DebConf13/AccomodationImprovements

This page is to collect and document all the different issues with the accomodation for Le Camp and to list *possible* solutions. Opinions about some of these issues vary widly. *Nothing is decided yet regarding any of the solutions proposed here.*

Accomodation Issues at Le Camp

See also the analysis of Steve Langasek: http://lists.debconf.org/lurker/message/20121126.001249.0a6b0582.en.html I tried to integrate most of his ideas.

Allocation of the more comfortable Beds

See DebConf13/LeCamp/Rooms for details about the available rooms at Le Camp.

Issues:

• Depending on the cut-off point between comfortable and basic accomodation there are only 48 (all single/double rooms) to 155 (all non sleeping-bag beds) comfortable beds.
• Some people (at least if paying professional) expect at least the comfort of a simple hotel.
• From the discussions on list most people probably have a wrong impression about the accomodation.

Ideas:

• Sell accomodation above the basic standard
  • Prices (separation of professional/corporate fee from food and accomodation?)
  • Should people be allowed to buy beds they don't intend to use (to have eg. a double room for themselves)
• Online reservation of accomodation at Le Camp by the participants
• Pictures of all the rooms and toilets / bathrooms to give a more appropriate impression of the standard of the different rooms.
• Should Debian contributors have priority for the more comfortable accomodation?
• Make it possible to indicate at registration that someone prefers to not attend (or not stay at Le Camp) than to have accomodation below a certain standard.
• If people can choose rooms as a group (team, friends, ...) they might be willing to take less comfortable beds / a larger room.

Gender separation

Issues:

• Some people don't want to share the dorm or the bathroom / toilet with peole of a different sex.
• Some people would like to share accomodation with their partner different sex.

Ideas:

• One (or more if there is more demand) men/women only house
• Couples that want to stay at Le Camp can pay for a double room
• Sex separated toilets and bathrooms in those houses where this is not already the case.
• establish some sort of lock request system to allow people who prefer exclusive bathroom access to get it on occasion.

Big dorms

Issues:

• 6 dorms with 12 to 16 beeds, 3 dorms with more than 20 beds
• 1 to 3 (to be confirmed how many exactly) don't have separated beds, just "alpine hut style" mattresses

Ideas:

• Only allocate 50% - 75% of the beds in these rooms
• Only use these rooms if all the other rooms are completely full (means that people have to change rooms for peak days)
• Offer an optional Children's Dorm (for the not-too small ones); they'll love it.
• Camping is allowed for up to 60 persons

Developers with dependents

Issues:

• No suitable accommodations for developers with dependent children of all ages ([gaudenz] What are the exact requirements for "suitable" accomodation?)

Ideas:

• We have 10 4-person rooms that could be used for families.
  (How much do we plan to charge for Guest occupation of such a room? i.e. what do we charge an attendee for their partner + 2 kids? How about for partner + 1 kid, leaving an empty bed? [fil])

• Families could perhaps bring tents, but again, how much do we charge for the Guests?

Alternative Accomodation to Le Camp

Finding good alternative accomodation

Issues:

• DebConf13/AlternativeAccomodation is not very well-arranged and not yet complete
• Expensive Accomodation

Ideas:

• Improve alternative accomodation wiki page
• Try to make a deal with a nearby hotel and recommend this hotel to all participants looking for alternative accomodation

Transportation to/from Le Camp

Issues:

• No public transport between 12am (midnight) and 6 am, peak hours 2 buses per hour, usually 1 bus per hour, Timetable of the bus stop for the DebConf 13 period
• Not everyone want's to drive or rent a car
• Not all acommodation is reachable by public transport at all
• No alternative accomodation in walking distance

Ideas:

• Car sharing, rotating drivers (so everyone can drink at some days):
  • bubulle will come from Paris with his 7-seater minivan and volunteers to spend part of his time doing transport (assuming covering fuel expenses, but only these). Assuming nobody has the idea of putting Debian stickers on it, the bubullemobile can turn into a Debian bus.
• Le Camp might provide us a minibus (probably 9 places)
• DebConf / Hotel partner provides transport to supplement public transport

Minor issues

The issues listed here are not (yet) urgent. They are either easily solveable or not critical for for people to decide if they want to attend DC13. You can list these issues here so that they are not forgotten later on.