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Carolinah RG 2022
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CAROLINAH REGIONAL GATHERING
Frequently Asked Questions

 


This page last updated August 08, 2021 03:03 PM.
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Q. What will be the schedule for the weekend?
A. Our preliminary schedule (subject to change) will be available on this page soon. Then, watch for the traditional "Mommy Letter," which will be distributed to registered attendees shortly before the RG.

Q. Will I need a costume?
A. Uh, sure ... maybe. While not a requirement, a costume almost certainly might make your RG experience more fun. Our festivities could be much more fun if you get in touch with our theme, which this year is an homage to the TV series "Get Smart."

Q. Will there be dancing?
A. Yes, of course! We could not imagine an RG without dancing. 

Q.  Are you planning to provide Mensa testing?
A. The availability of testing is undecided at this point. If any of our non-Mensan guests would like to become official members, please contact our Registrar, Mary Ann Cox, for further information. 

Q.  Do you have a cancelation/refund policy?
A. Unfortunately, PAM must incur costs related to each registration. Because of this, we cannot refund registration fees after March 9, 2018, except for serious illness, injury, or death in the family. Requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

If for some unavoidable reason you cannot use a hotel room that you have reserved, please email Vera Cartwright (veraann22@yahoo.com) BEFORE you contact the hotel, rather than dealing with the Drury directly, as we may have a waiting list of eager RG-goers. Thank you.


Q. Where will the 2018 Carolinah RG be held?

A. For 2018 we again will relax and play in the Drury Inn & Suites Greenville, 10 Carolina Point Parkway, Greenville, 1-888-760-6170 or (864) 288-4401. For many  years J.D. Power and Associates has recognized Drury Hotels Co., LLC, with the award for ‘Highest in Guest Satisfaction among Mid-Scale Hotel Chains with Limited Service’. More than 45,000 guests are surveyed each year for the J.D. Power study.

Opened in 2007, the Drury Inn & Suites Greenville is conveniently located just off Interstate 85, Exit 51A, opposite Shops at Greenridge, one of Greenville’s premier shopping and dining destinations, and adjacent to Shops at the Point. And it is just minutes from downtown Greenville, with all the attractions this award-winning city has to offer.

By the Numbers
180 Rooms
Check-in Time: 3:00 p.m.
Check-out Time: 11:00 a.m.

Special Features
The staff of the Drury Inn & Suites Greenville want you to enjoy Greenville without being bewildered by a hefty hotel bill, and they achieve this goal by making just about everything free.

Equipped with Drury’s free wireless Internet access throughout the hotel, you’ll be able to check your e-mail as often as you like—though you probably will be too busy enjoying the RG to spend much time on line. When you need time to relax, enjoy Drury’s free indoor-outdoor swimming pool, or burn off a few calories in the exercise room. You can even take some free popcorn and soda up to your room and catch a film on a flat-screen TV. You also get 60 minutes of free long-distance telephone per day.

Special Features
Hotel registration includes a full breakfast buffet. Take your pick from a selection of great breakfast items including scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy, sausage and make-your-own Belgian waffles. Also include in your hotel registration is Drury's 5:30 Kickback, including free food and cold beverages. Chicken strips, egg rolls, charbroiled meatballs, beer, wine and mixed drinks (limited to three drinks per person person) are just the beginning - there’s something for everyone at Drury’s 5:30 Kickback. It's a snack for some, a meal for others!

Driving Directions
NOTE: Watch for heavy construction in the vicinity of the I-85/I-385 interchange. Construction of a new, multilevel interchange complex at the confluence of I-85, I-385 and Woodruff Road (SC Hwy. 146), including new bridges, ramps and roadways, will continue through 2020. Be especially watchful for rerouted traffic and possible road closures and detours, especially during overnight hours. Please take note of the following revised travel directions, and check back here for further traffic updates. If possible, also monitor the project's Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/85385Gateway?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw for announcements of detours and road closures.

From Downtown Greenville via I-385 southbound: Take Exit 37 to Roper Mountain Road, then turn right at the top of the ramp. Move to the left-hand lane within the next 200 feet. Continue to the second traffic signal, then turn left at Woodruff Road and continue about 1.1 miles. After crossing over I-85, turn right at Cracker Barrel onto Carolina Point Parkway and proceed to Drury Inn & Suites on the right (behind Cracker Barrel). Note: Watch for heavy traffic and congestion on Roper Mountain Road as well as on Woodruff Road between Roper Mountain Road and I-85.

From points south, including Columbia, via I-385: Take Exit 35 for Woodruff Road (SC Hwy. 146). Turn left at the top of the ramp and continue on Woodruff Road for approximately 0.8 mile. After passing the main entrance to The Shops at Greenridge, turn left at the next traffic signal (in front of Cracker Barrel) onto Carolina Point Parkway and proceed to Drury Inn & Suites on the right (behind Cracker Barrel). Note: Watch for heavy traffic and congestion on Woodruff Road in the vicinity of The Shops at Greenridge.

From Spartanburg, Charlotte and points northeast via I-85: Take Exit 51A to Woodruff Road. Turn left at the top of the ramp. After crossing over I-85, turn right at Cracker Barrel onto Carolina Point Parkway and proceed to Drury Inn & Suites on the right (behind Cracker Barrel).

From Atlanta and points southwest via I-85: Take Exit 51A to Woodruff Road. Turn right at the top of the ramp, then turn right at Cracker Barrel onto Carolina Point Parkway and proceed to Drury Inn & Suites on the right (behind Cracker Barrel).

In the future, some access ramps to Woodruff Road from I-385 Exits 36 southbound and 36B northbound will be removed permanently, altering traffic patterns previously used to approach the Drury Inn from Greenville and from points south. (Approaches to Woodruff Road from I-85 NB and I-85 SB will not be changed significantly.) The exact date for the closure of the ramp access from I-385 has not been announced. The above instructions reflect the traffic patterns to be used now and into the future.


Q. Is a special Mensa room rate available at the RG hotel?
A. Yes. Carolinah RG weekend room rates at the Drury Inn & Suites Greenville, per night, are $100 for Standard Rooms, King or Double Queen, and $110 for Suites, King or Double Queen. Room rates are guaranteed until March 9, 2018, or until sold out. Reservations may be accepted at the Mensa rate after that date, at the hotel's discretion, on a space-available basis.
 
NOTE: The Mensa hotel has sold out. However, if you need a room, please email Vera Cartwright (veraann@yahoo.com, as we may have access to rooms that are not visible to the hotel folk, or we may be able to recommend other suitable hotels in the vicinity.

To reserve your room, call Drury Hotels at 1-888-760-6170 and specify the Mensa group number 2313097, or call the Drury Inn & Suites Greenville at (864) 288-4401, and ask for the Mensa group room block. Alternately, you can book on line at www.druryhotels.com - and be sure to enter Group Number
2313097.

Q. Does the RG hotel have high-speed Internet for guest use?
A. Yes. The Greenville Drury Inn & Suites provides free wireless Internet access throughout the hotel for registered guests.

Q. Does the RG hotel allow pets?
A. Yes, the Greenville Drury Inn & Suites does accept pets. According to the latest information we have, there is no pet fee or deposit, but you will be asked to sign a "pet policy" at check-in stating that you will not bring your pet to the pool or breakfast area, or leave it in the room unattended for more than 30 minutes. There are no rooms on the first floor, so your pet will need to go down an elevator or stairs when it is time to "go out." The surrounding area is well lighted for late-night pet walks. This information is correct to the best of our knowledge but is not guaranteed, so please contact the hotel for further information or updates. Please do not bring your pet to RG Hospitality or activities. Service animals, of course, are welcome.

Q. Is there free parking at the RG hotel?
A. Yes. The Greenville Drury Inn & Suites has a lighted outdoor parking lot, providing both free and plentiful space for self-parking.

Q. Does the RG hotel have a web site from which I can obtain further information?
A. Yes. Please click here: Drury Inn & Suites - Greenville

Q.  Does the RG registration include meals?
A.  Your RG registration includes light meals in Hospitality Friday evening and lunch on Saturday as well as a catered meal Saturday evening. A hot breakfast buffet is provided by the Drury to registered hotel guests, as is an evening reception with hot hors d'oeuvres and cold beverages. (See hotel information above.)

Q. How do I get to Greenville by air?
A. The local airport, Greenville-Spartanburg International (GSP) is about 8 miles or 11 minutes away. Air service to GSP is available via Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and United Air Lines (carriers subject to change). Connections can be made through major cities and hubs, including Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Ft. Lauderdale, Detroit, Las Vegas, Memphis, Newark, New York-LaGuardia, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Raleigh-Durham and Washington-Dulles.

Q. Is transportation available to the RG hotel from Greenville-Spartanburg Airport?
A. The Greenville Drury Inn & Suites does not offer complimentary shuttle service, but car service is available. Atchison Transportation Services is the official and exclusive ground transportation provider authorized by the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport. For travel reservations, call (864) 595-1234 or 1-877-ATS-2001. Advanced reservations are recommended to ensure timely departure, but cars are available on short notice when plans change or emergencies arise.

Local taxi services include Budget Cab Company, (864) 233-4200; ETS Executive Transportation Service, (864) 282-2531; Greenville Metro Cab, (864) 235-8807; Yellow Cab Co. of Greenville, (864) 233-6666. Rental cars are offered by Alamo/National, Avis, Budget, Enterprise and Hertz. (Note: Piedmont Area Mansa makes neither recommendations nor representations concerning the availability or quality of transportation or car rental services.)


Q. I plan to arrive early/stay over after the RG. Will the RG hotel honor the negotiated Mensa rate before or after the RG?
A. Yes, subject to availability. The Greenville Drury Inn & Suites may honor the RG rate before the RG weekend, if rooms are available. If you do plan an extended stay, however, we strongly encourage you to make arrangements with the hotel as early as possible.

Q. I plan to arrive early or I plan to stay over after the RG. Are there any good shops or restaurants in the area that I should plan to visit?
A. You bet! The nearby Shops at the Point and Shops at Greenridge offer a number of dining opportunities within walking distance, while many more shops and restaurants will be found at Magnolia Park (Magnolia Park, Greenville), which is just 1/2 mile down Woodruff Rd. from the Drury. And the downtown Greenville area is a dining Mecca, with almost every kind of cuisine available, along with eclectic shopping. Visit the web sites listed in the next item below.

Q. What about area attractions?
A. Upstate South Carolina is both scenic and historic, and Greenville is a vibrant city. Visit the following web sites for local tourist information:
Greenville: Upcountry Culture and Style
Greenville Convention & Visitors Bureau
City of Greenville
Best Things to do in Greenville SC
10Best Greenville City Guide

1,001 Things to do in the Upcountry
Things to Do in Greenville

Q
. Will there be more FAQs?
A. Possibly. Please check back frequently.

 

Back to 2018 RG page.


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This page last maintained August 08, 2021 03:03 PM.