We would appreciate any information/advice on the CASS HOTEL, 640 N. Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL
I've read some of the rants/raves on the website about this hote. Any one else have any comments? We like the location, & the week we are going, Oct 9,10,11,12, all hotels are booked for the Chicago Marathon.
I think we're lucky to find this,but,would appreciate some insight. Thanks!

CJ -- I'm not from Chicago but I originally booked the Cass hotel for my stay there because of its great location. Fodors rate it as 2* (another site says 1*), but most of the posters don't recommend. I ended up getting a 4 1/2* hotel in the same area for about the same price through Priceline and cancelled the Cass. Please report back though and let us
all know how it is after your stay. Have a great trip!

Last time I heard, it was a complete dump. Try Priceline and you might get a great hotel for around the same price.

HIPVIRGOCHICK: what hotel did you end up staying at/ We've been checking everywhere, & everything is booked because of the Chicago Marathon, which we didn't know about.
Any ideas for downtown hotels would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Try the Hilton (or maybe it's Hyatt) at McCormick Place or the Days Inn either in Lincoln Park (on Clark) or Lakeview (on Diversy). All are definately better than Cass.

SWALTER518: Do you have an address for Lakeview On Diversy? I couldn't find any listing. Phone #? Thanks

I think he/she meant Days Inn on Diversy - 773-525-7010. I have never stayed at the Cass but work very close to there. I would not stay there.

Days Inn Lincoln Park North
644 W Diversey Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 525-7010
(773) 525-6998 (fax)

CJ, Here's the Lincoln Park (they call it Gold Coast) information...
1816 N Clark Street
Chicago, IL, 60614 US
312-664-3040

Do not stay at the Cass Hotel...I am from Chicago and it is a complete dump!

CJ -- You may run into trouble because of the Marathon -- But, have you tried Priceline for your dates? I bid $100.00/night for the North Michigan area and got the Sheraton Hotel Tower at 301 East North Water Street. I probably should have bid lower, but was being impatient. This is my craziness -

Booked the Cass

Booked the Congress Plaza

Cancelled the Cass (no cancellation fee)

Booked the Howard Johnson at 720 N. LaSalle through www.hotrooms.com @ $85/night

Cancelled the Congress Plaza due to location and finding out they were on strike

Won bid on Priceline for Sheraton

Cancelled HoJo ($25.00 cancellation fee)

Usually I'm not so fickle! But I was definitely playing musical chairs due to lack of available hotels. Good luck!

P.S. When searching...and searching...and searching...the hotel websites themselves are good to check the REAL availability. You may find you are able to stay 1-2 nights at the Cass and 2-3 nights at a more upscale hotel if you are patient bidding through Priceline and willing to change hotels.

thanks everyone, for advice, but, I'm having no luck finding anything else.
Is Cass Hotel in a really bad area?
How many blocks from Michigan Ave?

It's not in a bad location at all, it's actually quite good, just a block or two off Michigan Avenue. I think it's the actual hotel that people object to. I haven't stayed there so I can't personally comment.

You might keep your Cass Hotel reservation and give Priceline a try. I'm sure there are people out there with multiple reservations that will ultimitely cancel.

Or you might look into a b&b, here's a website that seemed to have some availability for your dates.
http://www.chicago-bed-breakfast.com

The ones downtown and on the Gold Coast/Near North should all be fine. The ones in Lincoln Park and Old Town should all be in safe neighborhoods but not as convenient to downtown.

CJ -- hotrooms does show availability for the Soffitel, but rather pricey. There's a chance you could get it through Priceline. I wouldn't worry too much if you don't. The Cass is in the location you want and if you go to Fodor hotel reviews (rather than travel talk) it really doesn't sound horrible. It's actually a Fodor * pick and is also 1 of only 3 accomodations listed on the Let's Go Chicago map I picked up recently. Most important...enjoy your trip!

If it makes any difference, the Sofitel is awesome...may be worth the money for posh surroundings...

The Cass Hotel really is "that" bad. Have you tried the Hotel Brompton? I had my family stay there and it was in the perfect location and neighborhood. Somewhat like a B&B but functions as a hotel!

Jules makes a great reco with the Brompton Hotel -- not many people from out of town know about it. Also try the Belden Stratford Hotel located in Lincoln Park (across from the zoo -- Lincoln Park West St.). They may have a room. Also try the Tremont, House of Blues, Hotel Allegro, Hotel Monaco, Knickerbocker, W Hotels in the loop and on Lake Shore Drive, Hotel 71. These are smaller boutique hotels that may not be in everyone's database.

If you get really desperate, you may want to try hotels near O'Hare. You can take the "L" downtown pretty easily from there (about 30 minute ride).

Last I knew, the Cass Hotel was occupied by a lot of transients...it's in a great location but definitely an undesirable place to stay.

CJ - I found everything booked but the Sofitel. Brompton too. Maybe there will be so many out-of-towners coming to the Cass you won't have to worry about transients.

If you have to go outside the city, I would start by looking in Evanston. It's the first suburb north of the city border, along the lake. It has a thriving downtown, as opposed to the O'hare area's sterile hotel-and-office-park scape. The public transportation from Evanston to the city takes 50 minutes or so. See
transitchicago.com