Chicago Hotel Question
 

Making plans to attend a conference in March 2013 at McCormick Place West. Hyatt Regency at McCormick Place isn't an option. Where do you recommend we stay? We won't have a car and will have to depend on a taxi or public transportation. We would like to be in a central location for shopping, restaurants, and sightseeing. Our budget is around $200 per night. I have stayed at the Intercontinental but it was several years ago. Is it still a nice hotel?

The Intercontinental is still very nice. Any hotel in the River North-Magnificent Mile-Streeterville area will be fine. Rates will depend on the number of attendees at your convention (and others occurring at that time). Check with your conference organizer, most operate shuttle buses that depart from the larger hotels along Michigan Avenue.

In addition to the I-con, there's the Affinia, Allerton, Amalfi, Avenue Crowne Plaza, Conrad, Marriott on Michigan, 2 Courtyards, Dana, Doubletree, Drake, Four Seasons, Hard Rock, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Suites, Homewood Suites, Hyatt Magnificent Mile, Hyatt Regency, Inn of Chicago, Knickerbocker, James, Monaco, Omni, Palomar, Park Hyatt, Peninsula, Renaissance Chicago, Raffaello, 2 Residence Inns, Ritz Carlton, Hotel Sax, Sheraton, Springhill Suites, Swissotel, Treemont, Trump, Waldorf-Astoria, Westin Michigan Ave and Whitehall.

The Blackstone is nice and relatively close to the convention center. The other Hyatt is nice for the price. The Wit is trendy and upscale.

http://chicagovisitor.net/ChicagoHotels.html

We have stayed at the Homewood Suites several times and it is great-wonderful location for walking to restaurants and sites all around the city. They have a good breakfast and also evening drinks and snacks(really a light dinner).

There is a shuttle to McCormick Place and we have narrowed our hotel choices down to the following:

Intercontinental
Hyatt Regency Chicago
Marriott Mag. Mile
Hotel Palomar
Westin Chicago River North

We want to be close to shopping, dining, and attractions. Which of the above choices has the nicest rooms and is in the best location?

Of your list, I've stayed at the Westin and the Hyatt (assuming you mean the one on E. Wacker). Both were fine, but unless they've done some renovations at the Hyatt, I'd go with the Westin of the two. Can't comment on the others' rooms, though.

Really any of the locations would be fine. If you want to be near the stores on Michigan, I'd focus on the Marriott and Intercontinental. If you'd like something a tad quieter (it can get quite crowded on Michigan), you might focus on the others. They're all a decent walk or quick cab ride to, say, the Art Institute (there's also a bus that goes up and down Michigan - 157, maybe? can't remember off the top of my head).

All the hotels you mention are at the south end of the Magnificent Mile, the city's main shopping district. Check www.magnificentmile.com for a listing of stores, restaurants and happenings. The Intercontinental and Marriott face each other on Michigan Avenue. The Palomar is about two blocks west of the Marriott and the Westin is another two blocks west of the Palomar. The Hyatt Regency is about 2 blocks south of the I-con/Marriott just across the river.

You can also find info on restaurants and events at www.chicagomagazine.com or www.chicagoreader.com. You can search for restaurants by neighborhood, price or cuisine. The Art Institute is about a half-mile south of the hotels you mention. The Museum Campus is about another mile south of that. If you don't want to walk, there are several bus routes that operate on Michigan Avenue. Check www.transitchicago.com for maps, a trip planner, info on where to buy transit passes and how to track buses and trains with your smart phones.