crito

I'd really like to hear about other people's experiences with this sort of thing. I have a Hotwire booking at the Palmer House. Now, the room quality there is in a very wide range -- much wider than a typical Hilton, for instance, so although there really aren't any awful rooms, it would be a big plus if I could get myself upgraded from one of the small ones with a view of a brick wall to one of the better ones. I'd be willing to pay for an upgrade, but I'd like to see if I could get a free one, naturally! I've stayed at the Palmer quite a few times, and I have a pretty good pile of HH points (they changed the requirements for Gold recently so I think I don't qualify for that). Does it make more sense for me to phone in advance and ask about upgrades, or would it be smarter to ask when I check in? Or is writing a letter the best approach? It's not a special occasion -- I know that's the best bet for getting a free upgrade, but I'm not going to lie about it! This info might be relevant: the hotel is listed on Hotwire @ $89 for my dates, which is about 50% below 'retail'. But on the Hilton site, the "Executive Level" rooms are going for $65 to $75 more than the ordinary rooms. This could mean that they are selling the Exec rooms so an upgrade would be tough. Or, it might not mean that at all... Could we have a regular board category on people's experiences with upgrades using Hotwire or Priceline? I will definitely report back on my experience after my stay.

It was the Palmer House. That was a really good deal. The lowest published price I can find for those dates is $143, so $89 is pretty amazing. I wouldn't have had the confidence to book it if it weren't for this forum and its tips, so thanks! (I did use your HOTWIRE link.)

Hi, I've found what I'm pretty sure is the Palmer House. 2/18 - 2/21 **** Loop. Fitness, Pool, Restaurant, Business, Internet. It's $89. I believe that the Palmer is the only 4* in the Loop with a pool. If that's right, I will book it (using your link, of course!). I'm a newbie here. I'm going to a convention that's meeting at the Palmer, but the convention rate (supposedly a discount) is $175. I was thinking of just booking the Sofitel, which has a great deal (pay for two enjoy three, meaning the third night is free), or maybe the 4.5* in the Mag Mile area (which I am pretty sure is the Intercontinental or the James, because the Conrad is priced much higher for this period than the other two on Expedia, etc.) but if this is really the Palmer it's ideal for me. Any advice appreciated! I know the area a bit, having stayed in the Loop six or seven times over the past decade.