TFNation 2023 Discounted Bedrooms Information

SHORT ANNOUNCEMENT

 
- TFNation 2023 tickets will be available for purchase from 12:00 Midday (GMT) on Saturday 3rd December 2022.
- TFNation has secured discount rate rooms at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel.
- Discount rate bedrooms will be available for purchase at 12:00 Midday (GMT) on Saturday 4th March 2023.
- This post has been updated on Friday 3rd March 2023 with some new information which we encourage you to read.

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT

Whether you're a returning TFNational, or a first-time convention-goer, we know hotel accommodation is an important part of your TFN planning. This year will be a little different to previous years, so please take a moment to read this post, which we hope will be helpful for you.

1. HOW MUCH DO THE ROOMS COST?

The bedroom rates offered to us slightly increase in price each year, to account for things like inflation and hotel running costs. This year the price change will be larger, partly because of price rises we are all facing, and partly to reflect the fact that TFNation's previous hotel rates were all negotiated as far back as 2018/2019. 

With that in mind, the Hilton Birmingham Metropole has offered the following discounted rates to TFNation 2023 ticket holders;

£100.00 per night - Single bedroom (for single occupancy), including breakfast.

£120.00 per night - Double or Twin bedroom (for single occupancy), including breakfast.

£150.00 per night - Double or Twin bedroom (for double occupancy), including breakfast.

£170.00 per night - Family bedroom (for two adults and two children), including breakfast.

These rates are higher than those you've paid in the past - there's no sugar coating that, but we hope they will still work for many of you.

In truth, part of the reason why we delayed announcing TFNation 2023 for so long is because we've been working together with the Hilton to put together a package which we think will still work for our attendees in this new post-pandemic era for the hospitality industry. For example, most hotels and events are now moving into a world where breakfasts are paid on top of the room price; for now at least, we're pleased to confirm we've saved your bacon (and, suitably-cherished, meat-free alternatives). We appreciate costs have risen, but compared to public prices, we feel these rates still represent a good deal for TFNationals who want to stay on site.

 (All prices are correct at the time of writing. All prices are quoted inclusive of VAT)

2. WHEN CAN I BOOK MY ROOM?

To give you a little time to plan, and to enjoy your robot-filled holidays, TFNation's discount rate bedrooms will be available for purchase at 12:00 Midday (GMT) on Saturday 4th March 2023. We will make another post closer to the time to let ticket holders know how to book their rooms.

For Traders and Forge Stall Holders (who have paid their invoices) we will email you separately with instructions for booking your bedrooms in due course, as the process is a little different for you.

3. DEPOSIT

You will need to pay a deposit at the time of booking, equivalent to the price of one night in your room (this will then be counted towards the full price you will need to pay, at the hotel). 

The deposit will be non-refundable and non-transferable, so it's important that you only book a room if you are confident you will make the event. 

Please note - if your credit/debit card provider asks you to complete a safety verification screen, they may well display the full value of your total stay. This is their way of telling you how much you will ultimately have to pay. However, the Hilton page where you enter your details will confirm at the bottom that only one night's deposit will be taken.

You will not need to pay for the rest of your stay until you are at the hotel; if you have a credit card, you will not need to pay until check out. If you do not have a credit card, you will need to pay at check in.

4. HOW DOES THE BOOKING SYSTEM WORK?

We have expanded this section to provide some more detailed information on how to access the booking portal, so please read carefully;

If you have already purchased your TFNation tickets, follow these steps at 12:00pm (GMT) on Saturday 4th March 2023;

A. Click the Log In button which is found at the top right of the TFNation.com home screen (desktop devices) or in the drop down menu (mobile devices). Log in with your username and password.

B. Once logged in, the Log In button will be replaced with a My Account button - click it, to open your account's drop down menu.

C. In the drop down menu, under the heading Attendee Area, click Order History.

D. On the Order History page you'll see a list of your TFNation bookings. If you've attended several conventions the list could be quite long now. Look for the booking which starts with TFNation 2023 and click it.

E. Now you've opened your TFNation 2023 booking page and will be able to see your tickets for the event. This is the page you need to be on. At 12:00pm (GMT) on Saturday 4th March 2023, a green button called Book Hotel Rooms will appear on this page - that's your access to the Hilton Booking portal. (You might need to refresh the page to make the button appear)

F. Once you've clicked the big green button, you'll leave the TFNation website and enter the Hilton's TFNation 2023 microsite; from here, it's over to you to book the bedrooms you're hoping to secure - good luck!

If you've not purchased your tickets yet;

The green button will appear at the end of your ticket booking journey, from 12:00pm (GMT) on Saturday 4th March 2023 onwards.

It's really important that you please check your password first as you will need to log in with the same account you used to buy your TFNation 2023 tickets - if you create a new account instead, the system won't know you've bought tickets, so it won't give you access to the booking portal.

5. A REMINDER ABOUT THURSDAY AND MONDAY ROOMS

Over the years, we know many of you have decided to extend your stay at the hotel, be that to assist with your travel plans or just so you can soak up a little more of the TFN spirit. Naturally, we love this, but it is important to remember that TFNation is a three day event; this means it is fully down to the hotel's discretion as to whether or not the discount rate can be extended to other nights - in turn, that usually comes down to which events are running either side of TFNation.

This year the hotel has very kindly agreed to add some Thursday and Monday rooms at the discounted rate. We imagine these will be available in limited quantities and will sell quickly.

Please note - the discretionary rooms provided to us for the Thursday and Monday do not include single rooms. If you require a single room, please change the dates on the booking page to reflect our core convention dates, and then you will find all of the room types available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Remember, you can always book your core dates now and then you have several months to make your plans for any additional travel days.

6. IF I BUY MY TFNATION 2023 TICKET, WILL I BE GUARANTEED A BEDROOM?

Sadly not. You must first buy a ticket to qualify to use the bedroom portal, but once you're in, bedrooms are sold subject to availability.

Each year we remind our attendees that even though the Metropole is the UK's largest events hotel outside of London, there are more than twice as many TFNationals as there are bedrooms. That means even before we factor in other events and members of the public, it is sadly not possible to guarantee everybody a room.

This year in particular, with a first ever UK convention appearance for Susan Blu, we anticipate bedrooms will sell out very quickly, so we encourage you to have your plans ready as early as you can.

7. HOW DOES THE HOTEL BOOKING PORTAL WORK?

The Hilton computer is smart, but it's no Teletraan-1. Think of it like a game of connect four (or, more likely three, for most people). If you want a room for three nights, and ALL three nights are available, then the computer will be happy and you'll get your room. But if ANY one of those three nights is not available, you'll get an error message. 

The trick is to start small. Try one day at a time. By process of elimination, you'll see which day is the culprit! Book the nights you can - remember, you've got until August to fill any gaps and rooms do free up as people change their plans.

It is also important to identify the correct number of adults who will be staying in your room, as this impacts the overall rate and the number of breakfasts your room is entitled to.

8. WILL TFNATION GET ANY MORE ROOMS LATER?

This is unlikely - it has happened, but it's not really something we can bank on as it's dependant on how other events sell. 

What does often happen, however, is people tend to cancel their bookings in the first few weeks (probably when they realise their friend has also booked a room and they can share). So keep checking back, because if somebody drops out, you might get lucky and grab that room! You can keep checking right up until the weekend of the convention.

9. PARKING

Residents parking at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole is £12.00 per night, with an increased day rate for non-residents. Additional parking is also available at the nearby NEC and Resorts World, though we would encourage you to check the rates before you travel.