Hotwire Hotel: First time in Chicago!

[pickles1107]

Hello everyone. Been reading trying to learn as much as can recently, but I do have a few more questions.

I'm a college student looking to go with my girlfriend to Chicago for spring break. This is the week of March 15th - 22. Looking to be in chicago from tuesday the 18th to Saturday the 22nd. Looking at staying in the Mag Mile area for the shopping, or the Loop ...

Here is what I was thinking about doing. Since most of the hotels are much higher priced at the beginning of this week, I was planning on using Expedia to get a flight and rooms from ATL and only get rooms for the thursday and friday nights. Using this approach, it looks like we can get airfare and a nice hotel for around $400. What would you recommend in terms of the really nice 4 star hotels? The two I as looking at were the Sofitel and the Omni. Also available are the W, Hotel 71, Hotel Sax, The Silversmith, the James, Seneca, etc. all around the $400 range.

This leaves Tuesday and Wednesday hotels, which I figured we could pick up relatively cheap on Hotwire or Priceline. I noticed that Hotwire has a 3.5 star hotel in the North Mich Av. section for $79 per night which looks to be the Allerton (great resources on this site, by the way). I know this would mean checking out and checking into another hotel on the same day, but if they are relatively close in proximity, I don't think this would be a huge negative.

Another option seems to be Sutton Place for all 4 nights with the flight for $500 even on Orbitz. Strange as this same combo comes up being like $800 on any of the other travel sites. (?) This ends up being the same price as the other option above, but wouldn't have to change hotels midway.

Being in college, I am obviously on a budget, so keep that in mind. Does this sound like a viable plan? Any thoughts or opinions on this method? Any insight would be appreciated!

Looking forward to our trip...

Chris

[AaronJB]

Welcome to the board.

Suttttton. If they're giving you a discount for the package and can get $500 for Sutton, I'd take it! That's a really nice hotel, and I think you'll like the area. Good deal of nightlife, and an easy walk (3-4 minutes) from the Michigan Ave. shopping area. The Gold Coast (where the Sutton is) is very nice and there's a great deal of restaurants in the vicinity. Also, easy walk to Lincoln Park Zoo (great zoo, and free) and not far from the famed Second City improv theatre (in the Old Town area.)

Use coupon ORBDOT75 for $75 off the total if you book a hotel/plane package via Orbitz. Also, please use the site's link to Orbitz.com (click the Orbitz) to start your purchase.

[AaronJB]

Additionally, when I look up flight/hotel package for 18-22nd on Orbitz and click on Sutton Place's listing for the combo with the United flights for $488, when I click on that, it actually comes up with a new lower price of $450 per person. Combine that with a $75 coupon off the total and it would be sort of as if you're paying $412.50 per person.

[AaronJB]

One more thing: if you were able to do 5 nights, you could use the coupon code 150FAMILY, which is $150 off a 5 night hotel/flight package on Orbitz.com.

[pickles1107]

One more thing: if you were able to do 5 nights, you could use the coupon code 150FAMILY, which is $150 off a 5 night hotel/flight package on Orbitz.com.

Thanks for the reply. Can you use more than one Orbitz coupon at checkout or are you limited to just one?

[AaronJB]

Can't combine offers, unfortunately.