<p>My daughter and I will be attending an overnight orientation visit at West Point on 22 Feb 2008. Can somebody recommend hotel accommodations in the area?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>We were just there last week and had a great time. We stayed at Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites West Point-Ft Montgomery, Ny. Don't let the city fool you ... it is about five minutes outside the gates of West Point. It was clean and there is a complimentary mini breakfast in the morning (eggs, sausage, pastries, etc.). Hope you enjoy your visit and go prepared with lots of questions.</p>
<p>Yes, I second that. The Holiday Inn Express is a very good deal and close to Thayer gate. We stayed there when our son did his overnight visit. </p>
<p>The historic hotel on post is the Thayer Hotel. Expensive, great location, rooms are smallish and some are a bit worn. It is a great place to stay for any of the big events (PPW, A-day etc.) Since it is located inside Thayer gate, you miss the security lines, and there are no parking issues - you just catch the shuttle from Buffalo Field. If you like running (like I do), it gives you the wonderful opportunity to run on post - the sunrise scenery is breathtaking....</p>
<p>The Thayer is beautiful and has it's advantages, but they don't have any rooms left for the night before R-day for large families (6 of us). Also, they have a three day minimum for that weekend. We stopped in last week when we were there. We could not get any rooms right near WP for the night before R-day so we booked a hotel in Newburgh. I would highly recommend looking into accomodations for the first 3 or 4 events between June and October.</p>
<p>If you want to book the Thayer for graduation, be warned that bookings open by phone on R-day - and reservations are often filled by around 9am!! Like all bookings at the Thayer for big events - there is a minimum stay period, payment is required upfront and is non refundable (not usually a problem as there are many parents willing to take unwanted rooms off your hands if the room is no longer required.)
Staying close to WP is not that important for R-day, but is really nice for A-Day when cadets are only allowed to venture off within a limited distance.</p>
<p>I've stayed at the Highland Falls EconoLodge several times. It's not fancy, but it's clean and 5 minutes from Thayer Gate. Has a very small free continental breakfast which I wasn't impressed with. The rooms are bigger than an average motel room and has a small refrigerator which was very convenient. I made a point of going to the grocery store and buying breakfast rolls, snacks, and extra drinks/juice/water. Whenever I had any problems the staff was very gracious and at least once went way beyond what was necessary.</p>
<p>I hear there is a campground near the USMA. My family has a nice camper, and is looking to camp R-day versus rent a hotel room. Where is it in proximity to the USMA and how do I go about making reservations, since I heard you had to be prior-service, currently serving, or a cadet at the academy.</p>
<p>There is RV camping at the Round Pond recreation area. You may find the answers to your questions here: <a href="http://www.westpointmwr.com/ACTIVITY/OUTDOOR/Roundpd.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.westpointmwr.com/ACTIVITY/OUTDOOR/Roundpd.htm</a></p>
<p>Sometimes USMA allows overflow RV camping at either South Dock or North Dock (not sure which one) but here are no hooks ups in either dock area.</p>
<p>This is what I found, but now I'm not sure if they will allow our family to camp there. How would I go about explaining my situation?</p>
<p>RESERVATIONS</p>
<p>Round Pond Reservations Begin January 22, 2008 for Active Duty Military Only. All other categories begin on February 19, 2008.
Reservations can be made by calling (845) 938-8811. Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm
Reservations must be made by patrons ages 21 or older. </p>
<p>Reservations will not be accepted for specific camper sites. Camper sites are assigned by size of camper. </p>
<p>All full reservations require payment in full. </p>
<p>Refunds will be made (minus $5 admin fee) within 72 hrs of check-in date/time. No refunds will be made due to weather conditions. </p>
<p><strong><em>MWR facilities are for eligible personnel only.
Active duty and retired military personnel, Air National Guard and Reserve personnel, family members of the above, D0D and retired civilian employees,<br>
and cadets are eligible to use MWR facilities. Proper identification may be requested by staff. *</em></strong></p>
<p>inhibitor, you are a candidate appointee, right? That makes you a prospective cadet for the Class of 2012. Here is a quote from the site:</p>
<p>"Cadets of the class of 1012 can make reservations beginning April 1 for R-Day and dates thereafter."</p>
<p>I think the 1012 is a typo - they mean Class of 2012. </p>
<p>Just to be safe, make hotel reservations nearby - Newburgh, Ft. Montgomery, and Fishkill are all nearby towns to look for hotels that have favorable cancellation policies. That way your family will have a backup place to stay if the RV sites are all taken by then. I do not think all the sites will be gone by April 1, though.</p>
<p>Prospective-net is a good place to ask about camping. Many other great West Point topics are discussed there also. Here is the website: Prospective</a> Net</p>
<p>I admire you for planning this far ahead. </p>
<p>The forests are beautiful around West Point and I hear the Round Pond area is nice. It may be your last chance for a while to truly enjoy relaxing in the woods. (Just kidding!)</p>
<p>Yep, I have been accepted. My family enjoys camping alot, and we plan to be in New York a few days before R-day, so camping right near USMA would be ideal. I know that hotels fill up very quickly, especially with ~1,300 candidates + some families intending to arrive 30 June 2008. My father is active on a camping forum and was told that there was a campground nearby USMA, and it was for military personnel. Thanks for the website.</p>
<p>You are welcome, inhibitor. Enjoy camping near West Point! You will be glad to have a few days to relax before R-Day. We have not tried Round Pond camping, but I hope to camp there next fall. We tent camped all over the West a few years back...we are (or used to be ;) ) a camping family, too. </p>
<p>Congrats on your appointment!!</p>