Priceline Hotel: 4* Chicago (Airport OHare ORD) Sofitel OHare

[ashkap]

Pretty good price and probably the best of the lot in the ORD area. Pretty happy about this especially since did not get even a 3* downtown hotel uptil $130. Will rely on the CTA instead.

Also, I believe we do not have this hotel on the priceline hotel list. A new one for the list...

Started at $55 and kept adding the downtown zones until I got it at $70.

[ashkap]

Guys, needed some advice on transportation within Chicago. I will be arriving at Union Station at 11:00pm. I am planning on walking a couple of blocks (with light luggage) to Clinton CTA and then taking the Blue Line to the Sofitel (Rosemont station). Is the walking part advisable in that part of the town at that time?

[AaronJB]

Are you arriving via Amtrak? That's a late train to get into the city and, knowing Amtrak, could be even later.

It's okay. Not a walk I'd exactly look forward to, but not too bad, either, and not much of a distance at all. Just keep your senses about you and know that it will be very quiet in the Loop at that time (it's primarily a business district, and when the workers go home at night, a lot shuts down.). If you took a cab, it would be quite a short and cheap cab ride.

Another option would be to walk to Ogilvie Station (essentially across from Union) and take the Metra from there to Park Ridge. It's 2.6MI from the Park Ridge (which is a really nice burb) station to the Sofitel. You could either call a cab or if the hotel has a shuttle, call for that. Ogilvie is a sleek glass building and does have a food court, although I'm guessing that will be closed by that time. It's a nice place to wait, though. Essentially, this would be the nicer, more comfortable option, but may take longer with getting from the Park Ridge station to the Sofitel.

The Metra trains are nicer commuter trains than the CTA Blue Line trains. Metra trains have more comfortable seats, conductors walking the aisles, bathrooms and two levels. It's a nicer way to travel than on the CTA, but again, it wouldn't get you as close to the hotel.

Metra Schedule: http://metrarail.com/Sched/cnw_nw/cnw_nw.shtml

This is Park Ridge: http://www.parkridge.us/

[ashkap]

Thanks AaronJB! That is extremely useful information. I will call up the hotel and ask about the shuttle from Park Ridge. BTW, I am actually taking the Megabus from Cleveland to Union Station. It is expected to arrive at 10:30pm and I figured a 30 minute delay in my question above.

[AaronJB]

Ogilvie is about a block from Union Station, and I don't know - maybe the Subway restaurant in Ogilvie or the McDonalds may still be open at 10:30-11pm or so. The newsstands will probably be shut by then, as will most of the food court. The ticket office on the upper level will be open, and you do need to buy a ticket prior to getting on the train (or else you get a $2 penalty if you buy on-board). There will be security guards in the station.

The last Metra to Park Ridge goes out at around 12-12:30pm, so even with a minor delay on the bus, you should be fine. I'm guessing you would probably get the 11:30 to Park Ridge.

http://www.metrarail.com/Sched/cnw_nw/park_ridge.shtml

Here's the Park Ridge station.

The walk to the CTA station isn't too bad and the "L" is okay to O'Hare, but if it gets late and you just want to relax and feel comfortable and not have to worry, I'd take the Metra. The Metra is a buck or two more than the CTA, but honestly, if I had to pay $5 more, I'd take the Metra over the CTA. If you can grab any sort of meal, you can eat on the Metra as long as you clean up after. Not that the Megabus is bad, but after being on the bus, you may find the Metra to be a nice way to get from downtown to your hotel.

[ashkap]

Excellent! Thanks AaronJB... if this forum had any reps, I would have given you a few! :)