Conference Hotel and Venue

The conference will be held at the Doubletree Hotel and Executive Meeting Center in Berkeley, California. The hotel is located right on the San Francisco Bay and offers spectacular views of the Bay, San Francisco, Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and a boat harbor.

The hotel is surrounded by a scenic park that invites guests to morning and evening strolls along the bay shore. Within easy reach are the University of California-Berkeley campus, downtown San Francisco, and other area attractions. The San Francisco Bay Area offers many cultural, sports, and other activities, see Visitor Bureau for details and suggestions.

Reservations

In order to guarantee a special MDM 2004 room rate of $129 per night, be sure to make your reservation by January 4th, 2004 at 5pm Pacific Time. Reservations can be made by telephone +1-510-548-7920 or by mailing or faxing (+1-510-548-7944) the hotel reservation form (available as Word or PDF) directly to the hotel. The special MDM rate includes complimentary use of the hotel's business center.

Facilities

The venue offers excellent facilities for our conference, including a large conference room for technical sessions, a business center for faxing, copying, and Internet access, as well as a separate room for speaker preparation. Hotel guest rooms are also equipped with broadband Internet access. Wireless network access (802.11b) will be set up in and around the main conference room.

The hotel offers complimentary parking and use of its fitness center. They also operate a free shuttle bus (see Getting Around).

Getting There

Conference attendees arriving by air have three airports to choose from. Oakland International Airport is about a 15 minute taxi drive away, while San Francisco International Airport is about 30 minutes away. A good alternative to using a taxi is the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system, a high-speed rail service that connects these airports to other area destinations. One can take the BART train to the Berkeley campus stop and ride the free shuttle bus to the hotel (see Getting Around).

Attendees arriving through San Jose International Airport may consider driving a rental car to get to the hotel. The airport is about an hour away from the hotel, depending on traffic. Additional transit information is provided by the hotel here.

Getting Around

The hotel operates a free shuttle bus that runs upon request and provides convenient transportation to and from Berkeley area shops, restaurants, and the Berkeley BART station. The BART provides easy transportation to San Francisco, Oakland, and beyond.

Conference Banquet

The conference banquet will be aboard the Hornblower Yacht, a cruise ship that docks in the marina right next to the hotel. Conference attendees will enjoy a dinner aboard the ship and at the same time get to enjoy a cruise in the San Francisco Bay.

Suggested Activities and Attractions

Here are some recommendations for activities in the area.

• Shop and dine in San Francisco and visit Fisherman's Wharf and Chinatown
• Enjoy the views of the bay and ocean from Golden Gate Bridge
• Visit the notorious prison at Alcatraz Island
• Go hiking at Angel Island
• Explore the Lawrence Hall of Science
• Enjoy the amusement park at Six Flags Marine World
• Visit wineries in Napa Valley
• Go skiing at Lake Tahoe
• Go deep sea fishing with Berkeley Marina Sport Center