Update 2/13/2005:
Our Official Reali-tini Hotel,
The Best Western Cocoa Beach
is filling up fast! We have already booked 35 rooms at last count. Don't
miss out on the fun! Call 1-800-962-0028 and save your spot. Our rates are
as follows: Non-oceanfront rooms are $65 per
night and oceanfront rooms with balcony and micro-fridge are $99 per night.
All rooms are 2 double beds unless you request differently! We also have
rooms blocked across the street at the
Days Inn at a rate of $59
per night. Parking for the duration of the cruise is free at both hotels
and a shuttle will be available for $3 to the port. I am going to work with
the hotel to arrange for us to have shuttles reserved exclusively for our
group to make the trip to the port as painless as possible.
Just in case you missed it, here is the pool bar at the Best Western:
Update 6/30/2004:
Radisson Resort at the Port is not giving group discounts for the dates we are looking for. Anyone who has their heart set on staying at this property should probably make their reservations asap, as they appear to be filling up quickly.
Ron Jon Cape Caribe will give us a group discount, if we book 10 or more rooms. The not as good news is that they won't take reservations more than 1 year out, nor can they give me rates for next October. I did get the rates for this October, without discount: Studio - $120, 1BR - $175, 2BR - $225, 2BR Deluxe - $260. If we figure rates will go up $10/room for next year, then guess we will get a 10% discount for our group, that should make prices no higher then what is posted above.
Days Inn & Best Western Oceanfront are both managed through the same sales office, and are located right across the street from each other. Their October bookings are usually 'fairly slow'. They offer free parking for the length of the cruise and one way shuttle service for $3 per person to the port. Rooms would be two double beds or one king bed. The Days Inn property is located one block from the beach, behind the Best Western. Their rates for our group would be $59 per night. Best Western non-oceanfront rooms would be $65 per night and oceanfront rooms with balcony and micro-fridge would be $99 per night. The Best Western is connected to a Durango's Steak House, next to a Perkins and is located 1 block south of the Cocoa Beach Pier. Group members could stay at the hotel of their choice, in the room type of their choice and still qualify for the same group rate -- in other words, we do not all need to stay at the Best Western, some can chose to stay at the Days Inn but all rooms will count towards the same group booking.
Courtyard by Marriot is offering a rate of $95 per night. Their standard room contains 2 queen beds, although some kings are available. Requests for oceanview rooms can be made, but cannot be guaranteed. Each room has a private balcony, mini-fridge and highspeed internet access. The property is 150 yards to the beach with a private walkway. There is a restaurant on site as well as a bar and an outdoor patio that runs between the bar and the pool which we could use for a group gathering on Saturday night. They offer free parking for the length of the cruise and one way shuttle service for $3 per person to the port.
Doubletree Oceanfront is booked with a convention. They also manage the Howard Johnson's motel located nearby. They have offered a rate of $69 per night for an efficency with a king or standard with two doubles. They have a free continental breakfast, but no full service dining. The property only has 64 rooms.
Holiday Inn Express has only 60 rooms, no parking available and has indicated they are not comfortable accomodating our group.