A wedding is a killer in many hotels becasue it will occupy one of the main function rooms. An Eastercon is usually using all of the function space in a hotel due to the broad nature of the programming. Losing the main hall for a day is pretty disastrous. Smaller events can co-exist with weddings.
Eastercons have very peculiar requirements in terms of function space. Like a Worldcon, they use a big mix of large and small rooms. Not all hotels have an apropriate mixture. There are bigger hotels that are simply too expensive. Orbital 2008 looked at several in London that were simply too expensive in terms of either function space cost or bedroom costs.
Weddings are willing to pay more. Redemption changed hotel because our old venue could make more money from one wedding than from having us for a three day convention. Fans aren't willing to pay that kind of money.
The only alternatives are places where fans simply don't want to go. The Adelphi is one. Another is probably the Birmingham International. Great function space, affordable prices, but in the middle of nowhere outside Birmingham. It's also so big that there would be lots of other people in the place and it makes a big difference to the atmosphere of an Eastercon if you can have exclusive use of the social space near the function rooms. At the hotel we'll be using, we have all the function space on the second floor, so we can be ourselves without anyone else passing through. That's a big plus for anyone who likes to dress up, be it historical costumes, TV costumes or corsets.
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Eastercons have very peculiar requirements in terms of function space. Like a Worldcon, they use a big mix of large and small rooms. Not all hotels have an apropriate mixture. There are bigger hotels that are simply too expensive. Orbital 2008 looked at several in London that were simply too expensive in terms of either function space cost or bedroom costs.
Weddings are willing to pay more. Redemption changed hotel because our old venue could make more money from one wedding than from having us for a three day convention. Fans aren't willing to pay that kind of money.
The only alternatives are places where fans simply don't want to go. The Adelphi is one. Another is probably the Birmingham International. Great function space, affordable prices, but in the middle of nowhere outside Birmingham. It's also so big that there would be lots of other people in the place and it makes a big difference to the atmosphere of an Eastercon if you can have exclusive use of the social space near the function rooms. At the hotel we'll be using, we have all the function space on the second floor, so we can be ourselves without anyone else passing through. That's a big plus for anyone who likes to dress up, be it historical costumes, TV costumes or corsets.