Priceline Hotel: 3.5* Chicago Suburbs (Schaumburg) Marriott Schaumburg-10/24

[veinteuno]

Great post.

I'm needing some help. I'm tentative planning on checking out some restaurants that I saw on TV (Diners Drive ins and Dives). Was planning on coming mid October. The three restaurants we are for sure going to see are by Loyola campus, in the Avondale neighborhood, and the U of I-Chicago campus. We are also wanting to do some tourist type stuff in downtown Chicago, and are weighing the options of staying downtown, versus staying in the suburbs. Would the cost of a suburb hotel combined with not having to pay for parking outweigh the benefit of staying downtown? I'm hoping to get 3 1/2-4 star hotel. Fri/Sat night. $200 plus fees for both nights is my budget. Last time I stayed at a hotel in downtown Chicago was about 5 years ago. Stayed at the Swissotel. I remember that between paying the valet and cost associated with coming/going by car got to be fairly spendy for the weekend.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[AaronJB]

Welcome to Betterbidding. :)

Please let us know the exact date/s of travel so that we can research the options available.

In general, October is a more expensive time of year in the city, with some periods that are particularly busy - the Marathon on the 10th and the day or two prior are usually some of the busiest of the year. Some of the suburban areas, however, seem to get a bit cheaper as it gets later in the year (with some exceptions if something's going on in the area.)

In terms of staying downtown versus the suburbs, it's a matter of the price variation and whether the spread between staying downtown and paying parking and stayiing in the cheaper suburbs and not paying parking is worthwhile savings considering the trip in from the suburbs (and there's also the nicer, Amtrak-like Metra trains in from the burbs - you can drive to a Metra station and then take that into the city.)

Parking at the hotel downtown is going to cost between around $35-55, although there are city lots for around $25. Parking in most suburbs is free.

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

[thereuare]

Please let us know the exact date/s of travel so that we can research the options available.

Please also add the date(s) of your previous stay to your Priceline Downtown Minneapolis thread, as well as read your messages.

Thanks.

[veinteuno]

Planning on being there October 22nd and 23rd, checking out October 24.

[veinteuno]

I went to check out the suburb hotels (using your link, of course). It looks like it may be my best bet to shoot for Elmhurst (8) or Willowbrook (17) area. I would go for a 3 star hotel in this area. These two zones look small enough that regardless of the hotel I get, I will be pretty close the expressway, hopefully making my trips easier. Oak brook area has 3 1/2 star hotels (they technically have 4 stars also, but for this particular trip I'm not interested in that), but the area is a lot wider. I could potentially end up in the western part of the zone, which I don't want. But, it also stretches furthest east, which would put me in an ideal situation as far as proximity to highway. If I knew that most of the 3 or 3.5 star hotels were in the eastern part of that zone, I would just as soon do that.

[veinteuno]

I just went to Hotwire. Using Hillside-Westchester and O'Hare South area hotels, I came across some of the following:

4 star hotel, O'Hare area, $79/night.

3.5 star, O'Hare, $135/night.

4.5, O'Hare, $116/night.

3 star, O'Hare, $59/night.

[AaronJB]

What are the amenities showing with each of the HOTWIRE listings?

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

[veinteuno]

the $79 4 star hotel has:

shuttle

fitness center

at least one restaurant on property

business center

high speed internet

golf nearby

the 3 star hotel has all of the above, and also smoke free rooms. If I go the Hotwire route I would use one of these two, as they would keep me within budget.

[AaronJB]

The 4* South has not yet been ID'd, but may be the Hyatt with a different amenity set. Are you also seeing a pool icon with the 3* South?

My only concern with staying in the ORD area is that many properties do charge for parking - some as high as $20 per night or so.

I tend to recommend the North burbs, but the Northwest Burbs (Arlington Heights, for example) and Southwest burbs (Oakbrook) are also worth looking into. Coupon code RELAX10 also works for $10 off a night on Expedia at many hotels, as well.

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

[veinteuno]

the 3star hotel does have a pool icon.

[veinteuno]

Sorry, it's almost midnight and I may have botched the entry format for this. Anyway, used the PRICELINE link (of course). Originally bid zones 2, 8 and 10 for $45. Was rejected. Tried zones 10 and 16 at $50 and got rejected as well. Bid $53 on zone 16 and got it.

If anyone is familiar with using the train as an option to get downtown, please let me know. Was pondering possibly doing that for some Saturday day activities.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Hope you're pleased with the outcome and the deal you received for this stay.

I'm not familiar with all the mass transit options in this area, but i'm sure AaronJB will be able to add some insight/comments once he sees this thread.

Thank you for sharing your win and using the PRICELINE links on the board to begin your bidding.

Enjoy your stay.