Loading...

Priceline Hotel: 4* Chicago (Millenium Park - The Loop - Grant Park) The Fairmont Chicago


cheapsk8
By cheapsk8,
in

Recommended Posts

I wanted 2 rooms for 3 nights (Thursday pm thru Sunday am) at top hotel in downtown Chicago (near the shopping areas) with a preference for North Michigan Ave - River North . . .here was my bidding strategy:

Bid # Price Added Zones/Ratings Result

----- -------- ---------------------------------- ----------

1) $100, 5* NMA-River North -> DENIED

2) $110 Franklin Park -> DENIED

3) $120 Hyde Park -> DENIED

4) $130 Lincoln Park -> DENIED

5) $140 McCormick Place - Medical District -> DENIED

6) $125 4.5* -> DENIED

7) $140 Midway Airport North -> DENIED

8) $125 4* -> DENIED

9) $140 Skokie-Niles-Evanston -> DENIED

I had a hard stop at $140/room and at least at 4*, so I use my star ratings to rebid down to 4* instead of adding the ORD N/S and Millenium/Loop/Grant zones. (Using those 3 zones would have prevented bidding down to 4*).

On to other options . . .

A.) At Priceline, I was given the option of a PRICELINE EXPRESS Deal for a 4* on NMA-River North for $162 per night. When I went to choose it, they changed the offer and price to $184 per night. Both had wifi, restaurant, business and fitness center icons. The Guest Rating was 8.0.

B.) Also listed with the $184/night (refreshed) deal Priceline Express Deal, I was offered a 3.5* NMA-RN property with restaurant and business center icons for $168 (no guest rating) and . . .

C.) for $149, a 3* NMA-RN property with wifi, business and fitness center icons. The Guest Rating was 7.0.

D.) The final NMA-RN property Express Deal listed was a 4.5* for $172 per night. It had a pool, restaurant, business and fitness center with a Guest Rating of 8.0 (Guest Favorite).

E.) According to your Hotwire board, they have/had the following options for similar date ranges:

4.5* at $201

4* at $143

Neither of these were available when I checked. Of the 5 hotels quoted in the Magnificent Mile Area - River North area, the best deal presented to me was a 4* for $194/night. It was 100% recommended on 377 reviews and came with the following amenities: Boutique Hotel, Smoke Free Rooms, Fitness Center, Restaurant(s), Business Center, and High-Speed Internet Access.

Looks like inventory might be too low when trying to book with this short of notice?!

Here's a question for the group: I spent an hour researching all of this. Is there a average percentage that Name Your Price (NYP) wins beat Hotwire deals? Because I probably could have saved a bunch of time if I would have thought up front.

I mean, what are the odds that a NYP 4* would go for $140 when it's listing for $190 at Hotwire?! Maybe I could have expected to get it at Priceline for 10-20% less. Does anyone have experience enough to know what the discount between Hotwire and Priceline's NYP is?

Thanks!

Link to comment

There is not an average % when it comes to the spread between NYOP and HOTWIRE listings, although a $50 difference between HOTWIRE and a comparable NYOP is unlikely, especially on a busier date. I'm seeing a 4* in the Mag Mile-RN area for $181 and a 4* in the Mag MileN-WT for $167. I'm guessing you're likely looking at a $150-160 bid for a 4* win in the Mag Mile-RN area on NYOP, although you could certainly try $145.

I'll note this, though: there is a lot of 4* properties on PRICELINE in the River North-NMA zone. Many are nice or very nice, although there are a couple of lesser possibilities.

If you are seeing a 4.5* on PRICELINE Express for $172, I'd consider bidding for a 4.5* in the River North-NMA area and hopefully get a win in the $155-165 neighborhood (although you could try $150.) There are far fewer 4.5*'s in this zone and they are all very nice properties.

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

Link to comment

Still looking at options . . .I received an offer from Hotwire. Could you help me identify this hotel in the Downtown Chicago - Millennium Park - Grant Park area?

$151 per night, 4*, 95% with 96 reviews. TripAdvisor 4.5 out of 5.0. Amenities include:

Pet friendly

Smoke Free Rooms

Restaurant(s)

High-Speed Internet Access

Accessible for the blind

Accessible for the deaf

Accessible path of travel

In-room accessibility

Accessible bathroom

Link to comment

While I was waiting on the Hotwire hotel ID, I tried bidding on Priceline in the Millenium/Loop/Grant Park area. Here was my bidding strategy:

Bid # Price Added Zones/Ratings Result

----- ----- ------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------

1) $100 4* Millennium Park, Loop & Grant Park Area -> DENIED, but Priceline suggested bidding @ $136/night

2) $110 Franklin Park -> DENIED

3) $120 Hyde Park -> Accepted

I booked The Fairmont Chicago

200 N Columbus Drive

Chicago, IL 60601

Check-In: Thu, Jun 27, 2013 / After 03:00 PM

Check-Out: Sun, Jun 30, 2013 / 12:00 PM

Rooms: 2 rooms / 3 nights

BB and AaronJB, thanks for being a great resource for smart bidding!

Link to comment

Congrats, I tried to book almost the same trip... the same areas for 6/28-6/30 over the past two night and I have had not luck.

Any suggestions?

Please start a new thread for your stay and we would be happy to take a look and try to ID the listing.

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

Link to comment

Happy to help! :)

Additionally:

There are a number of breakfast options within decent walking distance, some particularly close. The trio that come to mind would be Wildberry (newer and very popular - http://www.yelp.com/biz/wildberry-cafe-chicago), the Pittsfield Cafe (an old-school Chicago diner in the Pittsfield building - cash only http://www.yelp.com/biz/pittsfield-cafe-chicago) or the Rick Bayless casual offering Xoco (http://www.yelp.com/biz/xoco-chicago). Wildberry is *right* by your hotel.

If you are looking for a breakfast treat, it's a ways West (although a nice walk if you walk along the river for a good portion of it) is the Doughnut Vault (http://thedoughnutvault.tumblr.com/), but that is cash only and they sell until they run out.

Let us know if you have additional city questions.

Additionally, while no guarantees, you may want to consider signing up for the Fairmont President's Club (free, on Fairmont website) and putting in a request for a view - some rooms at this property do have nice views of the park and/or surrounding area. The hotel very well may say no, but worth a try if you're interested in a view.

Link to comment
Need help with your own trip?

Register now, we have a huge community of travel enthusiasts to answer any questions you might have.

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account
Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
EXCLUSIVELY at BetterBidding:
10% OFF

PRICELINE COUPON


(click here) and use

promo code

: EASTEREGG

(Hotel and Car Express Deals max $60 discount... expires 03/31/2024)
QUICKQUOTE [X]
PRICELINE & HOTWIRE on one screen!
NOTE: Priceline searches for
DOUBLE OCCUPANCY ONLY
Room %roomN%:
Age of child:
FINDFAST[X]
×
×
  • Create New...