Hotels Book Up Fast For Commencement Weekend
Kare Hernandez
Issue date: 4/26/07 Section: News
Many students are going crazy not knowing where their parents are going to stay during the weekend of commencement. A lot of hotels are booked to the limit. The hotels that do have rooms available are taking advantage of the fact that some students don't have any choice but to book these pricey hotel rooms.
The Office of Student Activities has special deals with some of the hotels, which allow students to get discounts when booking rooms. The rooms are especially blocked off for Utica College students and when these rooms are all booked, students and their parents have no choice but to book rooms at regular prices.
Availability of rooms are shown on the UC Web site along with the prices. The hotels being used for commencement are: Best Western, Holiday Inn, Hotel Utica, Ramada Inn, Radisson Hotel and Red Roof Inn. As of Wednesday, April 18, the Best Western had two rooms available and the Radisson had 10 rooms available.
All other hotel rooms have been booked and do not have any rooms available. Both the Best Western and Radisson are out of blocked rooms so students and parents will have to pay the regular hotel prices for the rooms.
Senior Tyleah Castillo said, "Student Activities should do a better job with advertising which hotels are available, not all students look on the Utica College Web site."
Most students are choosing not to pay the hotel rates and are having their parents drive up just for the day of commencement. Senior Erick Baez said, "My mom is just going to drive up the same day, it doesn't make sense to pay those amounts for a hotel in Utica.
"Some students believe that there should be a limit on the amount of rooms students are booking," senior Nadine Ulysse said. "Only close family members should be attending. This could help alleviate the hotel room situation."
However, The Office of Student Activities suggested that students book their rooms as early as possible because the hotel rooms work on a first come first served basis.
Ulysse said she booked her rooms early because she didn't want to risk getting closed out of the discounted rooms.
The Office of Student Activities has special deals with some of the hotels, which allow students to get discounts when booking rooms. The rooms are especially blocked off for Utica College students and when these rooms are all booked, students and their parents have no choice but to book rooms at regular prices.
Availability of rooms are shown on the UC Web site along with the prices. The hotels being used for commencement are: Best Western, Holiday Inn, Hotel Utica, Ramada Inn, Radisson Hotel and Red Roof Inn. As of Wednesday, April 18, the Best Western had two rooms available and the Radisson had 10 rooms available.
All other hotel rooms have been booked and do not have any rooms available. Both the Best Western and Radisson are out of blocked rooms so students and parents will have to pay the regular hotel prices for the rooms.
Senior Tyleah Castillo said, "Student Activities should do a better job with advertising which hotels are available, not all students look on the Utica College Web site."
Most students are choosing not to pay the hotel rates and are having their parents drive up just for the day of commencement. Senior Erick Baez said, "My mom is just going to drive up the same day, it doesn't make sense to pay those amounts for a hotel in Utica.
"Some students believe that there should be a limit on the amount of rooms students are booking," senior Nadine Ulysse said. "Only close family members should be attending. This could help alleviate the hotel room situation."
However, The Office of Student Activities suggested that students book their rooms as early as possible because the hotel rooms work on a first come first served basis.
Ulysse said she booked her rooms early because she didn't want to risk getting closed out of the discounted rooms.
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