Priceline Hotel: Last Minute Chicago Downtown - Jun10-14 Priceline Bidding or HotwireHelp

[JEMSTAR]

Hi All,

Im heading to Chicago for the first time this upcoming Sunday, and realized that I booked my flights, but haven't booked my hotel. We'd prefer to stay downtown or Magnificent Mile and MUST to be close to the metro line.

Everything is outrageously expensive, we can't find anything 3.5* and up for less than $300 unless its outside of downtown and off the metro. Please help and advise!!

Thanks in advance!

[thereuare]

...and MUST to be close to the metro line.

When using PRICELINE you can't choose a specific location within the zone, you much be willing to accept a hotel anywhere within the shaded boundaries of the zone. Are any of the zones geographically small enough that they would put you within close enough proximity to a train station? (if not your option would be to use HOTWIRE where you can often guess the property and therefore take a guess as to how close you'll be to a metro station, but it's still a guess and no guarantees, and at the moment everything i'm seeing 'downtown' when searching for your dates is $300+)

What is your maximum budget per nite for this trip?

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

[JEMSTAR]

When using PRICELINE you can't choose a specific location within the zone, you much be willing to accept a hotel anywhere within the shaded boundaries of the zone. Are any of the zones geographically small enough that they would put you within close enough proximity to a train station? (if not your option would be to use HOTWIRE where you can often guess the property and therefore take a guess as to how close you'll be to a metro station, but it's still a guess and no guarantees, and at the moment everything i'm seeing 'downtown' when searching for your dates is $300+)

What is your maximum budget per nite for this trip?

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

We'd prefer to pay anywhere between $250-300 and we won't be driving, so being close and convenient to the subway is a must for walking...

I see on hotwire a 4* hotel for @$246 in the Magnificent Mile North - Water Tower area with the following amenities: Boutique Hotel, Smoke Free Rooms, Fitness Centre, Restaurants, Business Centre, High Speed Internet Access, Golf Nearby, Accessible for the blind, Accessible for the deaf, Accessible path of travel, in-room accessibility, accessible bathroom, roll-in shower

Any thoughts?

[AaronJB]

Would there be any interest in splitting your stay if it would result in a better overall deal? All of your dates do appear busy, but it's the first half that appears worse.

Any interest in staying South of the river for at least part of the stay? Downtown Chicago is not particularly vast and there's plenty of transit options.

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

[JEMSTAR]

We'd prefer to pay anywhere between $250-300 and we won't be driving, so being close and convenient to the subway is a must for walking...

I see on hotwire a 4* hotel for @$246 in the Magnificent Mile North - Water Tower area with the following amenities: Boutique Hotel, Smoke Free Rooms, Fitness Centre, Restaurants, Business Centre, High Speed Internet Access, Golf Nearby, Accessible for the blind, Accessible for the deaf, Accessible path of travel, in-room accessibility, accessible bathroom, roll-in shower

Any thoughts?

We don't mind splitting the stay... we are more just concerned about being south as a lot of feedback is that the south side is sketchy and being 3 petite girls... we don't want to put ourselves there - that is unless you think that its not as sketch as i think it might be... lol

Thanks again for quick responses

[AaronJB]

Not South side, but the downtown area South of the river (the Loop area). Are you searching for 3 adults when searching on HOTWIRE?

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

[JEMSTAR]

Oh we absolutely don't mind the Loop area as well. We are searching for 2 or 3 as we don't mind having to share a Queen bed and a couch if we have to... girls trip and all :P

[slruud]

Lastminutetravel.com has the Embassy Suites Chicago Downtown for $225/nite, available. It's about 5 or so blocks from the Grand-Red station. Besides full breakfast, they also have Manager's Reception nightly.

You could try the James on LMT for $228/nite, their rating 5*, but they are "on request", and it might take a day or so to find out if you have a booking. Can't beat the location for night life, and closer to the Grand-Red station.

[AaronJB]

The options that I am seeing when searching for two:

1. Evanston. Evanston is a very nice college town about 30-35 minutes by Metra train or CTA "L" train (you can take either) from downtown. It's the first town North of the Chicago border - quite a bit in the way of restaurants and some shopping. On PRICELINE, there is no way to specify Evanston, as it's part of the large Evanston-Skokie-Niles zone. If you were to wind up in the Skokie area, that's not very convenient to public transit - you'd have to take a train and a bus, whereas in Evanston you can pick either the Metra or CTA trains. Therefore, this would be a regular rate idea - the Hilton Orrington is $159 for each night for a room w/2 beds. The Homestead (a non-chain local property) in Evanston is $140 for a room w/2 beds and free breakfast. Both are not far from the beach and 2-3 blocks to both Metra and CTA stations.

2. If you search for 2 adults for all four nights, there's a 4* in the Mag Mile North-water Tower area w/Magnificent Mile North - Water Tower area with the following amenities: Boutique Hotel, Smoke Free Rooms, Fitness Centre, Restaurants, Business Centre, High Speed Internet Access, Golf Nearby, Accessible for the blind, Accessible for the deaf, Accessible path of travel, in-room accessibility, accessible bathroom, roll-in shower. My guess would be the Whitehall, which is in an outstanding location right off Michigan ave, but an older property that gets mixed reviews - the 4* rating seems high.

3. The Hilton Towers is $299 on Expedia (and "free cancellation" is listed, but double check and read the fine print for the exact details - if this is fully refundable/able to be cancelled, it would allow you to switch if something came up in the next day or two) for a room w/2 beds. That is for 6/10-12. For 6/12-14, HOTWIRE is showing a 4* in the Mag Mile-River North area with:

Boutique Hotel

Smoke Free Rooms

Fitness Center

Restaurant(s)

Business Center

High-Speed Internet Access

Spa Services

Accessible for the blind

Accessible for the deaf

Free Internet

Accessible path of travel

In-room accessibility

Wheelchair accessible

Accessible bathroom

Handicapped parking

Roll-in shower

The 4* Mag Mile/River North has not yet been ID'd/reported to the board, but if you look on the detail page for the listing, there is a 4.5/5 tripadvisor rating, so this property does get excellent reviews. I'd guess the Dana Hotel *MIGHT* be a possibility, but at the very least this mystery property does get good reviews. The combination of the Hilton and this HOTWIRE listing would be $257 a night. $11 more per night than the Whitehall, but more hotel for the money.

I'm also seeing what appears to be the Allerton for $180 on HOTWIRE for 6/12-14 - that property is another older property, although it's also in a terrific location on Michigan Ave. Unfortunately, while the second half of the stay appears moderately less expensive than the first, HOTWIRE does not have a ton of options.

Please let us know if you have any questions at all before making a purchase.

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