Priceline Hotel: Grant Park/Loop Area Help 11/16-19/06

[vermilionroad1]

I am confused. I have used Priceline several times. Namely for the Mpls, MN area. I am trying to get a 4* in the Chicago, Grant Park/Loop area for 11/16-11/19. I tried this evening with no luck. As I see it, using the re-zone strategy, I have only three re-zone bids for a 4* in this area. But I see other posts in the ILL forum for a 4* in this very area and they seem to have bid at least 10 times. What am I missing? I see Midway and Skokie as the only two free re-zone bids. Please help. This is a big birthday for me and I really want to stay at a nice hotel in this area.

Thanking you in advance.

Cathy in Duluth

[AaronJB]

Moved your post to...its own post. :)

1. The Skokie area is no longer a free rebid due to recently (a week or two ago) getting a 4* option of its own. If you bid 4* in Skokie, you may *get* a 4* in Skokie now. While the one possible (that I can think of) 4* in that area is pretty nice, it's probably not what you want. :)

2. What is your budget?

3. What are you looking to do in Chicago? I only ask because it'll help me recommend (I'm from Chicago) where best to look/bid.

[vermilionroad1]

Thank you for your quick response. Wow, I really would have been bummed if I had gotten a hotel in Skokie. Thanks!! How did the bidder I looked at try for a 4* in the Grant Park/Loop area so many times? I am not a newbie, but do not understand how he did it. We would like to stay within walking distance of Art, fine restaurants and great shopping. We will be flying in from Mpls, MN and do not plan on renting a car. We really do not want to have to take a cab everywhere. I would like something a little more upscale as hopefully I will only turn 40 once. The Hotel Monaco and the Palmer House look like my style. I love old things. Can you help me bid a 4* in this area? I would like to spend no more than $120 per night. 11/16 - 11/19 (Thurs - Sun)

Cathy in Duluth

[AaronJB]

Have you already bit up to $120? Given that Hotwire is showing a 4* in the Loop area (which looks like it could possibly be the Hilton and Towers) for $156, I'd be surprised if you were not able to get a loop hotel for around the $110-115 range on Priceline.

Not sure how the prior poster you mention bid, but with the Skokie zone no longer offering a rebid opportunity, that takes away from the amount of possible re-bids.

The River North/North Michigan Ave. area would also be within easy public transit distance (or, in the case of some of the River North/NMA hotels, walking distance) of the Art Institute. However, the issue with bidding for a 4* in that area is the relatively high chance of getting the Millennium Knickerbocker, a 4* with a great location right in the middle of the River North/NMA shopping area and a lot of history (it was one of Capone's hangouts in the 20's; there was a secret doorway reportedly found; it was also the Playboy Club in the '70s), but *very* hit-and-miss rooms (and, as such, reviews that are either satisfied or quite upset).

Here are the reviews for the Knickerbocker: http://chicago-hotels.tripadvisor.com/Hote...o_Illinois.html

As you can see - either positive or completely negative.

[vermilionroad1]

Last night I bid up to $100 and ran out of re-zone options. I see only one re-zone option now if Skokie is indeed out of the picture. As I am not traveling for a few weeks, I thought I would start slow. But now will need to kick it in each night as I only really have two bids to make. I think I will just start at $110. Do you feel Grant Park/Loop is the best spot for my needs? I really want this to be a great weekend. Thank you

[AaronJB]

In terms of getting around Chicago, it's really quite easy to get to museums, shopping and other activities whether you're staying in the Loop area South of the River or the River North/NMA area North of the River. However, in terms of bidding on Priceline, I think the Millennium Park/Loop/Grant Park area is somewhat less risky in terms of quality. The River North/NMA area has some wonderful hotels (the Intercontinental, the Westins, the Omni, The Drake) and some pretty good ones (the Wyndham, W Lakeshore) but there are others (the Knickerbocker, the Sheraton) that (personally) I would be pretty unhappy about getting on PL.

The least of the 4* hotels in the Millennium Park/Loop/GP area is the Hyatt, which I still don't think is too bad (it's just a huge - biggest hotel in Chicago - and impersonal convention hotel) and it offers a very central location. The other hotel that gets mixed reviews in the Loop is the W City Center, but I actually liked the W, as I thought its style was quite different than the norm. The other common 4* hotels in the area would be the Palmer, the Hilton and Towers and the Hard Rock. Occasionally seen are the Monaco and Burnham, as well as the Swiss.

The Hard Rock gets some mixed reviews, but in terms of historic, it does reside in the former Carbon and Carbide building, a historic landmark work from famed architect Daniel Burnham. The Hilton and Towers on South Michigan is another historic hotel, but there is not much going on the blocks right around it, aside from apartments and college buildings. It is, however, not a far walk from the Hilton to the museum campus (about 1/4-1/2 a mile walk SE of the hotel, through Grant Park) and it's not a far walk from that Hilton (about 6-7 blocks North) to the Art Institute.

The majority of shopping is in the River North/NMA area, although there are some major stores (Macy's - AKA the former Marshall Fields) on State St. in the Loop. However, the main museums and the theatre district or in (or just a little bit South of) the Loop. Millennium Park is also in the loop, next to the Art Institute.

You may also want to stop at one of the two visitor's centers downtown to see if they have a Chicago Guidebook of Special Values. These are square blue booklets (free) that offer a nice assortment of coupons for various attractions.

Visitor's Centers:

Chicago Cultural Center

77E . Randolph at Michigan Ave.

Monday - Friday 10am - 6pm, Saturday, 10am - 5pm, Sunday 11am - 5pm; Closed Thanksgiving & Christmas

Chicago Water Works

163 E. Pearson at Michigan Ave.

Open Daily 7:30am - 7:00pm

Closed Thanksgiving & Christmas

Happy early 40th B-day :)

[AaronJB]

Were you able to get a hotel for these dates? :)