Hotels for "R" Day

phillipe

5-Year Member
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If you haven't made your hotel reservations for "R" Day weekend, you need to do it soon. I tried several yesterday and didn't have a lot of luck with the Coast Guard rate being honored for those dates (we are driving up on Friday and checking out Tuesday AM). Springfield Suites - no CGS rate rooms available; Mystic Hampton - no CGA rates available; Hilton Mystic - no CGA rates available; Mystic Marriott - same thing. Ended up at the Hampton Inn Groton for regular rates (they do not have a CGA rate). I guess July 4th week has everything booked up, and the hotels didn't want to sell rooms at the CGA rate. Hampton Mystic told me they were within 20 rooms of being sold out for the week, so would not honor CGA rate (I'm also a silver HiltonHonors Member, and it made no difference to them).

So, just be prepared and get your reservations as soon as you can.
 
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Sometimes it helps if you're a stock holder in the company.
 
I can't imagine how much trouble those receiving appointments in March, April and May will have with this...
 
R-Day Hotels

I noticed that the Springhill Suites by Marriott was not mentioned. This hotel is about 1 mile from the CGA and our family has stayed there quite alot over the past 2 years +AIM. It is a great hotel/staff....and on the wknd of R-Day you will likely meet quite a few parents of upper classmen there (like parents of the cadre). It is a good way to get the inside skinny on what to expect during Swab summer and the 1st academic semester.

Not sure if there are special rates for the CGA but I can tell you that you will enjoy your stay there and the breakfasts are good too!

Good luck to the Class of 2017 and their parents

Sculler Dad (DS Mens Crew 2015)
 
My bad. I said Springfield Suites, but meant Springhill Suites. No luck there - they said all rooms with CGA rate were already taken. That was the second place I tried, after Mystic Hampton.
 
Don't worry TOO much about being in the middle of New London for R Day. It's not a day for celebration. The incoming swabs will be nervous. As much as I wanted to enjoy the Nautilus or Mystic, I didn't. I didn't enjoy my food the night before. I didn't enjoy my sleep the night before.

Don't push them too much to run around and "see the town", one there's not much in New London to look at and two, they won't be "in the mood".

My parents and I spent the night before in a hotel close to the train station. I don't remember a single thing about it.

This is a final night to relax for a long time, so if you can't find something in New London or Groton or Mystic, don't be affraid to look farther out. You won't be missing anything and either way, you want to give yourself plenty of time for R Day.
 
Did you try the Clarion Inn (used to be Holiday Inn) New London at $89 or the Springhill Waterford which is just a block away?

If you haven't made your hotel reservations for "R" Day weekend, you need to do it soon. I tried several yesterday and didn't have a lot of luck with the Coast Guard rate being honored for those dates (we are driving up on Friday and checking out Tuesday AM). Springfield Suites - no CGS rate rooms available; Mystic Hampton - no CGA rates available; Hilton Mystic - no CGA rates available; Mystic Marriott - same thing. Ended up at the Hampton Inn Groton for regular rates (they do not have a CGA rate). I guess July 4th week has everything booked up, and the hotels didn't want to sell rooms at the CGA rate. Hampton Mystic told me they were within 20 rooms of being sold out for the week, so would not honor CGA rate (I'm also a silver HiltonHonors Member, and it made no difference to them).

So, just be prepared and get your reservations as soon as you can.
 
As long as you're within a 20-30 minute drive, you shouldn't worry. You'll probably want to visit on Sunday for the receptions and tours, so driving back and forth for that distance isn't too bad.

They'll open up Chase Hall on Sunday afternoon for tours, you and your future swab can see his room and the rest of the building, and they'll have a buffet dinner set up in the Cadet Wardooom (for those who wish to participate). There is also a "dessert reception" in Leamy Hall where the future swabs can meet others in their company while parents have a chance to browse the Parent's Association tables in search of everything-CGA branded orange-and-blue knicknacks and paraphernalia. (You can also visit the exchange in Johnson Hall, it will be open all day Sun and Mon). Most likely the coaches will have a "get together" (I know they do for football) meeting for potential players as well.

I've stayed at probably every local hotel - some were dumps that I would never recommend, others are fantastic and became favorites over 5 years. Each one has a VERY limited number of "CGA rates" available, they sell out quickly so you'll pay the rack rate unless you a very lucky. The Radisson downtown and the Holiday have both changed hands in the last year and have been rebranded, so I can't offer any advice as to their current state. Avoid the Red Roof (Red Rash) Inn. Hilton Garden Inn is great but expensive, we love the Marriott Residence Inn in Groton - close by, 2 bedroom suites with kitchens, separate baths, living room area, etc - very reasonable and convenient.

Staying close by isn't that important, except for any traffic issues that may arise early Monday morning. A/B/C companies will be reporting at 0700 on the dot.
 
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Tours of Chase Hall for swabs? Who's dumb idea was that?


My entire swab summer was 3rd deck Chase Hall, every annex, and I distinctly remember accidentally stopping a floor early and running around 2nd deck scared and lost until I ran into a scary cadre who told me to go up one more floor.

My opinion, give parents a tour, leave everything else (including Leamy) to be discovered by the swabs, without the protection of mommy and daddy.

Mommy and daddy get their tours as sonny gets yelled at elsewhere.
 
Tours of Chase Hall for swabs? Who's dumb idea was that?


My entire swab summer was 3rd deck Chase Hall, every annex, and I distinctly remember accidentally stopping a floor early and running around 2nd deck scared and lost until I ran into a scary cadre who told me to go up one more floor.

My opinion, give parents a tour, leave everything else (including Leamy) to be discovered by the swabs, without the protection of mommy and daddy.

Mommy and daddy get their tours as sonny gets yelled at elsewhere.

Chase Hall is only open to parent's and family 3 times a year - day before R-Day, a few hours during Parent's Weekend, and a few hours during Grad Week. And a "tour" is probably the wrong word, it's not like there is a guide who walks you through and points out landmarks. But yes, the incoming swabs can find their room and see the name of their roommate by the whiteboard. Other than those 3 times, Chase is closed to all outsiders.

Leamy is always open, it never off limits to anyone - the auditorium, Dry Dock, the bowling lanes, ballroom - all very accessible, can't see any reason to limit Leamy Hall access to any incoming swab. Besides Johnson (the exchange), Leamy, and Waesche (which houses admissions, the museum, and the library) the rest of the buildings are always off limits to all non-cadets.

I doubt any of them would remember much of that leisurely stroll on the 3rd Deck the next day, entering via a much different route, head shaved, squaring every corner, eyes in the boat, while some crazed 2/c yelling an inch from their face.
 
As long as you're within a 20-30 minute drive, you shouldn't worry. You'll probably want to visit on Sunday for the receptions and tours, so driving back and forth for that distance isn't too bad.

They'll open up Chase Hall on Sunday afternoon for tours, you and your future swab can see his room and the rest of the building, and they'll have a buffet dinner set up in the Cadet Wardooom (for those who wish to participate). There is also a "dessert reception" in Leamy Hall where the future swabs can meet others in their company while parents have a chance to browse the Parent's Association tables in search of everything-CGA branded orange-and-blue knicknacks and paraphernalia. (You can also visit the exchange in Johnson Hall, it will be open all day Sun and Mon). Most likely the coaches will have a "get together" (I know they do for football) meeting for potential players as well.

I've stayed at probably every local hotel - some were dumps that I would never recommend, others are fantastic and became favorites over 5 years. Each one has a VERY limited number of "CGA rates" available, they sell out quickly so you'll pay the rack rate unless you a very lucky. The Radisson downtown and the Holiday have both changed hands in the last year and have been rebranded, so I can't offer any advice as to their current state. Avoid the Red Roof (Red Rash) Inn. Hilton Garden Inn is great but expensive, we love the Marriott Residence Inn in Groton - close by, 2 bedroom suites with kitchens, separate baths, living room area, etc - very reasonable and convenient.

Staying close by isn't that important, except for any traffic issues that may arise early Monday morning. A/B/C companies will be reporting at 0700 on the dot.

DD wants to fly in on Sunday alone. Does she need hotel and cab or can she stay in Chase the night before R-day?
 
Chase Hall is only open to parent's and family 3 times a year - day before R-Day, a few hours during Parent's Weekend, and a few hours during Grad Week. And a "tour" is probably the wrong word, it's not like there is a guide who walks you through and points out landmarks. But yes, the incoming swabs can find their room and see the name of their roommate by the whiteboard. Other than those 3 times, Chase is closed to all outsiders.


Parents' Weekend, homecoming and grad week I'm find with, but why the heck they feel the need to show a swab his/her room and Chase..... no, I don't like that.

Chase Hall should be closed to outsiders, it's the cadet's home. All of the other ones... sure, but not Chase.
 
I doubt any of them would remember much of that leisurely stroll on the 3rd Deck the next day, entering via a much different route, head shaved, squaring every corner, eyes in the boat, while some crazed 2/c yelling an inch from their face.


They would, and do. If you don't see Chase Hall, even that is part of the "experience". "Where am I going?" "Where am I"

I beansprouted my senior year of high school. I didn't remember MUCH of what I had seen because I was in a different annex as a high schooler and swab. Not knowing where in the building I was going to be was unsettling.

Geez, maybe the experience will be better if their cadre can pick them up at the archways, hold their hands and sweetly whisper sweet nothings as they welcome them with open arms into their "family." This whole summer "thing" is supposed to take them out of their comfort zones, redefine their limits. I would LOVE to know the reason for opening up the barracks to the future swabs before they report. :rolleyes:
 
I'll go ahead and take a stab at this, not necessarily as a reason for why it is, but just an explanation as someone who, four years ago, did get a chance to go into Chase the night before... Trust me when I say, as a Swab, Cadre and Summer XO... Cadre will work around the issue. My Swab Summer and every swab summer I have seen since then (which is all of them) the cadre practice running the swabs in the most archaic way possible from the quad to their wing area. There is no way anyone who hasn't lived there for the last year or two would be able to figure out where they were at. They're still very disoriented.

It's not a reason as to why, but you'll probably never get an answer to that. The old guard changes into the new guard which will in turn one day become the old guard with rarely an explanation why.
 
DD wants to fly in on Sunday alone. Does she need hotel and cab or can she stay in Chase the night before R-day?

No. She will need her own transportation, hotel room etc. before R-Day. Until that time the Academy really has nothing to do with her. Objee might be able to give a bit better advice though.
 
DD wants to fly in on Sunday alone. Does she need hotel and cab or can she stay in Chase the night before R-day?

As has been said, she will not be allowed to stay in Chase Hall. She will need a hotel room and transportation to the academy on R-Day. If I recall, it may be possible to stay with a sponsor family the night before R-Day but Objee or Luigi are better suited to answer that.
 
waterdogmom said:
DD wants to fly in on Sunday alone. Does she need hotel and cab or can she stay in Chase the night before R-day?

As has been said, she will not be allowed to stay in Chase Hall. She will need a hotel room and transportation to the academy on R-Day. If I recall, it may be possible to stay with a sponsor family the night before R-Day but Objee or Luigi are better suited to answer that.

She will given the opportunity to stay with a sponsor family.

She will receive a detailed schedule of R-Day (and the day before R-Day) in the mail (or it may come via email or on-line) with instructions to set it up.

You may also get info from your local Parent's Association web site, or if they hold a "pre R-Day" meet and greet picnic for the local incoming swabs you can inquire about it there.
No worries.
 
Through your first semester you also apply for the sponsor family program. My sponsor family was great. I still talk to them from time to time.
 
She will given the opportunity to stay with a sponsor family.

She will receive a detailed schedule of R-Day (and the day before R-Day) in the mail (or it may come via email or on-line) with instructions to set it up.

You may also get info from your local Parent's Association web site, or if they hold a "pre R-Day" meet and greet picnic for the local incoming swabs you can inquire about it there.
No worries.

Neat! Thank you so much to all for the info. I didn't even know about the USCGA sponsor families. I grew up in CO Springs and remember friends whose parents were sponsors for the AFA cadets. I'd completely forgotten about that until now. All will be well I think. Getting appointment was just first hurdle of many. Getting to R day will be minor in comparison. Bigger hurdles once she is there, LOL! So proud of our girl ; )
 
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