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

[tpip2005]

Hello, I'm new to this but have been reading a lot of the great advice and need some help. I need 2 rooms (1 with king bed and 1 with 2 beds) for June 20-22 (this weekend!). We want to be convenient to shopping and I've been told NMA and millenium park areas are fine. I've been told to use Priceline to get great deals. I bid twice yesterday:

$100 for NMA - rejected

$100 added Millenium park - rejected

my friend bid

$110 for NMA - rejected

$110 added Millenium park - rejected

Today, I just bid $125 for NMA and rejected.

Not sure what next step I should take. I'm getting nervous as my friends

what the hotel situation to be done with. They also suggested the Allerton, Drake and wondered

what the 4* hotels were in those particular areas. I don't know that much about chicago.

I got on Hotwire for my dates and it came up with:

4.5* $219/night in Mag Mile area-streeterville with amenties: fitness center, pool, business ctr, restaurant

4* $255/night in Mag Mile area-streeterville with amenties: fitness center, business ctr, restaurant

4* $254/night in NMA-watertower/goldcoast with amenities: boutique hotel, fitness, business ctr

Your ideas are appreciated. Thanks!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

First issue is that you're looking for a specific bedding configuration (1 King bed in one room and 2 Double beds in the second room)... you can't guarantee bed cofiguration with PRICELINE or HOTWIRE. Coudl you risk a room with only one bid OR both rooms having two beds?

You can bid better than you have been by using re-bid zones: Priceline Re-Bidding Explained (we strongly encourage you to confirm your re-bid zones with the board and/or ask questions before bidding if the concept of re-biddingis new to you) What is the best rate you're able to find outside of the opaque providers (PRICELINE and HOTWIRE) What is your maximum bid for this stay?

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

[AaronJB]

If the original poster cannot run the risk of potentially not having two beds in the one room, the Wyndham - which is in a fantastic location a block from Michigan Ave. shopping - is $223.75 for two beds. Use promo code SUMMERFAM for 10% off = $22.37 a night taken off = about $201.38 per night (which would be less than the HOTWIRE listings.)

These are certainly pricey dates and I have to believe a 4* is probably going to require bidding at $140-150 range and possibly beyond that.

[tpip2005]

Thank you so much for your help. I have read the link but am having trouble

seing the number of 3* or 4* hotels in my designated area. The map to the right

only shows the areas I can choose to stay in circled. I guess we're ok with

whatever beds we recieve. But I also heard that if you win the bid you can

call the hotel immediately to put your preference in, is that correct?

Am I missing something. Sorry - very new to this. Thanks! :)

[AaronJB]

You can request two beds after winning a particular hotel, but it's up to the hotel to take the request (they may not) and even if they do take the request, it is considered a request and not a guarantee.

[tpip2005]

Thanks. We're ok with whatever bed arrangement we get.

thanks!

[tpip2005]

We did it!

Through PRICELINE link.

Thank you for your help.

I actually read another post and followed the

advice tweaked to my situation; it wouldn't let

me bid because I had incorrectly bid yesterday:

Today:

4* NMA

Bid $120 rejected, added bid zone

Bid $125 rejected, added bid zone

Bid $130 rejected, closed browser opened another

friend bid instead (we didn't want to go with Millenium Park becuase there was one 4* way south):

4*NMA

Bid $150 rejected, added bid zone

$155 won hotel room.

We are very happy with the Intercontinental with two rooms.

Now going to call to request king bed/double beds.

AaronJB you hit it on the head of guessing we'd pay in the $140-$150 range and beyond. We're lucky it wasn't that way beyond. FYI retail price was at $369.

Thanks again for your help.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your win!

Glad to hear of your success and that you're happy with the results. Looks like a very nice deal... hopefully the hotel will come thru with your bedding requests.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board and for using our PRICELINE link to begin your bidding.

Enjoy your stay.

[AaronJB]

Glad we could help! :)

The Intercontinental is also one of my favorite hotels to recommend to those visiting the city, both because of location - it's directly on Michigan Ave, right by the river - but also because it's a hotel that's very uniquely Chicago. The history of the hotel is pretty incredible, and the pool (one of the first pools ever built on a higher floor - considered an architectural feat when it was completed in 1929) area is gorgeous. So is the main ballroom (the largest Baccarat crystal chandelier in North America is featured in the ballroom) if you can peek in.

My only recommendation would be to not take an upgrade if they offer you the chance to pay for it. While the hotel is probably too busy on these dates anyways, if they do offer you the ability to upgrade to the historic tower for $50 more per night, it's not worth it - the rooms in the new tower are just fine.

[tpip2005]

Thanks. wil folllow ur advice. and thanks for the addd historic info