Lali Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 I'm going to be in Chicago for 1st time in June with my husband and teen daughter. It looks like summer is a prime time season so can't go by the prices I see the hotels going for right now. What would you suggest I start at for the NMA area and not many rebid strategies since I'm looking for inexpensive? I'm willing to go for the 2 1/2 star since they don't seem that bad to me... the 4star are nice but checking hotels at this time period looks like even the 2 star places are going for $250-300 yikes. Main objective is to be near shopping since we will not have a car. Can anyone tell me if the subways are safe to travel on? I've been told dangerous and to stay off of them which limits mobility? Is it possible to get a decent hotel for less than $150? Link to comment
GM Mike Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 Please update your MONTREAL and OTTAWA stays with what you ended up doing, then several of us have answers to your questions.Also, please give us a firm dollar limit for this stay, firm dates, and an idea of what sorts of things you'd like to be doing in the city. Link to comment
Lali Posted February 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 I ended up staying at Westin Ottawa for 2 nites(which I posted) then driving up and staying at a B & B in Montreal and then returning to Ottawa for my Conference and staying at a B & B close to the hotel since I was scared that my bid on Priceline might end me up with one of the hotels on the other side of town, decided to play it safe and stay for location. It was being held at the Crowne and I didn't want to end up on the Westin side although it was very nice there. Link to comment
Lali Posted February 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 June 21-24 ... trying to rent a car to go visit friend on 24 so would like to be somewhat near the Alamo car rental on La Salle on the 24. I have back up right now @ the Hilton Garden for the 22-24 but it seems like the 21 is already highly booked or rooms are blocked by conventions so was going to book a back up for this day at hotel near the airport. We could commute in the 1st day then stay downtown for 2 days. So guess my limit is $200 since that is what my backup is. Filene's Basement shopping and seeing Marshall's would be the type of shopping. Link to comment
GM Mike Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 Looking at the Chicago Conventions Calendar, the Plastics show is June 19-23 with 75,000 attendees estimated. That's one of the reasons why things are expensive for your dates.You are arriving on the 21st and departing on the 25th, for four nights of hotels, correct?Hotwire shows availability in NMA for all nights of your stay, 4* at $211. If you look at only 23-35, it drops to $191. Others may have a different opinion, but that indicates to me that hotels are aiming to get as many guests as possible above the Plastics convention rate. Here's a link to Plastics Show Convention Rates for hotels. You can't book them, but they could help frame your expectations.I think you could save a considerable amount of money splitting your bid. Ultimately the first two nights will be the issue.What do you think of splitting your bid? Are you familiar with the implications of that?Did you want to try for a hotel in the Loop for the final night, so you can be close to the car rental place? Link to comment
Lali Posted February 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 I think I'm familiar with the hotel splitting... to try to get a better overall price vs. higher rates for all nites? My husband isn't too keen on too much moving so I have to watch it there. I thought the loop meant the more southern area and thought the car rental was little more north... also was wary of putting in for the loop? since the reviews that I've read here and at tripadvisor seem to mark some of those hotels as smaller? and there are 3 of us so wanted to increase the chances that the hotels would have 2 beds in the room when I call if I win the hotel? I tried putting in bids up to $120 for NMA 2.5 and 3 stars.. got rejected... saw someone got $161 for a 4* for the loop about that period? is NMA usually higher? My other option is just waiting till the last minute to see if they release block rooms closer to the date? I just wondered if anyone more informed... didn't want to overbid if I didn't need to. Link to comment
AaronJB Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 What appears to be The Palmer House (description on the hotel page starts with..: "Ideally located in the heart of Chicago`s LOOP, This hotel offers modern conveniences combined with over one hundred years of elegance....") is showing on easyclicktravel.com for $189 for 21-24. That would be a perfectly fine hotel - in terms of shopping, it's a couple of blocks from Marshalls (or soon to be Macy's, I guess). Given what I'm seeing in terms of rates due to the convention, it'd be a fine back-up if you want to continue bidding on PL orjust a fine choice in general if PL doesn't work out. It's not right near the car rental, but you could very easily take a pretty short cab ride from the hotel there.The subways are not dangerous, you just need to use common sense like any other big city. I wouldn't travel on them later at night, but they're fine during the day. Link to comment
Lali Posted February 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2006 thks ... will check out Link to comment
Lali Posted February 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2006 It was the Hilton Palmer and it looks nice... I booked it as backup and would be happy if I don't get anything else :-) thxs again. Link to comment
AaronJB Posted February 25, 2006 Report Share Posted February 25, 2006 Awesome! :) Glad I could help! The other nice thing about the Palmer House is that about 3 or 4 different "L"/subway stations are located within a few blocks of the hotel. The lowest price I see on hilton.com for the Palmer House for June 21-24 is $251, so you did get a good deal.Additionally, the Alamo on LaSalle is closer than I realized, so walking there (or a very brief cab ride) should be no trouble. Link to comment
GM Mike Posted February 26, 2006 Report Share Posted February 26, 2006 Note that if you used hotwire it's not so much a backup... you can't cancel a hotwire reservation.But the Palmer House is a fine hotel in a fine location. You'll like it. Link to comment
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