Priceline Hotel: 4* Chicago (NMA-River North) Wyndham Chicago Downtown

[pterrell]

As posted on the board, I won a $70 bid for three nights at the Hilton Gardens Midway for a Thursday to Sunday stay (10/25-10/28). The wife and I are staying so close to Midway is that we're arriving late on Thursday, with "Sister-in-Law" arriving Friday at a really late hour and leaving Sunday really early. I also wanted to be close to the car rental places for our early Saturday road trip to Peoria, to avoid overnight parking.

Should I just try to extend my stay at the Hilton Gardens to our Wednesday morning departure? Or should I bid on something downtown?

My wife is interested in seeing some Chicago museums on their "free days". :)

We don't mind "commuting" if the public transit is safe and "interesting".

Recommendations?

[AaronJB]

Well, in terms of staying downtown you did luck out because 10/28-31 are about the only 3 days in October of this year when Chicago hotels aren't extremely expensive. Hotwire has a couple of options just under $100. I'd recommend bidding on Priceline to try and get something nicer for even less.

The "L" trip to downtown from Midway is around 30 minutes. Safe? Yes (although I wouldn't go on it too late at night.) Interesting? Not really. Chicago transit is very standard, not very sleek and not very glam/modern. It is all about getting you from point A to point B.

Keep in mind the area around Midway is just okay - there's really not much going on around there. It's not a particularly great base for a tourist.

You could stay in a different suburban area in the SW burbs. That would at least keep things inexpensive and you'd be in a nicer area with more to do. It may take you more time to get downtown from the SW burbs, but at least you could then take the Metra trains and you'd be returning to a nicer area at night.

Given how (relatively) inexpensive hotels seem to be for 10/28-31, I'd recommend trying for downtown, though.

What would be your max budget per night if you stayed downtown?

[pterrell]

Aaron, thanks for the encouragement. My wife's original proposal was to go in September but I noted that the hotel rates were very high and suggested the end of October.

I should have posted my budget: the wife says that we can do up to $130/night, but looking back at my posts on Betterbidding, I've topped out at $100 for a 4* in the OC (Orange County, CA) through Priceline. :)

I'm debating about waiting until that Sunday to make reservations: another "In-Law" may decide to join us in Chicago or request that we go on another road trip. Will the good prices for downtown still be there?

[AaronJB]

10-28 to 31 continues to look good downtown, with some possibilities between about $90-120.

[pterrell]

10-28 to 31 continues to look good downtown, with some possibilities between about $90-120.

Good to hear. Do you have a recommendation for a backup reservation for these dates?

[AaronJB]

Let me take a look. Be right back.

[AaronJB]

Westin Michigan Ave. $149 per night via Hotels.com. The reservation appears to be completely refundable (and Hotels.com does not charge a cancel fee anymore), but please double check the cancel policy yourself to make sure.

$149 is really just about as low as that hotel gets in general. The hotel is right on Michigan Ave., across from the Hancock and 900 N. Michigan Ave. shops.

[pterrell]

Thanks. I'll use that as a starting place for research. I've still got a bad taste for Hotels.com from five years ago when they didn't honor a $75 rebate (booked for four nights and they claimed it was only three...what calendar were they looking at!?) Haven't used them since.

[pterrell]

Got it on a first bid of $80 for NMA-River North. That had me disappointed, as I never get anything on a first bid 'cause I want the lowest price! And a quick search of the board finds others getting the Wyndham at $75 for different dates. Oh well, at least I beat Hotels.com rate of $160 and they Wyndham.com rate of $179.

Thanks to AaronJB for his wonderful advice, I decided to jump from the Midway Hilton Garden Inn for the final half of our stay.

Your Offer Price: $80.00

Number of Rooms: 1

Number of Nights: 3

Subtotal: $240.00

Taxes and Service Fees: $46.04

Total Charges*: $286.04

[pterrell]

Just throwing in the reason for my quick "overbid" and the end of my holding off bidding until the trip was underway: the wife and her style of traveling.

My wife likes her trips planned ahead and scheduled, as if we're on a bus tour with a tour guide. I prefer to take things on the fly. This often leads to conflicts, of which there was one Wednesday evening...

Anyway, she's happily planning the trip now, Frommer's guides in hand. :-)

[AaronJB]

I actually really like the Wyndham quite a bit in terms of the overall hotel - great location, very nice rooms, well-maintained and clean, elegant public areas. I have to say that - in my experience - the Wyndham is one of the most well-maintained hotels I've stayed in downtown. I have severe dust allergies, but haven't had any issues here.

Also, really nice use of space in the rooms, which are supposed to be 300 square feet, but I have to say feel much larger than that. The bathrooms are quite large. The rooms could use a bit more color, but I suppose the look has a certain, understated businessy (it's very much a business hotel - I like to call this particular hotel "Westin Lite", as it sort of feels like a Westin) appeal. The Herman Miller desk chair in the room is really comfortable, but be prepared for sticker shock - it's several hundred dollars.

The hotel is a block from Michigan Ave. shopping on a very nice side street, so you are right by the center of the Michigan Ave. shopping area without feeling like you're in the midst of the hustle and bustle every time you step out the door.

Views are fine enough, but nothing special. You may get a partial view of a little bit of Michigan Ave, but will likely get more of a view of the street (St. Clair) below. At least you won't be looking at a brick wall, like some hotels - there will be some view, just maybe not a particularly thrilling one.

However, the service could be better. If you don't need much from the staff, it's otherwise a great hotel.

It is an easy walk from here to the Fox and Obel Market and Cafe (fox-obel.com) if you are looking for a really nice nearby breakfast. There is also a Corner Bakery directly across the street - I'm not as much a fan of that as I am of Fox and Obel, but if you don't want to walk too far, it's a very good choice, too.

One word of advice: I'd very strongly recommend checking out at the desk instead of checking out through the in-room TV thing. I was overcharged once here for the room and nearly twice, but the second time I wasn't because I checked out through the front desk. There is something about a "deposit" (the number I was nearly overcharged was the same thing both times, despite different bids - it's something like $86?) between Priceline and the hotel that is supposed to be charged to Priceline if the guest doesn't show. However, it was charged to me once and nearly twice. First time, I checked out via the TV, second time at the front desk.

Overall, I'm very happy you got the Wyndham because - aside from the service, which is just okay - it's really a very nice hotel in a great location. I've gotten the Wyn 3 times via Priceline and I'm always pleased when it's what shows up as the win (or, the "Wyn" - ok, I'm not funny.)

[AaronJB]

As for your bid, I think you really wouldn't have gotten this hotel for much less. Their base/lowest priceline rate seems to be $75 no matter what time of year. $80 could very well have been the rate for these particular dates.

[AaronJB]

Just back from the Wyndham and really liked it quite a bit - had a very nice stay. Some aspects were actually improved - service seemed better this time around. The only thing was that this time I actually did hear some street noise, as I was on the lowest floor, but nothing too bad at all.

Actually was able to checkin early, as well.

[pterrell]

Aaron, thanks so much for your comments about the Wyndham. Yes, I'm glad it showed up as my "wyn".

Sorry for the late reply. I printed your comments and took them with us, but had little time for a reply.

The Wyndham proved to be a great location. We wanted to visit locations both North and South and it was nice to walk around Michigan Ave and the Navy Pier area on the way. So it was much nicer then continuing our stay at the Midway Hilton. Since we're very orientated to public transit, we did find that we had to either walk a bit to a bus stop or take a bus and then transfer to the El. But then that's part of the fun of a trip.

At checkout, I looked at the TV checkout and it gave a zero balance, but I checked out at the desk anyhow. Interestingly, the TV checkout invoice had three days at $75 plus tax. Hmm...so I could have won with a $75 bid. (It's not that we couldn't afford it...it's just that my wife and I love to "play the frugal game", getting the lowest price on whatever we buy or do. Thus getting a CTA visitor pass for the week and taking public transit instead of cabs and all. And I had all this strategy that would give me at least four rebids...)

We went to Fox and Obel on the morning before our flight for a breakfast and a few edibles for the road. Very nice.

So, once again, thanks for your advice.