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2008 APS Intersociety Meeting: The Integrative Biology of Exercise V
September 24-27, 2008
Hilton Head, South Carolina

Meeting Location:

The Integrative Biology of Exercise-V meeting will be taking place at the Westin Hilton Head Resort and Spa hotel. The address for the hotel is: 2 Grasslawn Avenue, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928. To contact the hotel regarding amenities and housing, please telephone: 1-843-681-4000 or fax: 1-843-681-1065 or click here to visit the Westin Hilton Head Resort and Spa web site.

Housing Reservations:

APS has reserved lodging at the Westin Hilton Head Resort and Spa hotel. Hotel rooms have been reserved at a rate of $179 for a single or double room, $209 for a ocean view room (single or double) or $239 for a ocean front room (single or double). For additional people sharing the room the cost is $25 each for the 3^rd and 4^th guests.

To make reservations: call the property directly at: 1-800-937-8461 (within the US) or 1-843-681-4000 (outside the US) and ask for reservations. Be sure to identify yourself as an APS Conference Attendee and provide the meeting dates.  Or make your reservation online with a few quick and easy steps. Click here to make your reservation online. The property will require a valid major credit card when making your reservation. The property will provide you with a confirmation number and all cancellation and early departure policies and penalties. Please note that there is no charge for a change or cancellation if it is received at least 72 hours prior to arrival and a cancellation number is received. Cancellations received within 72 hours of arrival will be subject to a charge of 1 night’s room plus tax.

The deadline for making housing reservations is August 25, 2008. Please make your reservations early.

Housing Amenities:

Each guest room is equipped with coffee maker, data ports, internet service (small charge), voicemail, hairdryer, ironing facilities, cable television, in-room movies and video games, and a private balcony. All guest rooms in the hotel are 100% smoke free.

The hotel features three restaurants that are sure to delight your dining palate. The Turtles Bar & Grill offers a casual dining experience with views of the oceanfront. The Barony Grill provides guests with a more intimate and formal dining choice, offering some of the finest seafood on the island. For all day dining, the Carolina Café is the perfect choice. From breakfast, to lunch, to dinner the choice is yours. The hotel also invites you to stop by the Turtles Poolside and enjoy the view and atmosphere while you enjoy smoothies and cocktails.

There is also a small business center, gift shop, health center, wireless Internet service (in the lobby only), local and toll free call access. The hotel also provides shuttle bus service to the Port Royal Golf and Tennis Club, Shelter Cove Mall & Marina.

Special for this meeting, the Westin Hilton Head Resort and Spa will have breakfast and lunch kiosks available each day to the meeting attendees, beginning on the first full day of the meeting (September 25). These kiosks will sell breakfast items such as muffins, bagels, and coffee for a small fee. During the poster sessions a lunch kiosk will be set-up selling assorted sandwiches, chicken strips, chips, and soft drinks for a small fee. Take advantage of this great money saving deal while you are at the meeting!

Using the APS Room Block:

There are always a lot of choices when selecting lodging while you are attending a meeting or conference. Making sure you have found the right selection at the right price is very important, especially with those on a budget.

Using a housing block is very important to both the attendee and the society. For the attendee it provides a discounted room rate that has already been negotiated by APS, and quick and easy access to the meeting/conference rooms and activities. For the society it provides valuable information on who is going to be attending the meeting, so enough seating is provided, food and beverages are adequate for the group size, and also to provide a history that can be used to better negotiate discounted sleeping room rates for future meetings and conferences.

Using a room block can also provide peace of mind during your stay at the meeting/conference location. Negotiated within the APS room block are obligations that the hotel must adhere to when providing a sleeping room to a guest. Including making sure that the guest who booked in the room block is provided a sleeping room, or if one isn’t available, to make sure that the guest is booked in another property that is of equal and/or comparable standards, and provide the necessary transportation to and from the new property to the meeting/conference venue each day the guest is displaced.

Local Information:

Austin is located in southeastern section of South Carolina, close to the major city of Savannah, Georgia. Hilton Head Island one of the largest barrier islands on the east coast. Explore the island on one of the many trails and discover the diverse ecosystems the island has to offer. With 12 miles of golden beachfront on the Atlantic side, and creeks, marshes, and lagoons that are home to hundreds of different species of birds and animals on the west you will be sure to find some treasured island moments.

Hilton Head Island is well-known for its superb sporting facilities and attractions. Hilton Head boasts some of the best golf courses in the country, with 23 pristine golf courses within easy distance of many of the resorts. Tennis facilities, water sports, boating, scuba diving, horseback riding, biking, and fishing are all popular activities on the island. The Westin Hilton Head Resort and Spa, is close to two jogging paths that circle two nearby golf courses.

The choice of cuisine on Hilton Head Island is exceptional, with over 280 restaurants, many of which feature fresh local seafood. There are numerous shopping opportunities including an outlet mall. Hilton Head Island has a host of sight-seeing tours including dolphin-watching cruises.  

Casual dress is very appropriate for this meeting. The average temperature in September has a high of 84 degrees F/28 degrees C; low of 64 degrees F/17 degree C.

Click here for more information on attractions and things do on Hilton Head Island. Don’t forget to check out the 5 minute online video of Hilton Head Island (available on the IBE Meeting home page) to discover the many delights before you arrive.

Transportation:

The Westin Hilton Head Resort and Spa hotel is located approximately 45 miles north of the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport. The airport is served by most major and discount airlines, including AirTran, American Eagle, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, and US Airways.

Hilton Head Island Airport is approximately 10 minutes from the Westin Hilton Head Resort and Spa hotel. The airport is served by US Airways Express and Delta Connection. For more information on the Hilton Head Island Airport please click here.

Taxi cab fares from Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport to the Westin Hilton Head Resort and Spa hotel is approximately $80 for a one-way trip. There are car rental agencies located in the airport, including: Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National/Alamo and Thrifty. To find out more information about ground transportation from Savannah to Hilton Head please click here.

Visa Information for Scientists Traveling to the United States:

As part of new security procedures, applications for visas are being sent to the State Department in Washington, D.C., where they are reviewed. We advise scientists traveling to the United States to apply for a visa as early as possible (at least three months before visa is needed). Please check with your local U.S. consulate or embassy to find out the earliest that you may apply. Because of the number of visas being processed and the need to be thorough with the reviews, this can take as long 8 weeks. Please click here to find out more information on applying for a travel visa to the United States.

To assist you with this process:

• Ask for a letter of invitation to attend at least four (4) months prior to the meeting. Contact meetings@the-aps.org, Pre-registration is required.

• Apply for visa at least three (3) 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.

• Provide meeting brochure and 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).

For the most current requirements and those specific to your situation, please check with your local U.S. consulate or embassy or the U.S. Department of State Visa Services Information Web site at: http://travel.state.gov/visa_services.html