4NCL - The Four Nations League

Name	Room Rates	Meal rates	Website (for directions etc.)	Contact details (for reservations etc.)
De Vere Venues, Harben House, Buckinghamshire	Calendar 2010: Ł46.00 (1) Ł46.00 (2) Ł62.00 (3) Calendar 2011: Ł46.00 (1) Ł46.00 (2) Ł62.00 (3)	TBA	click here	Shanay Price on 01908 215615 (weekdays) or Reception on 01908 215600 (weekends)
De Vere Venues, Staverton Park MAP	Calendar 2010: Ł46.00 (1) Ł46.00 (2) Ł62.00 (3) Calendar 2011: Ł46.00 (1) Ł46.00 (2) Ł62.00 (3)	TBA	click here	Annette Lee or Katie Hancox 0844 980 2317, then press '2' and '2' again to get through to the Reservations Department
De Vere Venues, Sunningdale MAP	Calendar 2010: Ł46.00 (1) Ł46.00 (2) Ł62.00 (3) Calendar 2011: Ł46.00 (1) Ł46.00 (2) Ł62.00 (3)	TBA	click here	Nicki Rapley or Jo Egelton 01344 634395
De Vere Venues, Wokefield Park	Calendar 2010: Ł46.00 (1) Ł46.00 (2) Ł62.00 (3) Calendar 2011: Ł46.00 (1) Ł46.00 (2) Ł62.00 (3)		click here	Laura Melledew 01189 334076
Barcelo Hotel, Daventry MAP	Season 2009/10: Ł45.00 (1) Ł45.00 (2) Ł57.00 (3) Ł58.00 (4) Ł58.00 (5) Ł83.00 (6) Season 2010/11: Ł47.00 (1) Ł47.00 (2) Ł59.00 (3) Ł60.00 (4) Ł60.00 (5) Ł85.00 (6)		click here	0870 161 0797 (Lines open Mon - Fri 9am - 9pm, Saturday - Sunday 10am - 6pm) Please quote CHESS when making your booking
Barcelo Hotel, Hinckley Island MAP	Season 2009/10: Ł45.00 (1) Ł45.00 (2) Ł57.00 (3) Ł58.00 (4) Ł58.00 (5) Ł83.00 (6) Season 2010/11: Ł47.00 (1) Ł47.00 (2) Ł59.00 (3) Ł60.00 (4) Ł60.00 (5) Ł85.00 (6)		click here	01455 898560 (direct line) 0870 161 0797 (Lines open Mon - Fri 9am - 9pm, Saturday - Sunday 10am - 6pm) Please quote CHESS when making your booking
Barcelo Hotel, Oxford	Season 2009/10: Ł47.00 (1) Ł47.00 (2) Ł59.00 (3) Ł60.00 (4) Ł60.00 (5) Ł85.00 (6) Season 2010/11: Ł49.00 (1) Ł49.00 (2) Ł61.00 (3) Ł62.00 (4) Ł62.00 (5) Ł87.00 (6)

NOTES:

(1) One person in single room
(2) One person in double/twin room
(3) Two people in double/twin room
(4) One person in single room DBB
(5) One person in double/twin room DBB
(6) Two people in double/twin room DBB

Barcelo Hotels have set up a bedroom booking facility for the 4NCL on their website which, as well as allowing captains/players to book online rather than by telephone, also compares the agreed 4NCL room rates with the currently best available online rate. This will allow captains/players to select the lower of the two rates (although we are assured by Barcelo that in the vast majority of cases the 4NCL rate will be lower than the best available online rate!).

To use this facility, please follow the instructions below:

Type in www.barcelo-hotels.co.uk
On the home page use the section titled BOOK A HOTEL
Select hotel and arrival date, number of rooms etc
In the box for the Promotional Code type in CHESS
Then click on CHECK AVAILABILITY

This will then give access to the 4NCL rates. Follow the on-screen instructions for making bedroom bookings. Please note that it is important to use the Promotional Code for two reasons: (a) The 4NCL rate will not be displayed without the code (b) If the code is not used bedroom bookings cannot be tracked back to 4NCL-related bookings, meaning that the 4NCL will not receive the agreed commission on room bookings.

FURTHER GUIDANCE:

All the hotels will expect to take credit card details at the time rooms are booked, in line with practice at most if not all hotels in the UK.
Captains/managers/players booking rooms should mention the 4NCL National Chess League to the hotels' reservations staff. This will ensure that the get the agreed rates, and will also allow the hotels to keep a record of rooms booked overall, which is important because the commission the league receives from the hotels is calculated on the basis of rooms booked - the more rooms are booked, the more commission the league receives to e.g. increase prize money and keep entry fee increases down.
At the Barcelo hotels, to make your room reservation please call 0870 161 0797 (lines open Mon - Fri 9am - 9pm, Saturday - Sunday 10am - 6pm). Please quote CHESS when making your booking. You can pay by Access/MasterCard, Visa, Switch and all major credit cards. On receipt of your booking you will be sent a confirmation showing your reservation details and amount payable at the host hotel. All reservations must be made through the central reservations office; please do not try and make a booking direct to the hotel.

Please note that the 4NCL block booking will be released four weeks before each weekend, so people would be advised to book rooms before this deadline if they want to avoid taking pot luck with room availability thereafter.
All the hotels will expect final lists of room occupants no later than seven days before the relevant weekend, failing which there is a risk that the rooms will be let go.
We have evening buffet and mid-day packed lunch arrangements with many of the hotels/conference centres. In many cases, however, these need to be booked beforehand at the time rooms are booked to allow the hotels/conference centres to plan ahead. Players will not necessarily be able to turn up on the day and expect to avail themselves of the evening buffet or mid-day packed lunch arrangements. We therefore recommend that players check with the venues beforehand as to whether special arrangements are in place for evening buffet/mid-day packed lunch arrangements and, if so, whether prebooking is necessary or not.
The hotel websites all give details of how to get to the venues.
None of the hotels allow food or drink to be brought in for personal consumption, and in practice take a very dim view if this happens. Such behaviour threatens the league's relationship with the hotels.
Barcelo have asked us to publicise the following message about their three course dinner promotions:

Barcelo Hinckley Island Hotel

Three course dinner Ł13.00 per person.

For guests to benefit from this promotion they must pre-book the three course dinner at the time of making the reservation; this will then change the reservation from bed and breakfast to dinner, bed and breakfast.

If guests do not request for rooms to be changed to dinner, bed and breakfast at time of booking but decide on the day they would like to eat in the restaurant they will pay the standard full price for the three course dinner.

Barcelo Daventry Hotel

Three course dinner Ł15.00 per person.

For guests to benefit from this promotion they must pre-book the three course dinner at the time of making the reservation. Payment for the meal will be taken in advance and guests will settle the bed and breakfast rate upon check in. (Please note this procedure is different to Barcelo Hinckley Island).

If guests do not request for rooms to be changed to dinner, bed and breakfast at time of booking but decide on the day they would like to eat in the restaurant they will pay the standard full price for the three course dinner.
And finally, you’ll like this one, ... All players are expected to be ambassadors for chess and to behave in an appropriate manner in the hotels. Again, poor behaviour threatens the league's relationship with the hotels.