Priceline Hotel: Chicago 3.5*-4* MP/Loop/GP or NMA/RN

[Up2late4agn]

Hi,

(CHICAGO QUESTIONS)

I'm so frustrated. This is the second time I've used PL and had great luck with it the first time. This time not so much and your help will be appreciated.

I was bidding for Nov 5-7 last night from 1-3am and none of my bids were accepted. This is what I bid:

Started with just 3.5* Millenium Park/Loop/Grant Park (hoping to get the Hyatt)

Began bidding at $65 and added areas under 3.5* and rebid $72, $75, $80, $90

Then tried bidding 4* same as above.... no bids accepted.

Then started bidding NMA/River North

same bidding as above up to $90

No bids accepted.

Then added the two areas together

same bidding as above

no bids accepted.

Are the weekends a bad time to bid or is there something going on that weekend? I noticed on regular hotel sites this weekend and Thanksgiving weekend are higher in price, but people are winning bids on here?

I just bought airline tickets at a really great price and now I'm worried about getting a hotel room. We don't need a 4* hotel, but would take one if we could get a great price. I guess a 3* is really all we need for sightseeing. This will be our first visit to Chicago and will need two separate rooms.

[Up2late4agn]

Hi,

I bid on the following from 1-4am this morning for Nov 5-7 and no bids were accepted.

Began with 3.5* MP/Loop/GP (hoping to get Hyatt)

$65,$72,$75 $80, $90

no bids accepted then added 4* no bids accepted

Then tried NMA/RN with same bidding process

no bids accepted

Should I not be bidding on Sunday morning and wait until the week starts or am I bidding too low?

I just bought airline tix at a great deal and now am worried about getting a hotel room. We don't really need 4* for sightseeing (this will be our first visit to Chicago) and could bid on 3* but I didn't see anyone posting their 3* winning bids to judge what price to bid.

ETA we will be needing two rooms

Advice is needed. Thanks.

[AaronJB]

Unfortunately, these dates are definitely on the expensive side. The Festival of Lights isn't until later in the month and this is a little on the early side for holiday shopping, so I believe this may be a convention. Looking closer, the first night is the problem - the second night (when searched for alone) is much cheaper.) When searching for both nights, there's a 3* Mag Mile for $170; when searching for the second night only, there's a 3* Mag Mile for $89 and when searching for the first night separately, there's a 3* Mag Mile for $190.

Please provide your desired budget per night for this stay.

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

[Up2late4agn]

Thanks for the info. Wow...I figured the beginning of November there wouldn't be anything going on...

I was hoping to get a nice room around $100. We won't be spending much time in the rooms as we will hopefully be spending all our waking moments sightseeing.

ETA: am I looking in an expensive area? Is there a less expensive area for tourists to stay that's close by?

[hohogap]

Checked the Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins above and only a 4* win reported at $160 during part of your dates. HW doesn't show anything else at all in the under $100 range. The moderators will be able to help you figure out a strategy to address the best prices and hotels for your schedule. Not sure if anything special going on that weekend. Good luck!

[AaronJB]

Unfortunately, $100 for both nights together appears unlikely, although you would very likely get a property for under $100 for the second night separately, but that leaves the first night, which is quite a bit more expensive.

In terms of downtown, the two core areas are the Millennium Park-Loop-GP area and the NMA-River North area; unfortunately, there's few other options nearby - the Lincoln Park area, which is to the North and has hardly any hotels (maybe 5-7 possibilities in all) and the Greater Chicago area, which is not a zone I'd recommend and be quite inconvenient from a tourist perspective. Further out, the O'Hare area has quite a few hotel options, but is really not convenient - it's a long trip in from the airport and staying downtown is definitely highly preferable.

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

[Up2late4agn]

Thanks. I tried bidding separately and $121 for a 3.5* didnt work. I'm afraid with the limited amount of days we have to try to see all the tourist attractions that I might be better off trying not to bid at all but getting something from a discount website so it wont take time away in order to move from one hotel to another.

[AaronJB]

Purchasing a hotel from Expedia, Orbitz or similar websites is definitely going to be more costly and also are showing a more expensive first night and less pricey second at many hotels. Splitting the stay in this case will provide some likely additional savings, but it's understandably not optimal, especially having to move in the middle of a shorter stay.

Did you try bidding up to $121 for a 3.5* in both NMA and Millennium-Loop-Grant Park?

Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches. Please use the site's links in the Support/Travel section to book via other services.

[Up2late4agn]

Tried $121 for 3.5* in MP/Loop/GP and NM/RN

Bid was declined

How exhasperating....

[thereuare]

Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches. Please use the site's links in the Support/Travel section to book via other services.

Please click each of these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links, then reply to this thread and we'll continue the discussion above.

Thanks.