Does anyone have any suggestions about Downtown Chicago hotels? I am looking for a room with a view and close to shopping, lake, Grant Park, etc. I've heard the 4 Seasons is awesome but the price is a little out of my range.

Grant Park is east of the loop so look for hotels in the loop area. What do you want to spend? Hotels will range in price from 100-500 dollars a night depending on what you want.

You may be happier on the Magnificent Mile which is a little ways from Grant Park. The Mag Mile is North Michigan and is the middle of shopping, dining, and partying (Rush Street). If you stay across from Grant Park, you will have to cab it (or a long walk) to North Michigan.

A good website with rates for specific hotels in Chicago is HotRooms.com They only deal with hotels in Chicago and Washington, DC, and i think their prices are quite good.

If you're flexible enough to try Priceline or Hotwire, I have been lurking and learned a lot from www.BetterBidding.

I think it's a fairly new site, but they already have a lot of information on it and they seem to be quite receptive to questions.

I would check into Hotel Monaco, Renaissance Hotel and House of Blues Hotel (on Chicago River and close to Michigan Ave sights), or Le Meridien, Hotel Sofitel, W on Lake Shore Drive, Hotel Intercontinental, The Knickerbocker, Tremont -- all near or on N. Michigan Ave.

The Hilton Hotel near Grant Park is a grand and majestic old hotel, with a great view of the park and near the Art Institute. If the weather is nice, it isn't too bad of a walk up to North Michigan Ave. -- about 2 miles each way.

I've gotten great rates over the years at quikbook.com for our annual visits to Chicago. Most bang for the buck was the Omni-great location, suite accomodations, very comfortable suite, nice staff, and fantastic price with quikbook. For view-try the Suisshotel. Its closer to the loop shopping rather than the Mag. Mile. though