Priceline Hotel: Looking for 3.5 star or higher Chicago June 23-29

[lpingb]

Hi We are looking for a 3.5 star or higher for Chicago for June 23-29.  For amenities we would like free parking, breakfast and internet along with a pool.  Id like to keep the budget as in the $75 range.  I noticed there was a 3.5 in the medical district (great location for us)on priceline winning bids for $61 but im guessing parking is maybe $34. 

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Which zone(s) within the Chicago region are you willing to accept, as Free Parking is not a reasonable expectation if you're looking to stay 'Downtown'.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

[AaronJB]

The Medical District is an okay location if you are going to United Center or have to be near the Medical District, but it's really not a convenient location at all for seeing the main areas downtown during your stay. If you are here for the U2 concerts, are you seeing all four nights?

 

Additionally in terms of the Medical District, the areas nearby can be kinda so-so - some are going to be absolutely fine, some aren't.

 

Another example is I'm seeing the South Loop hotel on HOTWIRE for $91 (you may see a slightly different price) and that hotel offers free parking. However, that hotel is a ways South of the downtown area and there's really very little directly around it. You'll have to spend more time commuting to try and get anywhere.

 

Rates do not look quite as bad as I'd expect when searching for Chicago in the Summer, but unfortunately I think $75 is going to be difficult (if not impossible) for these dates, plus free parking and breakfast are fairly rare when it comes to downtown hotels (only 1 hotel in the core downtown area that I'm aware of offers free parking.)

 

You can stay in the 'burbs - which will likely be cheaper in terms of comparable hotels and offer free parking, but you'll have to trek back and forth to downtown each day. Maybe you could do this for half of your stay - $75 is going to be difficult downtown, but you could potentially get a cheaper option with free parking outside the city for half the stay and be downtown for the other half. There's a few different options to consider.

 

Here's an example:

 

I believe you could get a hotel in the North suburbs (Northbrook/Deerfield/Glenview) for 6/26-29 for around $50 per night + free parking. This is a wonderful area with a lot of shopping, some very nice towns and great restaurants. You can either drive to the Metra train and take that downtown (easy, plus the Metra trains are very nice, although they only run until around Midnight.) Or you could take a nice drive downtown.

 

I think you could likely get a hotel for around $100 for the first three nights (there's a 3.5* on HOTWIRE for $114 that I'm guessing may be the Hotel Rush, you may see a slightly different price.) If you average the hotel for the first three nights and the last three if that plan works, then you're looking at an average of around $75-85, although you'll have to pay parking for the first few nights, but you can park in a city lot like Navy Pier for around $25 per night.

 

Thank you for using the board's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[lpingb]

we are looking at zones 3,4,7,8 put it looks like budget will push us out to the burbs.....The concerts dates are june 24,25 and 28,29...I will have my wife and daughter so id rather find one place and stay for the week.  What would be the best strategy time wise for staying in the burbs with access to public transportation into downtown....

[thereuare]

The zone numbers will change any time that PRICELINE renames, adds, or removes zones... to avoid any confusion (both now and in the future) please list the zone names (as they appear on Price.line) rather than the zone numbers.

Assuming you're looking for only one room, note that PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, after that it's at the discretion of the hotel, and you could receive a room with only one bed. While you can call the hotel you win and request a room with two beds, the hotel may not be able, or willing, to honor your request. If this is not a risk you're willing to accept, HOTWIRE would still be an option as they allow you to search for up to quad occupancy and ensure sleeping accommodations for everyone you include in your search (although this usually means two beds, the second 'bed' could be a sofabed, rollaway, etc)

Let us know if you're willing to take the occupancy risk, as well as list the zones you're willing to accept and we'll take it from there.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.