If you are unable to find the hotel or room type you’re looking for, you can join the waitlist. The waitlist relies entirely on cancellations and does not guarantee a reservation. Most requests are fulfilled from mid to late-February once attendees firm up their travel plans. If you need to secure a reservation before February, the waitlist may not be the best option for you.
Waitlist Tips & Facts
- Attendees may not confirm reservations AND waitlist the same dates for another hotel. We do not recommend canceling an existing reservation in order to get on a specific hotel’s waitlist.
- The waitlist has limited availability based on the number of attendees we have been able to accommodate in the past.
- Getting on our waitlist doesn’t guarantee a room, but we do have a high success rate of accommodating SXSW attendees from our waitlist.
- SXSW Housing & Travel will work with you until your check-in date to help you find accommodations, even if it’s not your first choice. We won’t leave you homeless!
- We see the most movement on our waitlist between mid-January and late-February.
- If you’re flexible with your hotel needs or need something very specific (i.e. room type, location, price range), add that to the Special Request field once you’ve confirmed your hotel and room type. It will help us look for only what you need and also let us know if it’s ok to look for options outside your request.
We strive to accommodate all waitlist requests up to your arrival date. Should a room become available for you, SXSW Housing & Travel will immediately book your reservation and send a confirmation email. If we accommodate your waitlist request within 28 days of arrival, you will have 24 hours to cancel the reservation without incurring the $50 cancellation penalty.
If we accommodate your waitlist request within the hotel’s cancellation period (usually 7-14 days) you may be responsible for any hotel cancellation fees, if we book a room you no longer need. To cancel your waitlist request, use the Request For Change link at the bottom of your waitlist confirmation email, from your shopping cart, or your SXSW Social account.
How to be added to the Waitlist
Once you’re registered follow the same steps to book a hotel through our online reservation system.
- Select your check-in and check-out dates.
- Choose Join Waitlist.
Hotels with a waitlist are detailed below the list of available hotels. The waitlist is limited, and can be closed when we believe there are more people than we are able to accommodate.
- Choose your desired room.
- Follow the steps to complete your waitlist request.
Be sure to include any additional information about your hotel preferences in the Special Requests field. This helps us accommodate your request should a room become available (i.e. room type, location, price range).
Your credit card is required to complete your transaction, guarantee your request, and to provide to the hotel should your request be accommodated. You will not be charged unless your waitlist request is fulfilled. Be sure to read our Reservation Policies for details about paying for your hotel reservation. You can update your credit card information at any time.
A penalty could be assessed if you fail to cancel your waitlist request before we book your room
Still have questions? Email housing@sxsw.com.