Kentucky Derby hotel help needed for JDF

[disneysteve]

The local chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation is running a fundraiser. One of the prizes they are putting together is a travel package to the Kentucky Derby. They have received donations of Derby tickets and airline tickets. The problem is they have been unable to locate an available hotel room. Everything is booked up. The other tickets are worthless if there is no place to stay.

Does anyone have any idea how they could go about finding a place? It can be a hotel, a bed and breakfast or any other reasonable type of accomodations (perhaps a couple of nites in a furnished apartment in the area). The accomodations need not be donated. Funds are available to pay for them (or donors are available to pay). It just needs to be reasonably close enough to the venue.

If anyone has any brilliant ideas, please send them my way. TIA

 

[Puffy2]

Try a travel agent or try calling the hotel's publications director (or commerce director) - those in charge of publicity for the hotel.

But keep in mind, these rooms are very difficult to book and are extreamly expensive anyway.

 

[Doctor P]

I won tickets to the Kentucky Derby about 10 years ago and ended up not going for this very reason. We would have had to stay up by Indianapolis and then gone to the race from there. Good luck in solving your problem for a good cause.

 

[Doctor P]

Good news. I just put in May 4-May 7 for a stay in Lexington, Kentucky (easy driving distance to Louisville) and got 9 hotels with availability on marriott.com, most with relatively reasonable rates.

 

[Poohlovr]

My husband works for a hotel here in Louisville--they have singles (1 queen bed) in either smoking or non-smoking available. Double rooms (2 queen beds) are available only in smoking rooms.
The hotel about 20 miles from Churchill Downs and there will be bus transportation available for 10.00 from the hotel to the track, if they don't want to take a cab or don't have a rental car.
Be aware that prices are jacked way up for Derby week-end and all hotels require a 3 night reservation (Thur-Sun). Even if you don't use all 3 nights, you pay for all three.
The rates at his hotel are $189.00/night for the singles and $199.00 for the doubles and must be paid in advance.
This is a motel that usually costs 49.00 and 59.00 per night. It's nice and clean, but is definitely a "business man" hotel, so there aren't many amenities geared toward families.
You won't find any cheaper and it will be hard to find any place to donate rooms this late as most are completely booked.
Let me know if I can be of further help.

 

[disneysteve]

My husband works for a hotel here in Louisville--they have singles (1 queen bed) in either smoking or non-smoking available.

PLEASE give me the details. PM me as it probably isn't appropriate to post it.

Doctor P - Thanks. I'll check that out too.

 

[Poohlovr]

PM sent.

 

[Poohlovr]

I will add that as we get closer to Derby, there will be tons of houses for rent for the week-end. A lot of people leave town that week-end so they can rent their house out.
These are readily available, but they are not cheap...

Lex is about an 90 minutes from Louisville.

I found these hotels on www.Hotels.com, that while not in Louisville, are about 30-45 minutes away--closer than Lexington.


Ramada Bardstown
BARDSTOWN
The Ramada Inn in Bardstown, Ky. is conveniently located off Highway 81 and is only three blocks from the historic downtown shopping area with a pleasant walk past stately old mansions. more...
hotel information


Average
Nightly Rate May 4 May 5 May 6
$108.33 $75.00 $125.00 $125.00










Super 8 La Grange Ky
La Grange / LA GRANGE
The Super 8 Motel in La Grange, Ky., is located just a few blocks off Interstate 71. La Grange is a suburb of Louisville. more...
hotel information


Average
Nightly Rate May 4 May 5 May 6
$144.00 $72.00 $180.00 $180.00

 

[Caylin]

I live in Lexington and if you need any legwork done, let me know through a PM. I'm always glad to help!

 

[tinkerrn]

Have you tried to look up hotel across the river in Indiana....much closer than Lexiington. Look up New Albany, Clarksville, or Jeffersonville...in Indiana. They are right across from downtown Louisville. There are a few B&Bs also.

 

[Deb in IA]

Have you tried to look up hotel across the river in Indiana....much closer than Lexiington. Look up New Albany, Clarksville, or Jeffersonville...in Indiana. They are right across from downtown Louisville. There are a few B&Bs also.

I totally agree.

I grew up in Clarksville, and it was only 10 minutes from our house to downtown Louisville.

Check out the Holiday Inn: http://hotels.desertusa.com/Indiana/Clarksville/10223150.html

(we had our wedding reception there)

 

[SnowWhite33]

Look at hotels in Shelbyville, KY. We sit between Louisville and Lexington off of I64, it's about a 40 minute drive to the track. Shelbyville isn't a huge town, but we have 5 hotels, with another being added that should be ready by then. I think the reason for so many hotels is to catch the Derby overages.

 

[disneysteve]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've passed them along to the people running the event. I'm not actually involved but a friend mentioned it at a dinner party last week to see if anyone had any ideas.

I love the DIS!

 

[Deb in IA]

And if you go up just a bit further north on I-65 into Indiana, you may find something in Scottsburg:

http://www.calibex.com/serv/calibex...ttsburg&OVKEY=indiana+scottsburg&node=2703100

There's a Days Inn, Hampton Inn, and Holiday Inn Express.