Priceline Hotel: Honeymooning in Chicago (10/15/07-10/20/07)

[Cheffreygo]

Hello all,

I am brand new to this site, so please be patient with me :)

Basically, I'm beginning to plan my honeymoon in Chicago in Mid October (15th-20th). I'm trying to get some tips on bidding to get a really nice hotel near the Miracle Mile. Does anyone have any suggestions? We've never been to Chicago before so needless to say, we're very excited!

Please feel free to leave me any suggestions you may have!

Thanks,

Jeff

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

What is your nightly budget?

If you look at priceline's zones for this region, which zone(s) are you willing to accept? (only the North Michigan Ave zone or would you include the Millenium Park-Loop-Grant Park zone too?)

Are you ready to begin bidding now?

[AaronJB]

On a good note, Happy Honeymoon!! :)

On a bad note, rates are very high for these dates (generally $250/275-400+) in Chicago right now and even the deep discount rates on HOTWIRE don't seem like much of a discount.

There are no major conventions listed on these dates right now, so hopefully this is just an instance of it being so far out that hotels have not adjusted their rates yet.

As a cheaper (well, in comparison to other regular rate possibilities), you may want to consider the Buckingham Athletic Club. The BAC is an upscale, private athletic club in the Chicago Stock Exchange Building in the South Loop area. They have 21 rooms that they do rent to the public and the nice aspect is that their rates do not change with how busy it gets. The 5-star restaurant, Everest is on the same floor. You also get a continental breakfast and, given that the rooms are on the 40th floor, you do get good views.

The BAC is not in the most central location in the South Loop and that area is quiet at night, but during the day it is close to public transit, the Sears Tower and not far from the museum campus and the Art Institute/Millennium Park. You're also not too far from State St. shopping. You also get use of the club's fitness equipment. You can see the Club's website at bac-chicago.com

The hotel is $180 on Hotels.com for these dates.

I also see what appears to be (it is one of their "off-the-record" properties) the Whitehall for $146 on EasyClickTravel for these dates. That hotel is an older boutique hotel in a fantastic location just half a block from the Michigan Ave. shopping area. You don't get the same sort of amenities here as you would at the Buckingham above and the reviews for the Whitehall are mixed but the location is fantastic and the $146 price is a good discount off regular rate. This is another instance where it'll work as a "back-up" and hopefully you will find another good deal via Priceline or Hotwire closer to your date.

The possible Whitehall is here: Whitehall Hotel

[Cheffreygo]

To answer your questions, thereauare, my nightly budget is around $200 / night.

The areas I'm interested in are the N. Michigan Ave zone and the Millenium Park- Loop- Grant Park zones. we're new to Chicago and we'll be using the L-Train so we just need to be in an exciting area close to transportation.

I could start bidding soon, but I'm not sure whether or not it's best to wait until closer to the honeymoon to get better rates or not?

I want to get the nicest, most memorable room for our honeymoon, but for around $200.

AaronJB, I looked at the BAC and it looks really nice! Thanks for the tip... I'll definitely check it out!

So now I have a couple follow-up questions...

1- Is it better to wait until closer to the honeymoon to book?

2- Are there any good ways to book a suite on these websites?

3- Any general Chicago tips?

Thanks again!

[AaronJB]

Personally, I would recommend booking something cancellable now and then keeping an eye on Hotwire rates.

The two options I found under $200 have their pros and cons. The BAC is a very nice facility with gorgeous views, free use of a very extensive athletic club and the Everest restaurant right there (if you want a special meal to celebrate, you wouldn't have to leave the building.)

The BAC is near transit and near the Sears Tower and State St. shopping. It is a bit of a walk to the Museum Campus, but it's a pretty walk, through Grant Park. You're closer to the museum campus here than you would be if you were staying in Michigan Ave. You're also not a far walk from the Art Institute and Millennium Park. Michigan Ave. is further away, but - quite honestly - nothing's that far in downtown Chicago. It's not like trying to get from Times Square to Battery Park in NYC in terms of distance. The only issue with the BAC area is that you're going to find it's quiet at night, with not much at all going on. You'll need to take a cab or transit up to the River North/North Michigan Ave. area.

The Whitehall is an older hotel and it doesn't offer the same kind of amenities as the BAC. However, it's "location location location." You're in the middle of the Michigan Ave. shopping area, with Water Tower right there. It's a further trek to the museums, but this is an area that's going to have more going on in the evenings.

The other thought is this: spend a couple of days in the Loop area and while you will not find it offers much nightlife, it'll put you closer to museums and you can spend the days concentrating on seeing the various museums. For example, one day you could visit the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum, then go up to the top of the Sears Tower towards the evening and browse Macy's on State St. The next day you could see Millennium Park, the Art Institute and take a boat trip.

Then spend 3 days in the River North/North Michigan Ave. area, which is just North, over the river. You can visit the many restaurants there, concentrate on shopping and stroll North to the Old Town area and the Lincoln Park Zoo/Lincoln Park area.

I'm really just throwing out ideas. While I'd still recommend booking something refundable so that you have a back-up in case nothing else comes up, you definitely have time to plan out your stay.

You could try Priceline, but I would definitely start low and not go very high, as these dates are pretty far in advance and PL may not have inventory yet (Hotwire really doesn't have much of anything.)

[Cheffreygo]

Thanks so much, Aaron!

Another quick question... is Miracle Mile part of Michigan Ave, or a separate part of town. I'm unfamiliar with Chicago's downtown, so how is all of that set up?

Sorry for all of the silly questions!

[AaronJB]

Not silly at all! It's best to ask before you go! I love helping people with finding their way around the city because when they arrive, they know where they're going (so they don't stand out as a tourist), they know how to get here and they can then make the best use of their time.

That said, The Mag Mile is the term for the stretch of Michigan Ave. from the river at the South end to about Oak Street at the North end.

Just a few minutes walk to the West of the South half of the Mag Mile area is the River North area, which offers a wide variety of dining (Frontera Grill, Fogo De Chao, Ed Debevics, Rainforest Cafe, Portillos, etc. etc.) The Hancock Tower/Observatory is on Michigan Ave. and Navy Pier (which I don't recommend spending much time at, it offers great views but is otherwise a tourist trap) is just a little bit East, on the lakefront. Near Navy Pier on Illinois and McClurg is Fox and Obel Cafe and Market (fox-obel.com), a great upscale market and cafe similar to NYC's Dean and Deluca. They offer breakfast, lunch and dinner and while their meals are a dollar or two more than they average restaurant, they are actually a pretty good deal when you take into account the kind of high quality ingredients. Here are a couple of examples off the menu:

Fox & Obel Charbroiled Black Angus Steak Burger $9

House ground Black Angus beef, red onion, red leaf lettuce, beefsteak tomato and pickle on a brioche bun, with French Fries

Roast Beef & Blue Brie $9.50

House roasted Black Angus beef, caramelized onion, beefsteak tomato, blue brie, red leaf lettuce & Dijon mayonnaise on baguette

Truffled Eggs Benedict $10

Two poached eggs on top of a toasted English muffin with Canadian bacon and truffled Hollandaise sauce, garnished with shaved truffle.

Just to the West of the top end of the North Michigan Ave. area is the Gold Coast area, which also offers some very nice restaurants and quite a few bars. However, I'd recommend the River North area more if you're looking for nightlife, as the upscale bars in the Gold Coast area are clumped too close together and you have to make your way through the drunken crowds.

In the River North area, things are much more spread out. A nice place if you're looking for a glass of wine in the evening is Bin 36, a wine bar in the House of Blues complex on the river. They are all about educating customers about wine - definitely no attitude, Would have dinner at more of a traditional restaurant (such as Frontera Grill nearby, or one of many other places), but if you're looking for a very nice, upscale place to have a drink and are nearby, it's a good choice. If you're looking for a drink and fun, go a couple of doors down from Bin 36 to the 10 Pin Alley. That's an upscale, slick bowling alley also in the House of Blues Complex, which offers a full bar, waitresses that will serve you at the alley, video screens above the lanes and a surprisingly high-end (for a bowling alley) choice of snacks on the menu.

South of the river is the Loop area. That is mainly a business district, but also offers a somewhat smaller shopping area along State St. The Art Institute, Millennium Park and the Sears Tower are in the Loop, as well as the theatre district.

Just SE of the Loop, along the Lakefront, is the museum campus, which is where the Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium and Field Museum are located (all next to each other.)

Further to the North (by about a 15-20 minute walk) from the North end of the North Michigan Ave. area is the Lincoln Park area. You'll find the Zoo there (free), the Peggy Notabert Nature Museum (which offers a live butterfly exhibit) and quite a wide variety of shops and restaurants. The LincolN Park Conservatory (next to the zoo's NW gate, also free) often has some great flower shows.

Just a few minutes SW of the Zoo is the Old Town area, which includes Zanies Comedy Club, the famous Second City comedy club and a small selection of shops and restaurants, including one of my favorite places to browse, the Spice House (a husband/wife run herb/spice store that offers "themed" blends based on local neighborhoods and some incredibly fresh spices that are cheaper than your local grocery. It's almost worth stopping in just to smell the sample portions that are located around the store.)

[Cheffreygo]

Thank you so much! That helps a lot!

[AaronJB]

No problem and please feel free to ask any questions that come up between now and your honeymoon. I'm always around and happy to help.

[Cheffreygo]

I'm going on a honeymoon from October 15-20 in Chicago and I'm wondering if it's possible to book a 4* and then upgrade to a suite?

[runNgun]

anything is possible if you are willing to pay for the upgrade......

[AaronJB]

If you bid on Priceline (or purchase on Hotwire), it all depends on which hotel you get. Many hotels do not have suites but upgraded rooms which may or may not be worth it. Some hotels may not even let you pay the upgrade fee. Some hotels may not let PL/HW customers upgrade, some may not on busier days and sometimes, it may just come down to who you talk to at the desk.

On the flip side, some upgrades may not be worth it. I upgraded for $50 at the Westin River North to a river view room and it was the best $50 ever; absolutely stunning views and I just sat there for a couple of hours staring out up the river and at the nearby area.

Not long after, I paid $30 for a Michigan Ave. view at the Westin Michigan Ave. and got a sorta view of a couple of blocks worth of Michigan Ave and more of a view of the parking garage at the Hancock.

My suggestion if you really want an upgrade is to book it conventionally, because you really have no guarantee of getting one with Priceline or Hotwire.

[thereuare]

I'd also look at Quickbook which often has good ratesand offers a variety of room types at each property.

[Cheffreygo]

Okay, I realize that it's been a couple of months since I created this thread, but I just began bidding and I need help from all of you experts. Basically, I keep seeing everyone getting "name your own price" rooms for around $100. We decided just to bid for 4* rooms in North Michigan Ave River North area and leave our honeymoon in the hands of priceline.com. Risky, but fun and adventurous. Anyway, I started bidding at $70 (I know it's low, but what the heck!). I then went $80, $90, $100, $115, $130, $137, $145 and got declined each time.

Do you all think that we should wait a while and try again? I don't really understand why most people are getting $100 rooms and I can't even get one for $145. My dates are 10/15/2007-10/20/2007, 4*,NMA River North. Any tips? I will be happy as long as I get a 4* room in that area for those dates.

[thereuare]

Rates are date specific... using our BetterChecker i was able to quickly check rates at various properties in this zone for your dates... the Sheraton was $495/nite :) , the Millennium Knickerbocker nearly $300, and the Inter-Continental at almost $400... these rates are much higher than usual so you will therefore likley need a much higher bid than usual to be accepted.

However, there is still plenty of time between now and your honeymoon, so i would try to find a suitable back-up and continue to try to bid (once a week is plenty). Some suggested back ups...

The Whitehall mentioned above is still available at $146/nite, but if that is not acceptable, short of finding anything better, i see the Palmer House Hilton for $243/nite.

EDIT TO ADD: just noticed the Palmer House is actually only $192 for the last 4 nites of your stay (a whopping $4xx for the first nite)... if you're willing to SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID, you could reserve the last 4 nites at under $200/nite (at least as a cancellable back-up) and stay someplace else the first nite of your stay.

[Cheffreygo]

As a general rule, do hotels hike prices up at first in hopes to book up their rooms at retail and eventually move them back down if they're not filled up by closer to the date? I want to strategise as wisely as possible so any input helps.

[thereuare]

For the most part, it's just like any other business... prices are a function of supply vs. demand.

Rates are currently high for your dates, so one could deduce, that demand is up as well. Remember that the opaque suppliers are given excess inventory (rooms the hotels don't think they'll see themselves)... so if demand is up, hotels are less likely to give rooms to the opaque suppliers (why give away a deeply discounted room if you think you can sell it yourself at a much higher rate). Likewise, if a hotel is currently slow on bookings they may give inventory to the opaque suppliers (so you could be successful now)... but as time moves on they begin to get more rerservations than they expect, they'll then pull any inventory they have given the opaque suppliers (which haven't yet been sold).

See the related link in our PRICELINE FAQ (bid early or close to check-in) for a further discusssion.

If you're willing to split the i think the Palmer Houe Hilton is a very good rate based upon current prices, and it's cancellable up until a few days before your stay, so i wouldn't "watch" that too long as it too may disappear on you.

[Cheffreygo]

I'm starting to get worried! :) I probably should have taken your advice about booking the Palmer House, but I didn't! (I'm feeling kind of mornic now!)

Now I'm starting to get worried since my honeymoon is 5 and a half weeks away. I have a room booked at the W City Center for the 18th and 19th of October, but I'm still looking for a room for the 15th-18th. Everywhere I look is SUPER expensive... $280 and up... for lame hotels! Uh oh!

I've bid on priceline (using the savingsbarn link, of course) up to $185 with no luck in the NMA area. Maybe I'll have to try for the loop.

Any advice on where I can get a room for those 3 nights under $200 preferably 4* in NMA - Miracle Mile or somewhere close to there?

[Cheffreygo]

I just found a 4* in NMA - Water Tower - Gold Coast on hotwire for $226/night. According to the list of amenities it has to be either the Drake, Ambassador East or Westin. Should I hold out for a better deal or take it?

[thereuare]

If it helps your decision at all, i think the hotel above is more likely the Ambassador East than the other two (at least that's my guess).

Please remember to use this HOTWIRE link to begin any purchases you make.

Let us know what you decide or if we can be of further help.

[AaronJB]

*****Edited to add: I offer some comments about the Ambassador East in this message, but below this I discuss what I think is potentially an even better deal (and better hotel for the occasion.)******

$226 is a bit much for the Ambassador East, but the benefit of that location is that, while not central (it is on the North end of the general downtown area), it is very close to North Michigan Ave. shopping, there are a lot of nice restaurants in the Gold Coast area and the blocks directly around the Ambassador East are lined with gorgeous (in some cases historic - there's an early Frank Lloyd Wright/Louis Sullivan work a few blocks away) and seriously expensive - apartments. The Zoo/Lincoln Park and Old Town are also not far N. The restaurants and shops of the Gold Coast area start 2-3 blocks South.

I like the Ambassador East and it does have some neat history; its Pump Room restaurant is legendary and served as a stopover (as did the hotel) for many classic screen actors, and some of the hotels suites have been named after famed actors who've stayed in them. You can read about the Pump Room's history here: http://www.pumproom.com/history.html. Hitchcock filmed some scenes in "North by Northwest" at the Ambassador East. Led Zepplin apparently trashed a room there once. So, it definitely has a pretty extensive history, and up until recently was an Omni Hotels property (I believe it's a Preferred Hotel now, as is the Hard Rock and Peninsula in Chicago.)

Essentially, a couple/few decades ago and back before that, before all the Westins and Park Hyatts and Peninsulas and whatnot, the Ambassador East was "the" hotel for celebs visiting Chicago. There are many signed photos in the lobby, next to the Pump Room entrance.

Now, as neat as I think the hotel's history is and as nice as I think the area is (and nice for this occasion; you're in a quieter area) and as nice as I think the hotel is, $200+ does start to ask a bit much for the hotel. It's one of the nicer of the historic/older properties in Chicago (rooms have a nice, slightly old-fashioned, but home-y feel), but its amenities are fairly limited, especially in comparison to some of the more modern 4*s that have popped up in the years since.

Overall, $226 is a bit expensive for it, but if that's the cheapest thing, I'd go for it. If it's the Westin or Drake, those are fine, too, especially the Drake. I'm not crazy about that particular Westin as Westins go (I much prefer the other Westin in Chicago), but it's fine and well-located.

As for the W, some people just hate that hotel, I liked it. It's a very unique hotel (as are all Ws), but it is a very dark (both in terms of lighting and color palette) hotel and that will either irritate people or they'll find it comforting. Rooms are also pretty small at the W City Center, as it is a renovated (and pretty well renovated, considering how old the existing property was) hotel that was previously called the Midland.

The issue with the W is that, despite the "City Center" name, this is not a particularly good location for a tourist. It's a prety good walk to just about everything aside from the Sears Tower, and you're going to find that the area around the W can be VERY quiet at night; it's in the financial/business area of the Loop, and when the workers head home in the evening, that's it - a lot shuts down. Where there are some restaurants open at night not far from the hotel, the selection will be rather limited. Although, quite honestly, I actually liked the room service at the W.

Overall though, I do not see the W City Center as a Honeymoon hotel.

[AaronJB]

Hey, even better!

I see a 3* North Michigan Ave/Water Tower/Gold Coast for $179 that has the amenities: fitness, restaurant, business, internet, golf, tennis and spa. That looks like it'd be a match for the Indigo, which would be a block away from where the Ambassador East is. I'd recommend that for $179 over the AE for $226. I'd even recommend that over the Westin.

If this is in fact the Indigo (*can't guarantee it is, but looks like a match), I think it would go over well with your wife, as the Indigo is very cute (but not so cute that guys hate it.) I think it's a sweet little boutique hotel that's very nice. It has a pleasant beach-house theme, with warm colors, hardwood floors and beach-related photo murals as the back wall in each room (sea glass, for example.) Rooms are bright and colorful, as opposed to the more monotone business style of most of the downtown hotels. It's a 3* hotel, but I would take it over a pretty fair number of the 4* hotels in the city.

Edited: I see what appears to be the Indigo for 10/15-20 on Hotwire. Please use the site's HOTWIRE link.

Please let us know what you decide.