Anime Expo 2014 hotel reservations are now live; it’s never too early to reserve yourself a room!

We have often spoken at great length about the virtues of staying at an official convention hotel when attending an anime convention. You’re usually closer to the con (for smaller cons, the con itself is probably hosted in the hotel itself as a matter of fact – you can’t get any more convenient than that!), you usually get a discount on the rates, you often get free or discounted admission to other events associated with the con (concerts, film screenings, etc.), and you’ll be staying at a place where many other con attendees are also staying, opening up many cool hanging-out-and-socializing opportunities.

Well, good news for those of you even remotely interested in attending Anime Expo (our favorite con, and not just because it’s located practically in our backyard): the Anime Expo hotel blocks have opened up! Yes, folks, that’s right, the online hotel reservation system is now live, meaning you can book your rooms right now, from the comfort of your own desk. And doing so ASAP is a really good idea. Considering how the number of people attending Anime Expo keeps going up and up (61,000 last year!) these hotel spots are bound to fill up fast. And it’s looking like the mad rush has already begun. It has now been a few days since the hotel system went live, and already most of the hotels are starting to show unavailable days (with some of them even being completely sold out). They’ll probably open up some more room blocks in the weeks and months to come, but you never know, so you might want to make yourself a “just in case” reservation – remember, you don’t need to pay anything upfront, and reservations can always be changed or canceled until a few days before the reservation date without penalty. (This policy could vary, so it’s best to check with your prospective hotel just to be sure.) Definitely keep an eye on the hotels page as well as the main Anime Expo site, so that you’ll know when more hotel room blocks have opened up!

Currently, single and double rooms are available at the L.A. Hotel Downtown for $172/night; the Westin Bonaventure for $170/night; the JW Marriott for $194/night; the Millennium Biltmore (recipient of the prestigious Otaku no Podcast Seal of Approval) for $130/night (single) and $150/night (double); and the Sheraton LA Downtown for $160/night.

Yeah, it’s almost half a year before the convention, but it’s never too early to start planning. So get on it already! The guest list has started taking shape and is looking to be pretty impressive. Pretty much the entire English voice cast of Sailor Moon will be in attendance (just in time for its 20th anniversary), plus Kimura U will be the fashion guest of honor. Of course there’s all the usual anime con fare as well: a dealer’s room of epic proportions; an Artists Alley of equally epic proportions; panels and workshops galore; an AMV contest that always impresses us; a masquerade unlike any other; and tons more events equally worthy of hyperbole. Registration is open and will currently run you $60 for a full 4-day adult pass, and $25 for a 4-day child pass. So go register already, but then right after doing so, better get yourself a room pronto!

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