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

[matyee]

Hi guys,

I'm looking to book a room from 6/12-6/15, non smoking, and 4* or better. I'm seeing the following options on hotwire:

4-star hotel in Chicago Loop

3.5/5 Based on 620+ customer reviews (Last reviewed May 2009)

Fitness

Pool

Restaurant

Business Center

High Speed Internet

$94/night (just went up from $87)

4.5-star hotel in Magnificent Mile Area - Streeterville

4/5 Based on 360+ customer reviews (Last reviewed May 2009)

Fitness

Restaurant

Business Center

High Speed Internet

$163/night

4-star hotel in North Michigan Avenue - Water Tower - Gold Coast

3.5/5 Based on 260+ customer reviews (Last reviewed May 2009)

Fitness

Pool

Restaurant

Business Center

High Speed Internet

Spa

$164/night

4-star hotel in Magnificent Mile Area - Streeterville

3.5/5 Based on 340+ customer reviews (Last reviewed May 2009)

Smoke Free Rooms

Fitness

Pool

Restaurant

Business Center

High Speed Internet

$182/night

Can someone help me to ID these hotels? And are the Loop and N Michigan Ave good places to stay? We'd like to see the sights and be around good shopping as well as good access to great places to eat.

Thanks for your help!

[AaronJB]

Welcome to the site.

If this is your first stay in Chicago, I'd recommend staying in the NMA area. The Loop area is fine, but it can get awfully quiet later into the evening, as - especially in the South and West Loop - restaurants and shops close as the offices of the area let out for the day. The NMA area has more nightlife - restaurants, etc - and generally stays open later. Staying in the Loop for cheaper wouldn't be bad, it's just that you may find it best to take a cab back to the hotel if you plan on staying out late. If you don't plan on staying out later, then the Loop is fine.

As for the hotels below:

4* Loop (likely the Palmer)

4.5* Mag Mile (Likely Intercontinental)

4* NMA/WT/GC (Likely W Lakeshore)

4* Mag Mile - I'm only seeing this when searching for 2 adults/2 children - is that what you are searching for? This would likely be the Sheraton, which I wouldn't recommend.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE link to start your purchase and let us know how it goes. Additionally, please feel free to ask any questions.

[matyee]

Thanks for the info. I really want to stay in the NMA area based on your recommendation, but the prices for the NMA area right now are a bit too expensive for me so I ended up bidding on PRICELINE in the NMA area and got the following results:

$70 bid failed

$75 bid failed

$80 bid failed

$85 bid failed

$95 bid failed

So I will make one final bid at $100 today and if that doesn't work I'll most likely either go with the Loop on HOTWIRE or start bidding on PRICELINE for some Loop properties. Ideally I would like to get the Swissotel in the Loop, but it seems like the Palmer is the main hotel offered in the Loop.

Thanks.

[thereuare]

Keep us updated... and please remember to use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases and bidding.

[matyee]

So I'm kinda stuck right now, I really want to stay in the NMA area, but it doesn't like I will be able to get it for less than $100. Would you recommend that I wait it out and keep bidding at the $80-$90 price range or should I take the sure thing in the loop on Hotwire for $79? Is there any chance that the price point lowers as we get closer to the date? Am I still safe to get a room even though there's only ~3 weeks left?

[matyee]

Here's another update, so there's still the $79 option on HOTWIRE for a 4 star in the Loop (most likely the Palmer), but I still really want to stay in NMA. So I tried bidding on PRICELINE by clicking on your link with the following bids:

$80 rejected

$90 rejected

$101 rejected

$105 rejected

Does anyone know what the magic number might be for this weekend of 6/12-6/15? Are they charging a premium since due to the Blues Festival? Should I just give up and go with the HOTWIRE rate?

Thanks.

[matyee]

Just checked the latest Hotwire listings using the HOTWIRE link on this board and came up with:

$105/night

4-star hotel in Magnificent Mile Area - Streeterville

6/12-6/15

Fitness Center

Restaurant(s)

Business Center

High-speed Internet Access

4.0/5 * Trip Advisor

Based on 160+ customer reviews (Last reviewed May 2009)

Any ideas? The Drake? Knickerbocker?

Thanks.

[AaronJB]

The Drake and Knickerbocker would be in the NMA-WT-GC area, so would not be either of those.

This could be a few different possibilities, including the Swiss, Hard Rock or Westin River North. All three would be fine possibilities, but the Westin River North would be a particularly great result.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE link if you decide to book this property.

[matyee]

I ended up winning a bid on Priceline for $102/night from 6/12-6/15 at the Westin River North...I'll post my results in the Priceline board.

Thanks again for your help.

[AaronJB]

We can just use this as the thread for your win. It has been moved to the PRICELINE area.

[matyee]

That sure was a fast move, I was just about to post a new thread and noticed that the thread was moved...

Thanks again and I'll be sure to keep clicking those links in the future. =)

[AaronJB]

Congratulations on your success and thank you for sharing your results with the board.

This is one my favorite 4*'s in the city, with a great location and a stylish lobby (it used to be the Japanese-owned Hotel Nikko, and the lobby still retains the sleek style. While PRICELINE reservations are not eligible for upgrades, if you luck out and get one of the rooms on the South face of the hotel (the river side), those offer gorgeous views.

Thank you for using the site's PRICELINE link.

Enjoy your stay.