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

[chnco]

Well I've been bidding on hotels for the past couple of days using different methods.

Here's how I started:

Day 1

4* NMA $70 Rejected

4* NMA + Lincoln Park $80 Rejected

4* NMA + Lincoln Park + Hyde Park $90 Rejected

Day 2

4* NMA $99 Rejected

4* NMA + Lincoln Park $105 Rejected.

I saw that people have had similar success with this and been receiving the Sheraton. Any suggestions or tips, or am I completely way too low for a 4*?

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Please read your messages.

[chnco]

Read and replied, thanks!

Definitely bidding via links on page :)

[AaronJB]

Interestingly, regular rates - while a touch high - don't appear too terribly bad for these dates, but discounts on HOTWIRE are relatively conservative (end of Summer trips? Not sure if there's a convention.)

What appears to be the Palmer House (4*, fitness, business, restaurant, internet, pool) is showing at $101 on HOTWIRE; you could try to bid for the Loop for less if you have any interest in staying in the Millennium Park-Loop-Grant Park area on PRICELINE.

Based upon the rates I'm seeing for 4* NMA-River North properties, I have to imagine you're not far off, and may be successful in the $110-120 range, although hopefully the lower end of that range. I think you could be successful possibly in the $80-85 range in the Millennium Park-Loop-Grant Park area.

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

[chnco]

Aaron,

Thank you very much for your reply. Do you think the location has a significant difference, as it seems they are next door to each other. I want to stay in a 4* hotel, and an ideal location to nightlife. Although The W looks very attractive as well.

$110 is really on the high end of my budget.

[thereuare]

AaronJB can comment furhter, but to get you started in your thought process, while the two zones are adjacent to one another, the NMA-River North zone is the one which contains the nightlife... the Loop can get very quiet at nite after 'business hours'. If your focus is on nightlife then i would pay a little more to stay in the NMA zone, imo.

Thanks for using the requested PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your biding, searches, and travel purchases.

[AaronJB]

The West and South Loop are particularly quiet at night; the West Loop is primarily a business area, and when offices let out at night, the area starts to shut down. If you're not going to be out late, then it's not bad. If you're going to be out late at night, I'd go for the NMA. If you're out late at night and are staying in the Loop, you may want to take a cab back at the end of the night, and that adds up.

Some of the hotels near the river would be fine, but there's no way to guarantee those via PRICELINE.

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

[chnco]

I WON!! I upped the price to $105 after trying 3.5 and 4* star for $100.

Soooo. . .I won The Sax Hotel, a Thompson Hotel

4* $110 and did NMA and Lincoln Park area.

Any reviews of this swanky hotel?

[AaronJB]

Congrats on your success. :)

Excellent rate for this Chicago boutique, which is right on the river. Formerly the House of Blues hotel (although the House of Blues is still next to the hotel), this property was recently taken over by the famed Thompson Hotel company. It was previously on the Gold List (in 2008, I believe) in Conde Nast Traveler. Terrific rate, and terrific location - there's a wide variety of restaurants and nightlife in the River North area nearby. Additionally, there's actually a beautiful, ultramodern bowling alley in the same complex, with high-end treats that can be brought to the lanes.

Overall, I think this is an excellent result in terms of rate, hotel and location.

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.

[chnco]

Aaron,

Thank you so much for the review, and for the advice. I found that when I bid closer to my travel date, I was a bit more successful. Every time I bid, it increasingly asked me to raise price by $20, but I just used the 4* + 1 location trick. Thanks for the title edit.

I'm looking forward to my stay at the Sax. Reviews are conflicting, but I certainly think it is well worth $110 a night on a weekend!

Used the links on top of the screen as well, thank you Better Bidding!

[AaronJB]

Thank you for using the site's PRICELINE link. Please let us know if you have any questions about the city.

[chnco]

Thanks Aaron, I'm definitely excited. The view looks very promising on TripAdvisor. Looks like it's possibly within walking distance to magnificent mile shopping.

Any suggestions on how to get from Midway to this location, public transportation, etc?

[AaronJB]

This would be within easy walking distance to Michigan Ave, but if you head S/SE, it's also not a bad walk to Millennium Park/Art Institute. I actually find it nice to be not far from Michigan Ave, but not directly on Michigan Ave.

Easy trip from MDW: I'd take the Orange Line from Midway downtown to the State Stop - from there t's only a couple of blocks North - just over the river - to the House of Blues complex, and the hotel is in that complex.