Priceline Hotel: 4* Chicago (NMA-River North) Sheraton Towers

[tanabutler]

I am attending a convention on Friday and Saturday at the Chicago Cultural Center downtown (78 E. Washington) and would like to be as close as possible.

Is it possible that any of these hotels have high-speed internet access but just don't have it listed as an amenity? (It's mandatory for me.)

Thank you in advance. :)

4-star hotel in NMA: $96

This upscale establishment offers thoughtful features, quality rooms and a high level of service.

* Restaurant(s)

* Fitness Center

* High-speed Internet Access

* Business Center

4-star hotel in Chicago Loop: $105

* Restaurant(s)

* Pool(s)

* Fitness Center

* Business Center

3.5-star hotel in South and West of Loop: $89

* Restaurant(s)

* Pool(s)

* Fitness Center

* High-speed Internet Access

* Business Center

3.5-star hotel in Magnificent Mile - Wacker Drive: $94

Customer Favorite!

* Restaurant(s)

* Pool(s)

* Fitness Center

* Business Center

3-star hotel in NMA: $83

Customer Favorite!

* Restaurant(s)

* Fitness Center

* Business Center

* Laundry Facilities

[GM Mike]

Now, mind you, I'm just going from the HOTWIRE ILLINOIS HOTEL LIST conveniently located here, but, in order, the BEST GUESSES would be:

1) Ambassador East, Westin, Drake

2) Chicago Hilton and Towers

3) Hyatt Regency McCormick Place

4) Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers

5) Not yet identified

Remember, these are only guesses, according to what we've seen.

#2 would be a pretty long walk to your convention. The others are probably going to be a cab ride.

I leave it up to you to determine if there's Internet access at these places.

Have you considered using priceline? There's a list here of the MOST LIKELY hotels to come up. You could look at the most likely 4* hotels in The Loop, see if they have high speed access, then probably save even more than hotwire is offering.

Do you have a convention rate somewhere? What's your backup plan?

[tanabutler]

I might use Priceline, but for some reason, it makes me nervous.

There is no convention rate that I'm aware of: I'm on a panel of speakers. The woman coordinating the panel used Hotwire (and scored the Drake for under $100).

I already have a room booked at the Hotel 71, but I know I can get a better price using HW or PL.

Thanks for the tip about #2 being far away. I don't know the city at all.

[thereuare]

The only way to guarantee that the hotel has internet access is if an icon is shown. While i'm sure most (but not all) hotels in a large city such as Chicago do have hi-speed internet access, you will have no recourse against hotwire if the hotel you receive does not have hi-speed internet (unless of course that icon is shown on the hotel you decide to purchase). Even if you use our guesses below to determine if the hotel does indeed offer internet or not, suppose you buy one that you 'know' offers internet but when you get there the service is down for some reason... if no internet icon was shown then you'd have no recourse, but i think you would if Hotwire showed that amenity. (the previous scenario is unlikley, but just using as an example)

Note our guesses below are in a different order than you posted above:

4* NMA - Ambassador East, Drake, Westin... they all look alike, but i'd favor this being the Ambassador East, although all three are possible

3* NMA - least sure of this one, but i believe it to to be the Senaca

4* Loop - Hilton

3.5* Mag Mile - Sheraton

3.5* South and West - Hyatt

Let us know how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[tanabutler]

I'm trying priceline right now and BOY, am I nervous!

[tanabutler]

So I don't understand the re-bid zone fully. I can only add NMA to the Loop area where I want to stay.

Now what? PM is fine, unless my ignorance will help another foolish person like me learn how this works.

[tanabutler]

So the first round passed...they told me that I could get a room if I wanted to raise my bid by $22, which I do not want to do yet.

[thereuare]

What amounts and zones did you bid?

Re-bidding is expalined in Priceline Re-Bidding Explained, which we would encourage you to read, ask questions, and confirm your re-bid zones before proceeding.

[tanabutler]

Well, I read that whole rebidding thing but I couldn't add but one zone to my bid, and didn't know if there was a zone without a four-star in it that I could have added. (I didn't want to get stuck in the boondocks!) I wanted a 4-star in the Loop, and was willing to add NMA to the bid. And it turned me down at $60 and $70 (both in the Loop and NMA), and at $80 in the Loop. But when I added NMA to the bid, it gave me the Sheraton Chicago Tower.

I'd have preferred to be in the Loop, but it's only one mile from the convention, and the weather is supposed to be bearable (in the fifties with a chance of rain).

Maybe I can get a room with a view. :)

So what I got is Sheraton Chicago Tower, $80, March 9 and 10.

Thank you for helping a fumbling newbie.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your win.

For the future, from the first post of Priceline Re-Bidding Explained:

The way to check what star levels are available in each zone is to open a Priceline page, check ONLY the zone you are inquiring about, and then proceed to the next page (as if you were going to select a zone)... this will give you the available star ratings in that area. You can then hit BACK on your browser, uncheck the current box, check the next box, and repeat the process. It is important to do this before EACH attempt at adding a zone that you really don't want, as new hotels can be added and the star ratings can change at any time.

Enjoy your stay.

[AaronJB]

- While it's *not* guaranteed, there shouldn't be much problem in getting a room with at least a moderately nice view. Without asking, I got a room on the 25th floor looking out at both the city and the lake. Although there are some rooms on lower floors that may not offer a view, most rooms either look at the city, the lake or the river.

- Room service in the hotel is quite expensive (no vending), and a better choice would be a couple of blocks East at Fox and Obel, which is a lovely high-end corner grocery at Illinois and McClurg. They have plenty of snacks and prepared meals. There is also a very nice, although somewhat less ritzy grocery across the street of F & Obel.

- There is also a Walgreens across from the hotel for snacks/toiletries, as well as PJ Clarkes restaurant.

- I'd recommend joining the Starwood Preferred Program (at spg.com; free to join). While you won't get points for the room, you should get points for any incidentals, and it *may* help you in getting a better room selection, although that's not guaranteed.

[loanshark]

Shouldn't this thread be in the Priceline - Illinois section, and not the Hotwire - Illinois Section? I believe Priceline has the Sheraton listed as a 4* hotel, and Hotwire assigns 3.5*'s to this property.

Thanks!!!

[thereuare]

Moved... thanks.

[tanabutler]

Just wanted to let everyone know that all I had to do was ask for a room as high up as I could get. The nice desk clerk gave me a room on the 28th floor, overlooking the river and the city. It was a corner room with two views, one of which was southwest over the river/city, and the other west.

The room was very attractively furnished; the pillows were great; the bed was excellent. It was contemporary without being sterile or corporate-feeling. Also, it was a spacious room. I'm guessing 20' x 15' or so.

It was definitely the best $80 I've ever spent on a hotel room in my life.

NOTE: DSL is extra, and they didn't tell me that up front. No biggie, but it added another $25 to my stay for two night.

EXTRA FUN NOTE: Chicago is very big on St. Patrick's Day. On the Saturday I was there (March 11), they dyed the river green for the big parade. The honor of doing this was sold on eBay, a cab driver told me. Check it out.

[thereuare]

Please post photos at our sister site, RealHotelPhotos.com and do not hotlink... this gives us more control in preventing broken links in the future (you can add links to the photos at RHP).