ACH 44th Annual Conference: Curaçao, 2012

ACCOMMODATION AND TRANSPORTATION:

The 44th Annual Conference of the Association of Caribbean Historians will be in Willemstad, Curaçao from Sunday, May 13 to Friday, May 18, 2012. Registration begins Sunday afternoon, and sessions on Monday at 8:30am. Please arrange your travel plans accordingly.

CONFERENCE VENUE AND ACCOMMODATIONS:

All conference sessions will be held at the Renaissance Curaçao Resort and Casino, a Marriott Hotel, where a special rate has been negotiated for ACH attendees: $149/single, $159/double, exclusive of taxes and fees. These rates are valid 3 days before and after the conference, based on availability, and include a buffet breakfast each morning at the Nautilus Restaurant.

Reservations should be made with the hotel directly. Please note that these rates are only guaranteed through March 29, 2012, and that a credit card will be required to hold each reservation. After that date, occupancy will be based on availability. Check-in time is 4:00 pm and check-out is noon.

You can make a reservation either online or by phone (see instructions below). Please ensure that you specify you are attending the Association of Caribbean Historians Conference to receive the conference rate; the hotel contract was negotiated with the assistance of the National Archives of Curaçao.

The Renaissance Curaçao features modern, colorfully designed rooms, spacious balconies in all ocean- and island-side hotel rooms, high speed Internet access in all guest rooms (for a daily fee), and wireless internet in public areas (1 free day of wireless service is available to each guest, thereafter there is a daily fee). Built near the fascinating Rif Fort— a nineteenth-century landmark designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site—the Renaissance Curaçao is within easy walking distance of a variety of boutiques, cafés, bars and restaurants. For more information, visit the hotel website at:

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/curbr-renaissance-curacao-resort-and-casino

Should you choose to make alternate hotel arrangements, Willemstad has a wide range of accommodations in all price categories; the Howard Johnson and Hotel Otrabanda are within a fifteen-minute walk, as is the historic Kura Hulanda Hotel. All of these hotels have websites and an internet search should provide ACH members with general information about costs on the island.

Apart from the many cultural and historic attractions, Curacao also offers a great variety of cuisines derived from the more than 45 different nationalities that live on the island. Several restaurants near the hotel serve a wide variety of international as well as local cuisine. In Punda, just down the road of the new market, there is the Marshe Bieu which serves local food. The address is Punda Marshe Bieu, Curaçao, and hours are Sunday to Saturday from 6:00 AM to 6:00.

HOW TO RESERVE YOUR CONFERENCE HOTEL ROOM:

To reserve your conference hotel room at the Renaissance Curaçao Resort and Casino, a Marriott Hotel, please do the following:

Go to the hotel website:

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/curbr-renaissance-curacao-resort-and-casino/

Select your check-in and check-out dates (the conference hotel rate of $149/single and $159/double is valid for 3 days before and after the conference, i.e., from May 10 through May 21, 2012).

Specify the number of rooms and/or number of people in each room.

Click on the “+” sign next to “Special Rates and Awards” whereupon a drop-down menu will appear and you have to enter ONE of the FOUR group codes depending on the type of room you wish to reserve. The options are:

“Resort King” (the group code is nagnaga): 1 king bed, resort view

“Resort Queen” (the group code is nagnagb): 2 queen beds, resort view

“Interior King” (the group code is nagnagc): 1 king bed, no view

“Interior Queen” (the group code is nagnagd): 2 queen beds, no view

All rooms are the same price—but the view and number of beds vary. To ensure you get the room you want, please book as early as possible. The hotel only has 40 rooms with 2 queen beds.

If you are having difficulty online, you can also book your hotel room by telephone. The main number of the Renaissance Curaçao Resort and Casino is 599-9-4355000, but toll free numbers are available worldwide. Just visit the Marriott website above and select “Phone Numbers” from the tool bar on the top right of the screen, click on “Toll-Free Reservations Worldwide,” and choose the country you are calling from.

TRANSPORTATION:

Taxi service is readily available from the airport to the conference hotel, approximately 10 miles away. The rate is $25.00 US each way, less if sharing a cab.

The Renaissance is located within easy walking distance of the historic center of Willemstad, a UNESCO world heritage site. Contact the concierge for more information about nearby historic sites and restaurants. For those looking to go further afield, Budget Car has a rental location next to the tour desk and business office on the second floor.

PLEASE NOTE: Some airlines do not include the tax on their tickets so their passengers are required to pay an exit tax of $US32 before departure. The affected airlines are listed at the airport. Please take a moment to check this list when you arrive, so you know if this tax will apply when you depart!

Michelle Craig McDonald, Secretary-Treasurer, Association of Caribbean Historians: achsecretary@gmail.com.