Choosers

I inadvertently let a count-down milestone slip yesterday when we hit the 150-days-'til-Irish Fest mark. I won't bother telling you about which gestation period of which common farm animal that corresponds to (sheep), but I will remind you of this: book that hotel room.

Of course that begs the question: which one should you choose, The Westin or The Hyatt? As usual, I can help. The prices being comparable, it's all a question of your priorities. The Westin, as far as Irish Fest is concerned, is the very definition of convenient. It's literally right on top of Irish Fest. Should you choose to, you can request a room on the East side of the hotel that will have a balcony overlooking our grounds. You can hear the music up there. You could hit me on the head with a potato from up there as I pass by below. You could hear me yelling at you, asking what you're doing in your room when you should be down here at the festival and why in God's name did you bring potatoes and could you bring me a Snickers from your mini-bar when you come down from up there. So there's that. Plus the Westin has something called The Westin Heavenly Bed, which if you're a woman seems to be nearly as important a feature for a hotel room to have as say, a door. It's one of my wife's dreams in life to have one of these beds in our house. The other dream is to have me actually make the bed once. Dream on, honey. So The Westin: comfort, close, convenient. Check.

The Hyatt is also ridiculously convenient. It's just around the corner and is accessed from Irish Fest by The Link, an elevated, air conditioned, well lit, fully enclosed, Jetsons-worthy covered walkway. A 10 minute walk from hotel to gate, tops. The beds at the Hyatt may not be Heavenly®, but I stayed there this past weekend for our conference and I can tell you they're pretty damn close. I slept like a baby. A big, drunk baby. So at the Hyatt we got: almost as close, convenient and comfortable, yes. Now the Hyatt is also where most of our musicians stay Irish Fest weekend. And because of that, the hotel bar, Spectators, has become a legendary late night session location for trad players who just can't stop playing. The music and frivolity there goes on until way after reasonable people should be in bed. You may love this. You may not. After a long day at the fest, you may be ready to go to the Hyatt and party like Bono. Or, after a long day at the fest, you may be ready to go to the Westin and relax and unwind in quiet luxury. Your choice.

So. Armed with this new info, take my advice and book that room. Cross it off your list and get reserved today. Both hotels will sell out, they always do. And you are not staying at my house. Not the way you snore.