyone gets the rooms etc they want. :) Its gonna be a blast.
     
    wsk likes this.
  18. ChrisLyne

    ChrisLyne Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 29, 2002
    Thanks ObiAnne, booked there last night! Hoping to change to the Crowne Plaza when it opens up as my wife gets discount but nice to have this secured in case we can't get the Crowne or it's crazy priced due to Celebration.
     
  19. wsk

    wsk Jedi Padawan

    Registered:
    Sep 30, 2013
    I spent all of last weekend phoning up all the hotels, this is what I found: Aloft and Novotel fully "booked out" - will be tour hotels; the Ibis chain has 3 hotels in the area two of which are booked out according the central booking lot (which are far more reliable than the hotel itself), the Ibis Budget London City Airpot hotel had rooms (this is what I booked as I am working on a very wee budget!), 1 room for 3 adults for 5 nights came to £559 and that has the free cancellation option; all of the others in the area - the Crowne, the two Holiday Inns, the two Travel Lodges, the Ramada all say they don't have their rates yet (both the hotels and the central booking), all say should have rates within the next week to two weeks. The Premier Inn is as yous ay booking, but since you can't get more than two adults into a room for 3 adults would have cost us £1590 for 5 nights - WAY beyond what we can afford.

    FYI the Ibis is part of the Le Club Accour Hotels chain, you can join for free and get a Le Club Accour Hotels Classic membership number which can get you cheaper rates for their hotels - I think the Ramada is part of that lot too, not sure now, but I know at least one other of the hotels in the area are.
     
  20. jawajames

    jawajames Former RSA // stawars.com contributor star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA VIP

    Registered:
    Apr 26, 2002
    i'd better go look for my Accor membership that i got the last time i went to Europe.
     
    wsk likes this.
  21. wsk

    wsk Jedi Padawan

    Registered:
    Sep 30, 2013
    I just phoned the Ramada, they are taking bookings - one room up to 3 adults, 5 nights, free cancellation: £875.
    The Crowne and the Holiday Inn's both said they can currently take bookings up till the 15th, but no later - by Friday/Saturday they will have the rates up until the 18th/19th.
     
  22. ChrisLyne

    ChrisLyne Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 29, 2002
    Wow! Just seen the Crowne's pricing! Like wsk says, you can't book the full weekend yet so I did a price test for Thursday 14 - Saturday 16 and for 1 room/2 adults it comes out at £455 per night!! I also looked at the week before, 7-9th July, just for comparison - £131 per night! That's a £324 mark up per night for Celebration! I expected some mark up but more the tripling the price is ridiculous!

    So glad I booked the Premier Inn now! Obi Anne, if I see you at Celebration I owe you a drink for the heads up on that one as it looks like it's now fully booked!
     
    wsk likes this.
  23. Darthsmuse

    Darthsmuse Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Nov 27, 2004
    Heads up re Excel hotels. This evening I've been able to book 3 nights at the Novotel Excel from Thursday 14 July 2016 on their own website.
     
    wsk likes this.
  24. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 1998
  25. wsk

    wsk Jedi Padawan

    Registered:
    Sep 30, 2013
    If you don't want a breakfast it is cheaper to go book for the Novotel from their website than the SWCE travel site - as long as you are a Le Club Accour member (free to join if you aren't): for a triple room for 5 nights (14th - 19th/07/15) it is £908 with free cancellation. The 15th and 16th are at £238.50 per night, cheaper on the 14th,17th and 18th. It was going to be £940 going through the SWCE site, but that was with breakfast included - they didn't seem to have the non-breakfast option. Holiday Inn Excel quoted about £1500 for same time period for a triple room. I haven't yet got any prices for the Travel Lodges, but if the Holiday Inn is anything to go by they will possibly be expensive too.