places to stay for IMFL

You should post this in the IMFL thread or read the thread from beginning from this year or last year as lots of posts and ideas of folks to stay.

Host hotel or condo is expensive and close other places many are condos are within 10' walk and much cheaper.

You can book the week before the race and find places close to stay. Host hotel/condos will fill up sooner.

Stayed at Laketown Wharf this year.  It was like $105ish a night and was a very nice condo - all new and tons of room.  Less than .25 mile from host hotel/finish line/swim start.  And the bike course goes right past it (out and back).  I had no problem lugging all my gear bags and bike back to the condo after I finished the IM - so that tells you it was pretty darn close.

There are a lot of nice condos in the same general area.  The host hotel is the only one I would stay away from.  It was busy, loud, and the room my training partner stayed in was old and pretty gross.

The Shores of Panama are nice and close, but not as cheap as staying in a regular hotel a little farther away.

we were a little further away from the start line area this year.  Down at the Dunes of Panama.  It was right on the run course though, so it was easy for my family to come down and chear me on frequently.  I suggest that if you get a place further away from the start to go east along the beach so that you family is clost to the run course.  The course vears north from the strip right near the dunes and then doesn't come back down to the beach until closer to the state park.

I booked a 3 BR condo for 5 nights at Shores of Panama for $800 total...check VRBO.com. 

VRBO.com is your best option. I stayed at The Summit for the race and it was great. Close and cheap.

I stayed at the Sunbird, found it for a steal on VRBO.  I paid $50 a night!  It was right between Boardwalk and Shores of Panama.  Really enjoyed it.

I booked Shores of Panama.  Seems a little newer than some others.  If it was just my wife and I we might have stayed somewhere cheaper in a 1 bedroom. 

Here is the right location on VRBO.  http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/usa/florida/north-west/panama-city-beach/long-beach
enjoy,
Duane

Just curious, how far in advance did you guys book the hotel ???

Regards,
Bez

I stayed at the Summit Condo's as well.  Booked through the Summit the year I volunteered and got a very ugly, worn circa 1970's furniture condo.  Booked through VRBO for last November when racing and got a better deal than my teammates who booked through the Summit with a group rate!  I like that VRBO has pictures of the units and lets you know if you've got a washer/dryer which I insisted on having.  I also like staying at a condo so I can eat my own food for breakfast and lunches.    It's about .25 mile from the start and finish. 

This.  ^^^  Shores of Panama through VRBO 3BR/3bath (1 king, 1 queen, 2 bunk beds).  If you want, I can give you the name/email of the owner.  They were great.  It was 6 nights for $850 + a security deposit that we got back right away after our stay.

Shores of Panama x3.  Walking distance to race venue and expo and if you have friends and family attending the race, they can easily walk back to the condo during the bike portion to relax for a few hours while you touring the Florida countryside.  Great rates, probably anywhere from $139 to $160 a night depending on how big of a unit you are needing.  Also, it has a big parking garage. Really nothing negative to say about it.  Good luck, I loved this race.

+1 on Sunbird. It's within walking distance to the expo and start/finish.

I've stayed at Boardwalk Beach condos before- they are very nice and are right at the start/finish.  I am assuming all the condos are already booked up since it's the host hotel.

I've also stayed at the Sun Bird- the condo was very small but for 2 people it was good. I booked it on vrbo and got a super cheap rate.  The condo was a little older but it was fine.  It's close to the start/finish and it's along the bike course.  About .3ish miles from the start/finish and is easily within walking distance.

I've also stayed at Gulf Crest.  It's about .5 miles from the start/finish.  It's a little farther away than the other 2 I mentioned above but it's still within walking distance.  It's along the run course and it was actually nice being able to get away from all the craziness before the race.

The good thing about PCB is there are a ton of lodging options so you should still be able to find plenty of available places.

Definitely book on vrbo.com  You can get some really good rates!