Now that you know whether or not you have a badge to San Diego Comic-Con 2016, the next question on your mind is inevitably: Where am I going to stay? As of this morning, we’ve got some news on that.
The Early Bird Hotel Sale is back for 2016, with reservations now open through onPeak, the company which merged with Travel Planners back in October 2014, though now TP seems to have joined the onPeak family.
Just like in previous years, the Early Bird sale is not for downtown hotels, but rather for hotels in further-out areas, like Mission Valley or the airport. These hotels are typically a little cheaper than the downtown offerings (rates run from $170-$239 per night for a single occupancy room), which will be available later this year, but attendees have to use transportation in order to get downtown to the convention center.
In recent years, this has become easier than ever, in part thanks to an improved Shuttle Service offered by CCI. Nothing has changed from last year as the shuttles will run Wednesday from 3PM-10PM, with 24 hour service beginning on Thursday at 7AM and running through Sunday at 7PM.
The Early Bird hotels sell out much slower than the regular hotel sale (which we dub Hotelpocalypse), but each room requires full prepayment at the time of booking, and there will be no refunds or exchanges on rooms – so for those even hoping for a downtown hotel room, this might not be the hotel sale for you. There’s also a two-to-four-night minimum stay on each room, which for some hotels must include both Friday, July 22, and Saturday, July 23.
The Early Bird rates will be available through April 5, 2016 – which falls in line with what we reported several weeks ago: That the General Hotel Sale will take place on April 5, 2016 (last year’s Early Bird Hotel Sale also closed on March 24, mere hours before the General Hotel Sale).
Here’s a closer look at some of the Early Bird rules:
Hotel rates on their own are exorbitant, which is why one of the biggest sticking points for Comic-Con International to stay in San Diego continues to be the hotel block. These are locked-in, negotiated rates that CCI has secured for attendees, so that you aren’t paying $1,000 per night. That’s why we highly recommend booking within their system for the best rate, even if last year’s General Sale was a mess.
Want to know more about the difference between the Early Bird Hotel Sale and the General Hotel Sale? Check out our simplified comparison. For more information on the sale visit the CCI Early Bird page.
Will you be purchasing a hotel in the Early Bird sale? Let us know in the comments.
