Priceline Hotel: Chicago 8/20-8/23

[nlree]

I'm trying to ID a hotel on Priceline Express.  I'm thinking Palmer House Hilton or Hilton Chicago?  

 

Chicago 8/20-8/23 

 

4-Star Express Deal Hotel  

Chicago Loop - Grant Park Area

  

 Pets Allowed

 Business Center

 Indoor or Outdoor Pool

 Fitness Center

 No Smoking Rooms/Facilities

 

Bed Choice

 

Choose Bed:

1 Double Bed$137/night

1 King Bed - Accessible Room$154/night

2 Double Beds - Accessible Room$154/night

1 King Bed - Accessible Room With Lake View$157/night

1 King Bed - Deluxe Room - Free Wifi, Fridge$157/night

2 Double Beds - Deluxe Room - Free Wifi, Fridge$157/night

2 Double Beds - Continental Breakfast$161/night

1 King Bed - Continental Breakfast$161/night

2 Double Beds - Accessible Executive Room$164/night

King Bed - Accessible Executive Room$164/night

2 Double Beds - Executive Room - Continental Breakfast$164/night

2 Double Beds - Accessible Executive Room - Continental Breakfast$164/night

1 King Bed - Accessible Suite$204/night

 

We are a family of 4 and need 2 beds (not sofa beds), we prefer a pool and breakfast included would be a bonus.

First time in Chicago  so want a location close to some attractions (knowing we will take transit to others) - would this be a good location? 

In this case, I'd choose the 2 double bed, executive, continental breakfast option.

My budget is $200 USD/night

 

Any help or alternate suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

 

Best guess for this 4* Loop - Grant Park hotel (confirm your dates on the landing page) would be the Hilton Chicago.

 

One possible wrinkle to your plan above would be that all PRICELINE reservations are for double occupancy.  While i know of nobody that has had an issue booking a room with two beds and showing up with more than double occupancy, i could potentially see an issue above given that you're booking a room that includes breakfast.  It's possible that the hotel only comps two breakfasts per day and you will have to pay for breakfast for the additional 2 guests (unless the breakfast is buffet style and served in the Executive Lounge (if this hotel has one) at which point i wouldn't see there being an issue)

 

I will add that free breakfast is not typically an amenity included at most 4* and higher rated hotels unless you book a special room type such as the example above.

 

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

 

Let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to proceed and we'll take it from there.

[AaronJB]

Given the lake view, I'd agree with the Hilton guess. This property is a fairly reasonable walk to the museum campus and the Art Institute, but it's a trek to Michigan Ave. I'll also note that there's really not much directly around this property. 

 

Personally, I'd rather say take something like the 3.5* Navy Pier-Millennium Park for $108 on HOTWIRE w/Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, Business. That is likely the Doubletree Mag Mile. Much better location and the significant savings over the Hilton can go towards breakfast at one of many options directly around the hotel, including a beautiful Whole Foods across the street.

 

I'm very familiar with the city and would be happy to offer recommendations (aside from breakfast/pool, are you looking for anything in particular in terms of hotel?) or answer any city questions.

 

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

[nlree]

Thanks for the information.  I do not think I'd be happy with the Hilton so I will not doing the Priceline Express 4*.

 

The reason I was looking at Priceline Express was the option of "bed choice".

For the 3.5* Navy Pier-Millennium Park for $108 on HOTWIRE w/Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, Business -  likely the Doubletree Mag Mile - what do think the odds are of me getting a 2 Queen bed room (my preference) vs a King with a sofa bed?  The price is excellent. I like the proximity to a whole foods too.

 

I'm also looking at the Hampton Inn & Suites Chicago-Downtown 33 West Illinois for $161 (cancellable 24 hours before)

 

Do you have an opinion on the advantages or disadvantages of this location vs the (likely) Doubletree Mag Mile?  

 

It is our first time in Chicago, our kids are 11,14 year old girls - we will be shopping, going to the MSI, , blue man group, millennium park, navy pier possibly Field Museum, possibly one of the towers for the city view. 

I have a car rental reserved at ORD on the 20th as we are driving out of the city on the 23rd and returning to fly out of ORD on the 28th.  Given the price of parking and availability of transit, I may rent the car from a location downtown Chicago on the 23rd to avoid the parking charges. 

 

I'd appreciate your expertise on the hotel options given our circumstances.

 

[AaronJB]

I really (really, really, really - can't emphasize it enough) would recommend renting a car on the 23rd and I have some suggestions on alternative ideas to do so if you are interested, but it depends on which way you are driving out of the city (I don't want to suggest something North if you're driving South.) If you rent a car on the 20th, it's going to be nothing but hassle and serious expense during when you are downtown.

 

In terms of my thoughts re rental:

 

1. Again, please don't rent when you get here. Parking downtown at hotels is $60-70+ a night or you're probably looking at $35-40 in city lots.  It's just a hassle plus serious cost and there's absolutely no reason whatsoever to use the car when you're downtown.

 

2. On the 23rd, either: 

 

A. Go back to ORD and rent at ORD and drive from there. Can likely get a good deal from bidding for a rental at ORD.

 

B. Take the train to the suburbs and short taxi to a car rental. If you are heading North, for example, you can get a rental North of the city and already be that way when you start driving.

 

All that said.

 

When I search on HOTWIRE for 2 adults and 2 children for these dates (if you search for 4 you should get some form of bedding for the entire party - that may be 2 beds, 1 + rollaway or other combination; you can call the hotel to make a request after booking.)

 

I see:

 

4* Navy Pier-Millennium Park $105 Restaurant, Fitness, Smoke Free, Free Internet, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, Travel Accessible, Room Accessible, Bathroom Accessible, Wheelchair Accessible, Roll-in Shower

>>> Possible match for the Hyatt on Wacker.

 

3.5* Navy Pier-MP $109 Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, Business

>>> Possible match for the Doubletree, which does have a pool.

 

I'd much rather the D'tree than the Hampton Inn; Not that the Hampton Inn has a bad location, but I do like the location of the Doubletree in "River East", it's a very pleasant area that's an easy walk to Michigan Ave and there's a Whole Foods literally on the opposite corner from the hotel - gorgeous new location. Navy Pier - which admittedly is not my favorite attraction in Chicago, as I've noted over the years, although it's in the midst of renovating/updating - is an easy walk a few minutes East. Personally, I think there's so many great breakfast spots in Chicago that it's nice to try something more local.

 

Please keep us updated with what you decide and let us know if you have any additional questions.

 

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

 

 

[nlree]

I agree about the car - just need to figure out the best way to do it.  (I originally booked the car with a cancellable rate from ORD as I was not sure if we were going to stay in Chicago at the beginning or end or the trip).  

 

We are heading North on the 23rd so I would like to hear any suggestions where would be a good location to pick up a car and drop it back to ORD.

 

I did google street-view of the Doubletree and Hampton and the area around the Doubletree is nicer.  

[AaronJB]

If you were - on the 23rd - to go to ORD and then rent a car there, you could definitely get a better deal (you could bid for a car rental at ORD) than if you picked it up in the suburbs but may not be as convenient a starting off point depending on where you're going.

 

The North idea isn't a great idea - but thought I'd throw it out as an option: taking the Metra up to Highland Park, then few minute (literally) taxi to either Avis (http://locations.avis.com/us/il/highland-park/hp1.html) or Enterprise (https://www.enterprise.com/en/car-rental/locations/gpbr.us-il-highland-park.1531.html). H

 

Depending on where you're going in Wisconsin this may be a better "jumping off" point, but the problems would be that:

 

1. Picking up here and dropping off at ORD is going to likely be a good deal more expensive.

2. If you picked up at one of these locations and then dropped back off at the location, it's a long transit trek back to ORD (you have to take a long trek downtown, then it's an hour West from ORD to downtown.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions before booking a rental car.

 

I'm fairly familiar with Wisconsin as well and could offer some suggestions or answer any questions.

 

In either instance, I definitely wouldn't rent a car until after your stay downtown, as a few nights of parking downtown is probably easily going to be over $125 if you park at a city lot and could be close to/over $200 at a hotel.

 

Please keep us updated on what you decide for hotel downtown, as well as if you have any questions at all about car or Chicago/Wisconsin before booking.

 

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