Priceline Hotel: 4* Chicago (NMA-River North) Hotel Sax

[Motoss]

I have been bidding and rebidding for a 4* in the NMA area however even at $110/nt I still get turned down. My travel dates are July 30 to Aug 2...am I booking to far in advance?

Thanks!

[AaronJB]

Welcome to Betterbidding. :)

These are particularly busy dates - the 1/2 Marathon is 8/1, and I believe there may be a convention, too.

What would be your desired budget per night for hotel for these dates?

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

[Motoss]

Welcome to Betterbidding. :)

These are particularly busy dates - the 1/2 Marathon is 8/1, and I believe there may be a convention, too.

What would be your desired budget per night for hotel for these dates?

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

AaronJB, thanks for your feedback... I am guessing I should book sooner than later since it's a busy weekend? $100/$110 per/nt. Suggestions?

[AaronJB]

I would definitely recommend looking to book soon, as it's getting fairly close to "last minute" for these busy dates.

If your budget is $110 per night and you have already reached your max, I would try bidding for a 3.5*, starting lower and working up to $95-100 per night. Nearly all of the 3.5*'s in this zone are good-to-great.

Otherwise, you could:

* Also try bidding for the Millennium Park-Loop-Grant Park area

* Break up your stay into two parts, which may be more successful, given that only part of it is busy.

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

[Motoss]

Thanks again for your suggestion. I may just go for a 3*+ and bid up like you suggested.

One other question...the Cubs are not in town the weekend i am going so I was thinking of going to a White Sox game however I am not a huge baseball fan and would be going more for the experience...do you think it is worth going to a White Sox game then?

Thanks

[AaronJB]

If you are looking primarily for the "experience", I'd only really suggest Wrigley. The Cubs are not the world's best team, but their tickets sell like they are (many of the most popular games and weekend games sell out early after tickets go on sale - the games against the White Sox sell out almost instantly.) People want to see a game at one of the last grand 'ol ballparks.

There are actually a bunch of nice 3* hotels in the River North-NMA zone on PRICELINE; if you are just looking for a cheap place to sleep, many of those will work nicely. A number of the 3.5*'s are also quite nice. A few hotels are at the far ends of the zone (the 3* Ambassador East, Indigo and Holiday Inn Mart Plaza, but these are nice properties and public transit is readily available. Additionally, the Gold Coast area where the AE and Indigo are have a number of restaurants/nightlife.) The least of the River North-NMA 3.5*'s (the Allerton) at least has a terrific location right on Michigan Ave. in its favor.

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

[thereuare]

Motoss,

Please read your messages

THANKS!

[Motoss]

So, as the title says...looking to book on priceline NMA July 30 to August 2 - 3+ star up to 4 however have had no luck at $120 - how long do i wait until I book and what do you think the winning bid will be?

[AaronJB]

Please keep all posts in this thread. With little time left, I'd certainly try to lock something in and it very well may take more than $120 for a 4* for these busy days...

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

[Motoss]

Please keep all posts in this thread. With little time left, I'd certainly try to lock something in and it very well may take more than $120 for a 4* for these busy days...

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

$170 for Hotel Sax. A lot more than i wanted to spend however it seems like everything is booked up on this weekend. The rate on Expedia and through the hotel's website is around $220...

Thanks for everyones help!

[AaronJB]

Congrats on your success. :)

Unfortunately the result was more expensive than hoped - and prices for these dates appear to have gotten worse recently - but at the very least the result is a nice hotel that was on Conde Nast's Gold List in 2008. Great location, too, with the restaurants and nightlife of the River North area in the blocks to the North.

Thank you for sharing your win and please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

Enjoy your stay.