<p>Spent the last couple of days in Tuscaloosa and heard that there are lots of hotel rooms available for Iron Bowl this year.</p>
<p>Also, lots of students are heading home for the holidays, and I wonder if there’s a chance kids could get tickets off the donated list, like I’ve heard many freshman have been able to do for other games.</p>
<p>Are kids able to put their names on a waiting list for donated tickets for this game?</p>
<p>Just curious, as I met a few kids today who were not intending to go to the game and had not yet found buyers for their tickets.</p>
<p>That’s why I’m wondering if there’s a donated waiting list like for other games, as I know lots of kids will want to get rid of their tickets to avoid a penalty. </p>
<p>Many people I encountered in the travel industry, (taxi/limo drivers, restaurants, hotels, airline), think that with the economy, people are saving their money for the championship games. </p>
<p>I wonder if the fact that fall break was so early this year, kids are anxious for another trip home. I flew in Monday night to Birmingham and there were tons of Bama kids at the airport. Of course, many of them could be coming back on Friday to attend Saturday’s game. My son has not been home since August, so he’s excited to be home for a long break, and we are thrilled to have him.</p>
<p>I don’t think that there’s a lot of hotel rooms available; certainly not decent ones for good prices. My condo booked months ago for $2150 for three nights (2 bedrooms/2baths…sleeps 7 in beds, full kitchen/laundry/etc). The family that booked is a party of 8 and will put a small child on a couch. I’ve been getting calls from prospective visitors for the last month asking if my renters have cancelled because they wanted to rent.</p>
<p>Just checked…Super 8 motel has some rooms for $300 a night…they’re usually about $40 a night. La Quinta has some rooms for $265…neither of these are in good areas. I think both have 2 night minimums…which is typical for game weekends.</p>
<p>i’m sure if you put your name on the list early enough you could get a donated ticket on Friday. i got one for the A&M game. as for the iron bowl, student tickets are being sold for like $20…</p>
<p>I’m with M2ck…I don’t think a decent hotel room will be easy to find for the weekend. I wouldn’t stay at either of the ones she mentioned. Your best bet might be to check the Yellow Hammer, but it will be as pricey as the others on any game weekend and generally requires a two night minimum. It doesn’t book as early as some because the location isn’t as close to campus as the Capstone or the Hampton Inn.</p>
<p>My D sold her ticket weeks ago, but she was still receiving offers to buy it for $70 yesterday. Others were listed for $40 online.</p>
<p>In fact, as of Tuesday morning, the decent hotels behind the movie theater still had rooms available for Iron Bowl weekend. We usually stay at the Fairfield when we visit, and they are a very nice, safe hotel, with breakfast included. They are not far from campus, either. Next to them is the Courtyard and the Hilton Garden Inn. I don’t know if they have rooms available or not, but the Fairfield does. We just cancelled our room at the Residence Inn Hoover, a nice hotel and not too far away, a decent price, with breakfast included. We’ve stayed there for Family Weekends in the past, as they had a day of cancellation policy and didn’t cost an arm and a leg, and have met many people there who were also attending the games those weekends, so lots of people making the same trek.</p>
<p>Son will be either donating or transferring his ticket. Some friends had expressed an interest in his ticket for family or friends, but no transasction had been made before he headed home, so he’ll probably just donate it.</p>
<p>Oh, yes, that is the going rate for gameday weekends. Not surprised rooms are available. </p>
<p>Son’s friend who he was going to transfer his ticket to decided not to attend the game, either, so son donated his ticket last night. Hope a student “stuck” on campus for the holidays gets to enjoy the game without paying a lot for a ticket.</p>
<p>Hope all of you are having a safe and blessed holiday!</p>
<p>There are rooms available at the Country Inn and Suites on McFarland for $199 a night Fri and Sat. From what I’ve seen trying to book other game day weekends, that’s a relative bargain.</p>
<p>^^^Wow, that’s a great price. We always stay at Fairfield because we’re Marriott members, and there is usually a special going on where we get free nights after multiple stays, which we’ve used at some nice hotels on vacations, so don’t mind spending the extra money. Plus, the staff at the Fairfield is so nice, rooms are clean, and I’ve never felt unsafe there. I get a nice breakfast, swim in the clean indoor pool, and have met such nice families on my visits there. It’s been a second home for us for the last three years, and I will really miss them when son graduates. The Residence Inn Hoover is always nice, which we’ve stayed at when we can’t get in at the Fairfield, and although it’s a bit of a drive, the rooms are very nice, great breakfast, and the rate is a little over a hundred dollars. It’s also a Marriott property, so if you’re a Rewards member, you can take advantage of the bonuses after staying there, too.</p>