Dan H.

Good morning all,

I'm signed up for event #2. Going to Watkins Glen for an event put on by the DC porche group. Anyone have any recommendations on where to stay? Looks like a lot 1 star options. I know that is wine country so I don't know if folks have any reco's that wouldn't pop up on a typical google search. I prefer more on the cheap side. Most of what I find is cheap and gets poor reviews

Thank you!
The addiction is on!

RallyeChris

The Falls Motel in Montour Falls. 5 minutes from the track, and 5 minutes from downtown. Fair rates, good rooms. Mike is a great guy. Be sure to hit-up Nickel's Pit BBQ if they are open!

eogel

Agree, Falls Motel is a very good place to stay.

von zoom

I stay at the Seneca Lodge, great place and fantastic food. Nice folks. Since my son and I are mostly always together, we get a cottage. Across the street from the Glen. Reasonable price.
Phone: (607) 535-2014
vz

jwebsta32

I am also staying at the seneca lodge.

12zo

It's tough to beat the Seneca. Great Sunday prime rib and atmosphere at the restaurant.
The original U S Gran Prix and ultimately the race track was designed there on a napkin by Cameron Argetsinger. Drive the original road course and visit the racing museum downtown.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameron_Argetsinger

05dsom

Harbor Hotel but $$$$

http://www.watkinsglenharborhotel.com

Dan H.

Thanks all, I think I'll try to give the seneca lodge a spin. I do my best design work on a bar napkin, so if the track was designed there in that fashion, well then, I'm in :o)

von zoom

One thing I did not mention was the Bar. Wait until you visit it. I cannot even begin to describe the ambience. All around great place to stay. Enjoy.
vz

troyguitar

Pitching a tent at the track is about as good as most of the hotels under $200 a night in that area.

Bill Dearborn

The Seneca is a nice place to stay but make sure you get a room Vs a cabin. The last time I was there the cabins didn't have any AC.

I like the Falls Motel. There are also some places to stay North of the Village along Rte 14.

Other than the new Harbor Hotel downtown all of them are what I would call 1940s early 1950s style places. Some of them are that old while newer places just copied what the older ones did. The last time I was at the Seneca the check in desk reminded me of when I used to travel with my parents back in the late 40s early 50s.

Even if you don't stay at the Seneca if you have a chance to make it over for the Prime Rib you will enjoy it.

If you are there on a weekday the Pizza Hut at the foot of the hill where Rte 414 intersects with Rte 14 has a nice lunch buffet for about $6. All you can eat salad and pizza and free refills on the drinks. It beats trying to get through the crowd at the Subway or Burger King and you can have a nice restful sit down lunch and still get back to the track before the afternoon sessions start.

You will enjoy the Glen. It is a fast track that has a nice rhythm to it. Once you get in the groove you pick up the rhythm of the track and it can be a real zen moment. Once you get the line up through the esses or coming down the chute, through Turn 6 and tracking out under full throttle toward the Toe of the Boot you will know why people say track driving is the most fun you can have in a car including one that is parked in a dark area with two people in the back seat. That is where the power of a C6Z is evident and why people love to run them hard.

Bill

Black 03 Z06

Glenora Inn. Beautiful spot.

Have fun, let us know how you do. Good luck.

von zoom

Yea Bill, the last time you were there was 5 years ago... They have elec there now. We have played lucky I guess in that we had good cabins. But I do agree about lunch...The food at the track, like most tracks, could be a lot better. We even had lunch at Dunkin'Donut - not bad.

But all, pay attention to what Bill sez about the Glen. He probably has more track time there than the owners. And, he is fasttttttt.
vz

TKOGTO

I'll second the Harbor hotel. The club I have gone with gets a $149/night special with 2 beds. It's quite the upscale place. Nothing I've seen is close. If you can split it with another track rat, the $75/night is cheaper than most others and so much nicer.

Dan H.

We ended up booking the Falls Motel. Getting a rate of 99 a night which is about all i want to pay for 3 nights. I do want to make it over to the seneca, the bar looks up my alley and well who can pass up some good prime rib.

Bill,
I've started watching some youtube videos to learn the layout. It looks like a lot of fun, I can't wait to get there! It looks like it will be a little nerve racking with how close those blue walls are in certain places :o)

StreetSpeed

Give me the Harbor Hotel or give me death. Haven't stayed anywhere else since they opened. No it's not exactly cheap, but most people doing track events aren't exactly poor either. I will say at $130 night it's probably the nicest 4 Diamond hotel you're gonna find for the money.

Bill Dearborn

The blue walls are close in some locations but there is a lot of runoff space as well. Going up through the esses it looks close but I can tell you from seeing it happen there is enough room between the edge of the pavement and the blue wall for a viper to run there at about 100 mph. There is more room than you realize. Your instructor will tell you how to handle the areas where there might be an issue. A lot of issues come about due to drivers lifting off the throttle at the wrong time and getting a snap oversteer, trying to hold the car too tight in the turn and not letting it sweep out to the outside of the track and if they do run off track jerking the steering to get back on track.

One of the things to think about is if you do screw up where is the car going to go. In a lot of cases there is a large amount of run off room. If the wall is close to the track surface but you are going to fly off in the other direction it really doesn't matter if it was close.

Bill

kmagvette

I just stay in Corning, they have places that take Marriott points and give free breakfast. It is a mild pain if you want to play in Watkins Glen during the evenings.

Hat_Trick_Hokie

I also stay at the Radisson hotel in Corning. There is a great downtown area that you can walk to and grab dinner and drinks.

V8 Juice

Falls Motel closest place to stay to the track unless you sleep in your trailer, cheap and it ought to be and the adjacent restaurant is OK and sometimes a little better. I can park my tow vehicle and trailer on the parking lot or out front until I can get in the gate. My track events are early dinner at reasonable place with friends, think about the next day and early to bed. That's me, others opt for more and if that's what you want, enjoy!