I'm in Boston thoroughly enjoying the IACP Hotel Lottery Tour, also known as the Biggest Boondoggle Ever. The IACP conference is a huge trade show my company attends every year. The actual show isn't until October, but the work starts now. This week we are the guests of the Greater Boston Visitors Bureau and are touring all of the hotels available to us. Seventeen hotels, plus "special event venues" in 2.5 days. Last night kicked it off with a fancy reception at the Convention Center and dinner in Fanueil Hall. I had clam chowder at the oldest restaurant in the US. Boston Clam Chowder really is better than all other chowders. Today we toured six hotels and we still have the Hampshire House to get to for a reception. I'm exhausted! And so stuffed full of food I can't even imagine eating more at the reception tonight. They started us off with a wonderful breakfast, and then we got cookies at two different Doubletrees (including one that specializes in Feng Shui decorating), drinks at every location, a lunch at the Seaport (including the funkiest spinach-mushroom-cheese-oil salad ever), and then "make your own trail mix" at the Marriott. Plus some hotel sent us home with apple plum tarts that I haven't opened yet. I may never eat again!
Last year I did this tour in Miami, and I have to admit, Boston isn't Miami by a long shot. Last year every hotel greeted us with champagne, strawberries, and gifts out by the beach. Here they just hustle us in out of the freezing cold winds. But Boston has provided us with a police escort for our buses every where we go. Which isn't helping me gauge distance to the convention center in traffic, but is getting us everywhere much faster. And of course, all those motorcycle cops in their cute tight pants and boots don't hurt much either.
All in all, good trip so far. But haven't fallen in love with any particular hotel like I did in Miami. Once I see something worth posting a picture of, I'll be sure to post it!
Just double the time it takes.
ReplyDeleteThen triple it.
Then add 45 minutes.
That should give you a pretty good estimate of how long it will take to get from place to place in Boston. Oh, how I miss the weather and the traffic...
Mikes. Are you going to Mikes on Friday? Because if you do, I know two girls who live in Falls church who will pay good price for Mike's Cannolis.
ReplyDeleteMan, yes. Mike's is awesome. And I second what Miss Hass said, but then say that you should just tell them all to take the T or walk, especially in October. Of course, it depends on where the convention will be--Fleet Center?
ReplyDelete