Hotwire Hotel: 4* Chicago (Navy Pier - Millennium Park) Sheraton Grand Chicago

[PenskeFile]

Hi all, new to the forum so please be kind 

 

My wife and two sons will be driving up to Chicago later this week.  For part of the time they will be staying with friends, but Friday night (7/15) they're on their own.  We live in Texas and I have had great success in the past when travelling to Dallas and Houston on last-minute (same-day) NYOP deals with PRICELINE.  I think this is mostly because we travel on the weekends and both cities have vast numbers of nice hotel rooms for business travelers that are empty on the weekend.  I suspect this is not as much the case for Chicago, but want to find out.

 

Browsing the board here, it seems that the prices in Chicago will likely be in the $100-$200 range, but I'd like to see if anyone knows of strategies to get a room on a Friday night for less than $100.  The star rating is not critical, 3* or above would be great.    No particular amenities needed, just clean, safe and pleasant.  Parking less than $50 per day would also be nice.

 

Ideally this would be in the downtown area, but if I'm crazy for even thinking such a thing, just let me know and I'll go away and break out the checkbook.

 

 

[AaronJB]

Chicago actually does have some wonderful suburbs if driving where you're likely to find a hotel under $100 (or sometimes well under) and parking is often free vs as high as $60-70 (or higher, remarkably) when parking at the hotel downtown. There are some city lots downtown (such as the Millennium Park garages), but they are still not cheap at around $30-40+ city taxes. In the suburbs, you can then drive to the nearest Metra station and take that downtown.

 

To offer an example, I'm seeing (when searching for 3 people) a 3.5* in the Northbrook area for $59 w/Restaurant, Pool, Indoor Pool, Fitness, Free Internet, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, Golf, Tennis, Free Parking, Blind Accessible, Deaf Accessible, Travel Accessible, Room Accessible, Bathroom Accessible, Handicapped Parking, Roll-in Shower. 

==>> This listing has not yet been ID'd/reported, but I'd guess this is likely the Hyatt Deerfield w/the addition of free internet since last reported to the board.  And that's $59 even with indicating 3 adults, which often leads to higher rates.

 

The Hyatt Deerfield is a short drive from the Chicago Botanic Garden (chicagobotanic.org, no admission but parking cost) and Ravinia (ravinia.org, which is the oldest outdoor music festival in the US, and the venue attracts large names throughout the Summer.)

 

Usually, I'd recommend staying North of the river, but those properties do appear more expensive for these dates. Unfortunately, I think under $100 is going to be unrealistic for these dates, but I do think you could get something nice in the $115-130 +/- a few neighborhood. There's a 4.5* Loop for $139 on Priceline Express (pets, business, restaurant, internet, confirm the correct date appears on the landing screen after clicking the link.) That would be a possible match for the Hyatt Centric the Loop. That's actually the cheapest PRICELINE EXPRESS listing downtown. 

 

Are your sons under 17? If so, then when I search on HOTWIRE for 1 adult and 2 children, the cheapest rate is $135 for a 4* in the Navy Pier Millennium Park area, plus if you click this coupon link, that's another $15 off (expires 7/14.) The amenities with this listing are Pet friendly, Boutique hotel, Smoke-free rooms, Fitness center, Restaurant(s), Business center, Spa services, Accessible for visually impaired, Accessible for hearing impaired, Accessible path of travel, In-room accessibility, Wheelchair accessible, Accessible bathroom, Roll-in shower

==>> Which would be a possible match for the Hard Rock.

 

So, options:

1. Stay in the burbs. If that's the Hyatt for $59, that's a really nice hotel for that kind of price. It is a trade-off, though, and you'll have to take the Metra there and back (around 35-45 minutes each way, although the Metra trains are quite nice.) Plus, free parking at the hotel. Parking at the Metra station may cost a buck or two.

 

2. The PRICELINE EXPRESS listing for $139 in the Loop, which may be the Hyatt Centric or the HOTWIRE potential Hard Rock for $120 ($135-15 coupon) if your sons are under 17. If you search for 3 adults on HOTWIRE, the results are generally more expensive than 1 adult/2 children.

 

3. Bidding. Let us know if this is of interest and we would be happy to offer our thoughts on how to proceed. I don't think you'll be able to get something under $100, but are probably looking at somewhere in the $115-130 neighborhood +/- a few. The issue with bidding is that two beds is not guaranteed.

 

Please let us know your thoughts on the above and let us know if you have any questions before booking. (I'm very familiar with the area, so please also let me know if you have any city questions at all, as well.)

 

Please remember to return to BetterBidding and use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPSandHOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

 

 

 

 

[PenskeFile]

Wow\, thanks Aaron for the quick and detailed response!

 

My sons are 17 and 14, so they should quailify as children.  We are very open to bidding on Priceline, I wasn't very clear, but that was the intent of the post - to get some strategies for bidding on NYOP (Name Your Own Price) for a hotel in the downtown area less than $100.   In talking to my wife again, her goal is to drive downtown to the hotel, park the car (understanding that parking is expensive) and then walk/Uber around for the day/night.  My older son is planning to take in the Texas Rangers v. Cubs game and my wife and other son will probably walk around the Mag mile area.

[thereuare]

55 minutes ago, PenskeFile said:

to get some strategies for bidding on NYOP (Name Your Own Price)

5 hours ago, AaronJB said:

The issue with bidding is that two beds is not guaranteed.

As per AaronJB's reply above... you're willing to accept the risk that PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy and that you could receive a room with only one bed?

 

58 minutes ago, PenskeFile said:

a hotel in the downtown area less than $100.

5 hours ago, AaronJB said:

I don't think you'll be able to get something under $100, but are probably looking at somewhere in the $115-130 neighborhood +/- a few.

If you do decide to go with bidding on PRICELINE, any strategy we suggest will start low (less than $100) and increase gradually up to your maximum bid.  Given it's been noted that $100 does not seem likely to be enough for a win, did you want to stick with this limit or increase it to a maximum bid that would more likely result in a win?

 

Please remember to return to BetterBidding and use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPSandHOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

 

[PenskeFile]

Very good point on the single- vs. double and I'm glad I came to this site, that's part of the intel I was hoping to gain.

 

I've never had an issue with single occupancy in my previous bidding on Priceline.  Does that happen much?  I've probably gone NYOP with my family about 20 times now in the past ten years, but I suppose there is a first time for everything.  If that happened then I guess we would request a roll-away or extra bedding and the kids would draw straws to see who gets the floor or couch.  The hotels we've booked using bidding were usually so empty (and correspondingly cheap)  that it was not an issue, but I get the sense that's not the case in Chicago right now.

 

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but how are you able to keep upping your bid?   I thought you had to switch areas, star levels, dates to do that?   Is that what you do or is there some other super-secret method you use here?

 

 

[PenskeFile]

OK - pulled the trigger using the board HOTWIRE link and I see an extra $15 discount applied.  Sheraton Grand Chicago.

 

Thanks for the help folks!  I'll be back in the future for sure.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

 

Glad to see you did well for this trip (even though it's for the rest of the family) and you/they are pleased with the outcome.

Can you please add a reply to this thread with the amenities HOTWIRE shows for this property, including any 'accessible' amenities, when viewing this purchase using the MY ACCOUNT >> MY TRIPS link on the top right of their home page. (and also confirm the room rate per nite before taxes/fees)

 

44 minutes ago, PenskeFile said:

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but how are you able to keep upping your bid?   I thought you had to switch areas, star levels, dates to do that?   Is that what you do or is there some other super-secret method you use here?

When bidding on PRICELINE we utilize re-bidding techniques as outlined here: Priceline Re-Bidding Explained (but if youi're new to the subject it's highly recommended you confirm your re-bid zones with the board before bidding/proceeding)

Please remember to return to BetterBidding and use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPSandHOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

Thanks.

[PenskeFile]

My pleasure, please see below for a copy/paste and let me know if there is any additional information you need.  I made my reservation without creating a Hotwire account, so this may not be what you need.  I was unable to get my itinerary into the account I just set up because the reservation was made with my wife's email. .  You would think I could add it with the itinerary number, but no.

 

Hotel Amenities

Pet friendly

Indoor pool(s)

Smoke-free rooms

Fitness center

Pool(s)

Restaurant(s)

Business center

Internet access

[thereuare]

All set... thanks for the follow-up!