Cambat

I am looking to hire a car offsite from O'hare that is close to a local motel so I can avoid the extra charges that come with hiring direct at the airport. I would prefer a location that I could hire about 8am on a Saturday and return about 2pm on a Saturday as well.

LindainOhio

Are you going downtown? You are better off without a car for the day. Use public transportation, the El, buses, and cabs. It is very easy to get around Chicago using public transportation. Parking is expensive.

Cambat

I am leaving on a road trip for 8 days. I land the night before and was hoping to find a good cheap hotel with a shuttle bus and then walk or short cab to the rental place on the Saturday morning.

NJriverchick

I did the exact same thing when I flew into Reno last December. By getting my car in town rather than at the airport I saved hundreds of dollars.

This is how I did it.
Pull up a Google map of downtown Chicago and a bit beyond. Then put "car rental" in the Google search and they will pop up. Print out.

Then put "motel" in the Google search and let them pop up.

When you find some in close proximity then you have to start checking rates and shuttle.

I did it real quickly for your Chicago situation and found LaQuinta Hotel next to an Enterprise rent-a-car on West Madison Street. The good news is that it is also next to a metro stop.

i hope that helps & good luck.

ChgoGal

Hi, Cambat.

You may want to look at these combinations:
Lincoln Park Days Inn on Diversey
Inn at Lincoln Park on Diversey
the Hertz location at Century Mall (2828 N Clark)
http://www.daysinnchicago.net
http://www.innlp.com/wp/
http://www.hertz.com/rentacar/locati...sp&eoag=CHIC03


Or...
Best Western Hawthorne Terrace
Avis or Budget location at 3721 N Broadway
http://www.hawthorneterrace.com


or downtown:
Holiday Inn Express/Cass Hotel
Inn of Chicago on E. Ohio
and then the Hertz/Budget/Avis locations in river north or the north loop.

I'm assuming there's no shuttle from the airport to the city hotels/motels, so you'll likely want to take the CTA (Chgo Transit Authority) blue line train to the city (likely the State X Lake stop). Then you can bus to your hotel/motel.

I may be wrong, but in the past, I thought I was able to get really good rates at the airports, but maybe there are different fees I'm not aware of. But it may be a wash because transportation to the city and the downtown hotel/motel rates may be high enough for you to consider an airport/Rosemont area hotel and rental from the airport.

Good luck with the hunt!

Cambat

Thank you that sounds so easy and clever. I was trying to do it the hard way I think. I had been googling searches like it but had no luck.

ChgoGal

Yes, I imagine it's tough if you don't live in the city you plan to go to. I don't own a car and live in that neighborhood, so those are the locations I rent from.

Hopefully you can get the Days Inn in Lincoln Park or the Inn at Lincoln Park (the Days Inn may be a nicer place) and a good rate at the Hertz in the Century Mall. Post with any questions if you find the availability and rates.

Plus, if you have a few hours the night before your trip, there's lots of neighborhood restaurants, drug stores, grocery stores right on Diversey X Clark that will be available to you.

Good luck!

Cambat

Thanks ChgoGal for all of your info it is very much appreciated. I have been looking at Priceline they seem to have the cheapest prices and there is a good 200-300 dollar difference when you go offsite at O'hare. I was in you fair city very briefly 8 yrs ago but we stayed out in Kankakee so did not get a real chance to see that much of Chicago. This time I am looking forward to picking up the car and then heading to doughnut vault and hot dougs before the road trip. I also want to get to smoque at some point too. I think the Friday night I will not see much apart from the hotel as it will take 23hrs travel from Australia to get there.

ChgoGal

Ah, I see. And a good idea not to drive immediately after such a draining flight.

Is Priceline the site where you prepay for the car?
You have probably already done this, but I like to compare rental car rates at Orbitz.com (using "car Only," and setting parameters for (address = 2600 N Clark, Chicago, Illinois, 60614). I did this and they only provided Avis/Budget, and the rates were identical. Hertz did not appear, but I put in a return on a Sunday and the location is, perhaps, closed then. I put in Monday, and Hertz appeared and beat Avis & Budget's rates.

That's a lesson I've learned - you want to confirm the opening and closing times and dates of all these locations. Most will allow a drop off on "closed" days with a key lock box -- but those returns are harder to get a quote on, perhaps. And I don't like dropping rental cars off without a final check by an attendant so there are no surprises with charges (like gasoline levels).

I had not heard of Doughnut Vault -- but not unusual for me -- so many restaurants and food shops in Chicago. I did notice a new "gourmet" donut shop near my office called Firecakes which looks great.
http://www.firecakesdonuts.com

I've never been to Hot Dougs, but I'm vegetarian so that explains that. I assume you have a little in the city at beginning or end of your road trip as these three restaurants are spread out over the city. If you want some tips on your Chicago itinerary, maybe others can post some advice how best to squeeze it all in.

Good luck!

Cambat

Thanks for the tip on orbitz. I actually went on priceline and tried bidding which I had not done and it works out only 30 dollars more expensive than going offsite and is more hassle free. Thank for your for all of your help.

I think Hot Doug has vege options it is called the Joe Strummer.