Accommodations and Travel

Housing Reservation Form Deadline: March 13, 2014

Asilomar Conference Grounds

The conference will be held at the Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, California. This 107 acre protected coastal state park is located on the Monterey Peninsula.  With miles of trails that lead you along the beautiful coastline as well as through the park, it is the perfect environment in which to learn, share research and meet with colleagues.  

All Asilomar rooms have private baths and complimentary Wifi. All rates are per person and include meals, beginning with Sunday dinner and concluding with Friday lunch. No refunds are available for missed meals. Infants under 2 years of age may stay in your room with no charge. Children from 3-12 years old are charged the special rate of $279.60 provided there are two adults in the room. No pets are allowed on the grounds.

Housing Fee

The housing fee indicated below is per person. Each person requiring housing must complete the housing form and send it to Asilomar.  If you select a double room and indicate a roommate, that means that you intend to share the room but does not automatically register that person for your room.  Anyone sharing your room (including those registering as "Guests") must also complete a housing form.  Please be sure that you and your roommate list each other on the registration form. If you do not request a specific roommate, one will be assigned based on gender and room request.
          

The housing fee includes five nights accommodations and meals beginning with dinner on Sunday, June 8 through lunch on Friday, June 13. The housing fee does not include the meeting registration fee. You must register for the conference separately.

For any questions regarding housing, please contact Betty Forbes at 831-642-4219 or Forbes-Betty@aramark.com.

Housing Cancellations

If you must cancel your housing, please contact forbes-betty@aramark.com. A full refund, less a service charge of $100 per person is given for cancellations received in writing (letter, fax or email) by April 8, 2014. No refunds can be made for cancellations received on or after April 9, 2014.

Guests

Guests are those who will not be participating in the conference but want to stay at Asilomar with a meeting attendee. Guests need to register for housing which includes all meals. Please note, guests will not be permitted in any scientific sessions including the poster sessions.

Check-in

Check-in begins at 4:00 pm on Sunday, June 8 in the Administration Building. Check-out is at 11:00 am on Friday, June 13, 2014.

Meals

If you plan to attend the conference but will not be staying at Asilomar, you can purchase a meal plan for $381.85. The meal plan includes dinner on Sunday, June 8 through lunch on Friday, June 13.  Meal plans must be purchased using the Asilomar reservation form.

Please indicate your meal preference for the banquet on the registration form. On Friday, June 13 box lunches will be available for those who reserve them in advance. Please indicate on the registration if you would like a box lunch instead of eating in the dining hall. 

Travel/Ground Transportation

Monterey is the closest commercial airport to Asilomar. Taxis cost approximately $30. The airport is about 25 minutes from Asilomar. Ground transportation options include:

Driving Directions

From San Francisco / San Jose
Asilomar is approximately 120 miles south of downtown San Francisco (about 105 miles from San Francisco International Airport) and about 75 miles south of San Jose. Take 101 south to 156 West. Take 156 West to Highway 1 South, through Monterey to the Pebble Beach / Pacific Grove exit, turn right on Holman Highway / 68 West. Stay on Highway 68 West/Holman Highway for 3.5 miles until it becomes a city street called Forest Avenue. Continue on Forest Avenue for about 1 mile and make a left turn onto Sinex Avenue. In just under 1 mile, Sinex Avenue ends right at the front gates to Asilomar.

From Los Angeles
Asilomar is approximately 325 miles from downtown Los Angeles (about 310 miles from LAX). Take 101 North though Salinas to 156 West. Take 156 West to Highway 1 South, through Monterey to the Pebble Beach / Pacific Grove exit, and Highway 68 West. For about 3-1/2 miles you will then be on a portion of Highway 68 West that is also called the Holman Highway. Stay on Highway 68 West/Holman Highway until it becomes a city street called Forest Avenue. Continue on Forest Avenue for about 1 mile and make a left turn onto Sinex Avenue. In just under 1 mile, Sinex Avenue ends right at the front gates to Asilomar.

From Salinas
Take Highway 68 West to Highway 1 South to Highway 68 West to Pacific Grove. Just past the Monterey Peninsula Airport, Highway 68 West overlaps Highway 1 for about 5 or 6 miles. Stay on Highway 68 West/Highway 1 and take the Pacific Grove exit. For about 3-1/2 miles you will then be on a portion of Highway 68 West that is also called the Holman Highway. Stay on Highway 68 West/Holman Highway until it becomes a city street called Forest Avenue. Continue on Forest Avenue for about 1 mile and make a left turn onto Sinex Avenue. In just under 1 mile, Sinex Avenue ends right at the front gates to Asilomar.

Phone, Packages and Parking

To enhance the retreat like atmosphere, there are no phones in the rooms. The address and phone number is Asilomar Conference Center, Attendee Name, c/o Chlamydomonas Conference, PO Box 537, Pacific Grove, CA  93950, Phone: (831) 372-8016, Fax: (831) 372-7227. Complimentary parking is available for those staying at Asilomar.

Roommate Bulletin Board

An electronic bulletin board is available to facilitate finding a roommate. Registrants can post messages regarding what type of roommate they are looking for (male or female to share a double, or triple) and the participants will respond directly to the registrant.

If an attendee would like to bring a guest, they guest must fill in a registration/housing reservation form and indicate their roommate on the form. Please be sure that both people indicate each other as roommates. The guest does not need to pay a meeting registration fee if they are not attending the meeting.

Visa & Passport Information

As part of security procedures, applications for visas are sent to the U.S. State Department for a security review. For further information, visit the State Department Web site at http://travel.state.gov/visa. You can also visit the "International Visitors Office" Web site at http://www.nationalacademies.org/visas.
 

International Visitors

Visitors traveling to the United States from all countries (including the visa waiver countries) are required to register personal details online at least three (3) days in advance of travel. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), is a free, automated system used to determine the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States. It collects the same information as the paper I-94W form you usually complete enroute to the United States. ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel. An ESTA authorization generally will be valid for up to two years. DHS recommends that travelers submit an ESTA application as soon as they begin travel plans.  Click here for further details.

VISAS

Meeting attendees are advised to apply for a visa as early as possible (at least three months before visa is needed). Registration refunds will not be issued for denied visas. As part of security procedures, applications for visas are sent to the U.S. State Department for a security review. For further information, visit the State Department Web site. We advise scientists traveling to the United States to apply for a visa as early as possible (at least six months before the visa is needed). Please check with your local U.S. consulate or embassy to find out the earliest that you may apply for a visa. For further information and a list of your local US embassy (or consulate), please click here.  

To assist you with the Visa application process:

• Apply for a visa at least six (6) months in advance. For countries that are on the State Sponsors of Terrorism List, the State Department suggests applying for a visa six (6) to eight (8) months in advance.
• Provide your entire trip itinerary, including travel to any countries other than the United States, at the time of visa application.
• If completion of travel plans is contingent upon early approval of the visa application, specify this at the time of the application.
• Provide proof of scientific status. For example, proof that you submitted an abstract for the meeting. Do not wait until you receive notification that your abstract has been accepted before applying for a visa. It is very rare that an abstract is denied. If your abstract followed the rules and guidelines, it will be programmed.
• Provide meeting Web site (www.chlamymeeting.org) and copy of your letter of invitation.
• Provide evidence that you are intending to return to your country of residence. This includes such things as:
• family ties in current country of residence
• property ownership
• bank account
• an employment contract or statement from employer showing that position will continue after the dates of the meeting
• Requirements vary by passport-issuing country and citizenship (not merely residency).
• Click HERE to download a “step by step” outline of today’s U.S. visa procedures.

NOTE: Some consulates may have backlogs in scheduling visa interviews so applicants should first contact the consulate to determine what wait times for interviews are. 

VISA Problems

 

For applications that have not been approved 30 days after the interview you should complete an online questionnaire. You will be asked to name the meeting (International Conference on the Cell and Molecular Biology of Chlamydomonas) and explain the purpose of your visit. Click here for visa wait times.

 

Visa Waiver Program (VWP): The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables nationals of 36 participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business (visitor [B] visa purposes only) for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. To learn more about the VISA Waiver Program, click here.

 

USA Visa Policy Resources – click here.

 

PASSPORT INFORMATION