Priceline Hotel: 3.5* Chcicago (NMA-River North) Doubletree Mag Mile

[mfritz]

Tried bidding (through BB PRICELINE link) on 4* Millenium Park area. Started at $50. Rebid all available zones up to $58. None accepted. Usually you can get the Hyatt Regency within this range. Is it too early to bid this low? If so, where should I start bidding now, or is it better to wait?

[thereuare]

I don't think $58 is among the "usually accepted range"... $58 is among some of the lowest accepted bids in this area, and only available during times of very low occupancy. I would think $60-$75 would be more realistic, especially during the summer months.

You have plenty of time if you choose to continue to lowball, but if you look historically on the board i don't think there are fare more $60+ wins than there are sub-$60 wins.

Thanks for using our PRICELINE links to begin your bidding.

Keep us updated as to your progress.

[mfritz]

Thanks so much. What are your thoughts on the hotels in the Millenium Park area? I've stayed at a few (Hyatt Regency, Hotel Allegro, Palmer House). Usually I stay north of the river. This time I'm going to do a race that starts towards the south end of Grant Park. I want to be able to just walk to/from the start/end of the race, I don't mind walking a mile, but closer would be better. I'm going to stick with bidding 4* for a while since I have time. I looked up all those you have listed on the site, and they all seem close enough for me as well as acceptable. Any warnings about any of them? Or what about when you get down to 3.5*?

[thereuare]

The short answer is that the Loop zone is quieter after business hours while the NMA zone has more restaurants, bars, nightlife, etc. However, the Loop zone isn't too far away from the action that it's walkable or at worst a fairly inexpensive taxi ride away.

As far as more details and any hotels to 'watch out for', i'll give AaronJB an opportunity to reply as he knows this area best.

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

[AaronJB]

The primary concern with the Loop area is that there's little going on later in the evening, especially in the West (Allegro, W City Center) and South (Hilton, Blackstone) Loop. The hotels themselves are quite nice (the W City Center is definitely a "love it or hate it" property, although it recently underwent a pretty major renovation), although there's a fairly limited selection in the Loop below the 4* level. There was one report of the Essex Inn at the 4* level, which I would find surprising, but the user never confirmed. That hotel is listed as a 3* on the retail side of the service and that would seem more accurate.

There are other properties in the Millennium Park-Loop-Grant Park area, but the Hyatt, Palmer and Hilton are the largest and most common. If you've stayed at the Palmer and liked it, you likely won't mind the Hilton. If you were to get any other property besides those, there's really not a bad one in that bunch (and some great ones, like the Burnham), although the W is not going to be everyone's cup-of-tea.

What looks to be the W is showing on HOTWIRE for $135 on these dates, and what appears to be the Hard Rock is showing for $119.

[mfritz]

Thanks for the note. The Hard Rock is a host hotel for the race at they are quoting $189 for a king, discounted rate for runners as a host hotel. It's about 6 blocks from the start, so that may be a good possibility for me. Have not stayed there, but walk past it alot when I walk down Michigan Ave. For this trip to Chicago, I'm not looking for a hotel around lots of activity, just want to make sure it's a decent hotel close to the start/finish line. Sounds like I'm pretty safe with 4* if I do PRICELINE and nothing is too far away. I know sometimes hotels can be on the outer edge of an area and it's just too far away.

[AaronJB]

Chicago's really quite a compact city. To give an idea of the zones, it's probably a 25-30 minute walk from the North end of the Millennium Park-Loop-Grant Park zone to the South End of that zone, and probably a 20 minute walk from the West end of the zone to the East end.

It's probably a 50-55 minute walk from the North end of the River North/NMA zone to the South end of the MP/Loop/Grant Park zone. However, the routes are straightforward and public transit can get one from point A to point B in a fraction of the time.

[mfritz]

Still working on trying to get this weekend for Chicago. I'm not seeing rates like I usually get on HOTWIRE, nor have I been successful in bidding on PRICELINE. I've gone up to $79. I see what appears to be the Embassy Suites (wouldn't mind this as a 3.5*) for night of August 1, but not available July 31. It is available July 30 as well, but I need two consecutive nights (either July 30-August 1 or July 31-August 2). If I had to, I could do one night, July 31, but that's the night that is showing up with the higher prices and is making the prices of the two night stay really jump.

Any suggestions? I'm hoping to spend around $80-$90 on a 4*. Maybe not possible or is too early to think about getting that rate. I've tried all the rebid zones twice within the last 7 days and, nothing is working. I'm willing to do Loop, Magnificient Mile and North Michigan Avenue.

Looks like best deals on HOTWIRE now are:

The James is coming up at $129 for July 30-August 1. (don't want Hotel Indigo)

The Allerton, The Drake, The Knickerbocker, Westin is showing at $109 for July 31-August 2.

Would prefer a place with a kitchenette. Do all the rooms in the Embassy Suites have kitchenettes or just some of them? Looks like maybe the Omni and Sutton have some type of kitchenette. Do you know if that is the case?

It does seem for some reason that the prices may have come down a bit over the last few days. Maybe just wishful thinking. I know this is a very busy time in Chicago. Just wondering what your thoughts are on trying to get something around $90.

[thereuare]

Your failed bids up to $79... was that only for the NMA zone or did you include the Loop zone in those bids?

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

[mfritz]

I did both zones. And all the rebid zones.

[thereuare]

I would bid the next $10 up to your $90 limit as i would still consider this to be a good deal for the summer, and you mention higher than usual rates for one nite of your stay...

At the 4* level you have FIVE re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

Start with the board's link to PRICELINE

Select 4* NMA and Loop...

Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $82, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $84, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $86, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $88, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $90

Any questions feel free to ask.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[mfritz]

Thanks! I will try it like that when I can bid again.

[mfritz]

Hi there,

Sorry, I started a post on this several months ago and can't seem to find it. My apologies for starting over. Anyway, I've been looking for a hotel for these two dates in Chicago. Have been watching prices on Hotwire and other sites. Have bid a few times through Priceline over the months and always failed. Here are a few of them:

Tried on June 27

$60 4star Loop

added Mich Ave 4star $65

added Franklin Park $67

added hyde park $70

added linc pk $75

added midway $78

added skokie $81

NOT SUCCESSFUL

Tried on June 30, 2010

$75 4-star Mich ave and all rebid zones except Loop

added Loop and bid $82

NOT SUCCESSFUL

Tried on July 5, 2010

$82 4 star Mich and Loop

$84 added Franklin Park

$86 added Hyde Park

$88 added Skokie/Niles

$90 added Lincoln Park

$92 added Midway

NOT SUCCESSFUL

I noticed today that LizaM was quite successful over the last day with the following:

3.5* $75 NMA + 1 rebid zone - rejected

3.5* $80 NMA + 2 rebid zones - rejected

Finally won 2 nites at the Embassy Suites Chicago Downtown with:

3.5* $85 NMA + 3 rebid zones

Anyway, I know it is impossible for you to tell me if I did the same bid if I would get this hotel. I would love to be in the Embassy Suites for these two days! Have you had any experience with anyone getting the same hotel with the same bid when it comes to bidding within the same 24 hours?

What are your thoughts on the other 3.5* in NMA area? And also, what about the 3.5* in the Loop area? Of all those I've only stayed at the Hotel Allegro. The Wit looks great but as far as Club Quarters, Hotel 71, Hotel Blake, River Hotel and Silversmith Hotel

[AaronJB]

Good morning. :)

The other poster was bidding for 7/29-8/1; given the difference in dates, a different hotel could certainly appear as a win if you tried to bid 3.5* NMA-River North.

On a positive note, the majority of 3.5* and 4* properties in the River North-NMA area are good-to-great - the only exceptions would be the Allerton (3.5*) and the Sheraton (4*), and even those aren't terrible

The 3.5* Millennium Park-Loop-Grant Park hotels have been infrequently reported. The Silversmith has been very rarely reported (maybe once or twice) and has not been seen as a long time.

The Hotel 71 has also not been seen (and is not a hotel I'd recommend) in a while, either. The Allegro, Wit, River Hotel and Club Quarters Wacker have been occasionally seen, but the Allegro is poorly located from a tourist perspective in the West Loop. - there is nothing going on in that area at night and it's not very convenient during the day. The Wit is the best possibility, but there's no way to guarantee it.

The River North-NMA area has a better (more consistent) set of 3.5* properties. The least of the 3.5*'s in the NMA area - the Allerton - is at least superbly located right on Michigan Ave.

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

[mfritz]

Thanks Aaron.

I'll try a rebid again as soon as my 24 hours is up. What do you know about Club Quarters and Wacker and River Hotel? Are they both ok or should I be worried about getting them? In reading about them it seems as if they are in the same building. Is that correct?

I've stayed at the Sheraton before and agree with you. It's not great, but it's not terrible either. Seems like a little updating would be nice.

[mfritz]

Here's another unsuccessful bid tried today, July 6 for 3.5*

3.5* $70 NMA

$75 added Franklin Park

$80 added Lincoln Park

$85 added Hyde Park

I know that the night of July 31 is keep prices high due to big events happening, but had hoped the August 1 night would help keep prices within the $85 range.

[AaronJB]

The Club Quarters and River Hotel (oddly, both are within the same building; I believe this is an instance of the Club Quarters possibly farming out part of the hotel to another operator - the other CQ in Chicago has the same situation) are a tad on the basic/standard side, but are otherwise fine business traveler-oriented properties. The location of the CQ Wacker/River Hotel couldn't be better, a block from the Michigan Ave. bridge.

Sorry to hear that your bids were not accepted this evening. :)

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

[mfritz]

Still working on this one and decided to split up the nights. Did these bids today, Thursday, July 8. Here's where I am:

For July 31-August 2 (both nights are needed)

3.5* $75 nma

3.5 $80 added franklin park

3.5 $85 added Lincoln Park

3.5 $90 added Hyde park

REJECTED

For July 31-August 1 (trying for first night 7/31-8/1, which looks to be the more expensive night)

3.5 $95 with nma, fp, lp, hp

3.5 $93 all above and adding Loop

REJECTED

For August 1-August 2 (second night of trip 8/1-8/2)

$69 4* nma

$72 4* and 3.5*

AWARDED DOUBLETREE CHICAGO MAGNIFICENT MILE ($72)

Tried to then add the previous night on as you can with Priceline and it was rejected. So, I'm still going to work on the first night. I'm ok with switching hotels. Actually I like that, then I get to discover a new hotel (maybe) and also stay in a different area of Downtown.

I do see that Hotwire has a hotel that goes back and forth being either $109 or $119 that looks to be the Amalfi. It has a free continental breakfast and also a free evening reception with appetizers. Wondering about this. I was in Chicago yesterday and this morning and stayed at the Sax and walked past the Amalfi a couple times. Looks to be ok, but not sure as I know nothing about this property. Do you know anything about it?

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your <partial> success!

Glad to see you were able to save some money (thus far) by SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID and are happy with the results for this solo nite.

I'm sure AaronJB will add some additional thoughts on the Amalfi once he sees this thread, but in the meantime here is one comment that he posted in a thread a few months ago:

...would likely mean this is the Amalfi. While more than what you were looking to spend, if you were looking for 4 rooms and could compress to 2, this would be a very nice property, solid location and free breakfast would be included. If this is the Amalfi, it is one of the nicest properties in the city.

Please start a NEW TOPIC for the remaining nite of this stay since this thread now reflects your purchase of the Doubletree.

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

Enjoy this leg of your stay.

[AaronJB]

Good deal on very busy dates for this Doubletree property.

The Amalfi is an excellent property in a superb location in River North and it does offer both the breakfast (served on each floor) and a reception at night. It does not appear that often on HOTWIRE, and has been very rarely seen as a PRICELINE win.

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