Hotwire Hotel: Which area in Chicago to stay at?

[cibc]

looking to visit Chicago August 18th-20th.

I will be going to both a Cubs and a White Sox game, so I would like to stay close to the red line.

I am wondering if it is possible to use hotwire for this type of thing? And if so, what area(s) do I bid on? I am just worrying about using Hotwire for this type of trip as I don't know the Chicago at all, and wonder if it is possible to get an area that has only hotels within walking distance of the red line. (Hope that made sense)

Thanks

[thereuare]

Welcome (officially) to BetterBidding!

I'll leave it to AaronJB to reply once he sees this thread as he'll be able to advise you best, but a few questions you may want to answer in the meantime so he'll be able to better advise (and some comments thrown in by me too)...

What is your desired star rating and expected budget? Chicago really isn't that big (geographically speaking) and if could save $50/nite on a hotel room but it took you an extra 10 minutes to get to the ballpark, would that be worth it?

If not, you may still want to consider HOTWIRE where you could take a guess as to the hotel being offered based upon the amenities shown before your purchase, and therefore research the hotel guessed to determine how far it is from the Red Line. Of course still a little risk involved since you'll need to have guessed correctly :)

Let us know the above info and i'm sure AaronJB will reply once he see this thread.

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

[AaronJB]

The Red Line is easily accessible from most Loop hotels and properties in the North Michigan Ave area (represented on HOTWIRE in two parts: Mag Mile-Streeterville for the lower half of the area and NMA-Water Tower-Gold Coast for the North half of the area.) Some hotels in the NMA-GC-WT area and Mag Mile area are a bit of a trek to the Red Line - the Sheraton, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Lakefront and W Lakeshore (all four right near each other by the lake). Even with those though, it's maybe a 10-15 minute walk and it's a pleasant, straightforward walk from those properties to the nearest station. There really isn't a downtown property that I would consider *way* too far from a red line station. If you don't mind the risk of a *potential* 10-15 minute walk to save additional money, I'd suggest PRICELINE; if you want to try and narrow down possibilities in order to try to get something closer to the subway, then I would use HOTWIRE.

I'd definitely take the Red Line to both games. I would not suggest any other mode of transportation (I would definitely not take a cab up to Wrigley). Additionally, especially with Wrigley Field, I'd suggest heading up there early to avoid the crowds on the Red Line train on game day. There's definitely a lot around Wrigley, as well - restaurants, shops, etc.

Additionally, the air/water show is the 20th; that's the largest free show of it's kind and just North of downtown at North Ave beach (although it can be viewed along the beach closer to downtown.)

What would be your desired budget per night?

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

[cibc]

Thank you for that information. It certainly gives me a starting point. I am limited to using Hotwire, unfortunately, as I am travelling with 2 children and 2 adults (total) so I will need 2 beds. I definately don't mind a 10-15 minute walk, (especially if it saves some $$) if it is an easy walk, I just didn't want to end up in a situation where I would have to take an additional means of transportation to get to the red line.

As for budget and star rating of a hotel, we usually choose something along the lines of a Hampton Inn (3 star?) but don't mind something a little nicer either. I usually go with whatever is cheaper and sometimes a higher star rating is less expensive than a lower star rating. Sometimes I will take a hotel that is a bit more expensive if it offers a complimentary breakfast. For budget, that's sort of a hard one, I guess it depends on what city, I like to try to keep it around $100 per night, but obviously that is not always achievable. I'm not too sure what the hotel pricing is like in Chicago, is it expensive like NYC?

Thanks again,

Stephanie

[AaronJB]

Hotel parking in Chicago is quite expensive, unfortunately, as is parking in general in the city. There are some public lot options, and a main city public lot (although the suggestion would vary depending on the hotel) would be Navy Pier's lot, which I believe is $25.

I often suggest the suburbs as a cheaper alternative with many hotels that don't charge parking, but then it's a matter of taking the Metra train in (35-45min, although the Metra trains are nice - two levels, comfty seats, bathrooms, conductors - nicer than the CTA trains) and going from the downtown station to the rest of the city. The train trip is straightforward; there's no worries about the stop because you get off at the final stop on the route downtown, but it's just a matter of time and some added effort. There is public transit right near the final Metra stop downtown.

Unfortunately, I'm not seeing much on HOTWIRE when searching for 2/2; there is a 4* in the Loop area for $111 w/Boutique, Restaurant, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, which would be a likely match for the Allegro. There is not much around that property; it's a trek to Michigan Ave and it's more in the business district area of the Loop, but it would be convenient to transit. Regular rates are on the higher side for these dates and HOTWIRE choices are unfortunately more limited when looking at quad occupancy vs. double occupancy. Chicago is not as expensive as NYC, but it can be pricey during certain seasons and if there's a convention or other event.

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

[cibc]

I would be open to a hotel in the suburbs, with the added train ride. We are not planning on doing any sight-seeing while in Chicago this time, just the ball games, so we would have time to take the Metra Train into downtown, if the savings were enough to make it worthwhile. I would have to check and see if the Allegro has parking, and how much it costs. If I were to stay in the suburbs I would probably look to save a bit of money on the room, free parking as well as free breakfast, in order to make it worthwhile after paying for the train into the city and also the time.

What areas do I look for on Hotwire, that would be near the Metra lines?

Thanks very much, this has been most helpful, and I am not feeling as overwhelmed as I was when I first started to search for hotels for this trip.

Stephanie

[AaronJB]

I particularly like the North 'Burbs, which are quite nice and provide a wide variety of hotels. There's also a few sites of interest, such as the Chicago Botanic Garden (in a nearby 'burb, despite the name) and the small Wagner Farm (a free, fully operational but small farm in the middle of a busy 'burb.) Homer's Ice Cream in Wilmette has also been popular for decades, and has been called one of the top 10 ice creams in the country by Bon Appetit. The Ravinia Music Festival (ravinia.org) is also in the North burbs, and the historic outdoor theater plays host to many major acts throughout the entire Summer and into the early Fall (there is reserved seats and cheaper lawn seats.)

On PRICELINE, I particularly like the Deerfield zone at the 3.5* and 4* levels; the "known" properties in that zone at the 3.5* level are the Embassy Suites and the Marriott Suites (both very nice) and the only known 4* is the Hyatt Deerfield, which offers larger-than-average, "suite-like" rooms. All three of those properties are within about a 5-7 minute drive of a Metra station (and the Embassy I know has a shuttle that will likely be able to take you to the station.) The Embassy Suites and Marriott Suites (the former offers breakfast, the latter does not) are both very nice properties, although a bit isolated (both are in office parks - but there's a lot within a fairly short drive of both. If you don't mind trying to "make it work" or taking the chance on requesting two beds, then you can probably get a 3.5* in the Deerfield zone for $45-55 on PRICELINE. There's also lots of breakfast options in this area.

Some of the 3.5*'s in the North Shore zone are a bit of a mixed bag, but at the 4* level, there is the Westin and Renaissance. If you get the Westin, it's a bit of a drive to the nearest train station, but the Renaissance has a shuttle that can take you to the nearest train station.

On HOTWIRE, I like the Northbrook area, although I recommend 3* or above. On PRICELINE, I like the North Shore (at the 4* level) and the Deerfield level (at the 3* level and above.) The Vernon Hills area (on both HOTWIRE and PRICELINE) is very nice, but gets way too far North.

The Skokie-Evanston-Niles area has some so-so properties; at the 3.5* level on PRICELINE, the Hilton Orrington is the only "known" 3.5* in the zone - this property does charge for parking because it is in downtown Evanston, but it is optimal from a location standpoint, with a CTA station (which takes you right to Wrigley) AND a Metra station 2-3 blocks away.

The Metra trains run every hour (with express trains during the morning/evening rush) during the week, and run less frequently (approximately every 2 hours) during Sat/Sun.

Please let us know your thoughts (and please ask ANY questions) on the above and we would be happy to suggest how to proceed further.

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

[cibc]

That's great information! I do have another question. I was checking on the Metra website, to see exactly how long to go from the places you mentioned to union station, and I don't know if I am correct in reading this but for example it says if I want a train going from union to Northbrook at the end of the night, the last train is at 10:35pm and or else wait until 12:25? I don't know if this will work for me then, because the games start at 8:10 on Thursday and Friday the 10:35 train would be to early, but the 12:25 I might have to wait an hour or so. If it was myself it would not be a problem, but I'm with my 7 and 11 year old it might be tough. I have not checked the other lines just yet, wanted to see if I was reading this correctly first. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that certain lines run later or more frequently or I guess I am going to have to stay downtown. I checked the Allegro for parking and it is $44 a night. Ouch!

Oh! and one more questionn, if I am going to ride the red line to get to either ballpark, would it be better for me to stay at a hotel that is close to a Metra station that goes to Millenium station so I can easily get on to the red line? Or is it just as easy to get from Union station to the red line?

Thanks again!

Stephanie

[crito]

Stephanie, LastMinuteTravel is showing the Hilton Chicago on those dates for $104. (Off the rack it's about double.)

The problem with the Hilton Chicago is its location (south Loop). Long walk to nightlife or tourist sites or theaters... But it might be perfect for you. It is a lovely hotel and it's just a couple of blocks from the Red Line.

I'm sure the parking is expensive.

[AaronJB]

If they are night games (especially night games with a later start), then the train becomes problematic, as if you miss the 10:35, it's a long wait at Union for a couple of hours (while better than waiting at an "L" stop for a couple of hours, it's still not fun - there's nothing open at Union at that point of the night.) Plus, having to get to the station at midnight, then taking the train home for another 35-40+ minutes definitely starts to get late.

The Metra lines do not overlap one another, so unfortunately there are not multiple options to head to one destination, just the scheduled trains for that particular line. It is a bit of a trip from downtown to either stadium, but not bad; from Union (many suburban trains end at Union, the others end at Ogilvie, which is across the street of Union) it's a bit of a walk to the Red Line, but you can venture over to the closer brown line, then take the Brown Line to Belmont and switch to the Red line, then continue north a stop to Addison and Wrigley's right there.

If you stayed at the Allegro, you could park at Millennium Park ($25, last I looked on the MP website) and it's right next to a brown line station, but about 4.5 blocks East to a Red Line station. Or the Hilton would be another option not far from the Red Line.

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

[cibc]

Looks like I will be staying downtown. Both games are later evening starts (8:10) and I don't want to wait around the station at that time of night, especially with my kids who will be tired by then for sure!

I will keep trying Hotwire and see what I come up with. What is a "must buy" price for this area in August in the 3.5 range?

[thereuare]

Given that you're searching for quad occupancy puts a new level of complexity to the situation and may limit the number of possible hotels, but i'd say for the summer anything around $100 would be a pretty good deal, imo.

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

[AaronJB]

The 4* Loop (potential Allegro) on HOTWIRE is the most reasonable option at this point. While the Allegro is not the most optimal location from a tourist standpoint (in the West Loop, which is primarily a business area - it's a trek to Michigan Ave, although not too far to State St.) and the area will be quiet at night. However, if you are mainly coming for the games, that's not as much of a concern. The Brown Line is right there (although if you don't want to go around the Loop before heading North towards Wrigley - transferring at Belmont to the Red Line then going further to Addison - then you could head to the nearby Clark station.) and the Red Line is not terribly far (about 4.5 blocks.)

If the 4* HOTWIRE loop property was the Allegro, that would be a good deal in comparison to what the Allegro is showing at regular rate. Or you could wait to see if prices drop and/or new listings show up.

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

[cibc]

Just wanted to keep you updated....I have been searching Hotwire daily, and will probably book within the next couple of weeks. I will post my results once I do get something, in order to close the thread. Thanks again for all the tips, I sure appreciate it.

Stephanie

[AaronJB]

Thank you for keeping us updated, and hopefully more options will start appearing on HOTWIRE for these dates over the next couple of weeks.

Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches, and please do let us know if you have any questions.

[cibc]

Update..have not been searching for a hotel the last little bit, just busy with things around here. Hotwire rates are still high for the downtown area (once you factor in the parking)I do have a hotel booked (Ramada Lake Shore Chicago) for $120 a night, you get free parking and breakfast there. I am able to cancel if I cannot find anything else I would like. It is not on my top list of places to stay, it is still a bit away from the red line, and it is an older hotel, with mixed reviews.

I've been doing some research and it looks like I can stay in Evanston and drive right to the Howard Station on the red line where parking is $4.00 per day. Then take the red line right into Wrigley Field or Cellular Field. I know these options would take longer but not too much longer that the Ramada Lake Shore and it would be mostly straight line travelling. I'd probably be able to get a nicer hotel for the money I'd be paying for the Ramada, and save on the parking.

From what I am reading the Red Line operates 24 hours a day. Does this seem like a viable option?

Thanks

Stephanie

[thereuare]

I'll let AaronJB answer the particulars above but i'll add one comment:

I've been doing some research and it looks like I can stay in Evanston and drive right to the Howard Station on the red line where parking is $4.00 per day.

Hotel rates are not that high for these dates, it appears the real sticking point is the parking fee downtown, which isn't going to change. Yes, it's expensive to park at a Downtown hotel, but you can also find options outside of the hotel at public garages for ~$25/day (give or take) which based upon your quad occupancy, is about another $10-15 per person for this stay. I'd take the convenient route and stay downtown with everybody factoring in an extra $15.

If this isn't viable, then i'd still stay downtown and park your car at a station (such as the one above for $4/day) for the length of your trip... taking the train once to drop off and then retrieve your vehicle at the end of the trip (assuming overnite parking is allowed at the stations)

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

[AaronJB]

Evanston is a nice college town - quite a few shops and restaurants to choose from. The only issue is that the Evanston-Skokie-Niles zone includes Skokie, as well, which is a ways from downtown Evanston. The Orrington (at the 3.5* level in the zone) is seen fairly often and that is right in downtown Evanston. The other main downtown Evanston property, the Hilton Garden Inn, has not been seen on either discount service in years.

I would not recommend the 3* level in the zone, due to the Holiday Inn Skokie, which I believe was recently renovated, but up until recently got some pretty negative reviews. The 3* Doubletree in Skokie is fine, and well-located across from the Old Orchard Mall - still, the Holiday Inn isn't a great option, so if you do go for the Skokie/Evanston/Niles zone, I'd recommend trying for the 3.5* level.

I do like the hotels in the North burb of Deerfield (I especially like the Deerfield zone at the 3.5* level), but in terms of the Red Line, if you were able to get the 3.5* Orrington, that would be most optimal.

If you get the Orrington, there's no need to drive to the CTA - it's two blocks away. There is also a Metra station a couple of blocks away.

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