Hotwire Hotel: Help Identify Some Hotels (12/27/10)

[catalana]

I am looking for a nice hotel downtown for my girlfriend and I. We're both pretty young and on a budget and looking for a nice single night in the city. We would prefer someplace modern, over classic and near the Water Tower or the River.

I searched 12/27 1 night 2 adults and found the following. 12/28 is also fine, but looks like prices are the same. Could you help me, please?

4* $69 (MM/Street) bed choice, fitness, dining, business center, internet, spa 95% (is this Swissotel?)

4.5* $87 (MM/Street) Smoke Free, fitness, dining, business, high speed 95% (Intercontinental?)

4* $76 (WT/Goldcoast) fitness, dining, business, high speed 80% (I'm guessing this matches several)

3.5* $69 (WT/Goldcoast) boutique, fitness, dining, high speed, business, golf 90% (this one intrigues me)

Staying at a double tree or embassy suites type of hotel would be fine too, but I can move to the 3-3.5 star range later if I need to. I'm fine with all these prices above.

Thanks!

[AaronJB]

Welcome to Betterbidding. :)

The 4* NMA could be a number of properties, including the Avenue, Knickerbocker, Westin, Allerton or Drake. Given the 3.5/5 tripadvisor rating, I'd say the Allerton may be a possibility and, as a result, would not recommend this one.

The 4* Mag Mile would likely be the Hyatt.

The 4.5* Mag Mile would likely be the Intercontinental.

The 3.5* NMA has not yet been ID'd, but may be the Whitehall.

What I would recommend doing in this case would be something different: if you search for 2 adults and 2 children (this does not appear if you just search for 2 adults), a 4* in the NMA area appears on HOTWIRE with the amenities fitness, pool, restaurant, business, internet and spa for $84. This would be a possible match for the W Lakeshore. That would be a modern, trendy boutique and right by the lake. Bit of a hike via side streets to Water Tower and the river, but not too bad.

Additionally, if you search for 2/2 for this date, in the 4.5* Mag Mile/Streeterville slot should be a property with the amenity icons fitness, restaurant, business, internet, laundry and spa for $96. That would be a possible match for the James. If this is the James, that is a very well-reviewed boutique right off Michigan Ave.

The other suggestion would be the Hard Rock on Expedia, which is half off ($103 and change.) right now for this date. That hotel is a block or so South of the river.

In terms of the above possibilities, the Hyatt deal is reasonable, but the property is a large (biggest hotel in the city) convention-oriented property and while I like the Intercontinental and think aspects of it are modern (sort of a mix of old world/new school), it is otherwise a very historic property.

You could use PRICELINE, but then it becomes an issue of not knowing where exactly in the zone you may wind up, and not having an idea of which hotel may accept.

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

[catalana]

Do you know what size room the W would be? A double for 4 people? There have been so many mixed reviews that I'm really not sure.

Wonder if it would be worth searching on the 28th, although it seemed all hotels except one were the same.

Thanks for your help. I guess I'll look at the hotel websites and try to see which would be best. Looks like none of them would be bad, but not the hotels I was hoping for.

[catalana]

Turns out my girlfriend now wants Tuesday.

Old ones were on there, but these new ones came up:

Chicago Loop $88 4* fitness, pool, dining, business center, high speed 90 % 3.5/5

MM/Street 4.5* $99 fitness, dining, business, laundry, internet, spa 90% no TA rating (this only came up with 2ad/2child - guessing this is The james)

MM/Street $71 3.5* fitness, pool, dining, business center, high speed 90% 4/5

NMA/WT/GC 4* $84 fitness, pool, dining, business, high speed, spa 90% 4/5 (this only came up with 2ad/2child - Guessing this is the W lakefront)

These go along with the previously found ones I liked:

4* $69 (MM/Street) bed choice, fitness, dining, business center, internet, spa 95% (Hyatt)

4.5* $87 (MM/Street) Smoke Free, fitness, dining, business, high speed 95% (Intercontinental)

[AaronJB]

Many W Hotels are very "love it or hate it". I found both W properties in Chicago to be enjoyable (because they are very different than most of the properties in the city, which are a bit more business/convention-oriented), but could easily see where someone would not - the music in the lobby at night, aspects of the design (the shutters between the bathroom and room at the Lakeshore location, for example) The rooms at the W are probably 250-300 square feet, which is what most hotel rooms are in Chicago. The James is more expensive, but is a boutique would a bit more broader appeal.

The 4* Loop would likely be the Palmer, which is a very nice hotel, but very much a historic property - it's one of the oldest continually operating hotels in the US.

The 3.5* Mag Mile would likely be the Doubletree Mag Mile.

The Hard Rock $103 deal is also available for the 28th via Expedia, as well.

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

[catalana]

Thanks so much for your help! The Palmer would be really cool to stay at, but we are seeing TRACES at the Broadway Playhouse and that would be a long trip back to the hotel. I guess I will look at the pictures and figure it out for the choices. I'm leaning toward the James or the Intercontinental because of location. We're both really young, so maybe the Hard Rock or the W would have a funky appeal too. We liked The Wit a lot when we stayed there last year. Big room, huge bathroom spa features, giant soaking tub and walk in shower, that's really the type of place I like, but maybe a bit over my budget for this time around. I also noticed The Wyndham having a deal for a $99 corner king suite advance purchase through Hotels.com or Expedia. Familiar with that offer or hotel at all?

Given the prices and deals: Intercontinental, wyndham, Hyatt, James, Doubletree, Hard Rock and W, what would you go with?

THANKS!

[AaronJB]

I've actually stayed at the Wyndham a few times. The first time I stayed there I was double charged and it was problematic trying to get it taken care of because I didn't get anywhere with the hotel. Service on stays two and three improved bit-by-bit. However, while I thought the service could be better, I actually quite like the hotel. It's all-business and little personality, but rooms are on the large side and have always been spotlessly clean and the property has very nice public areas. While some have complained about noise from outside, I've actually found this hotel to be very quiet. Good location.

Still, I think there's better options in the price range - the possible James and Intercontinental, as well as Hard Rock and W - are better deals. The Doubletree is also nice, although not much of a deal at $71 vs $89 regular rate.

In terms of regular rate, I'd rather recommend the Embassy Suites Lakefront for $99 via Orbitz than the Wyndham for that price, and then coupon code ORBITZ5 (or REVIEW5) takes another 5% off. Very nice Embassy Suites property, plus free breakfast and evening reception.

If you wanted to stay at the Palmer, you could take the Red Line from right there up to the Chicago station and then Water Tower is a few blocks away. Or you could walk there and then take a cab back - would probably be somewhere around a $7-8 cab ride.

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

[catalana]

Thanks for all the info. I'll buy using the links provided and if I use HOTWIRE I'll follow up with the results. I just need to review the photos. I'm leaning towards one of the higher rated hotels and now just need to decide. All seem like good deals right around $100.

[thereuare]

...if I use HOTWIRE I'll follow up with the results.

Please conclude this thread with whatever you end up doing for this stay, even if it's not PRICELINE or HOTWIRE, as each thread having a 'resolution' helps keep the board better organized and more useful for future users.

Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links (or the links in our support page if you don't go with PRICELINE or HOTWIRE) for your purchases.

[catalana]

I thought about the James or Intercontinental but went with a 99$ cyber Monday offer at the Omni. The reward program had some good benefits as well. I also considered the Embassy as a Hilton VIP but the today only offer seemed too good.

[thereuare]

Glad you found something which works well for your needs.

Thanks for closing this thread with your decision.