Priceline Hotel: Best way to book two rooms at once; looking for Chicago in July

[carolinagirl]

I'm looking for two rooms in July in Chicago. Is it best to click on two rooms with PRICELINE, or get one and then do another?

Also, I like what I'm reading about the Hyatt Regency but wonder what the parking will be. A smaller hotel would be ok with us as long as we're near public transportation as we are a family of 5 with grown kids who want to explore on their own.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

You would want to purchase them both together since if you bid them separately you could receive different hotels.

Here are the current rates for Parking at the Hyatt... but you can usually find cheaper parking in the area OR, if your stay is long enough and the savings worthwhile, park at longterm parking by the aiport and then take the train into the city (usually only worthwhile for longer stays)

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

What are the date(s) of your stay?

[carolinagirl]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

You would want to purchase them both together since if you bid them separately you could receive different hotels.

Here are the current rates for Parking at the Hyatt... but you can usually find cheaper parking in the area OR, if your stay is long enough and the savings worthwhile, park at longterm parking by the aiport and then take the train into the city (usually only worthwhile for longer stays)

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

What are the date(s) of your stay?

[carolinagirl]

We are looking at 7/10 through 7/13. Trouble is, I may only need one room for 2 nights and the other for 3. I hate to see the cheap rates at the Hyatt get away from me. The only other thought I have is possibly a smaller hotel in a less busy area might work well for us too. We'll be going to a Cubs game on Friday and will want to be close to an el station for that. This is a great site!

[AaronJB]

Unless you're driving in from a nearby area and have to drive, I would completely recommend AGAINST driving into the city. Parking is expensive - even at the public parking at Millennium Park near the Hyatt it's still $25 a night - and traffic is a huge hassle. If you are staying around the downtown area, there is utterly no need to rent a car and, in fact, renting a car just to visit the downtown area would be a mistake - in my opinion.

Most downtown hotels are near an "L" station. The furthest hotel from an "L" station is probably a 12-15 minute walk from one. Most are 3-7 minutes from one. Downtown Chicago is a lot more compact than many realize, as big cities go.

There are two main downtown Priceline areas - the River North/North Michigan Ave. area and the Millennium Park/Loop/Grant Park area. There are really no quieter/smaller city areas. If you wanted to stay in the suburbs - there's some really nice burbs - that is a possibility, but when prices downtown are potentially under $100, I'd just stay downtown.

[thereuare]

Trouble is, I may only need one room for 2 nights and the other for 3

For the most part your options are:

-purchase 2 rooms for 2 nites and then purchase the last nite individual (either at the hotel received 'going rate' OR be willing to change hotels and bid on that nite separately)

-be willing to stay at different hotels, purchasing one room for 3 nites and one room for 2nites

-purchase each room for 3 nites and 'lose' the cost of the unused nite

Let us know once your plans are firm and how you'd like to proceed and we'll take it from there.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[AaronJB]

Here's a question that I honestly don't know the answer to: if one books two rooms via Priceline, can they do the "extend your stay" option for only one of the two rooms?

[thereuare]

No, PRICELINE's "extend your stay" option must be for the same number of rooms as the original reservation.

[AaronJB]

Oh, too bad.