Hotwire Hotel: Help with Priceline in Chicago

[jandslm]

Hi.

I am travelling to Chicago for 3 days/2 nights 6/13-6/15. I am a a frequent Priceline user. When I took a first glance at rates for 3.5 and 4 star downtown hotels for that weekend, they were much higher than I expected - must be something important going on!

I am not familiar enough with Chicago to know which areas are other than Downtown and Grant Park are desirable/convenient to Metro, etc. Can you recommend other bidding areas in case Downtown/Grant Park come up dry when I start the process? I would like to stay somewhere that I can use metro to downtown/waterfront sites and Wrigley field.

Also, plane tickets are changeable if I have somehow just picked the absolute worst weekend possible.

Thanks!

[AaronJB]

Good evening.

The issue with Chicago is that there is a core downtown area that has a lot of hotel options. However, once one gets out of the downtown area, there are extremely few hotels nearby (and if the dates are busy enough, those also fill up - see the hotels in Lincoln Park.) It's really not until one gets out to the 'burbs (which are a good 30-40 minutes out, more or less) that there are more hotel options. Evanston is a 'burb relatively close to the city, but it's still a trip and there are only a couple of hotels there (which aren't always available on PRICELINE/HOTWIRE). The additional issue with the 'burbs is that, while very nice, they aren't really convenient unless one is driving - you can take the train to the 'burbs, but then it's a matter of easily getting from station-to-hotel in a lot of cases.

What would be your desired budget per night?

Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[jandslm]

Thanks for the quick response.

I have since googled Chicago conventions and I see there is a 40,000 attendee event on the calendar! Yikes!

I would like to find something nice under $125/night. I didn't look in great detail yet, but it appeared at first glance that I might be able to drop to 3 star and still have a high quality hotel - Marriott, etc. - but the list on the 3 stars was still higher than usual.

I am not totally opposed to the 30 minute train ride if I can shuttle to the station (although we would certainly prefer downtown). Do you know if any of the Evanstown options provide a shuttle?

I have since looked at some other wins and it looks like there is lots of win activity in the Milliniel? Mile stretch - can't remember if that's what it is called, but I am assuming from all of the posts that it must be a desirable area.

[thereuare]

I'll let AaronJB comment on the areas, but please remember to use the requested PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your purchases and searches.

Thanks.

[jandslm]

I have been bidding a researching through your site. Thanks for the reminder. I did not know that researching through your link also benefited the forum.

A couple of questions. If I go north to Evanston it looks like I could get the Hilton or the Doubletree for 3.5 stars. I can tell from the map that the Hilton is only a couple of short blocks from the Metro station. What about the Doubletree? It looks further away. I do not mind walking 6 or 7 blocks, but I am not sure from the map if it is even a walkable path. Does anyone know? I guess I could call the hotel tomorrow and ask if it is walkable or if they have a shuttle to the stop.

Thanks

[AaronJB]

The Orrington would be the best result, as it's only a couple of blocks from the Metra and CTA stops. The Doubletree would be further West in Skokie, and that would be more difficult to get to, especially on nights and weekends. It's about 20 minutes West of Evanston, and is accessible by bus, but those busses do not run too late. The problem would be if you are coming in from O'Hare, it's a lengthy trip downtown, then another trip North to Evanston. I recommend the Evanston area to those who are driving in, but for those who are coming from the airport, it's a long trip (and an even longer trip in terms of the Doubletree Skokie) and only something I'd recommend if there are not any options downtown.

That said:

When searching on HOTWIRE for downtown Chicago, I'm also seeing a 3.5* Mag Mile/Streeterville for these dates that was not appearing when I initially searched (a 3.5* Mag Mile/Streeterville w/fitness, restaurant, internet, business, pool, $106) This would likely be the Doubletree Mag Mile; I'd recommend taking that instead of trying to stay in the suburbs.

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