Hotwire Hotel: 4* Chicago (NMA-Water Tower-Gold Coast) The Drake

[aceking12]

I am new here and would like help identifying a 3* in Chacago ORD south for 6-11 thru 6-15

$48 a night with the following amenities

Fitness Center

Business Center

Laundry

High Speed internet access

Golf

Any help would be appreciated

This is our first trip to Chicago and it is for my wife's Birthday. I have really no idea where to stay co any help there would be appreciated. I good deal on a 3 or 4 star is what I am looking for.

Is it better to stay downtown or can I stay by the airport and take the train in..

Thanks to anyone with info

[AaronJB]

Welcome to the site. :)

Unfortunately, this property has not yet been reported to the board by any users, so it remains unidentified.

It is better to stay downtown if possible. If you stay in ORD, it's a 55-60 minute trip by "L" downtown. That's a long and not particularly comfortable trip in, and that's what you have to look forward to on the way back. If you are driving and stay in some of the suburb areas, you can take the Metra Train in - which is a much more comfortable trip, but it doesn't come as often and it's a couple bucks more expensive. Some of the suburbs are nicer than staying by ORD. So, staying out by ORD does cost time and a few bucks each way for train fare.

In terms of downtown, I see a 3* in the Mag Mile/Streeterville area with the amenities: fitness, business, internet for $69 for these dates downtown. That is likely the Inn of Chicago, which gets mixed reviews, but is good from a location standpoint.

Personally, I'd recommend trying to bid on PRICELINE first for $75 for a 4* in the River North-North Michigan Ave or Millennium Park-Loop-Grant Park areas to see if you can get a 4* for only a few $ more than the 3* w/mixed reviews.

Please use the site's PRICELINE or HOTWIRE links to start your purchase, and let us know if you have any questions before booking.

[thereuare]

I'll just add that if your budget allows i would stay Downtown... it's just so much nicer having the freedom to walk out the door, already be in the city, and head to your destination without the 'commute', as well as having the flexibility to head back to your hotel room during the day to take a short break.

With 4* hotels in the Downtown zones starting at just over $100, you should be able to get a very nice hotel someplace at a great rate... perhaps even a little cheaper on PRICELINE if you're flexible in regards to which property you'll receive.

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

Let us know how you'd like to proceed and we'll advise accordingly.

[aceking12]

First of thank you for taking the time to help me out and thanks for the great information. I would definetely rather stay in a nice place downtown but don't want to pay 300 a night if I can get something better and spend the moeny on other things for the trip like tickets or food. Any advice or suggestions for hotwire or priceline that will get me the best quality for the best savings. I only really looked at the above listed hotel because I am intrigued by Aloft hotel...and thought it could possible fit the ammenties. Anyhow I digress, I am looking for a king bed for two 6-11 thru 6-15 and my budget is extremely flexible just want to get the best deal....Thanks in advance..

[thereuare]

With PRICELINE and HOTWIRE you will seldom need to spend $300/nite for a hotel room... even in large cities which are typically very expensive.

For instance, there is a 4* hotel in the NMA zone for $104/nite and a Tripadvisor rating of 4/5 (which is a good rating) as well as a similarly TA rated 4* hotel in the Loop for $99. You could probably beat both of these prices via PRICELINE, but then you'll be subject to any 4* hotel in the zone and wont' be able to take an educated guess as to what the property may be before your purchase (and that's the trade-off between PRICELINE and HOTWIRE)

Let us know 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.

[aceking12]

Thank you for the great info, the two 4*'s you speak look like good deal and I think they would work much better than being out by the airport. Do you have a good idea of what these two might be. I think I would rather go with HOTWIRE and have a slightly better chance of knowing what than bidding on PRICELINE for a little extra savings. Any guesses of which hotel the two examples you mentioned might be. Thanks for all the advice.

[thereuare]

The 4* NMA property with Restaurant, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, and Business icons matches a few properties including the Allerton, Drake, Millenium Knickerbocker, and Westin. However, it also shows a Tripadvisor rating of 4.0 out of 5 Based on 240+ customer reviews which would make our best guess in this order: Drake, Allerton, Westin, Knickerbocker

The 4* Loop property has Boutique, Restaurant, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, Business... this one appears to be the Hotel Allegro, upgraded from the 3.5* since previously reported.

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

Let us know what you decide and how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[AaronJB]

I'd strongly recommend the NMA choice, as while the Allegro's a nice (and recently renovated) hotel, it's in an "out of the way" location that is very quiet at night. The location is more appropriate for a business traveler than a tourist. If the 4* NMA actually turned out to be the Drake (it could be a different hotel, but the 4/5 tripadvisor rating on the detail page would suggest it might be the Drake), that would be a tremendous deal.

[aceking12]

I just want to take a minute to say thanks to both AaronJB and thereuare for the great advice, I book yesterday using your sites HOTWIRE link and the 4* NMA turned out to be the Drake for $106 a night four four nights. Total of 494.62 including taxes. Same from Orbitz 1195.84 including tax. The Drake looks like a great place and a great location to stay for our first trip to the city. closer to all of the things we will want to do. Would love to have some suggetions for a quality meal to celebate my wife's bithday if anybody has some opinions.

Thanks again for all your help

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you received the hotel you were hoping for and that you got a great deal... we're happy to have helped!

Thank you for sharing your results with the board and using our HOTWIRE link to begin your purchase.

I'll leave it to AaronJB to suggest any restaurant recommendations :)

Enjoy your stay (and a Happy Birthday to your wife)

[AaronJB]

It's always nice when a hotel purchase really could not have worked out any better, and this is clearly one of those instances. The Drake is a grand, beautiful and incredibly historic property at the top (North) end of the Michigan Ave. area, right near Oak Street Beach. While a very nice hotel choice in general, this is a particularly spot-on choice to celebrate a birthday and a terrific choice for a first-time Chicago visit. The Drake has also been seem somewhat rarely on HOTWIRE lately.

In terms of a restaurant, it depends a bit on how much you'd like to spend, what kind of food, etc?

If the weather is good, it's about a 17-20 minute walk (and a very nice walk, through the Gold Coast neighborhood) to Lincoln Park. Once you head North into the park, it's not much further to Lincoln Park zoo (free, and a great zoo.) From the Drake, you would walk a block West on Walton (which is the street the front entrance of the Drake is on) to Rush and then walk North on Rush (which merges with State St) and keep walking North on State until you reach North Ave. Once you reach North Ave, then cross over into the park and head North on the path. The path will lead under LaSalle St and then keep heading North on the other side. You'll reach the South Pond, where you'll see the Farm in the Zoo, which is the South end of the Zoo.