I am the Kat that Walks By Itself

All excellent advice, especially 1.A. and 2.C. Regarding staying in the conference hotel, the reasons given are all great; in addition, staying at the hotel gives you lots of early-morning and end-of-day opportunities for schmoozing in various forms: networking and business-card-swapping (if it's a professional con) or celeb-spotting and yakking about your favorite geeky obsession with new friends (if it's a "fun" con). I've had great times during the breaks of just about every con I've been to.