Guidelines for Attending a Meeting on a Budget
- Transportation
- Airfare to locations within 5 hours of home is usually much higher than the cost of renting a car or van and driving.
- Buy your airline tickets as far in advance as possible, and do shop around for the lower fare.
- Getting from the airport to your hotel: an Airport Shuttle may take a few minutes longer, but can cost half as much as a taxi.
- Be aware that some high-end hotels may charge hefty fees for parking, especially if located in a downtown area. Look for self-park lots nearby.
- Lodging
- Conference hotels are usually very pricey, but they can be best for safety and convenience. Use your best judgment. A major downtown area probably has several hotels very near the conference center or conference hotel.
- If two Rhodes students of the same sex are attending the conference, you are required to share a room.
- Hotels that charge for internet access usually have free access available in their business centers or lobbies.
- Meals
- Restaurants inside the big hotels are the least economical. Look for nearby coffee shops or ask hotel staff for local favorites.
- Convention centers usually have some kind of food service available.
- Safety
- When visiting a large city, it’s never a good idea to wear your conference name badge beyond the conference center’s doors. It’s a mark that you are a visitor and therefore might be a target for pick-pockets.
- Lock your hotel room door regularly and don′t answer the door unless you know who it is.
- Walk with someone from/to your hotel to/from the conference location if possible.
- When in doubt about walking in a foreign city, don′t chance it. Take a cab or call your hotel concierge for advice.
