Hotwire Hotel: 4* Museum Campus/McCormick Place/Soldier Field

[Jenga]

Customer Favorite, 20 reviews. Customer reviews mentioned very high prices in hotel restaurant

Amenities: Fitness Center, Restaurants, High-Speed Internet, Pools, Business Center

I'm guessing the Hyatt McCormick Place-? But I'm new at this. Chicago is super high-priced for these dates. Is $129 a good price for this likely hotel?

The other option would be 3* Mag Mile/Streeterville at $99, listing amenities only as Fitness Center & Hi-Speeed Internet (Inn at Chicago)?

With thanks in advance.

[AaronJB]

The 4* Museum Campus property could be the Hilton Towers or the Hyatt McCormick.

This is a risky purchase, because if it is the Hyatt, this is not a particularly good hotel from a tourist perspective. It's really pretty isolated South of the city. Getting downtown would require either taking a train or the shuttle from the hotel - I wouldn't walk it. There's really nothing much around the hotel itself, aside from McCormick Place - this hotel is primarily for convention traffic.

You may get the Hilton, which is at the South end of downtown and better located, but you definitely risk the Hyatt.

The potential Inn of Chicago is far better located, but not a particularly great property - it's a former Best Western that gets some very mixed reviews.

I'd try bidding on Priceline for a 4* for $125 in the Millennium/Loop/Grant Park or River North/North Michigan Ave. areas and see if you luck out with something other than the Hyatt (which is not located in either Priceline zone.)

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

If you're willing to try bidding for this stay, would you also want to include the NMA-River North zone in your bidding?

If you do decide to go with the above please use this HOTWIRE link to begin any purchases you make.

Let us know if you want to try bidding, and which zone(s) you're willing to accept, and we can suggest a strategy for you to follow.

[Jenga]

Thanks, AaronJB and thereuare! This is so helpful, much appreciated.

Something that slipped into the Customer Comments makes me think this is the Hyatt.

I'm attending an evening workshop about 6 blocks NW of Water Tower Place -- not really sure what neighborhood is closest, Mag Mile, Loop, River North? (I know there are maps, I'm just having trouble getting oriented.) Ideally I'd like someplace that's a resonable cab ride home at night, and that would also allow me to go to the Art Institute or maybe shop in the morning the next day before meeting my husband at the airport. (Don't want to stay out at O'Hare.)

AaronJB, thanks for the heads-up abut the Inn of Chicago. I'll be on my own and don't want to stay anyplace icky. I'd rather pay a little more than risk it.

I've never tried bidding. Do you think I could land a 4* for $100, or would I need to start at $125? Any advice appreciated. Thank you!

[thereuare]

See THIS MAP which showns the location of Water Tower Place in Chicago... then compare to our own Priceline Hotel Map for Chicago. Both maps use the same interface so you should be able to get a sense of location and hotels nearby.

I'm guessing that the NMA-River North area would actually be closer to your location, although each (this zone and the Loop) should probably work out fine given their proximity to each other, but AaronJB would know better than i would given his knowlege of this area.

I believe AaronJB was suggesting to try bidding up to $125 as a 'test' since if the above was the Hilton you would likely win it on priceline... if it was the Hyatt you wouldn't receive it as it's not in the priceline zone.

[AaronJB]

Okay, good information - if you are staying North of Water Tower, you're going to want to try to get something in the River North/NMA area. The Millennium Park/Loop/Grant Park area is further away and would be more of a "secondary" choice if you couldn't get something in the River North/NMA area.

This would be much more expensive, but what appears to be the Hotel Indigo is showing on Hotwire for $223. That would be about 6-8 blocks N/NW of Water Tower.

Otherwise, I'd recommend trying to bid for a 4* in the River North/NMA area of priceline first, then if that doesn't work, we can go from there. If a 4* bid doesn't work, I'd also recommend trying to bid for boutique in the River North/NMA area for $125, as well.

I'm so glad you did not take the potential Hyatt, as if you are going to be staying North of Water Tower, it would have been VERY far from where you need to be.

[AaronJB]

Additionally, if your husband is driving (although this would work if he's not), I'd suggest that you take the Metra back out to the airport instead of the CTA. The Metra trains are much nicer, much more comfortable and even a bit quicker. The difference is that instead of going directly to the airport (which the CTA trains do), the Metra trains stop by the far parking lot. Still, while its destination isn't quite as convenient, it is a more pleasant ride.

Metra trains are large, dual-level trains somewhat similar to Amtrak. They have bathrooms and conductors. They cost slightly more than CTA trains, but are definitely a nicer way to travel. The train that stops by the ORD lot comes out of historic Union Station downtown, which is a nice place to wait.

But, once you get a hotel locked in, then I'd be happy to give directions around if you like.

[Jenga]

Thanks, guys.

Well, I tried Priceline but I was too cheap! (Let me know if I now need to move my posts to the Priceline thread? Or stay here b/c I may end up going with Hotwire after all?)

I lowballed it for NMA/River North at $99, was rejected; came back by adding Millennium Park/Loop, same price; also rejected.

I'm just very cheap :)

I think this means I'm locked out for 24 hours, totally my fault for being cheap. Would it be best to try again at $125 when I can get back in? (AaronJB, the likely Indigo you mentioned on Hotwire would be great -- love that chain -- but unfortunately out of my price range.) The Metra tips are a big help, too -- didn't even know there was a CTA alternative.

Thanks again for the very useful tips and advice -- much appreciated!

[Jenga]

Airport instead?

AaronJB, if this is an appropriate forum to ask: how would the Metra to ORD be at 8:30 or 9 at night? An alternative might be to go out to the airport after my workshop, come into the city for fun the next day, and then head back out to airport to rendezvous with my husband for our flight out in the evening. Lots of extra transit, but the $$ saved might be worth it since my final destination is O'Hare anyway.

Any thoughts on Hotwire for ORD airport hotels?

Thanks!

[AaronJB]

The last Metra out to the ORD lot is 8:30PM (that particular train doesn't run very often.) I think it would be a fine choice at that time, but I would have your husband maybe meet you at the station. The train itself will be quite nice though; the Metra trains do have conductors and you will also get to see different scenery if you take that out and take the CTA downtown.

Given where your workshop is, I'd try first to get something downtown, then if it just doesn't work, get something out by the airport as a last alternate. Keep in mind, it is a pretty sizable trip from ORD to have to go back-and-forth, plus the CTA and Metra take you to the Loop area of downtown. Your workshop is still a bit of a trip North from there, as you have to go from the Loop up a little past the North end of the Michigan Ave. area.

Also, are you staying 10/18-19 or 10/18-20?

[AaronJB]

I'd also recommend bidding for the boutique rating in the River North/NMA area, as well, if you did not.

You are locked out of bidding for 4* River North/NMA and 4* MP/LOOP/GP, but you should be able to bid for the boutique rating in the River North/NMA area (there is no boutique MP/Loop/GP.)

I'd bid at least $110 for that, or $120 if you want to be more aggressive.

The only known (reported as a win) "boutique"-rated hotel on Priceline in the River North/NMA area is the Ambassador East, which should put you very close to your workshop if you were to get it. The Ambassador East is about 6 blocks North of Water Tower.

The service *may* also upgrade you to a 4* in the same area that will accept your bid if you bid for boutique River North/NMA.

Additionally, now that I read some of the other reviews for the 4* museum campus property on Hotwire (especially one talking about location), I definitely do believe it's the Hyatt.

Here's more about the Metra route that goes from Union to the far ORD parking lot: http://metrarail.com/Sched/ncs/ncs.shtml

Here is more about Metra in general: Metrarail.com.

Given that your workshop is 6 blocks NW of Water Tower, I'm guessing this would be the closest CTA stop:

http://www.chicago-l.org/stations/clark-division.html

[Jenga]

Thank you -- I hadn't even considered Boutique as an option.

The Ambassador East gets such mixed reviews, I'm going to ponder before bidding. We only live a couple hours away and this visit is an optional add-on to an already scheduled vacation trip out of ORD. If it's too expensive I'll have to skip the visit, but hoping I can figure out a way to attend this workshop without going broke.

I will update with final results -- I appreciate the very good advice and help :)

[AaronJB]

The AE is actually a very nice, historic hotel.

Keep in mind when reading reviews that Chicago 4* (and sometimes even 3*) hotels can often go for $250-300 (and sometimes over $400) for basic (not upgraded) rooms. This year that has been true probably more than ever and, as you can see when you look up regular rates for these particular dates, most hotels are 250-300+.

If you were to limit your selection to Chicago hotels that do not get similar reviews to what the Ambassador East gets, the possibilities would make up a pretty small group. Most downtown hotels do get the same sort of mixed reception.

When someone is paying $300+ for a basic room - even at a 4* - they understandably have high/different expectations. For $100-150 (for the same room that people often pay twice that for), the Ambassador East - and several other 4*'s in the River North/NMA area - are nice options.

If you do want to stay out by ORD, there are options - I already see a 4* on Hotwire for $85 - but again, I'd try to see if you couldn't stay downtown first.

If you were staying longer, I'd suggest the very nice North suburbs, which are a terrific, upscale area and do offer some nice hotels.

[Jenga]

When someone is paying $300+ for a basic room - even at a 4* - they understandably have high/different expectations. For $100-150 (for the same room that people often pay twice that for), the Ambassador East - and several other 4*'s in the River North/NMA area - are nice options.

Thanks, AAronJB, that's a good point to keep in mind!

Since I'm Van Galdering down to the city I figured I'd wait this out and hope for last-minute deals. I now see Hotwire has a 4* NMA/Water Tower hotel for $156.

Boutique

Restaurant

High-Speed Internet

Business Center

Fitness

"Best Value," rating 4.1 out of 5. Comments reference "hip" rooms and recent construction.

The amenities match the Rafaello on the BetterBidding hotel list, yes? I'd love to get this down a bit, may try some bidding at Priceline tomorrow. The prices at HotelsDotCom also look like they've come down a bit, so maybe I'll have some luck. I'll be back to update one way or the other.

P.S. -- How do I make "HOTWIRE" format as a ckickable link like you guys do?

[AaronJB]

The Raffaello is behind Water Tower, so it would also be within a reasonable distance to your workshop.

The Raffello is a 2*/2.5* that has been renovated (it was formerly the Rafael, now it's the Raffello) to a 4* condo/hotel, although I'm not sure of its "condo" status (as far as I know, it's mostly a hotel.) I haven't stayed there, but it generally gets good reviews.

Given the prices I'm seeing, I think you could be successful on Priceline, although I'd be fairly aggressive in my approach, given that you don't have much time left.