CEBIT 2004
 

I've managed to avoid CEBIT for years, but it looks like I may have to be there this year. What advice can others give for getting lodging? I'm at the highest level with Starwood, Hyatt and PriorityClub in case that helps.

Hannover has:

-Crowne Plaza Schweizerhof
-ArabellaSheraton Pelikan

I have been at CEBIT at least 15 times and never got a hotel room! All fully booked.
I had to stay at private places, which is customary during big fairs. Look under "Zimmervermittlung".
May be your company, your supplier (IBM, HP other) has reserved hotel rooms for VIPs.
BTW, Cebit is a "zoo"!

The location is not so important: In the morning most of the trains/trams go in the direction Messe/Fair. In the evening vis-versa.

try looking for 2005 now... If you only need to be there for one day, stay in Hamburg and take a rental car or the ICE high-speed train.

Seriously, most companies seem to arrange for private places for their staff and I believe even that is arranged a long time in advance.

There seems to be some availability for the 21st-24th (at ridiculously inflated rates).

If it were me, for the nights of the 20th through the 25th, I'd book right away at the Ritz-Carlton in Wolfsburg - there's availability at €290 as of 13:00 EST . It's just a 35-minute ICE ride to the Hannover Hauptbahnhof, from where you can catch a GVH train to the show. (The Wolfsburg station is right next to the Autostadt complex, of which the Ritz-Carlton is a part).

Hannover is so ugly, I strongly advise you to stay anywhere else, but please avoid Hannover and rent a car, drive fast on the Autobahn. Wolfsburg RC might be ok, Hamburg is a lot fancier but be aware that the Deutsche Bahn is never on time, at least when I am on board of their trains.

Don't take a rental car, never - it's a zoo!:
-long pile-ups on the autobahn and near the fair!
-you might end up getting a parking place some miles away

The (special) trains are good and punctual. There are trains from Hamburg and elsewhere direct (and only!) to the fair.
BTW, the weather can be lousy: snow mixed with rain or rain mixed with snow http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...um/biggrin.gif Have fun!

Check this:

Accommodations
The Hannover Fairs USA Special Services Department provides American exhibitors and visitors with a wide variety of accommodations to chose from that fit any budget! Room availability during CeBIT is often limited due to high demand, so we encourage all of our clients to book rooms well in advance.

http://www.hfusa.com/cebit/

Choose from one of these attractively priced rail travel packages for your trip to CeBIT 2004(departure from any station in Germany).

Return rail fare on all regular Deutsche Bahn connections, incl. ICE connections, from any German railway station
One night’s accommodation in a single-bed room in the booked category (breakfast included)
http://www.cebit.de/33624

Special Train Stops during CeBIT 2004
Daily ICE-stops on the north-south distance. The trains start for example in Hamburg, Bremen, Munich or Karlsruhe.
Special trains from west and east. The trains run for example from Berlin via Magdeburg or from Cologne via Bielefeld.
You reach the entrance WEST 1, hall 13, via the Skywalk
http://www.cebit.de/25198_1

Wait until you see Wolfsburg, other ...
Actually, Hannover is quite O.K., at least for visiting the CEBIT fair ...