Where to stay in in Salt Lake City or Tooule for World Super Bike in May

[falcofred]

Starting to plan a trip to SLC to see WSB for Memorial Day Weekend using frequent flier miles  
Any advice on motels in Tooule Utah vs Salt Lake City? We want to be where there is some nightlife, drink a beer or six. Maybe see some of the riders or race teams, but don't want to pay exorbitant motel rates.

[Gun Slinger]

1Kperday is the guy to answer this one...
Paging Mr. 1K to the white courtesy phone for Hotel accommodations... Please.

[1KPerDay]

If you want any night life at all, definitely stay in SLC over Tooele. If you can stand the drive, Park City is even better for "out of towners." They sort of consider themselves separate from Utah. But it's about an hour away from the racetrack.

But if you camp in the main campground across the road, I understand it gets pretty crazy at times. From my buddies who ride here for the races and like to drink.

Tooele has hotels/motels but is a very small town. Closer to the races though. SLC has a few good brewpubs and lots of bars and crap like that if you like that sort of stuff. There are even a couple of strip clubs (pasties) if you like being that close to chlamydia.  

[falcofred]

 There are even a couple of strip clubs (pasties) if you like being that close to chlamydia.  

Strip Clubs in Utah? I would have never guessed that Church of Later Day Saints would have allowed such behavior in Utah.
I'll be there for the races, and maybe a few brews, I've heard the beer is 3.2, is that true?

[1KPerDay]

Strip Clubs in Utah? I would have never guessed that Church of Later Day Saints would have allowed such behavior in Utah.
I'll be there for the races, and maybe a few brews, I've heard the beer is 3.2, is that true?

Grocery store beer is 3.2, but you can get the real stuff in restaurants/bars/liquor stores.

[stromgal]

SLC and environs have been invaded by out-staters, who expect/demand such things as wine, women and song.  

[Two Shots]

SLC and environs have been invaded by out-staters, who expect/demand such things as wine, women and song.  

And in recognition of their efforts to add such color to the overall cultural makeup, I say "Amen."

[COSFJR]

I can recommend the Homewood suites by Hilton:
423 West 300 South
Salt Lake City,  Utah 84101
1-801-363-6700
Looking online i see a single room king bed is at $109
It is a nice place. You are about 4 or 5 blocks from most of the bars and restaurants.

This year we are at the Sheraton:
150 West 500 South
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 United States
Phone: (801) 401-2000 Fax: (801) 531-0705

I recommend http://www.squatters.com/ in DT SLC. They had a good variety of beers and decent food.
Enjoy the races! last year was a lot of fun.

[stw]

SLC and environs have been invaded by out-staters, who expect/demand such things as wine, women and song.  

Thank God!  

To the original poster. Try the Priceline.com "name your own price" option, choose downtown SLC as the target area, and then choose your preferred number of stars.  Then make a low-ball bid to see if it's accepted. Every 24 hours you can raise your bid amount. If you start several days out you'll end up with a nice room at a surprising price. You pay the full price up front, and unless you buy movies in the room or mini-bar stuff you leave with no money exchanged at the hotel at all. Take your printed receipt with you but I've never had a problem with a priceline reservation in 7 years of use and dozens of trips in the US and Europe.

Downtown SLC is fairly compact, easy to walk to many bars and clubs, and a range of restaurants. Sedate place, easy to explore, and you won't feel much worry even walking late at night.  The airport is relatively close to downtown, with shuttles to major hotels. To get closer to Tooule, choose the Airport district because it's closer but you'd still need transport like a car rental or a shuttle specifically to the LHM motor park, if there is such a thing (?) for the big events.

If you need two or more rooms for your group, consider having only one of you do the priceline thing for the whole group--several rooms. That way your bid will be accepted eventually by a hotel and you won't get split up at different hotels.

Unfortunately, pricline.com includes the "University Park" area in the SLC downtown area in your bid.  So you can wind up in a hotel up on the hill in the University of Utah area. Hotels up there serve medical patients and visitors and academic visitors and when I've put people in the Marriot up there it feels way out of the way even though it's not that far. And no night life up there really, despite being the university neighborhood--the students come down the hill to party.  You can take an easy 10 min. light rail ride downtown, but it's not the same as stepping out of your hotel and walking. At least that's what I enjoy about visiting a city.  

One way around this is to limit your bid to 4 star hotels. There is only one 4 star in SLC and it's the Marriot downtown. Nice, but fairly small rooms, and you don't really feel the extra value like you do at some 4 stars.  But limiting your bid that way keeps you downtown although it takes a bit higher bid in the end, and takes a little bit longer for the hotel to knuckle under and accept your low-balls. The hotels use some kind of algorithm based on their likelihood of leaving the room empty vs. taking your bargain offer.  The University Park area has at least one hotel rated 3.5 (feels like any other motel really) so that rating doesn't keep you downtown.

Now that I wrote this all out, it sounds like a lot of trouble to get a hotel.  This is just what I've learned about getting hotels in SLC.  It really only takes 5 minutes on line. You may repeat the 5 min. the next night but I've had bids taken on the first try.

You can also get reservations at particular hotels but then there is no advantage over any other site like expidia.com, and hotels tend to list much higher prices than they accept with "name your price."

[650strom]

Salt Lake City does have a night life, I would start at the Salt Palace area and then work your way out. Everything is in walking distance, taxis galore.  I can't recommend Tooele, I do not know the area very well.
If you do plan on renting a vehicle, caution. When leaving the Race Track there are only two directions !!!  The police had sobriety check points in both areas, took me 2 hrs to get home.

Booze rules have changed in UTAH, they now swipe your license thru some kind of reader. I don't go out so I can't give you feedback on this new system. But at least the club fee's are gone.

Starting to plan a trip to SLC to see WSB for Memorial Day Weekend using frequent flier miles  
Any advice on motels in Tooule Utah vs Salt Lake City? We want to be where there is some nightlife, drink a beer or six. Maybe see some of the riders or race teams, but don't want to pay exorbitant motel rates.

[Bender]

The hotels by the airport are good also... just stayed at the comfort inn for $89 a night for double room...clean and quiet.. free munchies and booze happy hour in the afternoon. The hilton there is also ok...this will be my home away from home next week.

[karlfitt]

I stay in Salt Lake city at the "Little American"

If you book early direct through their web site the rates a very good ($80.00) and it is a nice place.

Embassy Suites is across the street and they always have the host bar from 5:30 to 7:30.