Priceline Hotel: Chicago Help, 6-30 for two nights

[Kathleen123]

We have never been to Chicago and will be staying there for two nights on June 30 and July 1. My husband and I like very nice hotels, but location is very important to us as well. We will not have a car during these two days and would like to be in a very good location for walking places. What area is best and what hotels should we try to bid for? Location and Hotel are more important to us than cost. After I decide on a hotel, I will need help with bidding, new to that as well.

This website is great, I will appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

After I decide on a hotel, I will need help with bidding...

You can't bid on a specific hotel... you can only choose the minimum star rating and the general location (based upon the zone boundaries that PRICELINE uses)

If you've never used PRICELINE or HOTWIRE this is a good place to start as it describes the similarities and differences of each service: I've Never Used Priceline or Hotwire

After reading the above let us know any questions you have and/or how you'd like to proceed and we'll advise accordingly.

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

[AaronJB]

As thereuare noted, you cannot bid for a specific hotel.

Chicago is a fairly compact city, but given that you are going to be in the city for two nights and want a central hotel, I'd try to look for something near or near-ish to the river (The Intercontinental, Conrad, Monaco, Homewood Suites, Amalfi, Westin River North, Swissotel and a few others.)

Given the inability to try and pinpoint a more specific area with PRICELINE, I'd recommend consideration of HOTWIRE.

If you look on HOTWIRE for 6/30-7/2, there is...

....a 4.5* in the Mag Mile/Streeterville area for $119 (the price you see may vary slightly.) with the amenities: fitness, business, internet, restaurant. This is likely either the Conrad or Intercontinental (both of which are essentially across the street from each other.) Both are very different hotels (the Conrad being a newer property and the Intercontinental being a grand, old-world property with modern touches.) The Intercontinental is also - I think - a pretty fascinating property from an architectural standpoint (the hotel pool is one of the first pools built on a higher floor, and was considered an architectural feat at the time; the grand ballroom is unbelievably beautiful, and showcases one of the largest Baccarat crystal chandeliers in North America.)

The $119 price is a fantastic deal for either hotel.

Please use the site's link to HOTWIRE to start your purchase if this listing is of interest.

[Kathleen123]

Thanks for the advice on where to stay. Any tricks to using Hotwire that I should know before I bid? I have never used either Priceline or Hotwire.

[Kathleen123]

Aaron, I was just on HOTWIRE and they had a 4.5* with fitness, restaurant, business and internet for $189.00 or a 4* with the same amenities for $119.00. You mentioned earlier that the 4.5 would probably either be the Conrad or Intercontinental, but you had mentioned the price of $119.99. What do you think the hotels would be for what I just found and is the price good? Any other suggestions you have would be appreciated.

Thanks so much for your insight!

[thereuare]

Please clarify which zone(s) the HOTWIRE properties you mention above are located in.

Are you willing to spend up to $189/nite for a hotel for this stay?

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

[Kathleen123]

The 4.5* is North Michigan Ave, Water Tower, Gold Coast

The 4* is in NMA, Streeterville

The is an addidional one this morning, 4* in NMA, Water Tower, Gold Coast

I am willing to pay $189.00 if it is a good value, great hotel and area. Please give me your advice.

Thanks so much for your help!

[Kathleen123]

I'm so new to this, I forgot to mention the amenities for the new property that showed up this morning.

4*, MNA , water tower, gold coast

Smoke Free Rooms

Fitness Center

Pool

Restuarant

Business Center

Internet

Tennis nearby

Thanks

[thereuare]

The 4* NMA zone property above is a match for The Avenue so that would be our best guess.

If you still need help with the other two properties please re-list them just as you have done for the NMA property above... as it makes it very clear to see the zone, star rating, and amenities. The information for the other two properties requested earlier are in so many different posts that i'm not sure which star ratings and zones go with which amenities.

Have you decided between PRICELINE or HOTWIRE?

[Kathleen123]

OK, I think I am understanding how to post on this site. Sorry for the confusion in my earlier posts.

I would like to know your best guess on the following hotels listed on hotwire:

4.5* NMA Watertower, Gold Coast, $189.00

Fitness

Business

Restaurant

Internet

4* NMA streetervill, $115.00

Fitness

Business

Restaurant

Internet

Customer Favorite

I haven't decided which site to try yet. I think I would like either the Conrad or the James hotels and would be willing to try the site that would offer the highest chance of getting one of those hotels. Any ideas would be helpful.

Thanks

[AaronJB]

The 4.5* is possibly the Sofitel. The 4* Mag Mile may be a few different hotels, including the Sheraton, Hard Rock and Westin River North. While I'm a fan of the Westin River North (which I think is one of the nicest city properties at the 4* level), I'm indifferent about the Hard Rock and rather dislike the very average Sheraton.

If the 4.5* is the Sofitel, I'm actually seeing that for $178 on Orbitz.com, so not much of a deal from HOTWIRE.

Again - as was noted earlier in the thread - HOTWIRE and PRICELINE are not about getting a specific hotel, they are about paying the lowest price for a hotel. PRICELINE is a gamble - as a trade-off for a cheap price, you are essentially "spinning the wheel" and seeing where it lands. If HOTWIRE isn't showing either the Conrad or the James - and neither hotel does seem to be appearing on that service - then they are not offering HOTWIRE rates for these dates.

[Kathleen123]

Sorry I never replied to finish this thread. We ended up cancelling our trip and still have not been to Chicago.

Thanks for all the help.

[AaronJB]

Thank you for closing the thread.