teach4apples Posted January 21, 2015 Report Posted January 21, 2015 Hi! My college-aged daughter is an actor and is traveling to Chicago for auditions February 27th - March 5th. She will not have a car and wants to be able to be near the theatres to save on cab fare. I also want her to be safe! I just saw this deal on Hotwire: 4* $69 per night! Downtown - Millennium Park - Grant Park area - 95% recommend Amenities: Smoke free rooms, Internet access, Fitness center, Restaurant(s) Accessibility: Accessible path of travel, In-room accessibility, Wheelchair accessible, Accessible bathroom I looked at the list and couldn't tell which hotel it might be . . . any idea? Is this a safe area? If not, can you recommend other areas? Thank you!
AaronJB Posted January 21, 2015 Report Posted January 21, 2015 If you repeat your search using our BiddingHelper.com.com tool... use the HOTWIRE EASY VIEW tab and then click the GREEN BUTTON next to this listing, do you see more amenities then what you have listed above? If you see: Restaurant, Fitness, Smoke Free, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, Travel Accessible, Room Accessible, Bathroom Accessible, Wheelchair Accessible, Roll-in Shower This is a possible match for the Hyatt on Wacker. This would be an excellent location - very close to Michigan Ave and River North (where there is more going on at night in terms of restaurants and nightlife.) The theaters in the Loop are also a quick cab ride away. The only issue with the Loop at night is that it can be quiet/very quiet later in the evenings. There is also a number of restaurant options nearby the Hyatt, as well as a gorgeous grocery store a couple of blocks away. Please keep us updated on what you decide and let us know if you have any questions. If you have questions on other listings, let us know as well. Also, please let me know if you have any Chicago questions, as I'm very familiar with the area. Thank you for using the board's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.
teach4apples Posted January 21, 2015 Author Report Posted January 21, 2015 Thanks Aaron for that tip . . . here are the full amenities: FULL AMENITIES: Smoke-free rooms, Fitness center, Restaurant(s), Business center, Internet access, Accessible path of travel, In-room accessibility, Wheelchair accessible, Accessible bathroom, Roll-in shower
teach4apples Posted January 21, 2015 Author Report Posted January 21, 2015 Are you still thinking the Hyatt? There are a couple discrepancies, but still very similar.
teach4apples Posted January 21, 2015 Author Report Posted January 21, 2015 I looked at the listings again of 4* hotels and decided that you were right since there were only two other options of 4* in that region. Got the Hyatt for 6 nights for $69 a night! You mentioned you might have tips for places to visit? Loved to hear them and I'll share with my daughter. Thanks again. :)
thereuare Posted January 21, 2015 Report Posted January 21, 2015 Congratulations on your success! Glad to see you (and your daugther) received a great deal on this property and it as the one you were hoping for. Thank you for sharing your win with the board... i'm sure AaronJB will reply with some tips for the area once he sees this thread again. Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. We wish your daughter luck on her auditions and that she enjoys her stay in Chicago. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
AaronJB Posted January 21, 2015 Report Posted January 21, 2015 You mentioned you might have tips for places to visit? Loved to hear them and I'll share with my daughter. A lot of various thoughts: Safety is certainly an issue, as it is in any major city. You just have to be really aware of who's around you. If an area feels quiet, definitely grab a cab. In terms of theaters, if she has to be at a theater like the Schubert Theater (which I guess is now the "Bank of America" theater....), that's an example of an area where there may not be many people around if she has to be there later into the evening. The West portion of the Loop is otherwise office-heavy and when the offices let out, there's not much going on later into the evening. For parts of this area, even things like Starbucks may not be open on Saturday and/or Sunday. Taxis are not terribly expensive, as downtown Chicago is just not that vast. To offer a comparison, when I was at a wedding the other month, I had to take a taxi from the top NE corner of the Michigan Ave area to the bottom corner of River North and it was about $7.50 each way. The CTA would have been a $2.25 and I'd have to get to and from the stations, so I do consider the taxis pretty reasonable in Chicago. Rates are going to vary by where you're going and other factors like what time of day, but going from the Hyatt to one of the theater district theaters should really not be that much. Depending on the time of day she needs to get there, she could walk over but I'd definitely taxi back if it gets late. At night especially, I think a cab is well worth it. The Hyatt is right on the river. Walk a block or two West and you're at Michigan Ave. North over the river is the Michigan Ave. shopping area. South is Millennium Park and the Art Institute. A couple of blocks South of the hotel on Randolph is Wildberry (http://www.wildberrycafe.com/), which is a very good traditional breakfast (eggs, pancakes, etc) spot. If in the mood for something completely different, there is a Wow Bao (http://wowbao.com/menu) location nearby at 225 N Michigan. Wow Bao is an Asian chain started by local boutique restaurant co Lettuce Entertain You, and they do have breakfast bao. Lettuce Entertain You also runs the upscale and fun food court in the Water Tower Mall on Michigan Ave (http://www.foodlifechicago.com/how-it-works, there are different stations at the food court, you pick what you want and then pay on one bill.) Lettuce also has a number of fun restaurants in the city (http://www.leye.com/restaurants.) For breakfast,another great option in River North is Xoco, from famed chef Rick Bayless.(http://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/xoco/). That's a walk to River North, but certainly not a bad one. There is a really beautiful Mariano's grocery a few blocks SE of the hotel at 333 E Benton. Great option for grabbing some snacks for the day or stuff to have in the hotel room instead of calling room service. Michigan Ave is a lot of fun to browse around, but another option that may be fun is looking through some of the stores in Lincoln Park. LP has a lot of 20-30-somethings and there's a lot of boutique-y thrift stores where you're much more likely to find a deal, like Luxury Garage Sale (http://www.yelp.com/biz/luxury-garage-sale-chicago). Lincoln Park Zoo is also terrific (and free.) Let me know more about likes/dislikes and I'd be happy to offer lunch/dinner/sightseeing suggestions.
teach4apples Posted January 21, 2015 Author Report Posted January 21, 2015 Wow Aaron! Thanks so much for all of these great tips! She's been on her own in London and NYC, so she gets the importance of being aware of her environment, but one can never be reminded too much. Thanks for the pointing out areas that are less-frequented and lighter traffic times. She will love every place you wrote down. Seriously! The fact that there's a really nice market is great because she's gluten-intolerant and definitely NOT on a room service budget. Lol. Mom sprung for the short flight and hotel room, and rest is on her. :) She will likely attend plays/musicals while she is there so any great post-theatre haunts that you know of would be awesome. Thanks again Aaron. So helpful.
AaronJB Posted January 21, 2015 Report Posted January 21, 2015 Very happy to help! :) Second City is a famed theater company in the Lincoln Park area, with a number of famous grads (Tina Fey, Bill Murray, Steve Carrell, countless others, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_alumni_of_the_Second_City.) That's certainly a fun option and can be combined with the nearby Lincoln Park Zoo and Lincoln Park. The Hyatt is a very easy walk from Eataly, which is effectively a tremendous Italian grocery/upscale food mall. Eataly is nutty crowded during the busiest periods (lunch, dinner), but it's a GORGEOUS place and fun to even justbrowse around. In terms of cheap theater tickets, http://www.hottix.org/index.aspx is a discounted ticket service in Chicago. It's not the world's greatest option, but a cheap option to consider is Flat Top Grill (http://www.yelp.com/biz/flat-top-grill-chicago-7), which is an "all you can eat" Stir Fry option. If you pay for it, you can keep going back again and again. A somewhat pricier option is Chicago Raw (http://www.yelp.com/biz/chicago-raw-chicago), which has plenty of gluten free options and is a decent walk from the Hyatt, walking along the river. Lyfe Kitchen (http://www.yelp.com/biz/lyfe-kitchen-chicago) in River North is also quite popular and has a number of gluten free options. Native Foods Cafe (https://www.nativefoods.com/) would also be another option. A new favorite option downtown just off Michigan Ave is Capital One Cafe (http://www.yelp.com/biz/capital-one-360-caf%C3%A9-chicago-2), which is actually from the financial company. It's a slick, brighter Starbucks with cheaper prices. Great, great place to stop and take a brake on the way to something else. You'll find a lot more in the way of reasonable prices in Lincoln Park, as well as a wide variety of food, including Asian Fusion (Del Seoul, http://www.yelp.com/biz/del-seoul-chicago?osq=banh+mi), Tapas (Cafe Ba-ba-Reeba!, another Lettuce Entertain You restaurant, http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g35805-d430790-Reviews-Cafe_Ba_Ba_Reeba-Chicago_Illinois.html), Thai (http://www.yelp.com/biz/noodles-in-the-pot-chicago, Noodles in the Pot), traditional diner (http://www.yelp.com/biz/nookies-chicago, Nookies) and lots more. Yolk (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g35805-d2048880-Reviews-Yolk-Chicago_Illinois.html) is a great breakfast option a few blocks North of the Hyatt. Do look at Travelzoo Local Deals, Groupon and Restaurant.com for restaurant coupons. Travelzoo currently has a discounted deal for March 4th for the Gold Coast Food Festival. If the evening for that night is open, that seems like a decent deal for 35% off, although there does look to be a dress code. (http://www.travelzoo.com/local-deals/Chicago/Other/158332/Taste-of-the-Gold-Coast) The Garrett Popcorn shops located in different parts of the city are a popular tourist option, but I'll say I don't recommend them - the popcorn certainly isn't bad, but it's ridiculously expensive for what it is and on a budget, money is better spent elsewhere. Navy Pier - especially in the Winter - is also something I'd definitely not recommend. It's an expensive tourist trap. I'll definitely add further to this thread if I think of anything, but please let me know if you have any questions.
teach4apples Posted February 6, 2015 Author Report Posted February 6, 2015 Thank you so much! I'm sorry I was so pokey in replying! I will share your information with my daughter! Thank you again!
teach4apples Posted February 6, 2015 Author Report Posted February 6, 2015 I just happily shared your last post with my daughter, and she is thrilled with the specificity and really thoughtful and fun responses. Thank you again. Now I want to go there! :)
AaronJB Posted February 6, 2015 Report Posted February 6, 2015 Very happy to help! :) If any other city questions come up between now and the stay please post them here and I'd be happy to respond.
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