I'm going to Chicago for 5 days in the last week of March 2001 and would welcome advice on my hotel choices.From London the best deals for 4* hotels I've found are:
1)the Palmer House Hilton for $137+tax -but this is their 'small studio room',which does sound like it might be a fancy name for a shoe-box!Has anyone ever stayed 'comfortably' in one of these?! Also, is this hotel too far from the touristy parts of the city? Will the walk to Mich Ave be too long and freezing cold at that time of the year?!
2)the Hyatt Regency for $150+tax. Location looks much better, but from other comments here people seem to think it's not worth it!

Are these rates good, or am I being ripped off?! Any recommendations for other hotels of similar standard-my budget is no more than $150/night. Also I notice loads of Americans use priceline.com for great deals(like the Westin at $69/night-AMAZING!). Would this be worth a go if I am looking for better deals on 4* standard hotels in Michigan Ave area in March? I'm a bit apprehensive as not many people in London use this site and I'd appreciate any hints from anyone who has used it! Thanks!

check into the hotel monaco- if you tell them that you have stayed in their hotel in san fran they'll usually give you a discount. it is really pretty, comfortable, plush, and good location- across from house of blues and only 1-2 blocks from mich ave. they give you a gold fish as a pet when you check in and have complimentary wine tasting daily 4-6.

I don't think you're being ripped off but you're also not receiving the cheapest rate. I recently stayed at Palmer House for approx. $119+tax for Fr. & Sat. night. I actually like the location, especially if you plan on going to the Science Museum, Shed Aquarium, & or shopping.

Try the Doubletree Suites. Nice hotel, large rooms and a great location. We stayed there this summer and loved it.

Tania: Michigan Ave. is the address that most tourists prefer, but Palmer House is fine especially if you plan on going to the Art Institute. Do think you can do better on the price also. Just saw it in Jan. for $99 at www.hoteldiscounts.com. Hotel Intercontinental on Michigan Ave. was also offering a great rate on that page.
Hope you get better weather than we are right now. This week has been one blizzard after another. The last few years we've become spoiled and I fear most of us, including myself, have started to turn into woosies.

Tania:
I highly agree withthe man that recommended the Doubletree Guest Suites, i stayed there 2 years ago and was a great location a block from Mich. Ave. and extremely large nice rooms. You might also try the Raphael Hotl on Delaware Place, right behind the Hancock Tower. It is a smaller property, the elevator is s-l-o-w, but the rooms are very nice and have their own safes and dressing areas. They usually have weekend rates around $129 or so.

There is a Best Western on Ohio or Ontario, just a block of Michigan Avenue - an ideal location. The Palmer House is in the heart of "the Loop" - handy for shopping at Marshall Fields State Street store, and - as noted - fairly close to the Art Institute. My personal preference however, would be the Magnificent Mile (N. Michigan Avenue area). We've used Priceline several times - most recently, we landed at the Hilton, which was a very nice property/room....but it's location is not very handy -- it's quite a long walk to the main part of the loop, and even longer to the Mag Mile area. It's important to know whether there are any big trade shows or conventions going on in Chicago during your stay - that will affect the price/availability of hotel rooms considerably.

Your weather in late March likely will be chilly, and maybe wet. On the other hand, you could luck out and feel a breath of early spring. It's hard to predict. Good luck!

Tania,

Check out this site:

http://pub4.ezboard.com/bpricelineandexpediabidding

It's a fabulous message board for learning the ins and outs of Priceline bidding. You aren't guaranteed a specific hotel, but it can save you lots of money. And there's lots of information on specific bidding strategies (and successes) for Chicago.

Yesterday and today, my best friend saved nearly $1,000 (airfare and hotel, as compared with prices he found elsewhere--specific airline/hotel sites, Expedia, Travelocity, etc.) on an upcoming family trip to Florida.

Good luck!

Try the Allerton. Great location. An older hotel, but I found it to be a good stop for sightseeing.

Also, I've had friends from the UK say that they are unable to use priceline.com with a UK-based credit card. I think you need a US card.

Hey, check out this site: www.ritzcarlton.com - accept no substitutes.

Palmer House Hilton is a beautiful hotel but you are right in your guess about the size of the room. The room sizes vary greatly but in my experience, the studio room is extremely small even for just one person.

As for location, any walk in Chicago at that time of year is going to be freezing. It'll be well worth it to take a cab.