New Penguicon hotel

To continue my last post: Speaking of the hotel, the concom went to visit the Livonia Holiday Inn Holidome last night, and it just filled me with good convention feelings from end to end. The lobby, although it is roofed and filled with couches, resembles a charming pedestrian outdoor street with an enormous cafe-style gaming area. The moment that I stepped into the beautiful atrium filled with tropical plants, garden brickwork, benches surrounding fountains, the first words out of my mouth were "the old Van Dyke Park hotel." Get this: the door to the non-smoking consuite is on the first floor of the atrium. In addition to the pool and games, the atrium has a putt-putt course where The Chaos Toy can go. The hotel restaurant is an Irish pub decorated like something right out of Robin Hood.

Comments

ext_14572 on Sep. 29, 2005 3:06 PM

That sounds awesome. Personally, my biggest concern is with the staff. An unwelcoming staff can make the best con hotel a bomb.

ext_513536 on Sep. 29, 2005 3:28 PM

I've actually stayed at that hotel in a non-convention manner but found my dealing with the staff to be pleasant and they didn't at all mind the quirks of two computer geeks who camped out in their various lobby areas for several hours with laptops because the mood to keep working lasted longer than the room hours did. :)

ext_14572 on Sep. 29, 2005 3:45 PM

That's a wonderful sign :)

ext_526740 on Sep. 29, 2005 3:53 PM

So PenguiCon won't be at the Novi hotel again? good to know :D

elizilla on Sep. 29, 2005 4:35 PM

I toured that hotel while hotel-shopping for ConFusion. It was my leading contender until I found the Van Dyke Park. I really liked it, but the function space was pretty tight. If I hadn't found the VDP I'd have tried to squeeze in there somehow, since it had so much going for it. If Penguicon can fit in the smaller function space I think it is a very good choice.

elizilla on Sep. 29, 2005 4:37 PM

Do they still have that nightclub, "Tremors"? Or is that now the Irish pub?

ext_21159 on Sep. 29, 2005 4:40 PM

Tremors is gone and is now the Irish pub, Shanahan's. And a fabulously monarchical throne room it has become.

ext_2191190 on Sep. 29, 2005 5:43 PM

i am excited.

ext_210685 on Sep. 29, 2005 7:18 PM

Neat! How's the ballroom? And the really important question. Are the beds confortable?

ext_21159 on Sep. 29, 2005 7:20 PM

There are two ballrooms, neither of which is at all ball-shaped. As for the beds, I didn't try them out.

ext_382062 on Sep. 29, 2005 8:41 PM

I had my work Christmas party there last year. That place is great, althought there's always a ton of business exec's./travelers kids (ages 6-13ish) running around. They have great food there.

ext_525847 on Sep. 30, 2005 2:06 AM

Just so we're clear, this is the hotel for P'Con 4.0?? I don't think it's been explicitly stated anywhere, and I wanted to double check. Personally, I didn't care for the Novi Sheraton/Hilton/whatever it was.

Anonymous on Sep. 30, 2005 2:39 AM

It was stated in the last post, of which (as you see) this is prominently labeled the "continuation." But no matter. This is indeed Penguicon 4.0, April 21-23 2006!

ext_88358 on Sep. 30, 2005 2:19 AM

Irish Pub?? *happy dance* Yay! Ok. I'm happy now. As long as the beds are comfy. *grin*

ext_362569 on Oct. 4, 2005 5:58 PM

Matt, are you doing the floor plan again? I can do the poster size printouts if you'd like.

Anonymous on Oct. 4, 2005 6:13 PM

Absolutely. I haven't got the floor plan yet, but I'll definitely take you up on this. Plus, now I have some easy-to-use 3D software and it might be better than ever.