Hotels Already Booking - No Notice

I have been checking the website periodically for the new registration codes to see when the hotel block for 2009 was opeining. 

Just on a lark, my friend called the Hampton to check and apparenlty the block is already open and they are already out of rooms with 2 double beds, because they have already been booked. 

WTF?  It would be nice to have at least an even chance to book, without a super secret block opening so that rooms are booked up before the average con attendee has a chance to even try an book.

You're right, I just called the Hampton and they're all out of doubles.  But we've got an extra friend coming this year so we reserved a king suite (said the sofa is a roll out bed).

Normally we've stayed at the Hyatt, but were attracted to the Hyatt cause its right across the street from the CC, and so close to Barley's. 

Would like to hear from others who've stayed at the Hampton on their experience.

All of the hotels open their Origins 2009 room blocks during the Origins 2008 show. Many people book their rooms when they are onsite at the show.

The Hampton, for example, only has 179 rooms - of which 120 are in the Origins block (no hotel ever gives ALL of their rooms to an event). Of those 120 rooms, only 55 of them are double/doubles. Most - if not all - of those are booked during Origins 2008 (or the week after).

Rarely do you actually need the registration codes for the rooms - just saying Origins is usually enough - but the codes will be up this week (and online room reservation links for hotels that have them).

-Jodie Ramsey
GAMA Operations Director