Best time to book Kentucky Derby accommodations?

[wreckless]

3 friends and I just booked our flights from Vancouver, BC to Kentucky for the Derby and couldn't be more excited.

However we are having a little trouble deciding when we should book accommodation - that is, should we book early (now) or wait?

Does anyone have any experience with this? Is it smart to book as early as possible in order to ensure you actually get something? Or are prices high early on as people attempt to gouge? Also do more places come available closer to the derby (Jan, Feb, march, etc).

Any thoughts help, Thanks!

[ThinkingAlways]

In my experience, hotel rates will stay pretty steady until just a week or two before Derby when they should drop. The challenge then is that you might not get the hotel you want. There are a lot of new hotels in Louisville and that is shifting the supply/demand curve. A few years ago, EVERY hotel was sold out through Derby weekend. This past year, quite a few hotels had availability at the last moment. Even hotels that appeared to be sold out, suddenly had rooms available as, I assume, tour operators turned back in blocks of rooms.

[lamboguy]

if you can stay about a half our away in a places like Bardstown, you will get reasonable rates in national chains. its a very easy drive right down the highway.

[Inner Dirt]

if you can stay about a half our away in a places like Bardstown, you will get reasonable rates in national chains. its a very easy drive right down the highway.

That is what I did when I went in 1999, stayed about 25 miles away, even the traffic leaving cleared in a couple miles. I would worry about securing tickets for seating at the track. Wait too long and you will end up in the infield, the place to be if you like drunk college kids and girls flashing their boobs, but not the place for the serious horse player.

[wreckless]

Thanks for the replies!

What about places (homes) off Airbnb / vrbo?


That is what I did when I went in 1999, stayed about 25 miles away, even the traffic leaving cleared in a couple miles. I would worry about securing tickets for seating at the track. Wait too long and you will end up in the infield, the place to be if you like drunk college kids and girls flashing their boobs, but not the place for the serious horse player.
Tickets go on sale in September, correct? Or are they available now?

[Inner Dirt]

Unless something has changed, parking is very limited. My friend and I scouted the town on Thursday and parked a mile away from the track on Derby day.
People were parking people on their lawns close to the track for $20 a pop.
The people that parked too close were pretty much gridlocked in leaving the races. The track was built well before automobiles and is surrounded by residential areas (hence the parking issues). It also is considered to have a capacity of 50,000 and the Derby will draw triple that. Get all your handicapping done in the hotel room the night before, you could be spending most of your time at the track waiting in line for food and drinks, the restroom and betting.