Priceline Hotel: 3.5* Chicago Suburbs (Oakbrook-Downers Grove) DoubleTree Oakbrook

[Baldrick]

I've been looking to stay downtown Chicago for the weekend of 6/10 thru 6/13 but the rack rates seem pretty high ($250+), I guess it must be a busy weekend?!

Anyway so I'm doubting I'll be able to get anything particular cheap (low $100s) via PRICELINE as even on HOTWIRE the cheapest quoted are around $200

As I'm driving in from the south I'm now considering looking into the Chicago Suburbs area and driving/train downtown as needed. I'm thinking of something around the Naperville/Oak Brook/Bolingbrook/Willowbrook zones but I'm not at all familiar with them at all. Any advice on what areas to target/avoid would be appreciated!

thanks

[AaronJB]

In terms of the burbs, I think the burbs are very nice - I tend to recommend the North burbs, but if one is driving in from the South, the SW burbs would be more convenient - but it becomes what is it worth in terms of savings (which is going to be different for everyone) to stay outside the city versus inside the city - and staying in the SW burbs is definitely a longer ride on the Metra train into the city.

However, when rates are what they are downtown - 3.5*/4*'s downtown on HOTWIRE are currently between about $185-285 and there is a 3.5* in the Lombard-Oak Brook-Downers Grove area for $54 (about the same in the North burbs - there's a 3.5* in Northbrook for $52 - I think the burbs are certainly worth consideration. Additionally, beyond the hotel savings, you are also saving about $35-55 per night in parking (if you were to pay hotel parking downtown; city parking is about $25.) You would have to pay for train fare and it does certainly take time to get downtown (there are express trains during morning/evening rush during the week, but the metra trains overall do run less on the weekend), but the 'burbs are nice and the Metra trains in from the burbs are definitely nicer than the CTA trains. From Downers Grove a non-express train is about 55 minutes (but again, at least the Metra trains are nice if one has to be on the train for 55 minutes.) It's about 40-45 from the North burbs.

Let us know your thoughts and we would be happy to offer further suggestions.

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

[Baldrick]

Thanks for the details Aaron. We're definitely leaning towards the burbs this time around given the price differences involved. It does sound like a bit of a trek via Metra though, hmm! Given that I think we'll spend all Sat around the Science & Industry museum and then probably base ourselves at Navy pier Sun I'm tempted to just drive in anyway.

[Baldrick]

Ok winning details below, slight change of dates to originally specified above too.

With so many free re-bid zones this was the absolute minimum that was accepted. It was kind of interesting that all the way from $42 thru $48 Priceline kept offering a free-rebid that was at exactly $15 more each time, ie $42 -> $57, $43 -> $58 etc all the way to $48 -> $63

6/11/11 to 6/13/11

Chicago Suburbs: Oak Brook - Downer's Grove

3.5*

$49

Doubletree Hotel Chicago - Oak Brook

1909 Spring Road

Oak Brook, Illinois 60523

Used the PRICELINE link (many times!)

Can an admin update the thread with winning details? I can't seem to edit it

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you were able to land a nice deal at this property. While not downtown, hopefully you'll be able to make use of the metra trains and the savings will be worth the trade-off in location.

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

Enjoy your stay.