[sjlwel]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by LarryIII
[B]Why not ask Uncle Worn & Sandy or someone else who lives in the area to check out both Holiday Inns and make a recommendation ?


I did not check the rooms; with Holiday Inn they are pretty standard. We are familiar with the area and drove through twice in past few weeks. There is basically no big difference as far as distance from Reading, PA Dutch country, etc. The proposed (Denver/Adamstown) area is especially noted for antiques and has a long strip of fairly large antique shops. The area is "more organized" than Morgantown but I would not say that anything is within "walking" distance simply because of the road layout and traffic patterns. One would need a car to travel to the area antique shops, diners, and may even prefer driving to the convenience mart just across the street simply because of crossing the busy intersection.
The Denver Holiday Inn is a little older, smaller and more like a "motel" than the Morgantown Holiday Inn which is more like a "hotel." Denver has only an outdoor pool which will be closed in April, not year round indoor as Morgantown has, and as already mentioned, Denver does not allow dogs where Morgantown does permit pets. There are several other motels in the Denver/Adamstown area and probably this competition plus the style of the building contribute to the lower rates.
The settings are equally appealing depending on one's viewpoint. There is more grass and less blacktop at Denver than at Morgantown. The parking lot at Denver is certainly adequate. For a club meet the "truck lot" is set separately but adjacent to the motel parking area and is more than adequate for the number of cars likely to show.
Here is a completely unbiased objective assessment:
IT PROBABLY MAKES NO DIFFERENCE WHERE YOU STAY - PEOPLE MAKE THE PARTY. Location for club activities is relatively equal. If club members want to spend a little less for a room then obviously Denver is better. Denver benefits those traveling from the west slightly more than those coming from the east who will spend only a wee bit more on travel time, gas, and turnpike fare. Larry, you did ask the young guys to get involved with planning, and that is what they are doing. Based on the hotel size, however, service hours for the restaurant & lounge, and possibly overall service, within the hotels is probably better at Morgantown. (Also objectively, the price reduction is a nice gesture, however, an "absentee" SVX owner does not necessarily get my allegiance. Hotel/Motel owners I have known “possess” Mercedes, Range Rovers, Porches, airplanes, etc.)
Now here is my somewhat biased opinion which favors Morgantown: I don’t stay overnight because I am within commuting distance either way but I am closer to Morgantown. I have three dogs and am ALWAYS partial to hotels that allow well behaved pets even when I travel without them. We have one member with a well behaved dog requiring such a room. A few members, and especially those bringing children, might enjoy the indoor swimming facilities offered at Morgantown. Morgantown also has a McDonald’s with easy walking access. If one goes to the main street of Morgantown, he will find restaurants which serve alcohol/or not and with advanced notice take large groups. There really is something to be said in favor of tradition.

...And finally, just one quip: You can’t carry antique Hoosiers OR replicated Wootens in an SVX anyway.