steelbob

Thanks for the help. The 4* Loop property full amenity list is: Smoke free room, business center, spa services, fitness center, laundry facilities (self service), restaurant(s), high speed internet access. The spa services is what is really throwing me off. Trip advisor doesn't show any hotels at any star level in the loop area with spa services. The Radisson Blu Aqua is the only hotel I can find that lists spa services on their own web site. Thanks again, Bob

We are actually doing both. Aquarium, Planetarium, Field Museum, John Hancock, Navy Pier, American Girl, and shopping. The hotels seem to be a lot more expensive for this time frame. We usually use priceline, but with two kids and Chicago, we hate to take the chance of one bed. Bob

Need help identifying a couple of Chicago hotels from hotwire. 2 adults, 2 kids. 05/19-05/24 1st- 4* Loop area. Amenities:Smoke Free Rooms, Fitness Center, Restaurant(s), Laundry, High speed, spa. $163 2nd- 3* Magnificent Mile area. Amenities:Fitness Center, Business Center, High-Speed Internet Access $128 Any ideas? Which would be the better deal in the long run? Thanks for the help. Bob

My family stayed at this hotel for one night on Sept. 23rd. When we arrived at check in, we were greeted warmly and given a large warm chocolate chip cookie for each of us. It was a nice touch after a long drive. Our room had two double beds that seemed a bit larger than most doubles. My wife and I slept comfortably even though we have a king bed at home. The room was very clean and the beds were comfortable. There is also a Starbucks in the hotel. Even though I knew before we went, I didn't like the fact that to use the fitness facilities there is a $10 charge per person per day or $15 for a family of three or larger. Overall we were very satisfied with our stay and would not hesitate to stay here again. Bob :)

First bid of $40 in Fenton Kirkwood area rejected. Added West-Chesterfield and rebid $40.00. Accepted. Used PRICELINE link from this great site. Congratulations, your price of $40 was accepted by Doubletree Hotel & Conference Center St. Louis. Doubletree Hotel & Conference Center St. Louis St. Louis West - Chesterfield 16625 Swingley Ridge Rd Chesterfield, Missouri 63017 636-532-5000 Check-In Date: Tue, Sep 23, 2008 / After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Wed, Sep 24, 2008 / 12:00 PM Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $40.00 Subtotal: $40.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $13.56 Total Charges*: $53.56 Tried the Kirkwood area first for something different, but we love the Chesterfield area so rebid to there. The hotel web site shows their cheapest rate at $149.00 per night, so I am very pleased with $40.

My family and I stayed here on July 7th. The hotel was very clean and well kept. Our room had a king size bed and a sofa bed. The room seemed a little smaller than average, but was very clean and comfortable. The a/c unit was controlled by an actual thermostat on the wall. There was a small fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and tea. The fitness room was very small but adequate. There were only 2 treadmills and I had to wait about 30 minutes for one to open up. The only drawback to this hotel was the lack of a continental breakfast. It offered a breakfast buffet for $8.95 for adults and $4.95 for children. The hotel is located close to a large mall and many other stores. We would definitely stay here again. :)

Bid $38, $40, and finally $42 accepted. Congratulations, your price of $42 was accepted by Hilton Garden Inn St. Louis/Chesterfield. Hilton Garden Inn St. Louis/Chesterfield St. Louis West - Chesterfield 16631 Chesterfield Grove Road Chesterfield, Missouri 63005 636-532-9400 Check-In Date: Mon, Jul 7, 2008 / After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Tue, Jul 8, 2008 / 12:00 PM Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $42.00 Number of rooms: 1 Number of nights: 1 Subtotal: $42.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $13.69 Total Charges*: $55.69 I was trying to get the Springhill. We stayed there last labor day for $37. We'll see how this one is. No free breakfast is a bummer. Love the price though.

My family and I stayed here Saturday May 31-Monday June 2. Overall we had a really nice stay. We were given a non-smoking handicapped room with one king bed and a pull out sofa bed. They said the only difference in the handicap room was that it was larger, and the bathroom was a little different. The bathroom didn't have a tub, only a shower. It wasn't a problem, I was just surprised. The room was very clean. I didn't find anything that looked dirty or broken or anything like that. There were plenty of channels on the 42" plasma tv, and reception was good. The staff was very courteous and did their jobs well. My only complaint was the continental breakfast. The food was fine, there just weren't many choices. There was cold cereal, fruit, bagels, toast, juice, milk, and coffee. On Sunday morning they had a hard time keeping things filled, but worked at it very hard. You could order eggs and waffles for about $7.00 a meal. There is a Graeter's ice cream shop adjacent to the hotel. There is also a very large shopping center just up the road. We were very pleased with our stay and would definitely hope to get this hotel if we stay in that area again. :)

When I got this, the only area I checked was King's Island area. I didn't have the Northeast-Blue Ash area checked. I was surprised when it said Northeast. I was really trying to get the Springhill in the King's Island area. It looks like the Hyatt is just across the interstate from the Springhill so we are happy with the win. Booking directly from the Hyatt web site was $289. + tax for the two nights.

Bid $37 rejected. Re-bid $42 accepted. Congratulations, you got your price of $42 for a 2.5* hotel room. Hyatt Place Cincinnati-Northeast King's Island Vicinity 5070 Natorp Boulevard Mason, Ohio 45040 513-754-0003 Check in date: Sat. May 31,2008 after 3:00 P.M. Check out date: Mon. June 2, 2008/12:00 P.M. Your offer price: $42.00 Number of rooms: 1 Number of nights: 2 Subtotal: $42.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $20.95 Total Charges: $104.95

:) My family and I stayed here on Sept. 1. Our room had one king bed and one sofa bed. The room was exceptionally clean. It had a small kitchenette of fridge, sink, and microwave. There were plates and silverware under the sink. The bathroom was very large and also very clean. This was also one of the quieter hotels we have stayed in even though it was fully booked. The continental breakfast was one of the best we've had. It included eggs, sausage patties, and waffles. The staff did a very good job keeping everything full. The hotel is also close to a very nice mall. Overall, we were very impressed with this hotel and would definitely stay here again.

:) My family and I stayed here on Aug. 11 2007. We found many of the same things. The overall condition of the room was just run down looking and dirty. My main complaint was the floor. I would hate to know the last time it was vacuumed. I have a 3 year old, and had to constantly tell him not to sit on the floor. We also had a strange wire that came out of the floor by the bathroom, snaked under the beds and ended in bare wires sticking up on the other side of the room. Here is some info for anyone traveling with a family. When my wife called to check our reservations the day before we arrived the first question asked by the desk clerk was, "Did you use priceline to book your room?" When my wife said yes, she was told that it would be one queen bed smoking. She was informed that we could have two beds for an extra $20 a night. I know one bed is always a possibility when using priceline, but this is the first time we've ever had a problem getting two beds. However, it ended up okay because the desk clerk forgot to add the $20 to our bill. We also had to wait about 15 minutes before anyone came to the desk at check in. I joked with my wife that I ought to open the cash drawer and see if that got someone. We finally found a member of housekeeping and she went and found the desk clerk. It really wasn't his fault. He had been on the third floor helping another guest, and didn't have any other help. There was also a lot of full trash bags and dirty towels sitting in many hallways. Our bathroom did seem to be clean however. That's always a plus! We only paid $25 a night and that's about what it was worth. It wasn't exactly filthy, but it was pretty close. We had a good laugh about the whole experience, but will avoid this hotel in the future. Bob

First bid of $25 accepted. Used SavingsBarn.com Congratulations, you got your price of $25 for a 2-star hotel room. Homestead St. Louis Westport St. Louis-Westport 12161 Lackland Road Saint Louis, Missouri 63146 314-878-8777 Check-In Date: Sat, Aug 11, 2007 / After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Sun, Aug 12, 2007 / 11:00 AM Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $25.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $25.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $10.89 Total Charges*: $35.89

First bid of $34 for 2.5* rejected. Re-bid 2* and $37 accepted. Used SavingsBarn.com Congratulations, you got your price of $37 for a hotel room, and we've upgraded your hotel quality level to a 2

We stayed at the Crowne Plaza on Saturday, July 14 2007. $45 plus tax. My wife and I were traveling with our two children ages 3 and 6. We were greeted out front by the valets and informed that self parking was $18 with no in and out privileges or valet parking for $23 with unlimited in and out. Kind of high, but we knew this going in. We opted for self parking since everything was in walking distance. The valets were very friendly and didn't act put out at all that we didn't use them. Check in was fast and the desk clerk was very friendly. They accommodated our request for two beds and non-smoking room. The room was very clean and well appointed. The bathroom was small but also clean. The two double beds seemed a little small, but were very comfortable. The linens were top quality and very soft. Our only complaint was the noise level all night long. There were several weddings and parties going on, and the guests seemed to congregate and get quite loud. My wife said she had trouble sleeping because of the noise, but would stay there again. Some of the rooms were right by the pool. I don't know how those people slept! We didn't eat in the hotel restaurant, but the prices were comparable to any casual dining restaurant. Overall, we were satisfied with our stay, and wouldn't hesitate to stay there again. However, I'm glad I only paid $45 a night instead of the $139 listed on the hotel's web site. The best part of the hotel is it's proximity to the mall and all downtown activities and the comfort of the beds. The worst part was the noise level.

Sorry, I forgot to put the name of the hotel in the topic. Crowne Plaza First bid of $45 accepted. Used SavingsBarn.com Congratulations, you got your price of $45 for a 3-star hotel room. The Crowne Plaza at Union Station Indianapolis Indianapolis (Downtown) 123 W. Louisiana St. Indianapolis IN 46225 317-631-2221 Check in date: Sat. July 14, 2007 Check in time: After 4:00 P.M. EST Check out date: Sun. July 15, 2007 Check out time: 12:00 P.M. EST Your offer price: $45.00 Number of rooms: 1 Number of nights: 1 Subtotal: $45.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $13.96 Total Charges: $58.96