Places to Stay in Omaha

[spartansaver]

This will be my first time attending the Berkshire meeting. Any recommendations for a good part of town to stay in?

[marazul]

If you don´t have any budget constraints would reccomend the new Marriott by the Centurylink stadium.

[AJB96]

My friends and I get a place using AirBnB every year and I highly recommend it. We rent an entire home to stay in and each get our own room for less than $100 each for the entire weekend. Total no brainer vs the overpriced hotels during the Berkshire weekend.

[rb]

I never did AirBnB in Omaha, but I like AirBnB in general.

 

For a hotel. I liked The Sheraton Omaha. The rates are usually decent (considering) for the Berkshire Weekend. It's not far from Borsheims. But it's away from the downtown. However they run shuttles to all Berkshire events and breakfast (which isn't bad) is free for Berkshire shareholders. The bar actually has good beer (a problem in Omaha) and they know how to make good cocktails. Rooms are great.

[spartansaver]

Any areas to avoid? I'm moving around the airbnb map, and just trying to figure out if one area might be better than another. One article I found ranked the different areas and put Benson at number 1. I have no way of confirming any of this.

[DooDiligence]

Searched AirBnB for, "Farnam Street, Omaha, NE 68131, USA".

Plenty of listings but haven't seen WEB offering a room.

 

Wouldn't that be sweet though?

[JRH]

Any areas to avoid? I'm moving around the airbnb map, and just trying to figure out if one area might be better than another. One article I found ranked the different areas and put Benson at number 1. I have no way of confirming any of this.

 

Depends on what you're looking for. Benson is trendy (e.g., nightlife). Blackstone (~3 blocks west of Kiewit Plaza) is also trendy, but more "young professional" than Benson. Downtown is expensive and convenient to the convention center (FWIW, I live here and never go Downtown).

 

Geographically, the east/west corridor within a couple miles north/south of Dodge will be the safer part of town - though admittedly that's a big generalization (north of Cuming / south of Pacific between downtown and 480 are somewhat sketchy).

 

Other factors?

[spartansaver]

Any areas to avoid? I'm moving around the airbnb map, and just trying to figure out if one area might be better than another. One article I found ranked the different areas and put Benson at number 1. I have no way of confirming any of this.

 

Depends on what you're looking for. Benson is trendy (e.g., nightlife). Blackstone (~3 blocks west of Kiewit Plaza) is also trendy, but more "young professional" than Benson. Downtown is expensive and convenient to the convention center (FWIW, I live here and never go Downtown).

 

Geographically, the east/west corridor within a couple miles north/south of Dodge will be the safer part of town - though admittedly that's a big generalization (north of Cuming / south of Pacific between downtown and 480 are somewhat sketchy).

 

Other factors?

 

This is very helpful, scratched one AirBnb off the list.

[oddballstocks]

Any areas to avoid? I'm moving around the airbnb map, and just trying to figure out if one area might be better than another. One article I found ranked the different areas and put Benson at number 1. I have no way of confirming any of this.

 

Geographically, the east/west corridor within a couple miles north/south of Dodge will be the safer part of town - though admittedly that's a big generalization (north of Cuming / south of Pacific between downtown and 480 are somewhat sketchy).

 

 

Somewhat related.  Worked for a company based in Omaha a while back.  While out there come colleagues and I noted how nice of a city it was, no real ghetto's.  Our Omaha colleagues said "oh don't go to X.." claiming it was bad.  So of course we drove there to check it out.

 

The worst I saw in Omaha was about equal to 'nice' low-end Rust Belt.  I've worked industrial jobs in the Rust Belt ghetto, and yeah...Omaha doesn't even come close.  Cleveland has some bad areas, areas where people whose cars are practically on blocks are worried about their vehicle being stolen if they turn the other way.  Then of course you have Detroit, Buffalo, Chicago...the list goes on.

 

This is all to say that "bad" is subjective.  Now if you're coming from Canada, or Europe then the bad parts of Omaha might seem scary. But if you're from anywhere east of the Mississippi you will be fine everywhere.

 

Omaha is a nice place, pretty clean, nice people, a classic Midwest town.

 

[JRH]

Omaha is a nice place, pretty clean, nice people, a classic Midwest town.

 

https://www.ibtimes.com/omaha-nebraska-most-dangerous-place-america-be-black-1548466

 

The more nuanced statistical truth is obscured by the headline (as usual), but... I think it's worthwhile for visitors to avoid North Omaha, unless they know what it's like and are making an informed decision to stay there.

 

Just my $0.02.

[Guest longinvestor]

VRBO.com is similar to AirBnB. I have rented a place within walking distance of the Market and Century Link. Worked great especially with several people sharing. I have not taken the Amtrak into town but might do that. Gets in late though and leaves very early. Chicago resident.

[NoCalledStrikes]

As a value guy, I find BRK weekend my favorite time to use hotel reward points, the rooms are at peak cash prices, but the point levels are the same as always. Personally, I sleep better when I know I've just pulled off a great arbitradge :)  Most likely all the reward rooms are booked now, but almost always there are cancellations in the week or two prior to the AGM.

Don't forget to search Council Bluffs, IA for a room; its just over the river and closer to downtown Omaha than 66% of the city of Omaha is to is own downtown.

I have yet to find the "bad part" of Omaha and I've made the trip 15 times.

If you aren't staying within walking distance of the convention center, you can park nearby. Once you decide to drive rather than walk to the CC, it doesn't really matter where you stay.

If you are flying, definitely look at Kansas City, the KC airport is on the north side of town and less than 2.5 hours away. The inconvenience is well worth the $500+ saving in airfare and you'll get better rental car pricing too.

Enjoy the weekend.

 

[rb]

NoCalledStrikes wins the value investor of the day award! Points arbitrage for BRK weekend is probably the best points arbitrage on the face of the earth.