Hotwire Hotel: HELP: Chicago

[putri]

My husband is in the military. He's suppose to come back Tuesday and thought we'd go to Chicago next week (Labor day weekend + week). Read your forum, wrote notes and figured out the Hotwire hotels (3-4 stars for $62-$85, or something like that)and then got a phone call saying he's not going to be back till this Friday. He has to in-process and all that, and also a CAT scan for daughter that I had to reschedule cause he wants to go (nothing big, just a check-up cause her head is bigger than some), so we can't go till after the 10th. So I went back to looking and the cheaper hotels (Cass, Best Western, Travelodge) are booked and the other hotels that we prefer to bid on are sooo high. I was thinking of visiting from the 10th to the 15th of the Monday - Friday of that week. But prices are still high. I went to lastminute.com, quickbook, direct to the hotel sites, priceline, and who knows what else. I have nevered bid on a hotel before and so never used priceline bidding system before. I guess I can try doing that after my husband's home. Any suggestion? I can't reserve anything till he's back anyways so still have time but if Chicago is too expensive then we'll have to find another fun city or stay in the suburb which defeats the purpose if we want to be smack in the middle of Chicago city life.

What's going on? Is it cause it's too far away? I went to chicagotraveler.com and I can't see anything big going on. There's a race October. There's a ball game that weekend but they don't last all week, right?

Thanks!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

I'd suspect that there is a conference in town, but if you're not able to book now, it's a moot point.

Post when you're husband is back home and your dates are firm and we'll have a look at current rates at that time.

[wunfunbny]

FYI, there is a HUGE convention in Chicago Sept 10th & 11th. Something like 70,000 people. I booked on hotwire about a month ago, but still paid higher than usual prices. Hotels were hard to come by. Looks like area's outside of the city are a little more reasonable if that's an option.

[putri]

4* Wacker Dr, Sept 4-8th

Husband is back. Hotel prices are looking good. Now we can't decide. Which is better for family, the $61 Hyatt/Westin or the two Hiltons for either $90/$95?

I also saw the Amalfi on Priceline package for $924 for that trip. Should we go for that since tripadvisor has very good reviews on it?

Thanks!

[thereuare]

I don't understand.... as you can't pick your specif hotel with the opaque providers.

Are you seeing what you believe to be the hotels you are mentioning about being offered on Hotwire? If you're not buying the packaged product on Priceline, how would you try for that specific hotel? (or are you considering buying a package?)