Hotwire Hotel: Libertyville - Vernon Hills Area

[pbj23]

I just booked the Swissotel in downtown through your HOTWIRE link. Thanks for the advice and guidance! Now on to one more hotel and the reason we are in the area in the first place. We are attending a wedding and reception in Libertyville. We want a decent hotel but does not need to be top of the line... just clean and safe. We will not be in the room all that much as we will be at the wedding and then leaving the next morning for downtown. We currently have a room reserved at the Hampton Inn Libertyville for $94 (price is through wedding group). Should we save some money and go through Hotwire or Priceline or should we keep what we have? Here is what I see on Hotwire:

Date: 8-30-13

Vernon Hills - Lincolnshire - Mundelein area hotel

2*

$47 (89 on other sites)

95% recommendation

Free Parking

Free Breakfast

Free Internet

Pet friendly

Laundry Facilities (self-service)

Others are 3 star for $68 85% recommended in same area or $67 for a 2* in Libertyville area.

What are your thoughts on that 2 star? Like I said, just looking for something clean and safe. Thanks! I will use your HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links!

[AaronJB]

This listing has not yet been ID'd/reported to the board. I'd *guess* the Extended Stay Vernon Hills would be a possibility in this case.

I'm seeing this 2* for $47, BUT: I'm seeing a 3* Express Deal on Priceline in the Lincolnshire-Vernon Hills zone for $49 (the price you see may differ slightly) with the amenities: breakfast, free wifi, pool, parking, breakfast, fitness. This listing has not yet been ID'd/reported to the board - The Homewood Suites Lincolnshire, Springhill Suites Lincolnshire or Residence Inn Lake Forest would appear to be possibilities, although out of those three I'd say the Springhill is probably more likely. For a couple bucks more, a nicer option.

Further South, I'm seeing what appears to be the Hyatt Deerfield, Embassy Suites Deerfield or Marriott Suites Deerfield for $53. I'm seeing what appears to be the Lincolnshire Marriott for $101 (not a great deal) and what may be the Westin North Shore for $75. Let us know if any of these would be of interest and we would be happy to point them out on PRICELINE Express.

Let us know if you have any questions before booking. Once you book, I'd also be happy to make nearby recommendations on restaurants.

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

One other note regarding downtown: parking at the Swiss is going to be pricey - I'd consider either parking at the Millennium Park lot nearby, which is not going to be cheap either, but will be much cheaper than the hotel.

[thereuare]

There are two ESA properties in this zone:

Extended Stay America - Chicago - Vernon Hills - Lake Forest

Extended Stay America - Chicago - Vernon Hills - Lincolnshire

My guess for the one above would be the Extended Stay America - Chicago - Vernon Hills - Lincolnshire.

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

Let us know what you decide or how we can be of further help.

[AaronJB]

If you do go with the Extended Stay, the Lincolnshire location is in a nice area - there's an Egg Harbor Cafe location just a bit South (although that gets ridiculously crowded on the weekends at times) and then there's Wildfire (which is part of the Lettuce Entertain You chain of "boutique" restaurants - good steak/potato-style place) in a mall a bit further South. I like the the 3* option more, but if you went with the Extended Stay, that ES is at least in a nice spot.

Wildfire: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g36265-d464292-Reviews-Wildfire-Lincolnshire_Lake_County_Illinois.html

Even if you stay at a different hotel than the Extended Stay, Wildfire's a nice option in the area.

Walker Brothers is also a terrific breakfast option right nearby: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g36265-d1107333-Reviews-Walker_Brothers-Lincolnshire_Lake_County_Illinois.html

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

[pbj23]

I just wanted to update this thread. I have decided to just go with my booking for the Hampton Inn Libertyville that I booked directly with the hotel rather than go through Hotwire or Priceline... Simply for the convenience as a lot of family is staying there. We are planning on heading downtown on Saturday mid morning to the swissotel that we booked using your HOTWIRE link! You mentioned alternate routes other than the expressway. What types of things are there to see/do north of downtown? We really are just looking for a relaxing fun time. We are good with a busy schedule or a do nothing but roam downtown schedule.

Have you seen the fireworks at Navy Pier? My wife loves fireworks and that is the one thing that I am planning on doing. I don't care about other stuff at the pier. We will also probably hit the Art Institute, the bean, etc. I ran across Wildberry Cafe. That should be great for breakfast? I am assuming it will be less expensive than the hotel breakfast. Any other must hit restaurants? Not too expensive though and no crazy/spicy foreign foods. Chicago pizza would be awesome... I ate at Gino's East on Superior Street a couple of weeks ago... loved the atmosphere... should I take my wife here or is there a better place? Which beach would you recommend that we could walk to from the swiss? Again, we really are carefree and are thankful for all of your advice. Thanks again for giving all your knowledge! Although we didn't use Priceline or Hotwire for our Libertyville stay, we did use your links for our downtown stay and will most definitely use your HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links for any future use of those websites!

[thereuare]

Thank you for closing this thread with your decision.

Please check for and use the links in our Support Page for your hotel direct purchases where we have links to most of the major hotel chains and online booking agencies, including the Hampton Inn.

Enjoy your stay.

[AaronJB]

The Chicago Botanic Gardens is in the North Suburbs (http://www.chicagobotanic.org/) and it's a pretty remarkable garden museum - one of the largest in the US and really an impressively maintained place with both indoor and outdoor areas (including a very nice cafe). Parking is insane at $25, but that's effectively admission - admission is free. Yelp reviews: http://www.yelp.com/biz/chicago-botanic-garden-glencoe.

Just South of Libertyville is Vernon Hills, which is one mall after another.

Mini-pretty drive near your hotel: take 45 South from your hotel to Town Line Road/60. Take 60 East (you'll pass pretty much all of the Vernon Hills malls) to St Mary's Road. Take St Mary's South (you'll pass Adlai Stevenson's home - http://www.lcfpd.org/preserves/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.view&object_id=24353), then turn on Everett. Take Everett East until you get to Telegraph Road. Take Telegraph South and you'll pass through some beautiful homes in the wooded areas of Bannockburn before popping out in Deerfield. You'll get to Deerfield Road pretty quickly, then take Deerfield Road East for 5 minutes or so and you'll get to highway 41. Take 41 South and it becomes i-94 and take that all the way into downtown.

If you are looking purely for deep dish pizza downtown, I'd recommend trying Lou Malnati's. If you are looking for great non-deep dish, I recommend La Madia (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/la-madia-chicago?select=iCBnXNFLA0qzrMZl3KOhlA#-Bcbda3TWzSwVqsjjn6H_w) - which is a very good Italian spot in River North.

Art Institute is a must. Fireworks at Navy Pier are fun (although I dislike Navy Pier pretty strongly otherwise), but my thought is writing or calling the Swiss in advance and seeing if you could work something out to get a view towards Navy Pier from your room so you could watch from your room.

I'd still recommend Wildfire (lunch/dinner) and Walker Brothers (breakfast), which are not too far South of Libertyville.

There are a number of cute towns up and down the North Shore area, including Lake Bluff (which is just to the East of Libertyville, near the Lake), then Lake Forest, Highwood, Highland Park, Glencoe, Winnetka, Wilmette and Evanston. Evanston is a college town (Northwestern) and has a variety of shopping (including Dave's Rock Shop, a beautiful gem/mineral/jewelry store complete with basement museum of the owner's prehistoric findings- http://www.davesrockshop.com/about-us.html) and restaurants.

You can either drive through the towns (largely via Green Bay Road) or you can largely go through them along or near the lakefront (via Sheridan Road, although Sheridan stops and starts again a few times along the way.) Once you get to Evanston, you can take Sheridan into the city and eventually to the start of Lake Shore Drive.

If you go the Sheridan route, there are some terrific beaches (including one that was in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off") and you pass the Bahai Temple (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%A1'%C3%AD_House_of_Worship_(Wilmette,_Illinois), which is architecturally pretty remarkable.) In the town of Wilmette is Homer's Ice Cream, which has been rated by Bon Appetit as one of the top ten ice cream places in the country. I'm not sure I'd go that far, but I'd say it's one of the top in the Chicago area. There's lots of good restaurants up and down this area, including Abigail's (in the small Ravinia area, just south of Highland Park and Bluegrass, just West of the downtown area of Highland Park. Abigail's is particularly good (http://www.yelp.com/biz/abigails-american-bistro-highland-park). La Cassa De Issac (http://www.yelp.com/biz/la-casa-de-isaac-highland-park) in Highwood is also a very good option.

There are a number of breakfast options within decent walking distance of the Swiss, 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).

If you are looking for a breakfast treat, further NW (although not that bad of a walk) is the Doughnut Vault (http://thedoughnutvault.tumblr.com/), but that is cash only and they sell until they run out.

If you plan on the LP Zoo and the Notaebert, I'd definitely recommend it, as well, although I'd also suggest browsing the nearby Old Town area, which includes one of my favorite stores, the Spice House (http://www.thespicehouse.com/info/chicago-spice-store.html)

I'll note that an interesting option for downtown eating is the Dining Room at Kendall College, which is a little pricey, but less than it would be; it's a place for the students to test their skills and, as a result, the cost is less than it would be at a comparable restaurant. (http://www.kendall.edu/news-and-events/the-dining-room, you do have to make a reservation.)

Sable at the Palomar in River North is also a worthwhile restaurant, and Portillo's is great as a hot dog stop. Gene and Georgetti, Keefer's and David Burke's Primehouse are all great steak options. Chicago Q (BBQ, in the Gold Coast) is worthwhile, as is local institution Ann Sather if you decide to head up to the lakeview neighborhood (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ann-sather-chicago-2?select=6PBViv3YW0Vm8nZccU2rcg#6PBViv3YW0Vm8nZccU2rcg).

One note: from the Swiss you can head SW to the Lake red line station and take that North to Belmont. Walk East on Belmont and you'll pass Ann Sather. Then walk South on Broadway to Clark and then continue to walk South on Clark to Fullerton. Walk East on Fullerton and you'll see a large glass building (the Notabert) on the North side of the street. Walk a block south on Stockton from the corner of Stockton and Fullerton and you'll see the entrance to the Zoo. This is a long walk, but there's a lot of restaurants and shops in the Lincoln Park, Lakeview and nearby Old Town area.

Let me know if you have any questions.