2016 MATE International ROV Competition
Team Lodging and Travel Information
The MATE Center is very excited to host this year’s MATE international ROV competition, at the NASA
Johnson Space Center’s Sonny Carter Training Facility, also known as the Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL).
NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL)
LODGING
MATE HEADQUARTERS HOTEL:
The Hilton Garden Inn in Clear Lake/Webster is the 2016 “MATE Competition Headquarter” hotel.
This property is approximately 15 minutes from the NBL. (Note that the NBL is NOT on the Johnson
Space Center property, but located at 13000 Space Center Blvd.) The hotel is roomy and offers an
extensive daily hot breakfast included in your room rate. The Hilton Garden Inn will be the location
of team check-in on Wednesday, June 22, and is also the MATE staff hotel.
In addition to the Hilton Garden Inn, MATE
has contracted with six other hotels in the
surrounding area. Please see below for the
specifics on all of the housing options.
ALL MATE Hotels Offer the Following:
Some Hotels Additionally Offer:
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Complimentary daily hot breakfast
Complimentary wired and wireless Internet
Pool
Business and fitness center
24-hour front desk
Kitchens/Kitchenettes
On-site self-laundry services
Late check-out on request
Smoke free hotel
Amenities and breakfast offerings vary by property. Please be sure to double-check when you book
your rooms that the hotel has the specific amenities that you require. Also, if you are considering
traveling a few days in advance of the competition or planning to stay a few days after the event
concludes, most hotels will do their best to accommodate you at the same rate. Please plan to book
early if you will be requesting additional nights.
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The contracted rooms include kings, double queens, or double doubles and studio suites with sleeper
sofas. In addition, there are a limited number of 2 room suites. Please specify your preference when
making your reservation.
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MATE has contracted with the Hilton Garden
Inn, Clear Lake/Webster NASA to serve as the
MATE Competition Headquarter hotel.
Hilton Garden Inn/Houston Clear Lake NASA
750 W. Texas Avenue, Webster, TX 77598
Phone: 281-332-6284
MATE booking Instructions: Web link to Book your group rate for MATE 2016 or call hotel
front desk at 281-332-6284 and mention: “MATE International Competition.”
Block rate: $115/night Dates: June 22 - checkout on - June 26 Group rates will be offered,
if space available, three days before and three days after block dates.
Block cut-off date: June 6, 2016
Full hot breakfast for up to 4/room included in rate.
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Hampton Inn & Suites: 506 West Bay Area Blvd., Webster, Texas, 77598
Phone: 281-332-7952
MATE booking Instructions: Please use either the GROUP CODE: MIC or 2MI, or
call hotel front desk at 281-332-7952 and mention: “MATE International Competition”.
Block rate: $114-$118/night Dates: June 22 - checkout on - June 26 Group rates will be
offered, if space available, three days before and three days after block dates.
Block cut-off date: June 7, 2016
Complimentary hot breakfast included in rate.
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Holiday Inn 302 W. Bay Area Blvd , Webster, TX 77598
Phone: 281-335-6272
MATE booking Instructions: Web Link to Book your group rate for MATE 2016 Code=MAT
Block rate: $119/night Dates: June 22 - checkout on - June 26
Block cut-off date: June 1, 2016
Full hot breakfast for up to 4/room included in rate.
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Town Place Suites Houston Clear Lake: 1050 Bay Area Boulevard, Houston, TX 77058
Phone: 281-286-2132
MATE booking Instructions: Call front desk at 281-286-2132 ext. #8 and reference:
“MATE Event”
Block rate: $119/night/Studio Suites Dates: June 22 - checkout on - June 26
Additional nights available before and after the competition dates, space available.
Block cut-off date: May 22, 2016
Complimentary hot breakfast included in rate.
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StayBridge Inn and Suites: 501 Texas Avenue West, Webster, TX 77598
Phone: 281-338-0900
MATE booking Instructions: Call front desk at 281-338-0900 and reference:
“MATE Event”
Block rate: $150/night/Studio King Suites Dates: June 22 - checkout on - June 26
Additional nights available before and after the competition dates, space available.
Block cut-off date: June 1, 2016
Complimentary hot breakfast included in rate.
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Best Western Hotel Webster, NASA: 889 W Bay Area Boulevard, Webster, TX 77598
Phone: 281-338-6000
MATE booking Instructions: Call front desk at 281-338-6000 and reference:
“MATE Competition”
Block rate: $109/night/king $119/night/dbl Dates: June 22 - checkout on - June 26
Block cut-off date: June 8, 2016
Complimentary hot breakfast included in rate.
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Residence Inn: 525 Bay Area Boulevard, Houston, TX 77058
Phone: 281-486-2424
MATE booking Instructions:
Web link to Book your group rate for MATE 2016
If calling in to book, please identify yourself as part of the MATE 2016– Marine Advanced
Technology Education Group.
Block rate: $119/night Dates: June 22 - checkout on - June 26
Block cut-off date: June 3, 2016
Complimentary hot breakfast included in rate.
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PAYMENT:
Each guest is responsible for payment of all charges upon checkout. A valid credit card will be
required at check-in.
OTHER HOTEL OPTIONS:
Other hotels within easy walking distance of MATE shuttle bus stops (from/to hotels and to/from
the competition sites) are listed below:
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La Quinta Inn and Suites: 520 W. Bay Area Blvd., Webster, TX 77598
Phone: 281-554-5290
Comfort Inn & Suites: 16931 N. Texas Ave, Webster, TX 77598
Phone: 281-554-5400
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Extended Stay America: 720 W. Bay Area Blvd., Webster, TX 77598
Phone: 281-338-7711, 1-888-456-4283
NASA InTown Suites: 480 West Bay Area Blvd, Houston, TX 77598
Phone: 281-554-9552
Weekly rates from $219!! Must reserve 7 days, even if you don’t use them all.
Max two people per room. No breakfast on site. The rate is only $32pp/2 people/room if
you stay only 4 nights. Rate is only $22pp for 5 nights.
TRANSPORTATION
Directions From Airport(s):
William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)
Directions
45 South to exit 26 to Bay Area Blvd. (Away from Mall) make a left into Texas Avenue
Distance from Hotel: 13 mi.
Drive Time: 23 min.
Houston Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
Directions:
45 South to exit 26 to Bay Area Blvd. (Away from Mall) make a left into Texas Avenue
Distance from Hotel: 42 mi.
Drive Time: 1 hr.
Competition Shuttle Busing
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Transportation to/from the airport and the competition venue is at your expense.
Busing will be made available daily (Thursday – Saturday) to take teams, mentors, judges, and
volunteers to/from hotels and the NBL and to/from the awards banquet on Saturday
afternoon/evening.
MATE highly recommends that you plan to take the free daily shuttle buses to/from the
hotels and the NBL.
Parking will be extremely limited at the NBL this year. Those that arrive to find no space
available will be asked to return to the hotels to ride the MATE shuttle.
Shuttle times for Saturday’s buses to Galveston Island are noted under the next heading,
AWARDS BANQUET.
Daily (Thursday – Saturday) hotel shuttle stops:
 In front of the Hilton Garden Inn, 750 West Texas Avenue
 In front of the Holiday Inn, 302 Bay Area Boulevard
 In front of the Best Western, 889 W Bay Area Boulevard
The competition hotel shuttle schedule to/from the NBL with be posted to the MATE web site at
www.marinetech.org/international-competition/ and available at each of the hotel shuttle stops
inside the lobby.
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AWARDS BANQUET
The 2016 MATE competition awards banquet will be held at the Galveston Island Convention Center
on Galveston Island, approximately 29 miles or 35 minutes from the competition headquarters hotel,
the Hilton Garden Inn, Webster. MATE is providing busing to/from the Convention Center. The
banquet will start at approximately 7:00pm. Buses will be leaving the three hotel shuttle stops
beginning at 12:00pm and continuing every 2 hours until 6:00pm. The last buses will depart Webster
for Galveston Island at 6:00pm. MATE recommends that you arrive early at your shuttle stop in order
to insure space on the 12pm, 2pm, and 4pm buses. The buses are leaving early in the day so that
those who are interested will have the opportunity to spend time at this popular beach spot prior to
the MATE awards banquet. All buses will return to Webster at approximately 10:00pm.
Check out the following links to explore things to do in Galveston.
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http://www.galveston.com/seawallurbanpark/
http://www.galveston.com/thrills/
http://www.galveston.com/moody-gardens-galveston-island/
http://www.metrofamilymagazine.com/June-2014/Exploring-Galveston-on-a-Budget/
In Galveston, the MATE shuttles will drop off at the Galveston Island Convention Center. Note that
both Moody Gardens and the Schlitterbahn Water Park are approximately 2.6 miles and a 50 minute
walk each way from the shuttle drop off location. (Uber or taxis may be available.) Moody Gardens
offers a science discovery museum, a 1.5 million gallon aquarium pyramid, a rainforest pyramid, golf,
ropes and zip line courses, a giant screen 3-D theatre, and much more.
Pleasure Pier is one of the world's top-five seaside parks. A short walk from the Convention Center to
the San Luis Resort will allow you to catch a free hotel shuttle to Pleasure Pier, which is
approximately 2 miles east along Seawall Blvd. The 1,130-foot pier extends over the Gulf of Mexico
at 25th Street and Seawall Boulevard and offers restaurants, shops, and entertaining midway games
and 16 rides, including gentle rides for young visitors and exhilarating coasters for thrill seekers.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION/REMINDERS
1. You and your group are responsible for making your own reservations and for all housing
expenses.
The above rates are quoted per room, per night and do not include applicable tax, currently 15%.
Individuals will be responsible for room & tax as well as all incidental charges. Payment and valid
ID are required at check in. Guest rooms will be reserved on a first come first serve basis. Several
of these hotels will likely sell out. Please also note that the above contracted hotels will be
releasing any unconfirmed/unreserved rooms, which are held for MATE, between May 22 and
June 8, depending on the property.
2. Please contact Kathryn Loomis at [email protected] if you have special needs or
disabilities that require accommodations.
MATE encourages you to reserve your housing needs as soon as possible!
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