tanabutler

Just wanted to let everyone know that all I had to do was ask for a room as high up as I could get. The nice desk clerk gave me a room on the 28th floor, overlooking the river and the city. It was a corner room with two views, one of which was southwest over the river/city, and the other west. The room was very attractively furnished; the pillows were great; the bed was excellent. It was contemporary without being sterile or corporate-feeling. Also, it was a spacious room. I'm guessing 20' x 15' or so. It was definitely the best $80 I've ever spent on a hotel room in my life. NOTE: DSL is extra, and they didn't tell me that up front. No biggie, but it added another $25 to my stay for two night. EXTRA FUN NOTE: Chicago is very big on St. Patrick's Day. On the Saturday I was there (March 11), they dyed the river green for the big parade. The honor of doing this was sold on eBay, a cab driver told me. Check it out.

Well, I read that whole rebidding thing but I couldn't add but one zone to my bid, and didn't know if there was a zone without a four-star in it that I could have added. (I didn't want to get stuck in the boondocks!) I wanted a 4-star in the Loop, and was willing to add NMA to the bid. And it turned me down at $60 and $70 (both in the Loop and NMA), and at $80 in the Loop. But when I added NMA to the bid, it gave me the Sheraton Chicago Tower. I'd have preferred to be in the Loop, but it's only one mile from the convention, and the weather is supposed to be bearable (in the fifties with a chance of rain). Maybe I can get a room with a view. :) So what I got is Sheraton Chicago Tower, $80, March 9 and 10. Thank you for helping a fumbling newbie.

So the first round passed...they told me that I could get a room if I wanted to raise my bid by $22, which I do not want to do yet.

So I don't understand the re-bid zone fully. I can only add NMA to the Loop area where I want to stay. Now what? PM is fine, unless my ignorance will help another foolish person like me learn how this works.

I'm trying priceline right now and BOY, am I nervous!

I might use Priceline, but for some reason, it makes me nervous. There is no convention rate that I'm aware of: I'm on a panel of speakers. The woman coordinating the panel used Hotwire (and scored the Drake for under $100). I already have a room booked at the Hotel 71, but I know I can get a better price using HW or PL. Thanks for the tip about #2 being far away. I don't know the city at all.

I am attending a convention on Friday and Saturday at the Chicago Cultural Center downtown (78 E. Washington) and would like to be as close as possible. Is it possible that any of these hotels have high-speed internet access but just don't have it listed as an amenity? (It's mandatory for me.) Thank you in advance. :) 4-star hotel in NMA: $96 This upscale establishment offers thoughtful features, quality rooms and a high level of service. * Restaurant(s) * Fitness Center * High-speed Internet Access * Business Center 4-star hotel in Chicago Loop: $105 * Restaurant(s) * Pool(s) * Fitness Center * Business Center 3.5-star hotel in South and West of Loop: $89 * Restaurant(s) * Pool(s) * Fitness Center * High-speed Internet Access * Business Center 3.5-star hotel in Magnificent Mile - Wacker Drive: $94 Customer Favorite! * Restaurant(s) * Pool(s) * Fitness Center * Business Center 3-star hotel in NMA: $83 Customer Favorite! * Restaurant(s) * Fitness Center * Business Center * Laundry Facilities

"Best Value" Amenities on Hotwire: restaurant, tennis, pool, internet access in room, fitness center.

I hope this is useful and allowed ... in my rapacious quest to find the best possible prices on rooms and/or vacation packages, specifically in San Francisco, I have one weapon in my arsenal beyond Hotwire, Priceline, Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz, HotelDiscounts.com and Hotels.com (all of which I use to triumph over corporate greed). If you're going to San Francisco, check out HotelRes.com. Many times the prices are cheaper than anyone else's, because (I believe) they're a local to SF company with personal relationships with most of their hotels. I've stayed at the Mosser, the Villa Florence, the Marina Inn (never again) and -- a personal favorite, The Hotel Majestic, which is on a quiet street in midtown. It's a truly beautiful, old-fashioned hotel in the grand tradition of the city. It feels more like a European inn than anything else. Joan Fontaine and Olivia de Havilland used to have residences there. I don't work for HotelRes.com, but I've been using them for close to ten years now, and I have only had good experiences. I'm kind of torn between letting people know, and keeping it my little secret. My system is to open several tabbed windows in Netscape, one for each of the companies listed above, then systematically plug in location and dates. Last week, on Orbitz, I scored a r/t ticket from San Francisco to Chicago, and two nights in a five-star hotel for just $461 (this during the BEA convention, with 26,000 delegates to the book expo). :) Joe Bob says check it out. Hope this helps. And Dearjim, if you're going to San Francisco, don't miss a visit to the Ferry Plaza Market building. Grazer's Paradise Ferry Tales Do Come True Signed, Resourceful in California

Amenities listed at Hotwire include fitness center and complimentary breakfast. Official website: Carlyle Inn From Orbitz: Rooms are listed at $90 on other sites.

Which is the 4.5 Customer Favorite with "a great lobby"?

NOTE: I was in NYC for less than 24 hours, capitalizing on a American Airlines promotion that awarded a free trip anywhere in the world if you fly San Francisco-NYC twice before April 15. I bid $100 on a 4-Star in any of six NYC neighborhoods, and literally squealed out loud when "Congratulations" and "Waldorf-Astoria" appeared on the screen. Unfortunately, it was like a bad blind date. Here is the letter I sent to management at the Waldorf, and to which they have never replied.