Going to a work convention and trying to avoid pack mule life

September 22, 2019 10:18 AM

Where can I store a small overnight bag near the SLC airport for ~9 hours?

There's a snag in my travel plans I'm hoping there is a simple solution for. Can something so simple really be this complicated?

I'm trying to avoid to carrying an overnight bag around with me all day at a work convention in Salt Lake City, since I am already carrying a fairly heavy tote. The convention center is a 10 minute drive from the airport, as is my AirBnB, so I'm trying to find somewhere within 15 minutes of the airport to store the bag since my schedule is already tight and I don't have much time for rides around the city.

Stuff I've ruled out:

- Leaving it at the airport: SLC offers no bag storage.
- Leaving it at the convention center: the convention center offers no bag storage. They said this is a common problem and commiserated, but didn't have a suggested solution.
- Vertoe luggage storage: not offered in Salt Lake City.
- Leaving it at my AirBnB: I messaged the owners who said it wasn't an option since other guests are there in the morning.
- Leaving it at a colleague's hotel. They are traveling separately and booked separately and are staying further away from the convention center/airport. If I can't figure out anything else, it'll probably have to be this one unfortunately. Thinking of asking them to let me leave it in their hotel room and just leave a key at the desk for me.
- Bring it around with me. It's an option, but I'm already carrying around a tote with an SLR, a laptop, water bottle, hardcover book, cosmetics bag, and snacks so I am not dying to carry around any other weight for an already tiring 9 hour day walking around.

I've never been to Salt Lake City, so I'm hoping a local Mefite will be like "Oh just store it at Al's Cheap Bag Storage right outside the airport!" or a frequent flyer (I'm not) will be like "Oh duh just use X app."

Thanks guys.

posted by moons in june to Travel & Transportation around Salt Lake City, UT (7 answers total)

Best answer: Is there a convention center hotel? In a similar situation, we checked our bags for the day with the convention center hotel bell desk. They didn't even blink and didn't ask where we were staying, we just said "we're in town for the conference, can we leave our bags with you for the day?" We tipped them at the end of the day.
posted by joycehealy at 10:27 AM on September 22, 2019 [1 favorite]

Best answer: In similar situations, I have resorted to checking a bag at any major hotel bag check desk. If it's associated with the conference or just a major business hotel, they have people coming and going so frequently that I've never been asked if I'm staying there.
posted by griffey at 10:37 AM on September 22, 2019 [3 favorites]

Best answer: What griffey said. Pick any business class hotel that is convenient and check it there. You won't have any issues.
posted by COD at 11:02 AM on September 22, 2019

Response by poster: Y'all nailed it, thanks everyone.
posted by moons in june at 11:08 AM on September 22, 2019 [1 favorite]

Thanks for asking and answering, as I'm doing exactly the same thing -- going to SLC this week and will need to stash my suitcase on the last day of SPI :)
posted by intermod at 1:23 PM on September 22, 2019

Response by poster: No prob, I'm also going to SPI!
posted by moons in june at 2:15 PM on September 22, 2019

Response by poster: Just reporting back that I tried this with three hotels and the first two were like "no way dog, you have to be a guest." after I simply said "I'd like to check my bag." The third one said the same thing but the woman was super nice and after I explained the situation, she gave me a "what a nightmare sorry" look and took pity on me (I made sure to tip her big time). So it worked out, but I guess SLC is onto this kind of thing.
posted by moons in june at 5:11 PM on September 25, 2019 [1 favorite]