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USGP Austin 2013 - Hotels sold out, 11 months to go!


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#1 Alanmelon

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Posted 28 December 2012 - 20:43

Hi,
My better half and I have just been looking at arranging a trip to next year's USGP in Austin, and are very disappointed to see that every hotel in downtown Austin is booked already. All that's left are hotels you wouldn't keep a dog in, those which cost the Earth, and those in the middle of nowhere!

Any hints or tips? Have all these rooms been booked out by agencies looking to flog them as packages? Will the F1.com booking option miraculously unveil available rooms? Or should we just forget it?!

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#2 iainw

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Posted 29 December 2012 - 12:41

It's more likely that a lot of hotels still haven't decided how to price their rooms for year two yet and have thus blocked out inventory until they do. Once some of the bigger players do, others will follow......

#3 kozmo

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Posted 30 December 2012 - 23:18

Hi,

I think that Alanmelon is correct. Most of the downtown hotels have blocked out their schedules but are not taking reservations this early. FYI, you might want to hold on making any firm commitments on dates as I think it is still possible that their could be a date adjustment for USGP. The race date in 2013 coincides with a home football game for the University of Texas. Austin is not that big of a town and I think that they are wary of having both events on the same day. We'll see.

Hopefully the local hotels will be a little more realistic this year when it comes to pricing. I wanted to stay in DT Austin but pricing was over the moon and most wanted four night commitments. I ended up staying in San Antonio and driving up each day, not ideal but way cheaper. As the race got closer I started getting calls from several of the places I had put my name in originally for waiting lists that were offering lowered prices but I had already made other arrangements so I didn't take them up on it.

Good luck on making arrangements, it is definitely worth the trip. Track is fantastic and for a first year event they did a great job.

#4 ericok

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Posted 23 January 2013 - 18:34

Hi,
My better half and I have just been looking at arranging a trip to next year's USGP in Austin, and are very disappointed to see that every hotel in downtown Austin is booked already. All that's left are hotels you wouldn't keep a dog in, those which cost the Earth, and those in the middle of nowhere!

Any hints or tips? Have all these rooms been booked out by agencies looking to flog them as packages? Will the F1.com booking option miraculously unveil available rooms? Or should we just forget it?!


They're not booked, just the dates are blocked. I also stayed in San Antonio and commuted every day to Austin - about 1.5hr trip each way. Don't limit yourself to Austin. While driving I-35 between San Antonio and Austin I saw plenty of hotels along the way (many just outside of Austin) that were reasonably priced. I did notice that downtown prices plunged as the race grew nearer once Austin hotels came to the realization that F1 fans aren't willing to pay crazy prices for hotel rooms.

I second the idea of waiting. If the University of Texas Longhorns football game ends up on the same weekend as the Grand Prix, it will be a disaster.

Just as an aside, I note that hotel rooms for the Grand Prix in SINGAPORE are cheaper than the asking prices in Austin and the Singapore hotels are head and shoulders above the Austin hotels.

Edited by ericok, 23 January 2013 - 18:35.


#5 RicardoSilva

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Posted 25 July 2013 - 01:20

They're not booked, just the dates are blocked. I also stayed in San Antonio and commuted every day to Austin - about 1.5hr trip each way. Don't limit yourself to Austin. While driving I-35 between San Antonio and Austin I saw plenty of hotels along the way (many just outside of Austin) that were reasonably priced. I did notice that downtown prices plunged as the race grew nearer once Austin hotels came to the realization that F1 fans aren't willing to pay crazy prices for hotel rooms.

I second the idea of waiting. If the University of Texas Longhorns football game ends up on the same weekend as the Grand Prix, it will be a disaster.

Just as an aside, I note that hotel rooms for the Grand Prix in SINGAPORE are cheaper than the asking prices in Austin and the Singapore hotels are head and shoulders above the Austin hotels.


In 2012 I stayed at Hampton Inn along side I-35, the hotel had better service and price than hotels in London or Paris. I booked the hotel on Friday evening after the free practice sessions. It was less than one hour to Austin or to the track.

#6 punknhedd

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Posted 05 September 2013 - 04:42

In 2012, I stayed at the Aloft near San Antonio airport.  San Antonio was cheaper to fly to, and it was an easy commute to the track.  There's a high speed toll road (85 MPH limit) that was opened just before the GP.  Used that one evening to get from the track to our hotel in just over an hour.  More details on my experience: 2012 USGP Friday Update, 2012 USGP Saturday Update - Quali, 2012 USGP Sunday - Wrapup



#7 kozmo

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Posted 29 October 2013 - 19:40

Anybody received tickets yet?   Got a package via Fedex yesterday but it was only the parking passes.   Seems they are much later in sending them out this year.



#8 jyzz

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 07:08

yeah still waiting for mine too, some from fewawwi chat forum said to have received them this week...



#9 kozmo

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 16:16

Thanks for the confirm jyzz. alway good to know you aren't the only one.  ha.



#10 jyzz

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Posted 01 November 2013 - 05:32

Thanks for the confirm jyzz. alway good to know you aren't the only one.  ha.

 

I am not so sure that is "good to know," but now that my bro just mailed me his GS tickets, I am beginning to get irked...

here is hoping they send out the $$$ tickets then the GA ones will follow soon...



#11 kozmo

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Posted 07 November 2013 - 22:52

Well, I guess I should be satisfied that I got my tickets today given all the delays and misinformation that I received from the sales department at the track regarding their whereabouts. 

 

Still I am very disappointed that what I received today are not typical 'race' tickets (i.e. large size with cool graphics) that are sort of a momento to the event. No, they are plain old ticketmaster tickets that looks like they are for a concert at a nightclub down the street.  For $500 a seat I expected something better.



#12 jyzz

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Posted 15 November 2013 - 14:09

good for you. I never got mine but was lucky enough to call ahead and had them re-print for pickup when I arrive.

I am suspecting not many Autosport / UK travelers are visiting this time around, this year's discussion is a little slower than expected

but FWIW, for those who still have ticket issues, there is a downtown Austin location that can reprint tickets:

 

http://www.statesman...ome-fans-angry/