Hotel for Fencers

In mid February 2008 Fencing Junior Olympics will be held in Charlotte. I will have 2 teen fencers in my room plus other fencing families with me. The event is being held at the Charlotte Convention Center.

I am considering booking the Drury Inn and Suites (which includes breakfast) but wanted to know how hard it is to get in and out of Charlotte. Would I be better off booking the Marriott City Center or some other room that is walking distance. Hotel recommendations, especially ones that include breakfast, would be most welcome.

Hotel for Fencers

Your fencing website shows these hotels with distances:

HILTON GARDEN INN UPTOWN - 3 BLOCKS FROM VENUE

HAMPTON INN UPTOWN - 3 BLOCKS FROM VENUE

OMNI CHARLOTTE HOTEL - 3 BLOCKS FROM VENUE

MARRIOTT RESIDENCE INN UPTOWN - 4 BLOCKS FROM VENUE

WESTIN 1 BLOCK FROM VENUE

MARRIOTT CITY CENTER - 5 BLOCKS FROM VENUE

Drury Inn out toward the University is quite a ways from uptown and you have to drive thru a seedy part of town to get there. I would not stay there. Also- there%26#39;s another big event uptown that weekend so traffic may be a little heavier than usual for a weekend.There is a Residence Inn uptown if you want a suite - it%26#39;s not too far from the Convention Center.

Your host hotel is the Hilton ( not the Garden Inn listed above). It%26#39;s an excellent hotel and has in-house YMCA attached. You usually can get passes there.

Best wishes.

Hotel for Fencers

OOps- just saw Residence in the list - I%26#39;m working too fast! LOL.

Thanks for the info about the Drury Inn. If it is that far I%26#39;ll skip it.

My experience with the hotels recommended by our fencing group has been wretched. One review I wrote for a hotel in Albuquerque they booked us into started ';After the shooting the security improved. But unfortunately I had already been stuck in the elevator the night before and only got interest from the front desk when I threatened to call 911--thank heaven I had my cell phone with me.'; The review went downhill from there. In Tucson the Trip Advisor folks warned us away from hotels that were ';disgusting'; and had ';hookers in the lobby.'; all hotels selected by Team Housing as appropriate for youth fencing events. So if you have any insight on the hotels in Charlotte recommended by THS (ideally one with breakfast) that would be wonderful.

All of the hotels they have listed are fine. They cater to business people. Not sure about breakfast inclusion, but I would think only Hilton Garden Inn and Residence Inn might be the only ones who offer that - check with them.