Hotels, Travel & Venue
IMPORTANT TRAVEL INFORMATION
Advance booking is essential for car rental (book no later than 28 February), hotel accommodations and ferry travel. The conference will convene during the loveliest time of the year in historic St. John's, so all things related to travel and tourism will be in high demand.
ACCOMMODATIONS
The conference will be held at the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Overlooking St. John's historic harbor, Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland is located just a short walk from the city's business and downtown shopping district.
Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland
A room block has been established at the special rate of $179 CDN. Rates are based on single / double occupancy + 16% tax per night.
To reserve a room, contact the hotel directly by 08 June 2011 and mention the 'AGU Chapman Conference'. We strongly urge you to reserve soon, as availability is subject to date/ time of booking.
Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland
115 Cavendish Square
St. John's, NL A1C 3K2
On-line Reservations
If you are extending your stay beyond the conference dates, please e-mail the hotel with your reservation request: reservations@sheratonhotelnewfoundland.com. Additionally, if you have questions about your current reservation, or encounter any on-line reservation problems, please e-mail the hotel. The hotel reservationists will respond to you within 24 hours.
Roommate Requests
If you are interested in sharing a room and don't yet have a roommate, AGU will facilitate that process. We are compiling a list of those who are looking for roommates and will send it to those who are interested. Potential roommates will communicate directly with each other to make their housing arrangements.
Please send an e-mail to chapman-radiationbelts@agu.org Subject line: "Send Roommate List". Include the following information: Name; gender; arrival date; departure date; e-mail address and anything else you deem noteworthy for a potential roommate.
While AGU staff will assist in this manner, attendees must secure their own roommates and sleeping rooms. Roommates are responsible to each other for contingency agreements, such as late arrivals, early departures, and cancellations, which will affect their shared costs.
GENERAL DIRECTIONS TO THE HOTEL
From North
- Take Torbay Road South to Kennas Hill.
- Continue straight onto Kings Bridge Road.
- Turn slightly left onto Ordinance Street.
- Turn left onto Duckworth Street.
- Take immediate left onto Cavendish Square.
- Hotel is located on the right.
From St. John's Airport (West)
- Turn left onto Portugal Cove Road.
- Continue on New Cove Road.
- Turn right onto Kings Bridge Road.
- Continue straight on Kings Bridge Road.
- Turn left onto Ordinance Street.
- Turn left onto Duckworth Street.
- Turn left onto Cavendish Square.
- Hotel is located on the right.
From South
- Take Water Street.
- Turn Slightly left onto Hill O'chips.
- Turn right onto Duckworth Street.
- Turn left onto Cavendish Square.
- Hotel is located on the right.
TRAVELING TO ST. JOHN'S
St. John's is the provincial capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland, so access is by plane or ferry.
The island of Newfoundland has its own time zone:
The Newfoundland time zone (UTC/GMT-3:30 standard, UTC/GMT-2:30 DST).
Travel by Air
The St. John's International Airport (Airport code YYT) is only 15-20 minutes drive from the city center. It is important to inform your travel agent of the Airport code YYT when making reservations; it has been known for delegates to arrive in Saint John, New Brunswick - not a happy mistake!
There's a wide variety of international and connector airlines from which to choose including Air Canada, WestJet, Continental Airlines, Provincial Airlines and Air Labrador; providing travel to and within Newfoundland and Labrador.
There are direct (non-stop) flights from Halifax, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton and Newark to St. John's. Delegates traveling from Europe may connect through London (Heathrow) direct to St. John's.
Air Canada provides connecting flights from Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal and Toronto and non-stop flights from London (Heathrow) direct to St. John's. Book travel at www.aircanada.com or 1-888-247-2262 (in North America) or 0871 220 1111 (in UK). See the Air Canada web site for other international toll-free numbers. Air Canada is a member of Star Alliance.
Continental Airlines provides a daily direct flight from Newark, and can provide alternate connections from Europe. Book travel at www.continental.com or 1-800-231-0856.Continental is a member of Star Alliance.
Porter Airlines provides connecting flights from Halifax. Book travel at www.flyporter.com or 1-888-619-8622.
Car Rental
It is best to make your booking by the end of February to confirm availability and pricing. The Air Canada web site has links to car rental companies with some discounts. The following companies have offices at the St. John's airport:
Budget Rentals: www.budget.com 709-778-2962 or 1-800-268-8900. (Use the MUN Corporate Rate Code: U137918)
Enterprise Rentals: www.enterprise.com 709-738-3900 or 1-800-325-8007
Avis: www.avis.ca 709-722-6620 or 1-888-897-8448. (Use the MUN All World Discount Code: C284400)
Dollar: www.dollar.com 709-722-7300 or 1-800-847-4389
Taxis
Taxi cabs queues are located outside the Arrivals Area. Estimated travel time from the St. John's International Airport to the Sheraton Newfoundland Hotel is approximately 15-20 minutes.
Taxi rates to hotels in the local area are charged according to zones. A taxi fare from the airport to downtown hotels costs approximately $25.00 (CAD).
Most taxi companies will accept credit cards, however, it would be advisable to check this with the driver first. If paying with US$, ask about the exchange rate.
Travel by Land – Ferry Routes
If you are driving, there are two ferry routes from North Sydney, Nova Scotia to reach the island. The Summer Ferry Schedule (from North Sydney, Nova Scotia):
- North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Argentia, Newfoundland is a 14-hour ferry ride followed by a 1.5-2 hour drive.
- North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland is a 6-hour ferry ride followed by a 10-12 hour drive.
Advance booking is essential. Contact Marine Atlantic for bookings: be aware that the ferry schedule is subject to the weather and the crossings do book up very fast. Book travel at www.marine-atlantic.ca or 1-800-341-7981.
LOCAL AREA INFORMATION
St. John’s is the provincial capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the oldest city in North America. Seafarers originally came to the "new-found-land" to take advantage of the vibrant fishery; businessmen followed and set up shop, and the town quickly became a center for trade and export. Today, visitors can still see many of the original buildings and a community that has proudly preserved a strong culture and history.
ATTRACTIONS IN ST. JOHN'S
St. John's and its surrounding are abound with spectacular ocean, scenery, wonderful urban parks, charming streetscapes and significant historical sites. Visitors quickly discover why St. John's calls itself 'The City of Legends'.