Veb-
The great time I spent with all the wunnerful Dopers is dealt a sad blow by your experience. I had really looked forward to meeting you.
Please file a complaint with the hotel. I really am amazed that they didn’t register your waiting with the shuttleload of yeehas headed off into the Night Of The Living Muumuus. I guess we’re living in a clueless world.
Veb -
Before we found out what happened I was disappointed that we missed you. Now, I’m pissed. I talked to the front desk two or three times before I left the note with them in desperation, and I know other people tried to get ahold of you, too. I have to say that the staff seemed less than competent in a lot of areas (I was put on hold for 5 minutes TWICE when I requested doorstops to keep the doors between the two rooms in the suite open, and THEN some girl came up and asked , “What did you want?”), but this is just unforgiveable. I’m so so so so sorry that this happened.
Well, as most of us seem to be in agreement that Hampton Inn staffers are somewhere below flatworms on the evolutionary scale, I’ll simply say we’re all very sorry that we missed you, Veb.
And point out something that VB didn’t concerning the doorstop incident. When the semi-helpful desk person came up to the room, she was under the impression that we were unable to get the doors open, when in fact, the problem was keeping them open. So when she asked VB if she could help and Valerie promptly responded, “Oh, no, that’s okay, we’re using the Bible,” there was a deliciously confused grin on the poor woman’s face. I can only assume that she thought we Dopers we trying, by dint of sheer faith, to pray the doors open.
I clearly recall little signs around the Hampton stating that “if you’re not satisfied, you don’t pay.” Demand that whatever you paid for your stay be returned to you, Veb. I’d say that a failure by the staff to deliver multiple messages from us to you and you to us is “unsatisfying”.
To add to the dissatisfaction with the front desk staff: although the girl who was there the night Falc and I arrived was very nice and helpful, one older lady at the desk clearly didn’t give a rat’s ass about the guests. Frequently, when people were lined up at the desk, waiting to be helped, she’d be on the phone, clearly on a personal call (judging by her end of the conversation), ignoring the line at the desk.
Also, because I could feel a headache building, I asked if the front desk had any aspirin or other painkillers and was told no. When we got back that night and asked again, they told us that there was a vending machine for over-the-counter medicines around the corner from the elevators. Jeez, why couldn’t they have told me that at 7 instead of waiting until the competent person came on at midnight?
Veb, we had a problem with that hotel chain in Norfolk last summer and they ended up giving us our room for free. You should try, just quote their motto, thats what we did.
That’s right, they have a 100% satisfaction guarantee…
Veb, don’t delay, get on the horn with the manager of the hotel and explain the problems. You may get your money back.
I learned that I need to move to Chicago. Or that more Dopers need to move to FL. Your gathering sounds like it was a lot of fun!
Veb, I am so sorry to hear that tale. That sucks tremendously. I will also suggest to attempt to get a bit of satisfaction from the Hampton Inn chain. I’d like to further suggest the entire SDMB community boycott them for any future meetings. Bastards.
Okay, now I feel like crap since I suggested the hotel. Sorry, Veb. 
FYI for folks…first round of pics are up at my website.
So sorry Veb.
No one even showed up for my Doper Bash in Antalya, Turkey. I guess next time I’ll bring a grass skirt.
What Michi said.
Any openings for overpaid unix babysitters in Chicago?
I learned a couple of new things:
Driving with a hangover in a dangerously small car very fast through a big city is more fun than it sounds.
A room with more than two Redheads is like the attic in a spooky house: you know you shouldn’t go near, but for some reason you are drawn to it.
Amish people are completely fascinated by toilets that flush automatically.
Apparently if your cute enough, sleeping in an empty toolbox on the street is completely safe and legal.
More stuff I have remembered now that the fog has lifted:
If you need someone to drive you around a big city, screw calling a cab. Sucellus is your man.
I got a lot of good pictures of people at the hotel. But the only ones I actually remember taking are the ones before the hotel, and the one of UncleBeer doing the hula. I know which ones I certainly did not take, but there’s a small blank spot in my head right now. No, I do not remember taking the picture of Omni’s ass, although I’m damn glad I got one. Hm.
Except for having dark hair, Gaudere looks exactly like I pictured her.
Either cigarrette smoke works extraordinarily well for bubble-blowing, or inertia just blows, in a really good way.
Drunken Englishmen don’t settle down, no matter how many times you tell them to settle the f*** down. But they’re still really, really nice.
If you’re forceful enough about it, you can convince not one but two men to let you buy breakfast. But you can’t convince them to let you pay for parking.