Hotel Accommodations

Hotel rooms have been reserved throughout the city of Orlando for meeting attendees. View a map of the reserved hotels in the Orlando area that displays a list of participating hotels and their room rates as well as the hotel locations. ASH will provide complimentary shuttle service between these hotels and the Orange County Convention Center.

Headquarters Hotels

The Peabody Orlando and the Rosen Centre are the official co-headquarters hotels for the 2010 ASH Annual Meeting and are designated for ASH members only. Non-members, international tour groups, and exhibitors will not be able to reserve rooms in the co-headquarters hotels.

Members-Only Hotels

The Peabody Orlando, the Rosen Centre, and the Rosen Plaza are designated for members only. Non-members, international tour groups, and exhibitors will not be able to reserve rooms in these member-designated hotels.

Hotel Reservations

You must register for the meeting before you make your hotel reservation. Hotel reservations must be made directly with the ASH Housing Center no later than Thursday, November 4, using any of the methods listed below. Online reservation is strongly encouraged, though the hotel reservation form can also be downloaded from the ASH website or requested by contacting meetings@hematology.org or 202-776-0544.

Online:    Reserve housing now

Phone:    888-273-5704 – U.S. and Canada (toll free)
              703-449-6418 – International

Fax:        888-273-5706 – U.S. and Canada (toll free)
              703-631-6288 – International

Mail:       ASH Housing Center
               c/o J. Spargo and Associates
               11208 Waples Mill Road, Suite 112
               Fairfax, VA 22030

For additional information regarding hotel reservations, please contact the ASH Housing Center at the phone numbers listed above. Agents are available to answer questions from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday. Please note that the ASH Housing Center is closed on weekends and holidays. Questions may also be e-mailed to the ASH Housing Center at ashhousing@jspargo.com.

Hotel Confirmations/Deposits

All hotel reservations must be guaranteed by a major credit card or by check made payable to the hotel. A deposit amount of two nights’ room rate (plus tax) will be charged to your credit card if you do not cancel at least five days prior to your arrival date.

If you plan to guarantee your hotel reservation by check, please be sure to indicate this on your Hotel Reservation Form. The check must be made payable to the hotel and received by the ASH Housing Center by November 4. If the ASH Housing Center does not receive the check by November 4, your hotel reservation will be cancelled.

The ASH Housing Center will mail, fax, or e-mail a confirmation in response to every reservation requested. If you make a hotel reservation online, you will receive a confirmation instantly, and if you make a hotel reservation by fax or mail, a written confirmation will be sent to you by mail, fax, or e-mail within five business days of receipt. If you do not receive your confirmation, please call the ASH Housing Center to verify that your request has been received.

ASH Cancellation/Change Policy

You may cancel or make changes to your hotel reservation either in writing or online until 11:59 p.m. (EST) Wednesday, November 10, 2010. Written requests should be sent to the ASH Housing Center and will be acknowledged with a confirmation as soon as possible or within five business days. After this date, all changes to accommodations must be made directly through your hotel.

Between November 11 and November 19, housing records will be transferred from the ASH Housing Center to the individual hotels; therefore, attendees are strongly encouraged to wait until after November 19 to contact their hotels to make changes or cancellations.

To cancel or change a hotel reservation online, you will need your confirmation number and the e-mail address you used to make your reservation. Online requests are acknowledged with an immediate e-mail confirmation.

A cancellation must be made at least five days prior to your scheduled arrival date or you will be assessed a cancellation fee equivalent to two nights’ room rate (plus tax). The hotel will not hold your room if you do not arrive on the first night of your reservation, and you will lose your deposit.

This hotel cancellation policy will be strictly enforced. Please retain the cancellation confirmation from the ASH Housing Center or the cancellation number provided to you by the hotel, as this proof of cancellation will be required to resolve any credit card disputes.

Group Room Reservations

A group room reservation is defined as 12 rooms or more. All requests for group room blocks must be received at the ASH Housing Center by September 17.

The ASH Housing Center will provide a website for all groups to manage their own room blocks and rooming lists online. A Group Booking Agreement, which includes a password, will be sent to each group contact after the group room reservations are approved by ASH.

After October 5, the ASH Housing Center will cancel any group room reservations for which it has not received a rooming list and full payment. Any rooms not accounted for on the rooming list will automatically be released. Cancellations must also be made by October 5. Any cancellations after October 5 will result in forfeiture of the entire payment.

The rules and regulations governing group room reservations are explicitly detailed on the Group Room Reservation Form.

Please contact the ASH Housing Center at 888-273-5704 (U.S. and Canada toll-free) or 703-449-6418 (international) for additional instructions on how to obtain a group room block.

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Travel Information

Meeting Location

The Orange County Convention Center is located at 9800 International Drive in the heart of the area’s tourism district. Key meeting areas will be located in the West Building of the convention center:

• Registration - Level II
• General Session room - Level II
• Exhibit Hall - Level II
• Other session rooms - Levels II and III

Orlando offers many attractions for tourists visiting the area, such as Universal Studios, Disney World, the CityWalk, and Cirque Du Soleil shows. For more information about Orlando’s theme parks and popular events, visit www.orlandoinfo.com/attractions.

Visitor Safety

To stay safe during your visit to Orlando, please follow the tips provided below:

• Always lock your front and/or patio doors. Use the safety chain/lock for security.
• Never open your room door unless you know who is there. If you did not call for the hotel service offered by the person at the door, call hotel security or the front desk to see if they have sent someone to your room.
• Place valuables in a safety deposit box in your room or at the hotel office. Do not leave valuables in your car.
• When checking into a hotel, consult the floor plan on the back of your room door to familiarize yourself with fire and emergency exits.
• When driving, keep all car doors locked.

Weather

Orlando has relatively mild winters. Temperatures in December typically range from 50° to 70° F (10° to 21° C), so attendees should bring a light jacket.

Air Travel

EWA Travel, Inc., has been selected as the official travel agency for the 2010 ASH Annual Meeting in Orlando. To make your travel arrangements, please contact:

EWA Travel, Inc.
Phone:    800-705-8580 U.S. and Canada (toll free) 
              520-797-0291 international
E-Mail:   marika@ewatravel.com

Agents are available for reservations from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.

Visa Application Process for International Travelers

If you would like to request an invitation letter from the American Society of Hematology for your visa application, you must first register for the meeting. This meeting is intended for hematologists and other physicians, allied health professionals, and scientists with an interest in hematologic research. Early-bird registration opens for ASH members on July 20, and advance registration for non-members opens August 3. Once you register, you will receive a registration confirmation number. Please e-mail this registration number, your full name, institution/company name, and mailing address to meetings@hematology.org to request your invitation letter.

ASH encourages you to start your visa application process as soon as possible. Because of new U.S. State Department regulations, U.S. embassies and consulates may require a face-to-face interview for most non-immigrant visa applications. You should apply for your visa at least three to four months before the annual meeting. To schedule an interview for the visa application process, please contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. For more information, please visit http://travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html.

Public Transportation

Taxis are available at designated areas of the airport; just look for one of the many taxi location signs posted throughout the airport. Taxis are allowed to carry up to nine passengers, and the metered rate does not change based on the number of passengers. Expect to pay $12 from the airport to an airport hotel, $35 to downtown Orlando, $50 to $60 to Kissimmee, and $60 to Walt Disney World. Limousines normally have fixed rates, so be sure to agree on the fare before you set off.

Shuttle vans operate from the airport to downtown Orlando and all the main tourist destinations. They are a little cheaper than taxis, and it is cheaper to buy a roundtrip ticket. Expect to pay about $10 per person one way from the airport to airport hotels and $15 for a roundtrip ticket; $15 one way to International Drive and downtown and $25 for roundtrip; and $23 one way to Kissimmee and $41 for roundtrip.

Lynx Orlando Transit Authority provides bus service from the airport to downtown Orlando. Buses are available on Level 1 of the airport’s main terminal on the B Side at commercial lane spaces B12-14. Expect your ride to downtown Orlando to take 40 minutes and your ride to International Drive to be about 60 minutes. The fare is $1.50 per person.

Car Rental

This year, Hertz is offering ASH meeting attendees special rental car rates, which include unlimited mileage. Reservations can be made from all Orlando Hertz locations, online at www.hertz.com, or by calling 800-654-2240 (in the U.S.) or 405-749-4434 (international and Canada). Be sure to mention CV# 02S70010 when booking your rental.

Hertz
CV number:  02S70010
Website:  www.hertz.com
Phone: 800-654-2240 United States (toll free)
           405-749-4434 international and Canada

Parking

The fee for parking at the Orange County Convention Center is $11 per car, per entry and $22 for oversized vehicles (i.e., buses) per entry. After 5:00 p.m., the charge is $8 per car, per entry and $11 per oversized vehicle per entry. The convention center accepts cash, traveler’s checks, American Express, MasterCard, and Visa.

Shuttle Bus Service

ASH will provide complimentary shuttle service between the hotels in ASH’s housing block (see page 48) and the Orange County Convention Center. Shuttle buses will run approximately every 10-20 minutes during the periods listed below. Look for detailed shuttle bus schedules in your hotel lobby.

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Attractions

Universal Studios

Islands of Adventure, Universal’s sister theme park, is a great entertainment spot for the family. The Hulk and Dueling Dragon coasters are guaranteed to thrill visitors. Don’t miss The Spiderman ride; it’s not a roller coaster but an amazing 3-D simulator that offers a fourth dimension of surprise sensations. Universal Studios Orlando offers the Revenge of the Mummy attraction and many other great rides based on popular shows such as Shrek, Men in Black, ET, Jaws, The Simpsons, and more.

Disney World

Disney World is much more than rides. At no extra charge, guests can enjoy parades in the daytime at several parks and a beautiful nighttime parade in the Magic Kingdom along with a fireworks show. See the live stage shows, including a stunningly imaginative staging of Finding Nemo. During the day Disney characters meet with kids at the Crystal Palace restaurant, and Winnie the Pooh characters sing, dance, and pose for pictures.

Cirque Du Soleil

Experience Cirque du Soleil! Orlando is one of the few places where a Cirque du Soleil show plays at a permanent venue; the "La Nouba" show was created for this location in Downtown Disney.

Attendees can purchase three ways:

1. Email/Fax – booking forms will be received via email to the orlando.sales@cirquedusoleil.com inbox.
2. Telephone – Messaging will encourage booking via email/fax, but we will also accept requests via phone (877.450.4594). This phone number will ring to the Cirque du Soleil Sales ticket agents and guests will receive an immediate confirmation/seat location.
3. Box office – walk up purchases can be made directly at the box office by presenting their convention credential.

CityWalk

You will also find a shopping and entertainment zone at Universal Florida: the CityWalk, which actually adjoins Universal’s two theme parks. Adults and kids alike will get a kick out of the theme restaurants, such as the Nascar Café, which has a game area; the Hard Rock Café, which offers giant desserts, music videos, and rock memorabilia; and NBA City, which features video games and a giant screen that shows televised basketball games.

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