Chicago Accomodations
 

We (mid-seventies) will be in Chicago in September for 4 days. I am looking for suggestions as to in which area to stay. We are somewhat mobility-challenged, so want to be in an area with restaurants fairly close by, and public transportation (maybe hop-on/off trolley?) to get to visit attractions. This will be our first trip to Chicago and I need to narrow down so many possibilities! Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

We normally use Priceline and majority of the time get the Hyatt Regency just off Michigan Ave at Wacker. That is a good location with many buses running up and down Michigan and to most of the attractions.

The greatest concentration of hotels and restaurants is in the River North/Magnificent Mile/Streeterville area. The Mag Mile is the main shopping district and extends north on Michigan Ave from the river to Oak Street. Streeterville is east of Michigan to the lake and River North is west to approximately Wells St.

Public transit is abundant and will get you to most sights. Check www.transitchicago.com for maps and a trip planner. Transit passes would be a wise investment. A 3-day pass is $14 and allows unlimited rides on all CTA trains and buses. All buses are accessible and many rail stations have elevators and escalators.

You can purchase passes at the rail station at either airport, Union Station or most CVS and Walgreens stores in the city.

For the Museum Campus, you can take the Number 146 bus southbound on Michigan. Take the Number 151 southbound on Michigan for the Art Institute or Millennium Park or northbound for the Lincoln Park Zoo.

For restaurants, you can search the listings at www.chicagoreader.com or www.metromix.com by cuisine, price or neighborhood.

Thanks for the info. Re Priceline - is it better to wait until just before traveling? I have not had much luck and the last time I used it, was not really pleased other than the price!

For tips on how to use Priceline (and Hotwire) to your best advantage, check www.betterbidding.com or www.biddingfortravel.com. Both sites contain info on how to decipher the neighborhoods, hotel descriptions and how to submit bids that will be accepted.

Also you may want to just check the hotel websites. Many offer discounts for pre-payment, memberships (AAA, AARP, etc.) and you can often get good deals if you're not comfortable with the blind-bidding process.

Also keep in mind that hotel rates are very sensitive to supply and demand. There is a large convention Sept 11-14 and another Sept 20-24 that are each expecting 20,000+ attendees. If your dates are somewhat flexible, you may be able to get better hotel deals.

Hotwire might be better for you than Priceline, because Priceline you only know the area you are bidding on, but with Hotwire, you're selecting a particularly, but anonymous hotel --- and you can most times figure out in advance which hotel it is likely to be (and for that reason hotwire's prices tend to be a little higher than priceline's)

Try calling The River Hotel. It is also just off Michigan Ave on Wacker. I got a good deal for flight and hotel on Expedia. They also offered the same rate when I called. It is more of a business hotel. It is close to everything and public transportation.

Is it better/worse to be at the upper (northern) end of the Mag Mile or closer to the river in terms of restaurants, etc.?
Since we will be there during one of the larger conventions, I am looking to make a booking that can be cancelled if I luck out on Priceline later on. Looking at the Hilton Suites and the Doubletree at present.
Thanks again for the advice.

Unless you want something very specific, you'll find restaurants are spread pretty evenly across the Mag Mile area. Toward the north end of Michigan you'll find the Rosebud Steak House, Carmine's, Spiaggia (where the Obamas had one of their last Chicago "dates"), Cheesecake Factory and Ditka's among others. Check the links for Chicago Reader or Metromix to find restaurants.

Since you will be here during a large convention, you may want to make dinner reservations so you don't have to wait a long time. You can check www.opentable.com for menus and online reservations or check with your hotel concierge for suggestions and reservation help.