I posted the (unofficial) Microsoft Ignite 2017 Hotels list yesterday, and we already have four hotels showing as unavailable. Please note the usual caveats:

• “Unavailable” means the hotel no longer shows up in a search for a Sunday-Friday stay. If your dates differ, you may be able to book the hotel.
• Until the Ignite site tags the hotel as “Sold Out”, it may become available again depending on cancellations and/or additions to the block.

Hotel Changes

The four hotels that are now unavailable are:

• Courtyard Orlando International Drive Convention Center
• Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando International Drive Convention Center
• Hyatt Place Orlando Convention Center
• SpringHill Suites Orlando Convention Center International Drive Area

All of these hotels are Convention Center neighborhood hotels. That’s not surprising since attendees usually place a premium on being close enough to walk and avoid the bus. Places like Embassy Suites with a free and real breakfast also always prove popular when stacked up against the breakfast at the convention center.

As to the question of why the Hilton Orlando is missing from the block, it was suggested that it might be set aside as the speakers’ hotel. We will have to wait and see what happens with that.

Where am I staying?

If you are wondering where I’m staying, I’m not 100% certain. Every year I book a room as soon as we know where the next Ignite will be located. That ensures that I have a decent room option before registration opens. Once registration opens, I add a room in the block as well in order to have a backup should my original hotel fall through.  Hotels have been known to cancel reservations when booked outside of a block if they need the rooms.  If the conference rate is better than I can get on my own, then I cancel my booking and stick with the conference hotel.

My early booking this year is at the Hilton Orlando, but since it is not in the block, I can’t compare what the conference rate would have been. I initially booked Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort for my conference block hotel. It meant riding the bus instead of walking, but I’ve always wanted to stay there. I love the retro 50s/60s décor down to the Zest soap and VO5 shampoo in the rooms.

I reconsidered today, however, and switched to the Homewood Suites. Since I am going to be there for several days, it’s nice to have the extra room and suite layout. I will save Cabana Bay for a separate trip to check out the new Volcano Bay water park. (Sorry Universal, you are going to have to prove to me that it qualifies as a “theme park” before I’ll call it that.)