Hotwire Hotel: 4.5* Chicago (Mag Mile-Streeterville) InterContinental

[AngS1967]

Hi Folks,

I have never been to Chicago but am considering taking my 15 year-old daughter there for March break. We would like to be close to excellent shopping and hopefully catch a show or two. I am looking for suggestions as to what area of Chicago I should be looking for a hotel in. I would like to limit the amount of $ I would need to spend on taxis etc once there. We would be taking the train to get there. Also, any advice on which hotels would be good and what price-range I should consider good would also be appreciated. I am thinking for 3 nights between March 16th -20th, so a little flexibility with the actual dates. The train from Port Huron arrives around 11 am and departs around 4 pm. I would of course use the site's links.

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.

Angela :)

[AaronJB]

Howdy and Good Evening. :)

First off....I don't think you should need to use taxis that often, especially since you're arriving at the train station downtown. Chicago is a fairly compact city as big cities go and while taxis are generally plentiful (although maybe less so during rush hour) and public transit is there, a lot of people find Chicago surprisingly walkable. If the weather gets bad (although March in Chicago can occasionally be surprisingly decent), you will probably need a taxi or if you're out late, you will need a taxi, but in terms of the normal, daytime activities, if you don't mind a solid walk, you probably won't need one.

There is the Loop area of Chicago (South of the River) and the Michigan Ave shopping area to the North. There are also museums in the Loop area (Art Institute and, just to the South of the Loop along the lakefront, the Field, Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium.) The theatre area is also in the Loop. The most optimal location would be around the river, but that's not always possible to pinpoint with PRICELINE or HOTWIRE.

However, I generally tend to recommend that people stay in the Michigan Ave. area, as it is lively a bit later into the night, whereas the Loop (much of which is a business district) has a tendency to get quiet once people leave the offices.

In terms of prices, you are going at a somewhat less expensive time of year (although, thankfully, you are coming a week before the giant Housewares convention.)

To give an example of an option, I see a 4* in the Mag Mile/Streeterville on HOTWIRE area with the amenities Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, Tennis, Spa for $92 (the price you see may differ a bit.) This would be a possible match for the Swissotel. If this is the Swiss, it's right off Michigan Ave. and on the river.

If you do want to bid on PRICELINE, that is another option to consider, and based upon the $92 price that HOTWIRE is offering, you could try a $75 bid for a 4* in the River North/North Michigan Ave. area to see if any hotels in that area will accept. However, keep in mind that when you bid on PRICELINE, you could possibly get a number of different hotels and have to be willing to accept what you get.

If the possibility of the Swiss is appealing, you could just go right to the HOTWIRE listing, which would appear to be a match for the Swiss. If you're looking for the lowest 4* rate and are more flexible on where you stay, PRICELINE would be what you would want to consider.

In terms of alternate dates, the dates around the 16th-20th all generally appear pretty similar, as far as I can see.

Please use the site's links to PRICELINE or HOTWIRE to start your purchases, as doing so supports the site.

Your daughter might like the trendy thrift stores that are all around the Belmont area, as those will likely offer more for the money than a lot of the Michigan Ave. shops. The Belmont area is a fairly short "L" ride North of downtown. There are also a few discount options downtown, as well - a Nordstrom Rack on State St, for example.

In terms of hotel, let us know which idea appeals to you more and we can then go from there in terms of offering tips and doing research.

Once you get a hotel locked in, I'd be happy to provide any directions around the city, if needed.

[AngS1967]

Aaron, I just wanted to thank you for all the great information you provided. It is wonderful to be able to have access to your knowledge, thank you. We are also considering a trip to Florida to visit friends (for a week over March break), so as soon as we know for sure, I will let you know what my win is if Chicago is where we are going, or let you know otherwise if we chose florid. Again, your help is greatly appreciated.

Angela :)

[AaronJB]

Angela,

I'm very happy to help!

Pros for Chicago:

1. Cheaper time of year for hotels.

2. Winter in Chicago is not exactly high tourist season, so while there may be some local students on Spring Break, places like museums will probably be pretty empty.

Cons:

1. In terms of temperature....well, lets say it's not going to compete with Florida. :)

2. High sales tax.

If you need further Chicago help, let us know. Additionally, we would also be happy to help if you need a hotel in Florida.

[asmit4]

I just wanted to say that when I was about your daughter's age- I went on a girls trip with my mom- just me and my mom to Chicago for a long weekend. It was during that trip that I knew I wanted to go to college in Chicago- and I'll never forget that trip. It was so much fun, more fun than any Florida trip I ever took :) In Chicago, at age 14, I saw my future...it was like the world opened up to me. The shopping, the lights, the food, all the people :)

My vote is for Chicago over Florida. My mom also used it as an opportunity to look at colleges- just a quick walk through Northwestern, Loyola's Business/Law school and DePaul's campus. I ended up at Loyola right on Michigan avenue :o

[AngS1967]

Hello again,

We have indeed decided on Chicago for March break. We are looking for arrival on Monday, March 16th and departure on Thursday, March 19th. My goal would be a 4 or 4.5 star. Ideally, I'd like to pay under $100 night if possible, but if $20 more gets me something much, much nicer than I could go as high as $120 ish.

I would really appreciate your expertise and opinions, Aaron, and anyone else who may have some thoughts.

Thanks so much, and I will of course use BB's HOTWIRE link.

Angela :)

[AaronJB]

Good morning :-)

Let me research these dates again (since things may have changed) and see what I find. Be back in a few minutes.

[AaronJB]

You have a few different options:

HOTWIRE (please use the site's HOTWIRE link to start your purchase.)

1. a 4* Mag Mile/Streeterville with the amenities: Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, Tennis, Spa for $99 (likely the Swissotel.) There is also a 4.5* for $123 with the amenities: fitness, business, internet, restaurant. This could be either the Conrad or the Intercontinental. Personally, rather than spend $123 on either of these properties, I'd recommend using the coupons for either the Sutton Place or Dana Hotels below.

Orbitz.com (please use the site's link to Orbitz.com) (note: 20HOTEL coupon code expires 1/18)

The Ambassador East - $97 - 20% off 20HOTEL coupon code = $77 and change a night. This is not a centrally located hotel, but it is an easy walk to the Michigan Ave. shopping area. This is a very historic hotel located in the Gold Coast neighborhood - it is on a residential street lined with some very upscale apartments/homes.

Dana Hotel and Spa - $148. Use 20% off 20HOTEL coupon code = $118 and change. While this would be on the high end, this would be a chance to sample this well-reviewed new (opened last Fall) property (which hasn't yet been reported on PRICELINE or HOTWIRE) in the River North area.

Expedia.com

In another example of sampling a property that doesn't turn up on PRICELINE or HOTWIRE, the Sutton Place Hotel is on sale for $133 per night on Expedia.com. Use coupon code FAN50 for $50 off the total. If you split that $50 discount over 3 nights, the average per night rate would be about $116 and change.

You could also attempt bidding on PRICELINE to get under HOTWIRE's prices, as well; this would likely get you a hotel in the $80-85 range, but it also means that you have to be more flexible on which hotel you get, as with PRICELINE you have little control over which hotel you get aside from choosing the star rating and general area. If you are interested in PRICELINE, I would be happy to offer some tips/strategies.

If you have any questions, please ask.

[AngS1967]

Hi Aaron,

Just another quick question. Location wise is there any difference in the area with the Sutton versus the Dana. I think I have it narrowed down to those 2. I am leaning towards the Dana because it does provide a Continential breakfast and the internet is included, I believe. Any other thoughts you may have on one versus the other would be greatly appreciated as well.

Thanks again for all your help!

Angela :)

[AaronJB]

The Dana would be more centrally located in the River North area. The Sutton is in the Gold Coast area, which is just a short walk North of the Michigan Ave. area. The River North area, which is just to the West of Michigan Ave, has a wide variety of restaurants and shops. It is definitely a nightlife area, too, so if you're out at night, there will probably be people out and around (if it isn't freezing.) The Gold Coast is primarily a nightlife area, but there is a row of pricey boutique stores (Barneys, for example), a few other shops and a bunch of mid-to-upscale restaurants. The Dana is the far newer of the two, having just opened late last year.

Additionally, the Sutton's price on Expedia.com jumped about $40, so it's out of the running, anyways.

The Dana's $138.75 on Expedia.com, but use the FAN50 coupon for $50 off the final total. Spread over three nights = about $122 per night. Unfortunately, the Orbitz.com coupon is no longer working.

Additionally, one new property just showed up on HOTWIRE for these dates that is worth considering: a 4* in the Mag Mile/Streeterville area with the amenities: Restaurant, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, Laundry, Spa for $112. This would appear to be a match for the sleek James Hotel, which is right off the Michigan Ave. area.

James review: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/chicago/H62039.html

The James is about 2-1/2 blocks from the Dana, so not much difference in location.

[AaronJB]

A few other odds/ends:

* You mention seeing a show or two; if you do not have a show in mind, I'd consider looking into hot Tix (sort of Chicago's version of NYC's popular discount ticket service TKTS; http://www.hottix.org/) While you're not going to find major, first-run shows through this service, there's always something to choose from. While a good deal of these shows are in the neighborhoods to the North of the city, if you don't feel like making the trek, there are often some shows closer by, such as at the Drury Lane (which is at the Water Tower Mall on Michigan Ave.), Piper's Alley (which isn't too far North of the city, in the Old Town area) and a couple others.

* I'd avoid Navy Pier, especially if it's still cold (which I'm hoping it isn't, because I can't stand much more of this Winter) in March. Even if it's warm, I still think there's better use of your time.

* While Michigan Ave. is arguably the most popular of the city's shopping areas, I'd consider spending some time in the smaller State St. shopping area and, if time allows, exploring some of the thrifts/boutiques to the North of the city around Belmont.

* Millennium Park is more of a "stop" along the way to something else. The fountains are not on (of course, with the temps) and the main attraction is the giant metallic bean, the appeal of which I still don't quite get. The Art Institute is the next block South, so the bean could be seen before/after. There's also the cultural center across the street, which does have a visitor's center (which may have coupon books or other discounts; ask if they have a Chicago City Coupon Book; I'm not sure if they still put these out - they should small, free booklets with an assortment of restaurant/attraction coupons) inside, as well as free admission to see the exhibits. If it's cold out, this is a nice place to stop.

* If it's warm out, Lincoln Park Zoo's a very nice (and very free) option. This can be combined with a trip to the Belmont area (although it's definitely a walk from there to the Zoo, but a nice walk), a trip to the Chicago Historical Society and/or a trip to the Old Town area (a very pretty section just to the SW of the Zoo, where one of my favorite stores - the Spice House - is located) Spice House (http://www.thespicehouse.com/) is a beautiful little herb/spice store, run by a husband/wife team. The store is where many of Chicago's top chefs shop.

* Chicago is pretty safe in/around the downtown, but like any other big city, definitely be aware of who's around/what's going on around you.

* You will probably not need taxis very often. I'd recommend taking a taxi back to your hotel if you see a show in the Loop area at night and it would be a quick way to get to the Museum Campus if the weather is cold (again, hopefully it won't be). You may also want to use one from the train to your hotel (although again, that would be only if the weather's bad.) Other than that, there's really not a whole lot of need for a taxi.

- There is also a bus from Michigan Ave. to the Museum Campus, but a taxi from the James to the Museum Campus wouldn't be horribly expensive (maybe about $8-10, where the bus would be about $4)

- Chicago's L trains aren't sleek (the subway stations are generally about 65-70 years old; some have been update since, some have - aside from minimal alterations - not), but they work. Some of the "L"/overhead stations date back to the late 1800's.

* Your daughter may like browsing Reckless Records, which is a terrific chain of used CD/DVD stores. While their main store is in the Belmont area, they now have one - according to their website - downtown on 26 E. Madison. I haven't been there in a while since I've grown less interested in music, but their section at the store in the Belmont area was pretty astonishing and I have to imagine the downtown store is the same.

* If you are thinking about Chicago Pizza, I wouldn't recommend Uno's/Due's, as both are often overcrowded and - at least to me - feel cramped. Plus, while the pizza is good, I've never thought it's great (worth the wait) and just sits too heavy. I'd rather recommend Giordanos - there's a Giordanos location on Lake (135 E. Lake) that never seems overly crowded. If you stay at the James, maybe consider trying Uno's as carry-out (since both Uno's and Due's are literally right there), but personally, I'd rather make my own pizza than dine-in at either.

*If you stay at the James, I'd recommend Fox and Obel Market and Cafe (fox-obel.com) for breakfast, and you can pick up some gourmet treats on the way out. If you stay at the Dana, breakfast is free.

*There are a few grocery stores downtown (such as a Whole Foods over by the Dana and a Jewel near both Dana and James), which are good choices for snacks/drinks. Keep in mind there is a high sales tax at downtown restaurants (I believe it's something like 11.25%), but the food tax at grocery stores is about 2.25% Sales tax is an outrageous 10.25%.

[AngS1967]

Hi again Aaron!

You are such a fountain of excellent knowledge, again, I can't thank you enough for all your help. I have researched the various hotels more thoroughly with reviews, pictures etc and have spoken to a few friends who have stayed in Chicago and was completely thrilled to see your post about the James. That is definitely our first choice of everything I have read and heard.

Unfortunately, I can't find it on HOTWIRE :) I am really hoping that it is just me and not a case of having missed out :)

I am thinking now if I can't get the James, which is what I really want, then maybe I will just go with the under $100 room and go for the Swissotel. It's not like we will be in or rooms a lot anyway. Maybe there is even a respectable 3 or 3.5 star in the area that would do? What are your thoughts on the Swissotel?

Thanks again, Aaron and this time I will check back sooner!

Angela :)

p.s. Thanks so much for all the other Chicago info too, it really has been incredibly helpful. Tourism Chicago should have you on commission! :o

So far we know we want to do the Planetarium and the Aquarium, as well as shopping of course (we will definitely check out the Nordstrom rack). Thanks for the heads up on the Navy Pier and I hadn't figured out the 'bean' attraction either. *L* We will be used to the high sales tax as here in Ontario it is 13%. I am very glad you mentioned it though as we live in a border town and are used to shopping in Michigan and would have assumed Illnois' tax rate to be similar. Also thanks for the info on hottix, I have singed up for their email. :D

[AaronJB]

Thank you so much! :) Always happy to help.

I'm a little stunned that the James on HOTWIRE no longer appears to be available. It was definitely there yesterday morning, but what appears to be the Swiss is now back again for $96. Maybe they only had a couple of rooms on HOTWIRE in their inventory.

I like the Swiss; it's a lovely, upscale hotel that has the bonus of a pretty location along the river and by the lake (as a result, while not all rooms have a lake view or full river view, the majority of rooms have at least some sort of view.) f you walk to Michigan Ave from the Swiss (2 blocks) and look South, Millennium Park and the Art Institute are just a few blocks South on Michigan Ave. Michigan Ave. shopping is just over the bridge and a few blocks North on Michigan Ave. So, you do get a central location.

Additionally, in terms of the 4*'s in the River North/NMA area, I really don't feel that there is a "bad" hotel in the bunch, especially given the Knickerbocker's recent renovation (not that that was a "bad' hotel, but it was arguably a less appealing win before the renovations, which can be seen here: http://millenniumknickerbocker.blogspot.com/) The Sheraton in that zone is a very average 4* convention hotel, but at least it does have a very nice location along the river. The rest of the 4*'s in that zone range are either good (W Lakeshore, Westin Michigan Ave) or great (Omni, Intercontinental, Westin RN)

In terms of PRICELINE, I feel similarly about the 4*'s in the Millennium Park/Loop/Grant Park area, but my concern about the zone is that some of the hotels are not terribly well-located from a tourist standpoint (the W, Hilton and Blackstone) and some areas of the Loop become almost surprisingly quiet at night, as once the offices in the area start to close up for the night, so do a good deal of restaurants and stores. The River North/NMA area stays lively later into the evening.

Keeping the Swissotel's $96 rate in mind, if you were to attempt to try and use PRICELINE, I would recommend trying a low-ball offer for a 4* in the River North/North Michigan Ave. area. The Millennium Knickerbocker's $129 rate is quite a bit lower than other 4*'s in the same area; while this doesn't necessarily mean that this is the hotel you will get if you bid, you do have to keep the price in mind. I would try to bid $65 for a 4* in this area, and then if not accepted, $70 24 hours later. If $70 isn't accepted, you could try $75 24 hours after that. However, if $75 isn't accepted, I'd rather recommend the Swissotel for $96 via HOTWIRE than trying again on PRICELINE for a 4* NMA for $80.

There are some very good 3* and 3.5* hotels in the NMA area, but the Allerton isn't a great possibility and my other concern is that, given the Orbitz $97 (plus a 10% coupon can be used) price tag on the Ambassador East (a 3.5* in the NMA area), I don't know if bidding will get you much of a discount on that.

As always, any questions please ask. Priceline and HOTWIRE links: PRICELINE / HOTWIRE

[AngS1967]

Thanks again, Aaron! I started your Priceline recommendation tonight, I will let you know once I am successful or max out at $75 (at which time I will then book the Swissotel), unless the James comes back on. :)

[AngS1967]

I just wanted to report in that I booked our trip today using the site's HOTWIRE link for Mar 16-19th/09 (3 nights). My girlfriend and her daughter decided to come with us, so that left Priceline out as an option as we needed to ensure 2 beds. So using the great information that was previously provided to me by Aaron on this thread and that I read on additional threads here, I booked what I was pretty confident was going to be the Intercontinental and it was! :)

It was listed as a 4.5 star with the following amenities for $119: fitness, business, internet, restaurant and 320+ trip advisor reviews.

We are very excited. From what I have read on the reviews and read here, I am sure we will be very happy there. Total price with taxes and Hotwire's fees was: $418.48, can't beat that!

Thanks so much to the BB site and a special thanks to Aaron for all his help. :)

Cheers,

Angela

[AaronJB]

Very happy to help, and glad you were able to get a room for 4 for such a reasonable rate. I think you'll really like the Intercontinental, both from a hotel standpoint and from an excellent location standpoint - the hotel is certainly centrally located near the river. Definitely take a peek at the hotel pool, as it's a prime example of the hotel's magnificent and rather unique architecture.

Additionally, Fox and Obel (fox-obel.com) is a very close walk (maybe 3-5 minutes) East of the hotel; definitely a recommended place for breakfast.

This link to hotel information at Wikipedia.com is recommended reading, as it provides a lot of details about the hotel's history, as well as a picture of the pool area: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InterContinental_Chicago

Again, glad the hotel worked out so well and thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE link. Please feel free to ask if you have any questions or need specific directions anywhere. I'd be very happy to provide detailed directions to any sights that you are interested in from your hotel.

Enjoy your trip! :)

[AngS1967]

Thanks for the wiki link, great history and architecture for sure. The pool is definitely amazing. :) I will for sure be asking you more questions about Chicago etc as the time approaches, Aaron. What is the best way for me to do that, add to this post or start a new one seeking info only?

Thanks again,

Angela :)

[AaronJB]

You can either post here or send me a private message (click on AaronJB, then click send message.) Additionally, if the other group coming with you has any questions, please feel free to post/message their questions, too.

[thereuare]

I think it would be best to continue this thread as then the information will be helpful to others who may have similar questions... as well as perhaps not having AaronJB answer the same questions again in the future, he may be able to just link others to the replies in this thread.

[AngS1967]

I wanted to let the boards know about an email I received from Hotwire about this booking last week.

It basically said that when I booked the hotel it was advertised as a 4.5 star and they have since reviewed the hotel status and that they are now listing it is as a 4 star. Although they are confident the hotel is still a great facility and that I will be very happy etc they have credited my hotwire account with a $25 US credit per night, so that works out to $75 US credit!

I have to admit, I was very impressed with that. They did not have to do that. I did not ask them, or even know the star rating had changed, but to me that is good business and I will definitely do business with them again because of it. Just wanted to share.

Also, is anyone else having any trouble accessing this site? I can no longer access it from home on either Safari or Firefox browsers, it will not load. Have tried numerous times. Here at work on EI, no problem. Help??

Thanks,

Angela :)

[AaronJB]

Glad to hear that HOTWIRE offered that credit, which makes this an even better deal. :)

Enjoy your stay! :)

[thereuare]

Loading fine thru the board's HOTWIRE link... does this one work for you?

Thanks for the update on the hotel rating.

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

[AngS1967]

Sorry, I realize my post wasn't clear. It isn't Hotwire that I can't access on Safari or Firefox anymore, it is this better bidding site. It will not load. Any suggestions anyone or anyone having similar problems (anyone here use Safari or Firefox?)

[thereuare]

I haven't had any problems (i used both IE and FF), nor have i heard of anyone else having an issue.

Are you familiar with a traceroute?

[AaronJB]

I guess you're really lucky in this case: HOTWIRE has apparently put the hotel back up to 4.5* as of the last day or so. Yet, you got the refund for the very short time it was downgraded in terms of star rating. :)