Do I have to stay at the hotel that Walden recommends for my residency or lab?

No. However, Walden strongly encourages you to stay at the host venue. Benefits to staying at the host hotel include enhanced networking opportunities with Walden faculty, staff and students as well as a special room rate if reservation is made within the Walden room block by the specified deadline (rooms within the Walden block are available on a first-come, first-serve basis). If you stay in the Walden room block at the host venue, you receive Internet access in your sleeping room at no additional charge. Other benefits include convenient access to your sleeping room during the meal/snack breaks and immediately following sessions, reduced transit time to/from sessions at the beginning and end of each day, savings of transportation costs to/from sessions at the beginning and end of each day, and access to other hotel accommodations and amenities available only to registered guests.

If you stay somewhere other than the residency hotel, you are responsible for getting to and from the residency venue and your scheduled sessions on time. Be sure to allow enough travel time to arrive at the residency venue on time.