AaronJB

If you're willing to move hotels (as the first day is much cheaper than the second), HOTWIRE has for 10/27: a 4* North Michigan Ave/Water Tower/Gold Coast for $145 with the amenities: fitness/business/hi-speed/restaurant. for 10/27. Could be either the Westin Michigan Ave., Drake or Ambassador East, although based on the tripadvisor rating, I'm *guessing* (not guaranteed) that it's either the Westin or Drake. a 3* NMA/Water Tower/Gold Coast for $147 with restaurant/fitness/business/hi-speed/golf/tennis/spa. Likely the well-reviewed Indigo. a 4* in the Loop for $129 with the amenities: fitness/business/restaurant/pool. Likely either Palmer or Hilton Towers. For 10/28: a 3* NMA/Water Tower/Gold Coast for $356 with restaurant/fitness/business/hi-speed/golf/tennis/spa. Likely the well-reviewed Indigo. If you look up both dates together, this listing comes up with a higher price than the average of both dates separately. a 4* Mag Mile/Wacker for $253 with the amenities fitness/business/restaurant/laundry/hi-speed/spa. Possibly the Hyatt, although the laundry icon doesn't usually show up with the Hyatt.

Thank you for posting! :) Do you remember the amenities associated with the Hotwire listing? If not, you can look them up on your account.

Glad you were able to get what you wanted! :) Enjoy your trip and thank you very much for following the BB HOTWIRE link.

There would be no way to use Priceline or Hotwire, as there'd be no absolute 100% guarantee that you'd end up at a pet-friendly hotel. I would check out the Kimpton Hotels website, as they are pet friendly (they even have pet packages and at least some of their hotels have actual animal "pet ambassadors"). Do you have a max you'd want to spend per night?

As thereuare suggested, try calling and see if there's any way you can get 2 beds. As with anything having to do w/Priceline, nothing is guaranteed, but the "best case scenario" for this hotel would be if you somehow were able to get one of the hotel's rooms with 2 beds and 2 bathrooms. I wouldn't ask directly for a 2 bed/2 bath room (just ask if there's any possibility you can get beds), but it would be the best possibility. If you can't get a 2 bed room, hopefully things will work out with a 1 bed room. If you call now and you get someone who's not willing to work for you, I would wait a little while (a week, maybe two) and see if you can get someone different on the phone. I'd also try to get to the hotel right at check-in time or maybe a few minutes early if you are told you can get a 2 bed room. Location-wise, this is a terrific hotel with plenty of public transit options nearby. It's the oldest continually operating hotel in Chicago, one of the largest and it has an absolutely magnificent lobby - I've recommended to people who aren't staying at the Palmer House to go in to look at the lobby. There are no hotels right near Soldier Field (where the Bears play), but, in terms of the downtown hotels, this would be one of the closest. The reservation should be in their system, but I would give it a few hours just in case if you just got this hotel via Priceline. I edited the dates in the title. Any questions please feel free to ask. :)

With 2, the price is only $99 (the $99 rate is also available at omnihotels.com)

Search for Boston on Orbitz for 1/8-15 for 1 person and there should be a 4* listed in the Financial District area and Back Bay/Copley Square areas for $89. Clicking on either $89 should bring up the same Omni Parker House. I'm still seeing it for those dates so thankfully it's still there.

I'll guess that it's the Club Quarters Michigan/Wacker

It appears as if the second day is much busier than the first, as Hotwire has some very reasonable deals for the first day, but little for the second day and little for both combined.

That'd be the Hyatt.

Just to toss out a suggestion: If you look on HOTWIRE for Cambridge for Jan 2-8, there is a 3.5* with fitness/pool/restaurant/business/hi-speed/tennis as amenities and a price of $61 (although the price you see may vary). This would be a possible match for the Hyatt Cambridge. If so, the Hyatt looks to be right near MIT. The second half of the stay seems busier and more difficult. Hotwire only offers a 2.5* for $95 in Cambridge with the one amenity being free breakfast. Not sure which hotel this is. The average of all of this would be about exactly the average you're looking for. Also even cheaper for the second half (8-15) and a couple of miles from MIT is the historic 4* Omni Parker House in Boston ($89, Orbitz)

Glad to hear that you finally were able to get something, and a very good deal, at that! The rate on the Hyatt website for those dates is $449. Enjoy your trip and come on back when you plan for Vegas.

Good luck with today's bidding! :)

Well, hopefully, although the Saturday seems booked up or very busy at most places, so I think the likelyhood is fairly slim in this case, to be honest. I hope bidding will work out for you, but if it doesn't, please let us know and the board will be happy to round up other options.

Thanks! :) Unfortunately, you cannot name your own price on Hotwire. Hotwire only offers listings with their prices, although those prices can go up/down.

Hotwire really doesn't appear to have much for your dates when looking for both together, as most of the hotels are about the same as your back-up or higher ($350+.) However, the second night (8th/Sunday) definitely appears less busy, and Hotwire does have 4* for $188 in Midtown Central, a 4* in Midtown East for $203 and a 4* in Times Square for $229. While no guarantees, the 4* in Midtown East appears to be a match for the Intercontinental Barclay and the 4* in Times Square appears to be a possible match for the Westin. Can't tell what the Midtown Central one is. Moving hotels definitely isn't an optimal option, but I thought I'd throw out these Hotwire possibilities so that you could have choices to consider if moving hotels (in an attempt to get a deal on at least one of the days) appealed to you. There's different ways you could proceed. Let us know your thoughts and myself or one of the other members on the board will be happy to help.

Dear TBud; That would be a good back-up option. Some of the other options I've spotted on Expedia.com (which would mean a $25 cancellation fee, though) include the rather wild-looking Night Hotel ($262) and the well-reviewed New York Helmsley ($279). I'll keep looking around for other options and I'll also look on Hotwire.

Tbud, It would be a good idea to book a "backup" (cancellable) hotel in case nothing works out via Priceline. Priceline allows rebidding every 24 hours. I will be happy to do some research and see if I can find some options for back-up places.

The Ambassador East is an older hotel in the very nice Gold Coast area - it's the furthest hotel North in the downtown area on both Priceline (which rates it a boutique) and Hotwire (which rates it 4*). The hotel used to be one of the city's most famed, with celebrities often visiting both the hotel and the Pump Room restaurant (there is a wall of photos in the lobby.) I stayed there when it was an Omni (I believe it was an Omni for almost exactly 20 years) and it was quite nice. There's not much in the way of amenities at all (not even a gift shop; if you need anything, you have to head to the CVS down the street) and maybe I lucked out, but I thought it was a comfy, "home"-y room. The hotel was sold by Omni at the beginning of this year and there are indications that it will go all or partially condo at some point in the future. I have not stayed there since it was an Omni, but the reviews seemed to go downhill right after it was sold.

The Wyndham is a very nice hotel in terms of the room, location and public areas. However, I would highly recommend checking your bill after. I was double billed on a recent stay and it took an effort and a half (including writing and calling Wyndham corporate, as well as Priceline - the hotel itself seemed unwilling to help) to get it corrected. Many others have reported being 2x billed by the hotel, as well.

For those dates on HOTWIRE, I see a 4* in the Water Tower/Gold Coast/NMA area with the amenities: fitness/business/restaurant/hi-speed. $79. The Intercontinental is a Mag Mile/Wacker Drive zone hotel, so this would not be that. It would either potentially be the Westin, Ambassador East or Drake. Given the customer comments and the tripadvisor rating, I am 99% certain that this would be the Ambassador East.

TBud, Welcome to the board! :) Are you looking for next Sept.?

It appears to be an awfully busy set of dates in Madison, as many hotels appear booked - that could be why Priceline doesn't seem to have much (if any) inventory. The cheapest reg. rate hotel I've found (America's Best Value Inn; www.Travelocity"]Travelocity.com $50.70) also gets some pretty terrible reviews. Studioplus Madison has availability for $89 on Orbitz.com; that seems to get better reviews. What is the max that you are looking to pay?

Orbitz.com has the well-reviewed 4* Lenox Hotel available for $179 for those dates - only a few bucks more than the 4* Hotwire property, and cancellable (albeit with a penalty of $25.). EasyClickTravel.com also has the very well-reviewed Jurys Boston Hotel for $224.22. Just throwing out a couple of suggestions.

The cheapest downtown hotel I'm seeing for both days is the Renaissance Grand for $189 on Expedia.com (9/29-10/1.) The Omni Majestic is available and $158 on Orbitz.com for 9/29 and the Renaissance Grand is $189 for 9/30. The Residence Inn Downtown is also available for $134 for the 29th only. What appears to be the Omni Majestic is on HOTWIRE.com for $132 for 9/29 (3.5*, Boutique, Restaurant, Fitness, Business). The Renaissance is 0.3M away from the Omni. If you stay outside the city, I'd recommend the Drury Chesterfield, which is a very nice new hotel - put visiting friends up there and they loved it. Lot of perks, as well (free breakfast, evening drinks, internet, etc.) That's $100 a night on Travelocity"]Travelocity.com Just throwing out some options.