The 2013 AAOS Annual Meeting is scheduled for March 19–23, 2013, in Chicago. If you’re planning to attend, you can reserve your hotel room now.

Reservations will be accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis. So don’t wait too long to book your hotel; Chicago is a prime location and top hotels can sell out early.

Frequently asked housing questions
Q. Why should I make my hotel reservation through the AAOS Housing Bureau?

A. Booking your room through the official AAOS Housing Bureau ensures you the best hotel options at the lowest price available during the dates of the Annual Meeting. It also ensures that rooms meet the Academy’s quality and safety standards. Rates are monitored on Internet websites to ensure competitive pricing.

Rooms booked through the AAOS Housing Bureau are the first rooms protected if a hotel has to relocate any of its guests. And, AAOS provides housing representatives for onsite assistance with all official hotels. If you have any problem with your reservation, someone will be able to assist you.

Staying in the AAOS housing block helps the Academy keep conference costs reasonable. Attendees who book through nonofficial channels increase the Academy’s exposure to financial penalties for low sleeping room usage at contracted official hotels and increased fees for shuttle buses.

Booking through the AAOS Housing Bureau eliminates the risk of becoming the unwitting victim of a “room raider.” Room raiders offer cut-rate housing over the dates of the meeting. However, when you arrive to check-in, the hotel has no reservation in your name, never received your deposit, or charges you a rate two or three times more than the AAOS rate. When you try to correct the errors, you may discover that the company has disconnected its telephone or refuses to refund your deposit.

Q. Why can’t I reserve more than one room at a time?

A. To ensure that all AAOS members have the opportunity to make a reservation, a one (1) room limit is in effect until “Non-Member” housing opens on Oct. 10, 2012. At that time, you will be allowed to book additional rooms for family and staff.

Q. Will AAOS provide shuttle bus service from hotels?

A. Yes. A complimentary hotel shuttle service will be provided from all official hotels to the McCormick Place Convention Center. This service is reserved for attendees who have made reservations through the official AAOS Housing Bureau.

Q. Why are hotels closest to the convention center always sold out?

A. In addition to members, AAOS has to house the people who support the meeting (such as staff, faculty, speakers, vendors, and volunteers). Each room block has to be divided to accommodate everyone’s needs. In Chicago, only one hotel is within walking distance of the McCormick Place Convention Center. However, the Academy will offer shuttle bus service to supplement the many public transportation options available from downtown to McCormick Place.

Many evening functions will be held at the downtown venues, so consider your hotel options carefully. You may want to be closer to restaurants, shopping, museums, and evening events within walking distance of your hotel than to the convention center.

The AAOS has contracts with 48 hotels, with a range of prices and amenities available. Whether you prefer the intimacy of a boutique hotel, the grandeur of a historic renovation, or the bustle of a centrally located property, you’re sure to find lodgings that will make your Chicago stay memorable. Help support your Academy by making your hotel reservation online through the AAOS 2013 Annual Meeting website (www.aaos.org/annualmeeting). Or contact the AAOS Housing Bureau (Wyndham Jade) at 800-931-6026 (in the United States) or 972-349-5558 (international callers), email us at amhousing@aaos.org, or visit www.aaos.org

Anita R. Cooper, CMP, is the housing/meetings specialist in the AAOS department of convention and meeting services. Questions on housing should be sent to amhousing@aaos.org