Hotwire Hotel: 4* Chicago (NMA-Water Tower-Gold Coast) Drake

[kingram]

Hi! This is my first time on the forum, first time bidding on Priceline, and 1st trip to Chicago. I am planning a surprise bday trip for my architect husband who would love to stay in a historic hotel. Any tips on how and what to bid in that range of hotels? Any help would be appreciated!

[AaronJB]

Welcome to Betterbidding. :)

here are some wonderful historic hotels in the city that are quite noteworthy in terms of architecture. However, with PRICELINE, there is no way to pinpoint a particular hotel. You can make an educated guess as to which hotels are showing with HOTWIRE, but that isn't 100% guaranteed. What would be your desired budget per night?

Please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[kingram]

Anywhere from 75-100 a night would be ok. Would you suggest any in particular if I dont choose to bid?

[AaronJB]

Regular rates - in terms of suggesting a specific hotel (not bidding) - would be significantly higher. The Burnham, for example, is $181 on sale via Expedia.com.

In terms of HOTWIRE, there is a 4* in the Chicago Loop area with the amenities: fitness, business, restaurant, internet and pool for $75. This would likely be the Palmer House Hilton, which is a very historic property, although from an architectural standpoint, the outer building, lobby (the lobby is epic) and some of the ballrooms are architecturally significant - the rest of the hotel is a bit more ordinary. This would be a fine choice in your desired budget in terms of an architecturally/historically significant property. However, keep in mind that this area is going to be VERY quiet later in the evening. It's definitely fine during the day, however.

For 5/16-17 only, there is a 4* on HOTWIRE in the NMA/Water Tower/Gold Coast area with four icons: fitness, business, restaurant and internet. This could possibly be a match for the Drake, Millennium Knickerbocker, Westin Michigan Ave or Allerton, but there is a 4/5 tripadvisor rating showing on the detail page for the HOTWIRE listing, which would be a match for one of the first two - both of which are historic properties (although the Drake would be the more architecturally interesting of the two.)

You could also take the Palmer for 2 nights, then a special regular rate property for either the first or last night.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE, PRICELINE, Orbitz or Expedia.com links.

[kingram]

I have done a little more research and was wondering if the Burnham for 180/night is worth it? And is it usually on any hotwire deals?

Also could you identify a couple of hotwire deals

4.5*/$125 a night in Magnificant Mile Streeterville area with the following ammenities:

Fitness, Restaraunt, business, internet 80% of customer reviews

4.5* 179 a night North Michigan Avenue - Water Tower - Gold Coast area Hotel

Fitness, Restaurant, business, internet 95% customer reviews

[thereuare]

The amenities of the Mag Mile property matches the Conrad, InterContinental, and the James, so any of these are possible... although i'd favor the InterContinental being the most likely of the three.

The NMA property matches previous reports for the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower so that would be my best guess there.

As far as the Burnham being worth $180/nite, i really can't say, and everyone's answer to that would likely be different... it really depends upon your budget, purpose of the trip, how much you'll "use" the hotel and facilities to relax vs. just using it as a place to sleep, etc.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Let us know what you decide and how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[kingram]

Thank you!

Any ideas on 95/night North Michigan Avenue - Water Tower - Gold Coast area Hotel

no smoking, fitness, pool, restaurant, internet, business, tennis nearby

80% reviews

or

73/night Magnificent Mile Area - Streeterville area Hotel

with fitness, restaurant, business, internet and spa

85% reviews

[kingram]

Sorry, both 4*

[AaronJB]

With the Burnham, it was an instance of taking into account the historic/architecturally significant properties in the city and choosing what I thought represented the best value of what was available from this "set" of properties available on these dates. The Burnham is of particular interest in terms of architecture, given the building's status as one of the first skyscrapers, and how the intricate details of the building's architecture were either restored or recreated when the building was turned into a hotel. You can read more about this on the hotel website.

If a historic property is not a requirement, then there are more reasonable options available - such as the HOTWIRE listings.

I'm guessing the 4* NMA listing above is the Avenue, while the 4* Mag Mile is likely the Hyatt. The Avenue deal isn't much of a discount off regular rate, but if the HOTWIRE listing is in fact the Avenue, that is a very well-located hotel right off Michigan Ave.

If the 4.5* HOTWIRE Mag Mile listing is the Intercontinental, that would be a great deal for a very historic hotel, but again, it could possibly be one of the other two.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE, PRICELINE, Expedia or Orbitz.com links.

[kingram]

THanks for all of your help! I am just trying to decide what would be the best option. Usually my husband is the one that helps me make my decision but since its a surprise, its a little more tough! If you were looking for that weekend and wanted to stay in a nice hotel with a nightly budget of 140 or less, what would you choose? I don't mind paying more, if it would be worth it! :)

[AaronJB]

If you are looking for a place to sleep and will be out much of the day, then the Palmer House for $75 via HOTWIRE would be a fine choice. It's a nice hotel - especially for under a hundred - and your husband will enjoy aspects of the architecture (such as the stunning lobby.) For $75, the money saved versus other options can go towards a nice dinner or other options. However, there will be little going on around this hotel later in the evening.

If you are looking for something a bit more upscale in a better location, then the possible Intercontinental via HOTWIRE for $125 would be my choice.

If historic is not required, then I like the Crowne Plaza Avenue for $109 via Expedia - $10 off per night using the 10WINTER coupon. That's a great location right off Michigan Ave.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE, PRICELINE Or Expedia.com links.

[kingram]

Ok, hopefully last question. Just saw something different come up, I think!

4* Mag Mile/Streeterville $69/night

85% ratings

fitness, restaurant, business, internet and spa

The 4.5* Mag Mile has gone up to 139 so thought this may be a good one

[thereuare]

Best guess for the 4* above is the Hyatt.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Let us know how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[kingram]

Hi again! I waited too late for the 125 for the Intercontinental. Is it likely it will go back down?

[AaronJB]

Unfortunately, there's no way to know, although prices seem to have been trending higher for the Spring in Chicago and other cities. You still do have a few other options, such as the Palmer House, which is still showing for $79 on HOTWIRE for these dates. There are also some deals if you split your stay between two hotels.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[kingram]

Is the Palmer House in a good area to walk to everything?

[AaronJB]

The Palmer House is in the Loop - State St. shopping is nearby, the Art Institute is nearby. The Michigan Ave. shopping area is about a 15 minute walk North, while the Museum Campus is about a 20 minute walk SE. The one issue with this area is that there's very little going on later in the evening - quite a few stores and restaurants in this area close at night.

The Hyatt, which is showing for $69 when you search for 2 adults and 2 children (4* Mag Mile/Streeterville, fitness, business, restaurant, internet, spa) would be a much better location, but definitely isn't historic/architecturally interesting - it's a massive convention-oriented property. Interestingly, the same listing is showing for $79 when searching for 2 adults/0 children.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[kingram]

I think HOTWIRE is showing 82 for the palmer house for me. Fitness, swimming, restaurant, business, and internet? I think I will do this for all three nights, seems like the best deal for a historic property...

DO you see any for the burnham on HOTWIRE?

[AaronJB]

Unfortunately, HOTWIRE only shows 1 listing per star rating per zone for each set of dates - for these dates, the Palmer is showing at the 4* level in the Loop instead of the Burnham. The Palmer is certainly a historic property - one of the oldest continually operating hotels in the US - while the rooms and halls are not too architecturally interesting, the lobby is amazing and so are the ballrooms.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[kingram]

Hi! Still haven't booked yet!

Just to confirm:

4* Chicago Loop Area/75 a night

fitness

pool

rest.

business

internet

85% reviews 500+

4.5

Is this Palmer HOuse?

Thanks!!!

[AaronJB]

This would likely be the Palmer.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[kingram]

On tripadvisor.com they give 78% and hotwire is 85%???

[thereuare]

On tripadvisor.com they give 78% and hotwire is 85%???

These two figures are based upon feedback from each company's users... so there is no reason to expect that they would be the same.

See the related link in our HOTWIRE FAQ for more info on this data.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[AaronJB]

The Affinia is 50% off on Expedia for these dates for a limited time only for a Junior Suite - $133 per night for 5/14-17 and coupon code 10WINTER takes an extra $10 off each night. That's in a terrific location right off Michigan Ave. Not historic, but great reviews/location and the Junior Suites at this property are 700-725 sq ft, according to the hotel website.

Please use the site's Expedia.com link if this deal is of interest.

[kingram]

Hi! I didn't ever book anything b/c trip was temporarily cancelled due to work but now we are back on. I see a listing on Hotwire that is in the loop for 109/night with a 4*

amenities:

boutique

fitness

rest.

business

internet

80% customers reviews

4.5 tripadvisor with 400+ reviews

Is this the allegro? If so, I hate I missed the Palmer!