2019 Hotel and Travel

The deadline to make your reservation is Tuesday, June 25, 2019. Any reservations made after this date or after the ORS Block is full are subject to availability and may be charged a higher rate, at the discretion of the hotel. The ORS cannot guarantee availability or rates for reservations made after this date.

Room sharing: To assist with hotel expenses, which can be an expensive part of attending any meeting, the ORS provides a room-share online forum for all meeting participants. If you are interested in room-sharing, please visit our online forum. Make sure to include your arrival and departure dates. Only use your public e-mail address in your post – do NOT include your phone number.

Please note that it is the responsibility of each participant in the program to communicate with and to work out an agreement with a potential room-sharer. The ORS’ role is strictly limited to providing the online forum and hotel confirmations for those interested in room-sharing. Once you have determined who you will be room sharing with please be sure to communicate the name and contact information with the Resort and work with them to determine if/how you would like to split the billing.

For reservations that start earlier than Wednesday, July 24 and extend after Sunday, July 28, please call the Resort directly to make your reservation: 800-786-8259.

You can find more information on room descriptions here.

*Rates for single occupancy are per night, exclusive of tax and Resort fees. Rates for double to triple occupancy are calculated by taking the single occupancy rate, divided by the potential number of occupants in a room, and is per person, per night. Final room rates per person is dependent on the actual number of occupants per room. It is the responsibility of the individuals staying in a room to communicate with the Resort how they would like the billing to be split.

Current Resort fee is 6% and room tax is 12% and is subject to change.

All reservations require a one night advanced deposit to confirm the reservation. Cancellations must be made 30 days in advance of arrival. Please note that deposits will be forfeited if cancelling within 30 days of the arrival date. All cancellations will be charged a $25.00 cancellation fee. Changes to the reservation can be made with no penalty before arrival depending on availability.

Meals:

The Workshop provides the following meals to attendees:

Wednesday, July 24
Networking Reception

Thursday, July 25
Cold Breakfast
Appetizers & drink ticket

Friday, July 26
Cold Breakfast
Awards & Recognition Banquet

Saturday, July 27
Cold Breakfast

Sunday, July 28
Cold Breakfast

All other meals (lunch and dinner) are on your own. The Sun Valley Resort has several restaurants on property. These are listed below along with their operating hours. Please pay close attention to dinner times, as evening sessions tend to go later into the evening, and end after restaurants are closed.

Sun Valley is tucked within the mountains of Idaho. The closest airport is in Hailey, the Friedman Memorial Airport – SUN, about 20 minutes from the Sun Valley Resort. In addition to the Friedman Memorial Airport there are several other travel options. Many people prefer to fly to either Boise, Idaho, or Salt Lake City, Utah, and drive to Sun Valley. Each option has advantages and disadvantages.

Ride Sharing: Much like the room-share forum, the ORS has created a ride-share forum to assist with ground transportation expenses. If you are interested in ride-sharing, please visit our online forum. Make sure your post includes your airport, travel dates and arrival/departure times. Please only use your public e-mail address to share information. Click here to find a travel buddy!

Please note that it is the responsibility of each participant in the program to communicate with and to work out an agreement with a potential ride-sharer. The ORS’ role is strictly limited to providing the online forum.

Ground Transportation

Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN): The Sun Valley Resort offers complimentary shuttle service between Friedman Memorial Airport and the Resort. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (800) 786-8259.

For additional ground transportation information (rental cars, taxi, etc.) from SUN, click here.

Boise Airport (BOI): The Sun Valley Express is a daily shuttle service that runs between Boise Airport and the Sun Valley Resort. Advance tickets may be purchased by calling Sun Valley Express at (877) 622-8267 or by going online to www.sunvalleyexpress.com. Tickets may also be purchased on the bus at the time of departure on a space available basis. So, we recommend making a reservation ahead of time.

For additional options from BOI, please click here.

It can now take as long as four months to obtain a visa to enter the U.S. Please use the following links for more information regarding obtaining visas, machine readable passports and registering with the U.S. Homeland Security’s ESTA program.

• Visa applications should be made no later than 90 days prior to travel.
• US Department of State: Temporary Visitors to the U.S.
• International Visitors Office: Travel to the United States
• US Customs and Border Protection Travel Authorization Website
• Find the nearest US Embassy or Consulate
• Fill out an electronic visa application
• The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows citizens of specific countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business, for 90 days or less, without obtaining a non-immigrant visa. For a list of participating countries and additional information about the program, visit the U.S. Department of State’s Visa Waiver Program.
• Additional information on obtaining a VISA from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan.

Official Letter of Invitation

The ORS will be able to provide a personalized letter to assist you in obtaining a visa.  Please send an email to heflin@ors.org to request a personalize invitation letter to assist in your visitor visa application process. 

Please note: Entry visas into the United States are issued at the sole discretion of a US consulate general. The ORS is happy to assist with requested documentation but is unable to intercede beyond the documentation.

Attire:

• Casual attire is encouraged! Jeans, gym shoes, sandals, etc.
• Sun Valley is situated in a basin surrounded by mountains. While days are warm, mornings, evenings and meeting rooms tend to be chilly. Make sure you bring a jacket!
• You have unstructured networking time, so make the most of these opportunities to explore the surrounding area with fellow attendees. There are plenty of hiking options and other recreational activities, so pack accordingly.

Weather: Check out the 10-day weather forecast for Sun Valley to help you pack.

Things To Do:

There are plenty of things to keep you networking and exploring! Here’s a bucket list and some suggested activities you might enjoy.