price123

Flyertalk DO 25th-28th October 2012: Hyatt Regency the Churchill, London
Travel and accommodation to be paid by each attendee.

Itinerary here

Hyatt Gold Passport promotions here

Costs:
£230+VAT/night B+B (single occupancy) or £245+ (double occupancy).
Champagne reception is kindly sponsored by the Churchill.
Return transport to Virgin Atlantic is £22 pp (through PayPal or Google Checkout).
Saturday's dinner is kindly sponsored by American Express.
Brunch (including unlimited champagne) costs £30 pp upgrade cost (tbc).

More information at http://hyattlondondo2012.weebly.com/

Currently, all events are full but you can go on waiting list. There may be more activities on offer nearer the time. You are welcome to attend the do to participate in promotions even if you cannot get a space on sponsored activities.

Booking either online at www.london.churchill.hyatt.com and using group code G-FTGP or by contacting in house reservations on reservation.hrlondon[at]hyatt.com or on 0207 486 5800. Shoulder nights are also bookable online at the same rate.

To attend, you must a) have a reservation at the Churchill for a minimum of 2 nights on the group rate and b) register online here.

Please let me know if you have any dietary requirements. Also, let me know your travel plans when they are booked through the registration page (including whether you are willing to guest people into lounge or taxi share).

For airport transfers, I recommend Prompt Airport Cars (around £50 one way Central London to Heathrow).

crystak

I'm definitely interested but of course it depends on the dates since I'm away most of September and October.

davef139

Sounds fun, would give me time to get a passport too lol..

Got an idea of the cost? Even a fairly broad range.

price123

Travel cost: obviously depends where you're coming from. Taxi sharing is quite cheap or the tube.

Hotel rate I would hope for less than £200+vat per night. Then I'm hoping meals and drink will be sponsored. Other meals can be cheap eg sandwich from m+s.

skye1

Depending on dates, would be interested.

Top of climb

Interested.

chanp

Who are all the sponsors?

baliktad

As a fan of both Hyatt and London, I'd love to participate, however, a $350+/night DO is breaching the upper end of my price range. Without a negotiated rate, I would be forced to seek other nearby options. I'd be hard pressed to even use points given the many alternatives here.

Count me as interested at least, especially with a lead time that will realistically allow me to plan for award travel to and from.

Markie

Although I live in London, I'm game! Always need that extra stay credit.

price123

Only confirmed sponsor so far is Hyatt, although we are still working on details of the sponsorship.

It is a bit of a chicken and egg scenario: sponsors want to know how many people will be there. Attendees want to know who will sponsor/what will happen.

I am aiming for an airline sponsor for an activity; smaller sponsors for a goody bag...

price123

To be honest, rates in London are high regardless. I have in the past looked as far downmarket as Holiday Inns and you are still looking at over $200+/night, often more. I will post details of rates when I get them. The only thing I can suggest otherwise, is staying at Heathrow for 1 night and then the Churchill for 2. As Hyatt are sponsoring, I don't feel it's ok for people to stay outside Hyatt, unless they only attend events outside the Hyatt. If people want to do this, it is fine, and would consist of any excursions, and probably a couple of meals.

miffSC

Please add me to the list of interested.

SkiAdcock

While I get the reasoning, I don't attend Dos where I'm required to stay at a particular brand. I know on SMD3 this year, they're requiring folk to stay at Hyatts if they want the goody bags and/or Diamond status, but in past you were encouraged to stay at the hotel sponsor, not required to do so & SMD is a bit in its own league, not the same as most Dos.

I like Hyatt so it's nothing against the chain, but there are less expensive options in London w/ Marriott, IHG & Hilton on weekends, & often on Dos in high-ticket cities people will use their points. And if some need nights to keep their status they need to stay where they'll get credit for their stays.

If Hyatt cut a really, really, really cheap rate you might be able to get some to switch for that weekend.

Again, I totally get the reasoning & it's nothing against Hyatt - or the other sponsors. Just curious - if nothing is compulsary, how do you tell the sponsors how many they'll have attending their 15-minute presentations, or do you just go off the entired registered list?

And will you make the airline thing totally separate or a one for all (ie, entire weekend)?

BTW - the weekend line-up looks quite nice!

Cheers.

price123

So the way I see it: anyone is welcome to come to any outside events/excursions/meals... regardless of where they stay. To attend anything held inside the Hyatt, you have to stay in the Hyatt. I think this is the only fair way for the hotel.

I will post when I have details of the negotiated rate. I understand wanting to use points, but at least you have over a year to MR for HGP!

JohnnyP

I live in London as well, but would be game to attend at least the "DO"ing part.