Know Before You Go

The Details.

ELIGIBILITY

Attendance to the conference is voluntary. However, once an employee has registered, they are committed to attending. Details regarding last-minute cancellations can be found below.

Employees hired prior to January 31, 2026, are eligible to attend the Conference. Community Managers and Resident Services Supervisors who were recently promoted by January 30, 2026 are eligible to attend.

Attendees must be in good standing and approved by the Regional Manager to attend the Conference. If an employee has received documented disciplinary action in the past 90 days, they may not be eligible to attend and must be approved be the Regional Vice President.

TRANSPORTATION

Should I fly or drive to the conference?

All site teams within a 6-hour drive of Atlanta, GA, will be expected to drive to Conference. Consult with your Regional Manager about departure & arrival times, airfare costs, etc.

I'm flying to and from the conference, how should I purchase my tickets?

Airline tickets are purchased through your property’s petty cash card. You are responsible for booking your flight and you must obtain Regional Manager approval prior to booking. You are also responsible for adhering to the travel expense policies located in the Employee Handbook.

If I'm flying to and from the conference, when should my flight arrive/depart?

If you are flying to and from the conference, we ask that you arrive in Atlanta (airport code: ATL) by 8:00 pm on Monday, March 9. Regional leaders and conference presenters should plan to arrive Sunday, March 8. Return flights should depart no earlier than 4:00 pm EST on Thursday, March 12, to ensure you are in attendance and able to enjoy the conference in full.

Is there a hotel shuttle I can take to/from the airport?

There is no shuttle to the hotel. It is recommended to hire a rideshare such as Lyft or Uber. When possible, please try to carpool with other attendees to reduce the total travel cost. On the day of departure from Conference, it is recommended that you schedule a pickup in advance, but no earlier than 2:30 pm EST to avoid price surges and ensure a timely return to the airport.

I'm driving to Conference. Is there anything I should be aware of?

Employees should carpool to/from Conference, when possible.
Rental cars may be used when other suitable and less expensive means are not practical. If this is necessary, employees should share rental cars.
Reserving rental cars must be approved in advance by your Regional Manager.
Employees who choose not to carpool will not be reimbursed for mileage unless prior written approval has been granted by a supervisor.
Parking: Self-parking is available at the Renaissance Waverly Hotel at a daily charge of $35 per night. Please expense this charge back to your community upon your return from the conference. Valet parking will not be reimbursed for onsite or corporate employees.

CHECK-IN & REGISTRATION

What day should I check in at the hotel?

Everyone should arrive and check in on Monday, March 9, after 4:00 pm. Regional leaders and conference presenters should arrive Sunday, March 8.

Will I have to provide a credit card to the hotel upon checking in?

No. Hawthorne is handling this on your behalf. However, please be advised not to charge any incidentals to your room. If expenses are incurred, they will be charged back to you.

Where is the conference registration booth?

After checking into your room, you’ll want to visit the conference registration booth located in the Garden Court & Foyer to secure your name badge and other Leadership Conference resources. The registration booth is open during the following times: A hotel representative can guide you to the booth.

Monday evening (March 9): 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Tuesday morning (March 10): 7:30 am – 8:15 am

When is check-out?

Checkout is Thursday, March 12th. While the official check-out time is 11:00am, it is recommended that everyone check out before the morning’s kickoff at 9:00am. Luggage check will be provided for those who need it.

DRESS CODE

Throughout Conference:

Community Managers: Business Casual. Capris are acceptable.
Resident Services Supervisors: Polo or button-up shirt and khakis or navy pants. No jeans, service uniforms, or hats.

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Awards Dinner - March 11th
The Hawthorne Awards Dinner is a time to reflect and celebrate your achievements from the past year. Choose from any of the colors in the palette below; sequins and sparkle are encouraged!
• Ladies: Black or silver cocktail attire
• Gentlemen: Black suit and silver tie OR black dress slacks, white button-up shirt, and silver tie

Casual Day - March 12th

Casual dress is allowed on Thursday. Come dressed in your conference t-shirt (provided at the registration booth), khakis, capris, or jeans (no holes or tears). No shorts, hats, sandals, or flip-flops, please.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS

During registration, attendees have the option to share a room with two queen beds with another attendee at no charge or to request a private room at a $500 charge.

Private Rooms: Availability at the hotel is limited, so attendees who pay the room charge in full first will secure their reservation first. Once all private rooms have been filled, attendees who did not make the reservation list will still be able to attend the conference but will be notified accordingly and any payments will be refunded.

Shared Rooms: For attendees choosing to share a room, they will be asked to add up to 2 roommate preferences. It is advised that attendees contact their preferences before registering. Please note that roommate preferences cannot be guaranteed.

Rooming List: In order to provide clear communication, Hawthorne will provide Regional Managers with their site team rooming list prior to the conference to review and make any recommended edits.

This hotel is smoke-free.

MEALS

Meals provided to attendees at the Conference are as follows:

Any meals not covered by Hawthorne at the conference can be expensed back to the property, including travel to & from the event.

Please refer to the HRP Employee Handbook's travel policies below:

When traveling overnight, meal reimbursement is allowed up to a maximum of $65.00 per day ($45 on travel days). Detailed receipts of each meal must be submitted with the expense report in order to be reimbursed.
The Company will not reimburse gratuity that is paid over 20 percent.
Alcohol will not be reimbursed.
Coffee breaks or snacks are considered a personal expense and are not reimbursable.

FREE TIME - March 10th

This time is set aside as an opportunity for our employees to relax, unwind, or take in all the host city has to offer. During this time, the company will reimburse employees for dinner per the policies detailed in Hawthorne’s Employee Handbook with these meal expenses being charged back to their property.

Alternatively, Regional Managers may opt to gather their employees from their region during this free time to spend quality time together as a group in order to create a memorable team-bonding experience. Please note that this is not a company requirement, but is optional, should the Regional Manager choose.

CONFERENCE POLICIES

Please refer to the HRP Employee Handbook's leadership conference policies here.