Which residence hall will I be in?
The Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community (CHCRC) consists of multiple residence halls. We anticipate that guests will be housed in either Birch Hall, Maple Hall, Linden Hall or Elm Hall, but at this time we are not sure exactly which building will be used. These possible residence halls are located right near each other on Commonwealth Avenue in Amherst, MA, across the street from many tournament fields. As July approaches registered guests will be emailed detailed arrival information, including exact building assignments and directions.

I reserved multiple suites - will we be together? 
Yes, all suites reserved under the same name will be placed as close together as possible. We also ask for your team affiliation during the reservation process so that we may assign those on the same team to suites as close together as possible, even if the reservations were made separately.

How many people can stay in my suite? 
Each suite accommodates a maximum of 4 guests. At least one guest must be a parent/guardian aged 18+ to provide adult supervision. 

How do I make a reservation and submit payment? 
Click "Register Now" above! You will be asked to register for an account with us using an email address and password of your choice, and will then be brought through the online reservation form. Towards the end of the reservation process you will be prompted to select your payment amount - guests can either pay the minimum $236.90 deposit now or can pay the full amount due. You will then be brought to our secure online payment gateway and will be able to pay by Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express.

If you only select to pay the minimum deposit you will be able to create your own payment plan and pay in installments. Payment is due in full by 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 3 (accounts not paid in full by this deadline will be subject to cancellation). You may make additional payments by returning to this online page, logging back in to your account and clicking the orange "Make a Payment" button, or by calling the UMass Conference Services Registration Office at 413-577-8102 to submit payment by phone. 

What time is check-in and check-out?
Check-in will be available in the lobby of your assigned building beginning at 1:00 p.m. on your day of arrival. A Summer Conference Housing staff member will be located at the desk in the lobby of your building around the clock once check-in begins, so if you need to check-in late or need any assistance during your stay please stop by the desk in the lobby. Check-out is by 11:00 a.m. on your date of departure. Early check-in and late check-out are not available. Please return your room key and building access card at check-out to avoid being assessed any additional fees ($50.00 per lost/damaged key; $20.00 per lost/damaged card).

Can I stay a night early or a night late?
The tournament has reserved suites for the nights of Thursday, July 18, through Sunday, July 21 (checking-out on Monday, July 22). If you wish to stay outside of these dates please contact the UMass Conference Services Registration Office at 413-577-8102 or registration@umass.edu and we will see if we can extend your stay. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee availability outside of these dates.  

Is linen provided?
No, linen is not provided but can be reserved for $12.00/pack. Guests who purchase a linen pack will be provided with two flat sheets, a blanket, a pillow with case, and two towels. Linen packs will not be available for purchase on-site, so please be sure to add linen packs during the online reservation process or bring along your own!

Is Wi-Fi available?
Yes, Wi-Fi login credentials will be available at the desk in the lobby of your assigned building - please ask the Summer Conference Housing desk clerk for the credentials at check-in. Guests can also use the public computers located in the Learning Commons on the Lower Level of the Library. 

Where do I park?
Complimentary parking will be available in a surface lot within walking distance of your building. At check-in the desk clerk will provide you with a parking pass that must be filled out and prominently displayed on your dashboard throughout your stay to avoid any potential ticketing and/or towing. Additional information will be emailed as the tournament approaches.

What should I bring?
We encourage guests to bring anything that will make their stay more comfortable! 

• If you purchase a linen pack, you will be provided with two towels, two flat sheets, a pillow with case, and a blanket. If you do not purchase a linen pack, be sure to bring your own linens and towels with you. 
• The suites are air-conditioned and some guests find them to be a bit cold, so we encourage you to bring a sweater or sweatshirt. 
• Bedrooms have a twin bed and dresser per guest. There are no additional amenities or appliances in the bedrooms: cots and cribs are not available and bedrooms are not equipped with microwaves, refrigerators, or televisions.
• The living area has a couch and chairs, but it does not have a television or cable access.
• The private bathroom does have a shower, but guests should be sure to bring all of their own toiletries, including shampoo, conditioner, soap, and a hair dryer. 
• Forget something? There is a Target, Walmart, Big Y, Stop and Shop, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and a variety of additional grocery/convenience stores located within a 10 minute drive from campus (also accessible by PVTA bus!). 

Is this a hotel?
No, the Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community (CHCRC) consists of multiple residence halls occupied by students during the school year. While we comfortably house thousands of guest in our on-campus residence halls each summer, please note this is not a hotel or hotel style lodging option. If you are unsure if this option is appropriate for you or your guests, please contact us to further discuss any questions, concerns, or lodging needs before completing a reservation.

What happens if I need to cancel?
If you find you need to cancel your reservation, please send a written notification of your cancellation to the UMass Conference Services Registration Office (registration@umass.edu). Cancellations received by the close of business on July 3, 2019, will receive a full refund less a $230.00 cancellation-processing fee and and administrative fees. Cancellations received after 5:00 p.m. on July 3, including cancellations made after arrival or no-show reservations, will be ineligible for a refund.

The Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community (CHCRC) consists of multiple buildings. We anticipate guests will stay in Birch Hall, Maple Hall, Linden Hall or Elm Hall, but will not know the exact building that will be used until the spring. All four of these buildings are located on Commonwealth Avenue in Amherst, MA 01003. Specific building assignments will be sent via email in July. As you plan your visit, please keep in mind that check-in will be available beginning at 1 p.m. on your day of arrival and check-out is by 11 a.m. on your day of departure.  

By Car
Click here to obtain turn-by-turn directions  (please note this link will provide directions to Birch Hall, but as all 4 possible CHCRC buildings are located next to each other on Commonwealth Avenue these directions can be used regardless of your final building assignment).

From the South, via I-91 North
Take Exit 19 in Northampton. From the exit ramp, stay to the right to merge onto Route 9. Travel approximately 4.5 miles to Route 116 North. Turn left onto 116 and go one mile to the UMass Exit. Stay to the right as you exit to merge onto Massachusetts Avenue. Take a left at the second set of lights onto Commonwealth Avenue. The Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community will be located on your left just after Boyden Gym (note if you reach the UMass Campus Recreation Center you have gone too far). 

From the North, via I-91 South

Take Exit 25 in Deerfield. At the end of the ramp turn left onto Routes U.S. 5/10/116. Follow until the lights and then turn right to stay on 5/10/116. Go one mile and turn left onto Route 116 South. Follow Route 116 South for eight miles to the UMass exit. Turn left at the stop sign. Take a left at the second set of lights onto Commonwealth Avenue. The Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community will be located on your left just after Boyden Gym (note if you reach the UMass Campus Recreation Center you have gone too far).

From the North, via I-93 South
Follow I-93 to I-495 South. Follow to Route 2 West. Continue on Route 2 to U.S. 202 South. Follow for about 15 miles to the blinking light at the Pelham exit marked “Route 9 and 116 Amherst.” Turn right and follow for seven miles to Amherst center. Turn right onto North Pleasant Street. Stay on North Pleasant Street until you enter campus. Stay to the left to continue on Massachusetts Avenue. Travel to the first set of lights and take a right onto Commonwealth Avenue. The Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community will be located on your left just after Boyden Gym (note if you reach the UMass Campus Recreation Center you have gone too far).

From the East or West, via I-90 
Travelers have a choice of four routes:

• Off Exit 8 (Palmer/Ware): Follow Route 32 South to Palmer; take Route 20 West to Route 181 North into Belchertown, and then Route 9 West to Amherst. Follow signs to UMass.
• Off Exit 7 (Ludlow): Follow Route 21 North to U.S. 202 North to Route 9 West to Amherst center. Follow signs to UMass.
• Off Exit 5 (Chicopee): Follow Route 33 North to Route 116 North to Amherst center. Turn left at the light onto Route 9 West. Follow signs to UMass.
• Off Exit 4 (West Springfield): I-91 North to Exit 19 to Route 9 East to Amherst. Follow signs to UMass.

By Air
If you are traveling to Amherst by plane, the closest airport is Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut (near Hartford). This airport is approximately 45 miles from the UMass campus. Another option is Logan International Airport in Boston, located approximately 90 miles from the UMass campus. Please remember to organize transportation to and from the airport in advance.

Transportation Services

• Valley Transporter, 800-872-8752
• Seemo Shuttle, 800-908-2829 
• Exclusive Car Service, 877-695-4665
• Bluebird Transportation, 413-221-4512
• Enterprise

By Bus
The Amherst area is serviced by Greyhound, Peter Pan Bus Lines and the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority. Based on the service you select and route availabilities you should take a bus to Amherst UMass if at all possible instead of Amherst Center (Amherst Center is about 1.5 miles from the UMass Campus). Please be sure to review bus schedules and campus maps before your arrival as both the area and the campus can be confusing to navigate if it is your first time here. 

The Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community (CHCRC) consists of multiple buildings. We anticipate guests will stay in Birch Hall, Maple Hall, Linden Hall or Elm Hall, but will not know the exact building that will be used until the spring. All four of these buildings are located on Commonwealth Avenue in Amherst, MA 01003. Specific building assignments will be sent via email in July. As you plan your visit, please keep in mind that check-in will be available beginning at 1 p.m. on your day of arrival and check-out is by 11 a.m. on your day of departure.  

Parking at UMass
Complimentary parking will be available in Lots 12 and 25, two large surface lots located off of Commonwealth Avenue. From CHCRC, these lots are on the left when traveling north down Commonwealth Avenue (just beyond the Mullins Center, on the opposite side of the street from CHCRC). Lot 25 is covered with solar panels, with Lot 12 just behind it. Upon check-in you will be provided with a parking permit valid for these lots. This pass must be filled out and prominently displayed on your dashboard at all times during your stay. Additional details and instructions will be sent via email as the tournament approaches.

Attendees with a valid state-issued reserved accessible license plate or placard may park in any marked Handicap Space or any nonrestricted, nonreserved space or lot, at no charge, as long as your plate or placard is clearly displayed at all times during your stay. To locate reserved accessible parking, visit the UMass Parking Map, select the blue parking icon on the right, and click the "Handicapped Parking" option. You may also click here to view a complete campus accessibility map.

You should not park at UMass without first obtaining a valid permit as detailed above: parking on campus without a valid permit, pass, placard, or license plate will result in ticketing and/or towing. 

UMass Dining
Recently named "Best Campus Food in America" by the Princeton Review for the third year in a row, UMass Dining invites you to join our table! Our summer guests can find UMass Dining at every corner of campus. With dining commons, retail cafes, food trucks, and more, we welcome you to enjoy all that the UMass Dining experience has to offer.

Note: your team may arrange meals separately, so we recommend contacting your event organizers for additional details!

Dining Commons
Served all-you-care-to-eat style, breakfast, lunch and dinner will be available from 7 a.m. - 8 p.m each day in our award winning Dining Commons. At each meal you will find a variety of cuisines, often including sushi, pho noodles, create-your-own stir-fry, pizza, dim sum brunch, pasta and salad bars, deli sandwiches, American fare, Halal dining, vegan and vegetarian options, a range of desserts, ice cream, and more. Daily menus will be available as your stay approaches on the UMass Dining website.

Guests can pay for each meal by cash or card right at Dining Commons entrance.
  Breakfast: $8.50   
  Lunch: $11.50   
  Dinner: $14.50   

Campus Center Eateries
The Blue Wall, located in the Campus Center, is one of the most popular and convenient dining options on campus. The Blue Wall has 10 different stations served a-la-carte. Offerings include pizza, salads, wraps, deli sandwiches, sushi, burgers, burritos, gelato, and more, ensuring that the Blue Wall has something to satisfy every craving. Harvest Market, located on the main concourse of the Campus Center, is a full service market serving healthy, sustainable, and delicious fare for our on the go customers. The hot bar often features Indian, Ethiopian, traditional American, and many other world cuisines, and the salad bar is always stocked with in-season ingredients and freshly prepared composed salads. Additional highlights include a Chobani yogurt bar, all natural and organic snacks, local cheeses and deli meats, grab-and-go salads and sandwiches, and a made-to-order juice and smoothie bar. Need a quick pick-me-up or caffeine fix? People's Organic Coffee, located on the main concourse of the Campus Center across from Harvest Market, serves People's Organic Fair Trade coffees, as well as a variety of specialty coffee beverages, organic teas, locally baked pastries, fresh cookies, salads and paninis.

University Club and Restaurant
The University Club and Restaurant, more fondly referred to as The UClub, is the eminent fine dining establishment at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Housed in two colonial era New England farmhouses, the University Club and Restaurant offers a contemporary dining experience steeped in historic charm. Long established as a private faculty and alumni club, the University Club offers the public and campus community a full-service restaurant & lounge featuring local beer, wine, and farm-fresh ingredients. Call 413-545-2551 to make your reservation.

Food Trucks
Our food trucks, Baby Berk and Baby Berk 2, are great options for a quick and convenient meal. Serving freshly prepared food truck fare, including burgers, wasabi steak tacos, grilled cheeses, tater tots and sweet potato fries, you are sure to leave satisfied. Checkout @UMassBabyBerk and @UMassBabyBerk2 on Twitter to find daily schedules and location updates, and look for the trucks around campus during your stay!

Medical Services
University Health Services, located on-campus at 150 Infirmary Way in Amherst (near the Franklin Dining Commons), offers advance appointments, same-day appointments, walk-in care and pharmacy services. Appointments: 413-577-5101. Triage Nurse (available during health center hours): 413-577-5229. After-hours medical and mental health advice: 413-577-5000. 

Walk-in Care Hours
Monday - Friday: 8AM - 8PM
Saturday and Sunday: 11AM - 5PM

Pharmacy Hours
Monday - Friday: 9AM - 5:30PM

For on-campus emergencies please contact the UMass Police at 413-545-2121 or call 911.

On-Campus Attractions
You don't need to travel far to find something to do - there are numerous attractions located right here on campus! 

• The UMass Fine Arts Center seeks to engage audiences in the arts, embrace diversity, and uphold the highest standards for arts education. Comprehensive in scope, the Center offers the region's only mix of classical music, dance, theater, jazz, Broadway, special events, and gallery exhibitions. The Fine Arts Center is also home to the University Museum of Contemporary Arts. 
• The Mullins Center, our state-of-the-art, multi-purpose facility, hosts diverse events from hockey and basketball to concerts and popular touring performance groups. 
• The Augusta Savage Gallery, located in New Africa House, is a multicultural and multiarts facility that seeks to promote artistic works from a broad spectrum of cultures
• The Durfee Conservatory and Garden, established in 1867, is a historic plant conservatory that offers a sanctuary of calm and serenity among the hustle and bustle of campus.
• The Rausch Mineral Gallery, located in the Department of Geosciences in the Morrill Science Center, includes more than 250 large mineral specimens from around the world from the mineral collection of the late Dr. Marvin Rausch.

Fitness Centers
Day passes to the UMass Recreation Center will be available to tournament attendees to purchase upon arrival. 

Libraries
The W.E.B. Du Bois Library and the Science and Engineering Library offer technology and space to work for our community guests, including printing/copying services, collections, and book stacks.

Local Transportation
There are multiple transportation options to get you from campus to amenities and attractions in the surrounding area. Amherst center, with local shops, restaurants, and small convenience stores, is a quick 10-15 minute walk from campus. Local buses, operated by the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, run regularly between Amherst center and the University, with additional services traveling throughout the Pioneer Valley, including Northampton, Springfield, and Greenfield. If you'd rather take a car, UMass has partnered with Zipcar to bring on-demand car sharing services right to campus. A variety of bike rental options are also available, including Laughing Dog Bicycles and Hampshire Bicycle Exchange. 

Area Dining
There are many wonderful dining options in Amherst and the surrounding area. Local Amherst favorites include Antonio's Pizza, Johnny's Tavern Judie's Resaurant, Mission Cantina, Hangar Pub and Grill, and Ginger Garden. Neighboring Hadley not only boasts many great local spots such as Esselon Cafe and Alina's, but also offers many familiar tables on Route 9/Russell Street, such as Friendy's, Applebees, Chilis and Panara Bread. Options abound in downtown Northampton, located a 20 minute drive from campus, such as Jake's Restaurant, Local Burger, Amanouz Cafe, Northampton Brewery, India House, and more. Click here for a listing of area restaurants courtesy of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce.

Medical Services
If you find you need medical services, including emergency care or pharmacy services, below are some options close to campus. For on-campus emergencies please contact the UMass Police at 413-545-2121 or call 911.

• Cooley Dickinson Hospital - offers 24-hour full hospital/health care services including emergency and critical care, imaging/radiology, lab services.
  30 Locust Street, Northampton MA (9.7 miles from campus).
  Main Number: 413-582-2000. Crisis Hotline: 413-586-5555.
  
• CVS Pharmacy - offers pharmacy, drive-thru pharmacy, MinuteClinic, immunizations.
  165 University Drive, Amherst MA (1.9 miles from campus).
  Main Number: 413-256-0421.
• AEIOU Urgent Care - offers urgent care services for non-life threatening minor illness or injuries. Open Monday - Friday 8AM to 7PM; Saturday & Sunday 11AM to 5PM.
  170 University Drive, Suite 102, Amherst MA (1.9 miles from campus).
  Main Number: 413-461-3530.
  
• MedExpress Urgent Care - offers urgent care services for illness and injuries. Open everyday from 8AM to 8PM.
  424 Russell Street, Hadley MA (2.4 miles from campus).
  Main Number: 413-253-0483.
  
• [On-Campus] University Health Services - offers advance appointments, same-day appointments, walk-in care. 
  150 Infirmary Way (near Franklin Dining Commons).
  Appointments: 413-577-5101. Triage Nurse (available during health center hours): 413-577-5229. After-hours medical & mental health advice: 413-577-5000. 

Shopping
If you find you need to visit a grocery store, large retail store, or pharmacy during your stay, numerous options are located 5 - 10 minutes from campus in downtown Amherst, as well as on University Drive in Amherst and Russell Street (also known as Route 9) in neighboring Hadley. These locations are also serviced by PVTA buses.

• Downtown Amherst
  
• Amherst Shopping Center - retail/grocery stores and dining, including Big Y, Dunkin Donuts, CVS and Wings Over Amherst. Located at 181 University Drive in Amherst, MA.
• Hampshire Mall - retail/grocery stores, dining, and entertainment, including Target, Trader Joe's, J. C. Penney, Cinemark, Pinz Bowling, Autobahn Indoor Speedway, LaserBlast, and Planet Fitness Gym. Located at 367 Russell Street in Hadley, MA.
  
• Campus Farms Mall - retail/grocery stores and dining, including TJ Maxx, Super Stop & Shop, Dollar Tree, Liquors 44 and Johnny's Roadside Diner. Located at 440-454 Russell Street in Hadley, MA.
  
• Mountain Farms Mall - retail/grocery stores and dining, including Wal-Mart, Barnes & Noble, Bed Bath & Beyond, Old Navy, Panera Bread and Whole Foots Market. Located at 335 Russell Street in Hadley, MA

Area Attractions

• Amherst is known for its rural charm and big city appeal. With many restaurants, bars and local shops, visitors get lost exploring our downtown. Located just a few minutes drive from the campus, it is a convenient and popular destination. 
• The city of Northampton is a blend of historic, contemporary, intellectual, artsy, athletic and entrepreneurial. With cafes, bars, restaurants, clubs, shops, museums, rivers, parks and spas, Northampton is a place to be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of budget.
• The Emily Dickinson Homestead, located right in downtown Amherst, was mentioned frequently in her intensely idiosyncratic and strikingly modern poetry. Devoted Dickinson readers visit the Homestead and The Evergreens, the Italianate home built next door by Emily's brother Austin Dickinson, to walk today where Emily walked and to see what Emily saw.
• The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, located in Amherst, looks to inspire a love of art and reading through picture books, just a short 15 minute drive from campus. Founded by Eric Carle and his wife Barbara, the Museum is for visitors of all ages: children and families, teachers and librarians, scholars, and everyone interested in the art of the picture book.
• The Yiddish Book Center is a nonprofit organization working to tell the whole Jewish story by rescuing, translating, and disseminating Yiddish books and presenting innovative educational programs that broaden understanding of modern Jewish identity. The Yiddish Book Center is located on the Hampshire College campus, about a 15 minute drive from UMass.
• The Amherst College Beneski Museum of Natural History, located about 5 minutes from the UMass campus, is one of New England’s largest natural history museums, boasting three floors of exhibits with more than 1,700 specimens on display, and tens of thousands of specimens available for use by scholars and researchers from across campus and around the world. 
• Yankee Candle, located about 15 minutes away in South Deerfield, offers an enchanting mix of shopping and entertainment. You'll find 400,000 candles in over 200 different famous Yankee scents, but there are more than just candles at this flagship Village Store. It's a unique, entertaining world of New England charm, fairy tale fantasies, and hands-on, interactive candlemaking that's fun for every age.
• Historic Deerfield is an authentic 18th-century New England village. Tour beautifully restored museum houses with period architecture and furnishings, see yankee ingenuity at work in demonstrations of colonial-era trades, and explore the world-famous collection of early American crafts, ceramics, furniture, textiles and metalwork. 
• The Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory & Gardens is a 14,400 square foot facility that includes a 4,000 sq. ft. glass conservatory filled with butterflies, moths and tropical vegetation, about a 20 minute drive from campus in neighboring South Deerfield.
• Home to more than three hundred inductees and more than 40,000 square feet of basketball history, the Basketball Hall of Fame stirs the spirits of basketball fans everywhere. Hundreds of interactive exhibits share the spotlight with skills challenges, live clinics, shooting contests and enough basketball history to impress the world’s most avid sports fans. 
• The Springfield Museums grant visitors access to the Springfield Science Museum, George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, Michele and Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Springfield History and the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden and Museum, all under a single admission. The museums are located in the heart of downtown Springfield, about a 40 minute drive from UMass.
• Six Flags New England is home to many rides and attractions, from pulse-pounding roller coasters to gentler options for the youngest of thrill seekers. With some of the fastest, tallest, wildest, most gut-wrenching rides in the country (including a few record breakers), as well as family rides, kid rides, entertaining shows and the Hurricane Harbor Water Park, Six Flags New England has fun for everyone.

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Want to learn about more things to do in the Pioneer Valley? Click here!

Contact Us

For questions regarding the campus, residence hall lodging, payment, or completing a reservation please contact the UMass Conference Services Registration Office (Monday - Friday, 9 a.m - 5:00 PM ET).

UMass Conference Services
Conference Registration Office 
810 Campus Center
1 Campus Center Way
Amherst, MA 01003
t: 413-577-8102
f: 413-577-8130
e: registration@umass.edu