Hotwire Hotel: Please Help with hotel ID for 3/29 - 3/31/12 trip to Chicago

[Mtgeerling]

My husband, I, and our 5 year old daughter are taking her first train ride/ Chicago adventure March 29 - coming into Union Station and departing on Saturday, March 31st. We plan to spend one day at the American Girl store and one day at Shedd Aquarium along with a few shops and good meals. I would like to book a 4 star hotel for $100 to $125. Is this possible?

Which area would you recommend we stay in as I'm not sure if we should stay near Union Station (the loop) or closer to Michigan Ave? I have been searching Hotwire and found:

Chicago Loop - Millenium Park - Grant Park area hotel for $112

Amenities: Boutique Hotel, Fitness Center, Restaurant(s), Business Center, High-Speed Internet Access

Trip Advisor rating of 4.5

Magnificent Mile Area - Streeterville area hotel for $122

Amenities: Smoke Free Rooms, Fitness Center, Pool(s), Restaurant(s), Business Center

Trip Advisor rating of 4

I am also willing to bid through Priceline (though I have not done it before). It seems the two areas I should search are:

Millennium Park, Loop & Grant Park Area

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Are both of the HOTWIRE properties 4* rated? If so, for the Mag Mile hotel, are you also seeing a Hi-Speed Internet amenity associated with this offer? If not, are you searching for 2adult/1child OR only 2adults/0children?

Regarding the Hyatt, other not including the zone in your bidding, you can't avoid a specific hotel when using PRICELINE, you have to be able to accept any hotel in the zone at the star level (or higher) that you choose. With HOTWIRE you can often take an educated guess as to what is being offered based upon the amenities associated with the property, but it's still a 'best guess' and no guarantees you will receive the hotel you're hoping for. So while no guarantees, HOTWIRE would offer you a better chance at avoid the Hyatt.

Also, note that PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, after that it's at the discretion of the hotel, and you could receive a room with only one bed. While you can call the hotel you win and request a room with two beds, the hotel may not be able, or willing, to honor your request. On the other hand, HOTWIRE allows you to search for up to quad occupancy and ensure sleeping accommodations for everyone you include in your search (although this usually means two beds, the second 'bed' could be a sofabed, rollaway, etc)

Based upon the above it would appear that HOTWIRE would be the better option for you for this trip, but it depend upon how much 'risk' you're willing to accept, and note that HOTWIRE usually costs a little more than PRICELINE.

Let us know how you'd like to proceed, and if with HOTWIRE, confirm the parameters you're using for your search and if the MagMile property has an Internet amenity listed, and we'll take it from there.

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

[Mtgeerling]

The magnificent mile - streeterville hotwire option has high speed Internet, no smoking, pool, fitness center, restaurant and business center as amenities.

Im also interested in your thoughts on the option for the loop area hotel. It also has high speed Internet access as an ammenity.

I am including two adults and one child in my watch and narrowing results to four star plus hotels.

Thanks for your help.

[AaronJB]

I'll also note regarding family-friendly stops, the Lincoln Park Zoo is a great (and free) zoo, and there's the Peggy Notabert Nature Center (admission, although I think there are free days, if I remember correctly) just a block or two North of the North gate of the zoo.

The Shedd is a little pricey, but it's a lot of fun, but I think the only thing is that if it's a busy period (Spring Break, Summer break, Christmas Break) you may want to get there early. I don't think it would fill up the day - you could likely do that and something else.

Please let us know if you have any city questions.

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

[thereuare]

The Loop property matches previosu reports for both the Hotel Burnham and the Hotel Allegro, so either of these would be my best guess for this one.

The Mag Mile property looks like the Sheraton so that would be my best guess here.

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

Let us know how it goes or if we can be of further help.