[Nfbv-announce] Navigating the Westin

[Joe Orozco]

Dear all,

This year's convention hotel will be a lot easier to navigate than last
year's facility. To my way of thinking, the hotel is basically laid out in a
U shape. Think of the bulk of activities occurring on the left half of the
U, the front desk and elevators at the bottom of the U, and the restaurant,
Starbucks, and bar on the right half of the U.

The bulk of our functions will occur in the function space to the left of
the main lobby, if you are facing the front desk. The exceptions to this
are:

1. The etiquette dinner
2. Childcare
3. Youth Track; and
4. The employment and emergency prep seminars

Please refer to the agenda for times and location.

The hotel is located at 7801 Leesburg Pike; , however, its driveway
actually enters and exits on a small side street named Ramada Drive.
Parking at the hotel for NFBV attendees and guests is complimentary.

The main entrance consists of a revolving door opening directly to the
lobby.  On either side of this door are conventional doors.  Upon entering
the lobby, you will find the front desk directly in front of you at the back
wall. If you need to go downstairs to the Dogwood or Redwood rooms, please
use the stairs located to the left of the front desk or the elevators
located to the right of the desk.

The Concierge stand/bell desk is immediately to your right as you walk in
through the main entrance doors.  A lobby sitting area is immediately to
your left.  The elevators are located to the immediate right of the front
desk along the back wall.  

To the right of the elevators is a hallway leading to the Blue Fire Grill
and Blue Fire Lounge.  Turning left down this hall, the first door on your
right is a men's room and next is the women's room.  Continuing down the
hall, you will reach the Sequoia Room, Magnolia Room, followed by the Palm
Room.  This year we will not be using any of these meeting rooms.  The Blue
Fire Lounge and the Blue Fire Grill are on the left side of this hall.  If
your back faces the elevators, across the lobby is a small Starbucks,
available in the mornings from 6:00 AM to 11:30 AM, which becomes  a sushi
bar in the evening, called Sushi Nami.  Please note we will plan on
providing a coffee station in the Oaks Foyer from 11:30 until 2:00 PM on
Friday and Saturday of the convention.

If you turn left at the front desk you will enter a wide hallway containing
the hotel's main function rooms.  All function rooms are designated with
names of trees. 

As one enters the main hall, the first door on the left is the Willow Room.
The second door on the left is the Cypress Room.  This is where convention
Registration/Information is located and where you may pick up your
convention packet.  Continuing down the hall a bit further and passing the
hallway on the right side to the Oaks Ballroom, the next room on your left
is the Evergreen Room followed by the Pines Room 
The pines room is the final room on the left.  

Turning right along the back wall are doors leading to a set of stairs going
down to the designated dog relief area and parking.  Though you may use that
area, the hotel would prefer you walk out of the main entrance, turn right
and follow the sidewalk to the grassy area on your right.  There will be a
trash container adjacent to the main entrance.  If you encounter issues,
please contact Robert Parsons: (804) 801-7674.

Entering this main hall from the lobby, the first two doors are hotel office
related.  The next door on the right is a men's room located in an alcove
followed by a women's bathroom.  A water fountain is located between those
two doors.  Next is a right turn to the Oaks Foyer, and the Oaks Ballrooms.
Continuing Beyond the Oaks Ballroom hallway  on the right are the Birches
Rooms.  One is the Water Birch and the other is the River Birch.  When
combined, they are simply referred to as the Birches, and it is here where
you will find our Exhibit Hall on Friday afternoon and the employment
seminar on Saturday afternoon.

As mentioned, turning right after the women's bathroom is the Oaks Ballroom
hall/Foyer.  On the left side of this wide hall is an office followed by a
small room containing soda an snack vending machines.  This is followed by
an exit leading down steps to the parking area.  On the right side of the
Oaks Foyer beginning at the Foyer entrance are Oaks Ballroom entrances Oaks
1, 2, and 3.  Oaks 1 and 2 is where our affiliate board meeting and General
Sessions will be held, as well as the banquet.

The Lower Lobby is reached by using the elevators located to the right of
the Front Desk or by taking the wide stairs down located to the left of the
Front Desk adjacent to the entrance to the function space hallway.  To reach
the stairs from the function hallway, turn left where the carpet ends and
the floor becomes marble tile.  The stairs are to your left through glass
doors.  

When you step off the stairs, the entrance to the Dogwood Room is directly
in front of you.  This room will be used for youth activities.  Next door to
the left is the Redwood Room (location for Child Care).   The Elevator is
located to the left, on the same wall as the stairs.  
At the end of this hallway, on your left, is the 24 hour fitness center.  
Your room key is necessary to insert for admission.  To the left is a single
use men's bathroom, and another door to the men's locker room.  To the right
of the fitness center is the women's locker room, and another hallway.  In
this hallway, the first door on the left is a women's single use bathroom,
and the end doors are for utility rooms and stairs (You should not use
these) . 

Food & Beverage Facilities

Hours of operation for the Blue Fire Grille are as follows: breakfast 6:30
AM to 11:00 AM, lunch: 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and

 Dinner:        6:00pm to 10:00pm

The Blue Fire Lounge is open at 4PM to Midnight (beverages and some food
selections), and Sushi Nami is open at 5PM to 10PM, weekdays only.
Sushi Nami is in same space as earlier in the day Starbucks. 

The lobby located Starbucks hours of operation  are from 6:00 a.m. to 11AM
on weekdays; also 6:00  a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. 
Note: NFBV convention attendees are entitled to a 15% discount on Food and
beverage  at hotel outlets, exclusive of alcohol , tax and gratuity . As a
convenience and courtesy to staff, you may consider to identify yourself as
NFBV, but you may also be requested to show your NFBV identification. 

NFBV Special Service

The NFBV will have a group dedicated coffee station , as follows:
Coffee bar is Friday and Saturday from 11:30 AM - 2PM.  The coffee bar will
be setup in the main function hall or the top of the T in our immediate
meeting /events area. We have the NFBV coffee bar in order to maintain
traffic and flow, as well as an added convenience.  
This coffee cash station will only provide regular/decaf coffee and tea
selections, as well as some bottled beverages and small to go snacks.
Cash only. 

Transportation Services: The Westin complimentary shuttle starts at 9AM, and
will depart the hotel  front entrance every hour on the hour, daily, with
the last shuttle leaving at 10PM.  The shuttle has availability, upon
request, for a three mile radius. 
Otherwise, it services Tyson's Corner Mall and the Silver Line Metro
Station. 
The shuttle rotates every twenty minutes   within the hour , to respective
stops, will first arrive at Tysons 1, then to Tysons Corner Silver Line
Metro Station (those seeking shuttle should assemble to the south side of
Metro station to designated bus stop proximity to the Lord & Taylor
department store, or inquire of station manager), and final stop will be
Tysons 2 (also, called Tysons Galleria ).
Any questions or special needs, contact the Westin hotel at : 703 - 893 -
1340.

Along with the shuttle that is dedicated to a schedule, Additionally , If
any individual is in need of a taxi or town car, the Front Desk team,
concierge or front entrance staff, will be more than happy to assist.
Such transportation is generally readily available cued  at front entrance. 

NFBV Presidential Suite: the NFBV Presidential Suite is Room # 939.
Off elevator on 9th floor, turn right and go almost to end of hall and suite
is on left. 

Westin Sleeping Rooms & Floor Logistics:  Floors two to nine, as follows
When off the elevator to get to your guest room, to the  right of elevators
are rooms 224-250.  If taking a left off the elevators and meeting the end
of that access, in other words, two hallways, to the right are rooms
201-206, and to the left are rooms 207-223.  These numbers apply to each
floor up to the 9th level.  

Tenth and Eleventh floors: 10th and 11th floors do not have rooms to the
right of the elevators.  On these two floors, turn left off elevators, meet
at the adjoining hallways - to the right are room 1001-1006 or 1101-1106,
and then to the left will be rooms 1007-1023 or 1107-1123.

Swimming Pool Facilities: The Westin has  an indoor swimming pool that is
open from 5PM-10PM on weekdays, and 10AM-10PM on weekends (Saturday,
Sunday).  There is always a lifeguard on duty at the swimming pool. The pool
is adjacent to the 24 hour fitness center on the Lower level, sometimes
called the Lower Lobby, but denoted as LL on the elevator keyboard.

Thanks to the 2015 convention planning team for providing the original text
to this navigation guide.  If you get there and get lost, please wave your
hand and yell really loud...  No, just kidding.  There will be plenty of
people around, but call me if you need assistance: 202-810-4023.

Regards,

Joe Orozco, Convention Arrangements