Dorney Park Motel Recommendations

Does anyone have any suggestions for a reasonably priced motel in the vicinity of Dorney Park for attending CoasterbuzzCon?

There are a few hotels right across the street from the park. I always stay at the Holiday Inn Express [they have whirlpool suites!].

I have stayed at the Days Inn and Howard Johnson's just right down the street from the park. Both are decent.

-Tina

There is a Comfort Suites hotel across the street from Dorney that is pretty nice. It is showing booked for the dates of CoasterbuzzCon. If interested in it I would call there, and a keep checking. I am sure that they would get an opening.

http://www.choicehotels.com/

Just do a search for Allentown, PA. It is the Comfort Suites on Hamilton Blvd. It is showing booked for the date of CoasterbuzzCon, but I am sure that if you call they'll have some availability.

Is that where all the Coasterbuzzers are staying? I would like to make it there for that, but I don't know if I can get off work. :(

*** Edited 4/4/2005 3:07:32 PM UTC by Coasterfantom2***

I have stayed at the Allentown Days Inn Conference Center a few times when going to that area for family weekend gatherings. It is nice and if i recall it is not too expensive. It has a complementary continental breakfast that was pretty good which is a good way to start the day.

^^ That hotel isn't cheap, or at least the room I stayed at wasn't. ;)

The three closest hotels to Dorney are:

Comfort Suites

Howard Johnson

Wingate Inn

With that said, when I'm looking for rooms, I go no further than these three sites:

www.marriott.com
www.choicehotels.com
www.hilton.com

Search for rooms in Allentown, PA - you'll get a list of hotels in the area. Find ones with rooms available that are in your price range, then use something like MapQuest (or your favorite mapping software) to determine distances if that's important.

I'm not a fan of sites like hotels.com or the travel sites like Orbitz or Travelocity or Expedia or whatever when it comes to hotel rooms. Usually you'll get the room cheaper directly. I'm also not a fan of Priceline because I like to actually know where I'm staying before I pay.

YMMV, just my approach to getting rooms.

In the case of hotel rooms for CB Con, you might also find the Lehigh Valley Visitor's Bureau site helpful.

Never stay at the Travelodge in Allentown (part of Choice Hotels). That place is just wrong! It was so nasty I complained to their headquarters and was able to get money back from them. FILTHY! I took photos to show them.......trust me, don't stay there or you will regret it. *** Edited 4/4/2005 3:50:50 PM UTC by Jazma***

Travelodge is not a part of Choice.

Choice Hotels include:

Comfort Inn
Comfort Suites
Sleep Inn
Quality
Clarion
MainStay Suites
EconoLodge
Roadway Inn

Out of courtesy I should mention that I added the Choice Hotels just for the Clarion and Comfort Suites. In a bind, Comfort Inn and MainStay Suites might be do-able. I'd avoid the others (Sleep Inn, Quality, EconoLodge, etc) like the plague.

Travelodge comes from the same company (and I can't believe I don't know this at the moment) as Howard Johnson, Ramada, Days Inn, etc.

I don't even consider those brands unless there is no other option.

-Gonch
Hotel Snob

Ok, what else is happening in Allentown PA Area that weekend.... Most hotels show no or very little availablilty ... not that i need a hotel... *** Edited 4/4/2005 4:24:55 PM UTC by dragonoffrost***

I believe it is graduation weekend for many of the colleges in the area (or some at least).

It's generally a busy hotel time in the area.

Thanks. I was wondering about traffic getting there. That should mean to plan an extra half hour or so for my commute.

This may not be the right place to ask this but on my vouchers there is a line that says something like pass number... could this be my season pass id number that i would need to register? if so could i register for coasterbuzzcon with it and then head to the park on the 21st and get my pass? *** Edited 4/4/2005 4:52:19 PM UTC by dragonoffrost***

^^^^ It was Econolodge then. The location was on Downeyflake Lane. I know it was Choice as I received money back from them, as well as coupons to stay at some of their other (Nicer) properties.

And the place was disgusting! It was really bad, filthy rooms, blood stains on the bed. Just trashy overall. Luckily I had a digital camera to be able to send photos to them. *** Edited 4/4/2005 6:56:10 PM UTC by Jazma***

EconoLodge generally blows...and that's putting it as nicely as I can. :)

I agree with Gonch. Although I am not a hotel snob like him I do like to stay at the Comfort Suites, Sleep Inn, and Mainstay Suites. Comfort Inn, Quality, and Clarion also can be decent, but you really have to investigate. Some of their locations are pretty trashy. I usually avoid the Econolodge, and Rodeway locations.

I usually end up earning at least 2 - 3 free nights by the end of the coaster season by joining their choice privileges program. In the off season they offer stay 2 nights get a 3rd free, and several other promotions. Its really worth the money when you are going to be paying for a hotel anyway. Their prices are usually reasonable.

The only theme parks that I go to, and don't stay at a choice hotel is when I go to Florida for IOA, and Disney. I usually fair out better with one of their on site packages.