Overview

Microsoft has arranged for exclusive discounted rates at seven hotels in the Bellevue area. However, when it is time to make your reservation, please read the guidelines below to learn about a hotel subsidy opportunity and the requirements to qualify.

Hotel Accommodations Subsidy
Roommate Selection Processes
Room Sharing Scenario
Room Sharing Changes or Cancellations
FAQs

Hotel Accommodations Subsidy

Microsoft has agreed to offer two options for MVPs and RDs to receive an accommodations subsidy, provided certain criteria are met. If you require a single room due to a medical reason, you can opt for the Medical Exception option.

Option 1: 100% Coverage for Four Nights – Room Share

Terms: Microsoft will pay 100% room & tax for a maximum of four consecutive nights during the following dates:

• Sunday – February 17
• Monday – February 18
• Tuesday – February 19
• Wednesday – February 20

Criteria: MVPs or RDs qualify if:

1. Reservations are made through the Summit registration website
2. MVP or RD is willing to share a room with another MVP or RD for the duration of the covered nights
3. Your roommate sharing request is made no later than January 21, 2013 during the online registration process or through the .

Option 2: 50% Coverage for Four Nights – Single Room

If you prefer to have a room to yourself, or share a room with someone other than an MVP or RD, Microsoft will cover 50% of the room and tax charges for a maximum of four consecutive nights during the dates listed below at one of the approved Summit hotels.

Terms: Microsoft will pay 50% room & tax for a maximum of four consecutive nights during the following dates:

• Sunday – February 17
• Monday – February 18
• Tuesday – February 19
• Wednesday – February 20

Upon checkout, you will be responsible for the remainder which is 50% of the room and tax charges per night.

Criterion: MVPs or RDs qualify if:

1. Reservations are made through the Summit registration website no later than January 21, 2013

Medical Exception Option: 100% Coverage for Four Nights – Single Room

If you are an MVP or RD that requires a single room due to medical reasons, you can select a single room during the online registration process. Microsoft will pay for 100% of the daily room and tax costs for four consecutive covered nights at one of the approved Summit hotels IF you email or fax the a note from your doctor. All medical requests need to be submitted no later than January 21, 2013.

The note should state that your medical condition prevents you from sharing a room with another attendee. The note does not need to provide details about the medical condition.

Roommate Selection Processes

You have the option to select your own roommate or have our staff find one for you.

Select Your Own Roommate

To facilitate the coordination of reservations between two people who would like to share a room, you only need to enter the first name, last name and email address of your intended roommate. Your roommate will do the same, and enter your first name, last name and email address when registering. The Registration Team will pair you together once you have both registered and requested each other. Should your roommate request to be paired with another attendee not be possible, as that roommate is already paired with someone else, the Registration Team will notify you so that you may select a new roommate.

Select a Roommate for me

If you don’t know of a person to room with, you can select the option during registration to have us find one for you. We match people based on same gender, country or language spoken, and if possible similar expertise areas.

Room Sharing Scenario

The four consecutive nights covered by Microsoft are shaded in blue below.

Date	Sat Feb 16	Sun Feb 17	Mon Feb 18	Tue Feb 19	Wed Feb 20	Thu Feb 21	Fri Feb 22
Room Sharing		MVP 1 & MVP 2	MVP 1 & MVP 2	MVP 1 & MVP 2	MVP 1 & MVP 2
What Microsoft Pays	0% - nothing	100% of room cost & tax	100% of room cost & tax	100% of room cost & tax	100% of room cost & tax	0% - nothing	0% - nothing
What MVP Pays		Incidentals only	Incidentals only	Incidentals only	Incidentals only

Room Sharing Changes or Cancellations

• Up to January 28, 2013: any change/cancellation requests to your roommate pairing must be made through the online registration site.
• After January 28, 2013: no roommate change requests will be accommodated and only roommate cancellation requests will be processed, so long as they are submitted to the Registration Team.
• Changes/cancellations not submitted as requested above will result in disqualification from the roommate option.
• If your roommate cancels or fails to check-in, Microsoft reserves the right to select a new MVP or RD roommate for you. If you decline the replacement roommate assignment, then you may have to move to a single room and you will be responsible for 50% of the room and tax charges for up to four nights and 100% for any additional nights.

Accommodations FAQs

Q: What if my roommate and I would like to stay at a specific hotel but the hotel is not visible on the registration site, or the hotel is listed, but only has rooms with one king bed or is not showing availability for all the dates we want. Is there still a chance we can get a room there with two beds on the dates we want?
A: Hotel and the hotel bed type availability will be based on the dates of your reservation. If a hotel or the hotel bed type that you would like does not appear, it will be because it is not available for the nights you and your roommate are requesting. The Registration Team will try to get more rooms and/or the hotel bed type, though this will be based upon the hotels' availability and cannot be guaranteed. However, in the meantime, we would suggest you select a hotel that has the available dates and/or bed type you would like and make a note in the 'Additional comments' section that you would prefer having a room at another hotel. If the Registration Team is able to get more rooms, they will move your reservation from the hotel you initially selected and will send you confirmation that the move has been completed.

Q: What should I do if my roommate has made a reservation at a hotel that is no longer appearing on the website, or if I ‘accept’ my roommate’s request to pair together, but then receive a message that my request cannot be completed?
A: If you are unable to make a hotel reservation at the same hotel as your requested roommate, please select a ‘Double (Two beds) Guestroom' at another hotel that is listed, fill out your roommate information when prompted, and in the 'Additional comments' field, indicate which hotel you need to be moved to in order to be paired with your roommate. The Registration Team will facilitate the reservation move on the back end and once completed, you will receive a hotel confirmation email.

Q: How are the hotel costs managed? Will I need to pay for the room when I check out and then get reimbursed?
A: For hotel reservations made and confirmed through the Summit registration site for the four approved nights, Microsoft will cover either 100% or 50% of the room and tax for MVPs and RDs, depending if you are sharing a room with another MVP/RD or not. The only instances where you might need to pay any charges would be if you reserved additional nights to stay, along with potential incidental charges you might have incurred.

Q: How can I be sure to get the hotel discounted price when making a reservation?
A: The only way to secure the discounted pricing is by making your hotel reservation through the Summit registration site, by the deadline of January 21, 2013. Please DO NOT contact the hotels to reserve your accommodations, as the hotels are unable to book rooms within the group block directly through their reservation offices.

Q: What if I want or need to check in before February 17 or check out after February 21?
A: As with previous Summits, you’ll have the option to extend your reservation to include an early arrival or late departure. Specifically, the hotel dates that are set-up to select from start with February 15 (even the 14th at one of the hotels) and end with the night of February 23. Attendees will be responsible for 100% of the hotel room costs for days outside of the approved dates.

Q: What if I request to be assigned a roommate and I want to come early or stay late? Can you help find me a roommate?
A: The Registration Team's main focus will be to pair roommates for the approved Summit dates. They will do their best to pair you with another attendee that is also coming in early and/or staying late to save you some money, unless you state in the 'Additional comments' field that you do not need a roommate for the extended date(s).

Q: I will need my own hotel room due to a medical condition. How can I get one?
A: If you require a single room due to medical reasons, on the hotel page during registration, please select a hotel with a 'Single/Double (One King bed) Guestroom' option. Next click on the radio button "I am requesting due to a medical reason" and don't forget to submit a note from your doctor to the Registration Team after you register. The note should state that your medical condition prevents you from sharing a room with another attendee. You don’t need to provide details about the medical condition. If the note from your doctor is submitted to the Registration Team via fax or email by the deadline of January 21, 2013, Microsoft will pay for 100% of the daily room and tax costs for up to four approved consecutive nights.

Q: I typically like to bring my spouse/partner to the Summit. How do the room sharing requirements impact this?
A: There are a few scenarios to explain:

1. If your spouse/partner is also an MVP or RD, then you qualify for the room sharing and Microsoft will cover 100% of the room and tax for the four approved nights, if you both register and request each other as roommates.
2. If your spouse/partner is not an MVP or RD, then you can opt for a ‘Single/Double (One King bed) Guestroom’ or a ‘Double (Two beds) Guestroom’ and Microsoft will pay for 50% of the daily room and tax costs for up to four approved consecutive nights. The daily costs for the hotel rooms vary from hotel to hotel: if for example you selected the Hyatt at $204 per night, you would be responsible for $102 per night, plus tax, for the four nights and 100% of any extra nights you book.
3. If you require a single room due to medical reasons, and you also want to bring your spouse/partner, when you request a room please select the 'Single/Double (One King bed) Guestroom' option. Next click on the radio button 'I am requesting due to a medical reason' and don't forget to submit a note from your doctor to the Registration Team after you register. If the note from your doctor is submitted to the Registration Team by the deadline of January 21, 2013, Microsoft will pay for 100% of the daily room and tax costs for up to four approved consecutive nights.

 

Q: Can I get my own hotel room and just register for the event?
A: Yes, you can attend the Summit and arrange your own hotel accommodations. However we remind you to still register for the event. If you arrange your own accommodations at a hotel other than one of the official 7 Summit hotels (Courtyard by Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt Regency, Red Lion, Sheraton, Silver Cloud and Westin), you will be responsible for your transportation and all hotel costs. Transportation is only provided between the event venues and the Summit hotels. Microsoft will only fund hotel reservations made through the registration site at an official Summit hotel under the terms outlined here.

Q: If I agree to room share and I don’t have a roommate identified, how will you find someone to room with me?
A: Summit pairing revolves around key criteria: gender, country of origin, primary and secondary (if any) language and also in response to information that attendees put in the 'Additional comments' field that provides further guidance.

Q: If I select the option for the Registration Team to pair me with a roommate, when and how do I find out who I will share a room with?
A: When you receive your hotel confirmation email (typically within fourteen business days of registering online), the name of your assigned roommate will be included. Please note that in some instances, the pairing takes longer than anticipated which would affect when your hotel confirmation email is sent.

Q: If my roommate cancels, what is the process for me?
A: Once we learn of a cancellation, the Registration Team will contact the other roommate, meaning you. They will ask if you have an alternate roommate who is not already room sharing with another attendee. If you do not have an attendee in mind, the Registration Team will try to find an alternate roommate who matches your gender and other criteria. If it’s not possible to find you a roommate, you will be granted a single room for the four approved nights, and Microsoft will cover 100% of the room and tax charges. If the cancellation occurs so late that there is no single room to assign to you, you will remain in the double room and Microsoft will still cover 100% of the room and tax for the four approved nights.

Q: Are there hotel rooms available for smokers?
A: For those of you who would like a smoking room, we have very limited options to offer. Of the hotels in our reserved guestroom blocks, only the Hilton and Hyatt Regency have a few smoking rooms. If you would like to make a request for a smoking room at one of these hotels, you will be prompted to note that on the hotel page of the registration site. Please note that these requests (e.g. smoking rooms, room location, view, etc) cannot be guaranteed.

For your information, initiative 901 gives Washington State one of the nation's strictest statewide smoking bans, barring smoking in places such as bars, restaurants, clubs, bowling alleys and non-tribal casinos. Additionally, many hotel chains have changed or are in the process of changing to all non-smoking rooms nationally and internationally.

Q: What is the deadline for being guaranteed a hotel room reservation?
A: All hotel room requests submitted online as part of the registration process by 17:00 PST on January 21, 2013 should not have a problem being accommodated, subject to hotel availability. After that date, hotel room choices may be very limited or not available at all and thus there is no guarantee of a hotel room within our block after January 21, 2013.

Q: What is the deadline for cancelling a hotel room before incurring extra charges?
A: Arrival date changes or the cancellation of your hotel reservation must be made no later than 72 hours before your scheduled arrival date and can be completed online or by contacting the until February 13, 2013. Beginning February 14, 2013, please direct all changes and cancellations to your hotel directly.

Arrival date changes or the cancellation of your hotel reservation made less than 72 hours before your scheduled arrival date must be handled directly with the hotel. Failure to do so will result in reservation charges to your credit card of one night's room and tax (14.4% *subject to change).

Failure to arrive on your scheduled arrival date will result in a reservation charge to your credit card of one night's room and tax (14.4% *subject to change) in addition to the cancellation of the remainder of your hotel reservation.

Microsoft will not pay for any late change, cancellation and/or no-show charges on your behalf.

Q: Will internet access be provided in the hotel rooms?
A: There are a few scenarios to explain:

• Hotel Guest Rooms: Wired and wireless internet access is complimentary at the Courtyard by Marriott, Hilton, Red Lion, Silver Cloud, Sheraton, and Westin Bellevue hotels in our room block. Only complimentary wireless is available at the Hyatt Regency.


• Hotel Working Lounges: As we provided during the last several Summits, we have secured working lounges so that those sharing a room, also have a place to work. Each of the Summit hotels will have a lounge. Specifics on the working lounges will be provided closer to the Summit.


• Hotel Business Centers: Each of the hotels have a business center, typically open 24x7, with at least one computer with internet available for guest use.


• Hotel Lobby/Public Spaces: The Courtyard by Marriott, Bellevue Sheraton, Red Lion Bellevue, Silver Cloud Bellevue, and Westin Bellevue hotels offer complimentary wireless access in these areas. The Hyatt Regency Bellevue also offers complimentary access for MVP Summit attendees. The Hilton Bellevue's daily fee is $9.95 (standard connection) and $14.95 (upgrade connection), per 24 hour period.

 

Q: If I am a local MVP or RD and do not need a hotel room, will Microsoft pay for my parking at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue Hotel for the Welcome Reception and/or any sessions I wish to attend there?
A: Yes, if you have not booked a hotel room at any of the Summit hotels, please stop by the Summit Registration Desk to receive parking validation.

Listing of Hotels

Hotel Name	Address in Bellevue, WA	Single/Double Room Rate (including tax)	High-Speed Internet in Room?	Smoking Rooms Available?	Bed Types Available
Courtyard by Marriott Bellevue Downtown Sorry, all rooms are now sold out	11010 N.E. 8th Street	$158 ($180.75 w/tax) Breakfast provided as part of Summit: Feb 18 – 21 in meal room at hotel	Wired and Wireless complimentary in room	No. Charge for anyone smoking in a guestroom is $250/night	King (1 bed) and Double (2 beds)
Hilton Bellevue	300 112th Avenue S.E.	$184 ($210.50 w/tax) Breakfast provided as part of Summit: Feb 18 – 21 in meal room at hotel	Wired and Wireless complimentary in room	Yes, but a very limited number. Charge for anyone smoking in a non-smoking guestroom is $250/night	King (1 bed) only
Hyatt Regency Bellevue Sorry, all rooms are now sold out	900 Bellevue Way N.E.	$204 ($233.38 w/tax) Breakfast provided as part of Summit: Feb 18 – 21 in meal room at hotel	Wireless complimentary in room	Yes, 1 floor only. Charge for anyone smoking in a non-smoking guestroom is $250/night	King (1 bed) and Double (2 beds)
Red Lion Hotel Bellevue Sorry, single/king rooms are now sold out	11211 Main Street	$114 ($130.42 w/tax) Breakfast complimentary in hotel restaurant for duration of your stay	Wired and wireless complimentary in room	No. Charge for anyone smoking in a guestroom is $250/night	King (1 bed) and Double (2 beds)
Sheraton Bellevue Sorry, all rooms are now sold out	100 112th Avenue N.E.	$175 ($200.20 w/tax) Breakfast provided as part of Summit: Feb 18 – 21 in meal room at hotel	Wired and Wireless complimentary in room	No. Charge for anyone smoking in a guestroom is $200/night	King (1 bed) and Double (2 beds)
Silver Cloud Inn Bellevue Downtown Sorry, all rooms are now sold out	10621 N.E. 12th Street	$145 ($165.88 w/tax) Breakfast complimentary in hotel restaurant for duration of your stay	Wired and Wireless complimentary in room	No. Charge for anyone smoking in a guestroom is $250/night	King (1 bed) and Double (2 beds)
Westin Bellevue Sorry, all rooms are now sold out	600 Bellevue Way N.E.	$240 ($274.56 w/tax) Breakfast provided as part of Summit: Feb 18 – 21 in meal room at hotel	Wired and Wireless complimentary in room	No. Charge for anyone smoking in a guestroom is $200/night	King (1 bed) and Double (2 beds)

Reservation Requirements Upon Check-In

A major credit card* (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express) will be required by each hotel when you check in for your reservation to cover potential incidental charges (i.e. snack bar offerings, pay movies, room service) and potential damage to the room. Without one of these cards, you will be required to provide a cash (USD) deposit when you check in. Please note the deposit amount varies per hotel as detailed in the table below:

Courtyard by Marriott Bellevue	$75/per night
Hilton Bellevue	$50/per night
Hyatt Regency Bellevue	$50/per night
Red Lion Bellevue	$50/per night
Sheraton Bellevue	$50/per night
Silver Cloud Inn Bellevue Downtown	$25/per night
Westin Bellevue	$75/per night

If you do not have a major credit card and still wish to make a hotel reservation, fully complete the online registration process; then contact the for assistance with your hotel reservation.

*It is STRONGLY recommended that you DO NOT present a debit/check card upon your arrival at your hotel. It is standard procedure by the hotel to run an authorization for the total amount of the per night incidental deposit, plus the room and tax charges (if any) that you may be responsible to pay upon check out. The authorization taken will immediately be withdrawn from your checking and/or savings bank account which will place a hold on your account funds, which may result in an overdraft situation.