Has anyone stayed here recently? I'm considering a one night stay in November and am looking for anyone's recent experience and feedback. THank you!

stayed there about 3-4 years ago and it was very nice. Best indoor hotel pool (except for the ones with 3 story water slides) ever. Hotel restaurant was pricey but you got you're own bottle of real maple syrup with pancakes. Have heard the hotel may be more run down now, but i don't know. Location was also convenient

The Intercontinetal used to be a real gem. The pool is still one of the best in Chicago, but rooms are small and have not been updated recently. Still nice but could do with a facelift. Also if you are staying at Intercontinental because its on mag mile and you want to be near shopping, be advised, it is at THE OTHER END of the mag mile. Can't remember the exact street address but major shopping haven is around 900-1200 N. Michigan Ave (I think Intercontinetal is like 600 N?, this would be between and half mile and a mile to areas like Bloomingdales, Tiffany's etc. Definitely still a way above average hotel, but for that price, you could do better with MArriott, Omni, Westin or Radisson.

Thanks for the feedback. I usually check into a downtown Chicago hotel around Thanksgiving, and this year it seems there are some great deals for the upper end hotels. Intercontinental is going for $99 a nite mid-November. This is the most affordable one of the higher end hotels has been. Usually the closest affordable I can find to north Michigan is Swissotel, this year going for $89. I'll be staying with my young daughter and it sounds like the pool at Intercontinental is a big selling point. We also want to be close to American Girl store. I'll check out pricing for the others too. Thanks everyone.

Check again , I am seeing ht eHyatt Regency on mag mile for $109/night on weekends in NOv. and $89/weeknight. The Swisshotel is great. Even though not on mag mile, I would choose it in a heartbeat over Intercontinental (unless pool is that important) The views of Swisshotel are great of the lake and Navy Pier. Also you are halfway between mag mile shopping and the flagship huge MArshall Fields and other state street shopping.

Melissa, someone else just posted the same question recently. You might want to search for that thread. Beth is correct that Intercontinental is further south than Bloomingdale's. However, shopping on Michigan Avenue has changed quite a bit in the last couple of years. Nordstroms (with a whole shopping complex) is now right across the street from Intercontinental. There are many other new stores between the hotel and Bloomingdales. Intercontinental is about 500 N Michigan and Bloomingdale's is 900 N (where most of the shopping ends - unless you want to go to Oak Street but that might not be what you are looking for with a young girl). It really isn't a long walk. American Girl is on Chicago Avenue at Michigan which is not too far (about 700 N, I think). You should try to take her to Marshall Field's on State Street though to see the Christmas tree and decorations if you haven't done that before. Field's would be about a 10-15 minute walk.

Beth -

You've got your numbers a bit mixed up -Bloomies is 900 North, Tiffany's is 730 North - and most of the major stores (including Water Tower Place) are between 600 and 900 North. Division St (1200 North) is not full of stores - it's full of heinous, touristy bars. The Intercontinental is at 505 North. I can't believe anyone but the most sedentary person would remark on the distance between the hotel and Bloomingdales.

I think Beth meant to say Oak Street. There are alot of upscale stores and boutiques on Oak Street.

Oak Street is only 1000 North. And I'm with Anne. Any able-bodied person who thinks the walk from the Intercontinental to Oak Street is . .well. . I can't think of anything nice to say, so I'll stop here.

EEEK! I've been slammed! Sorry guys, the better and more upscale shopping is further north by the Drake and Four Seasons. I was referring to the shops at 900 N. (a whole complex of which bloomingdales is the anchor store) and of course great Oak Street shopping. I had forgotten about the Nordtrom's complex which opened last summer. IMHO though the stores toward the south end are your lower end mall type stores and not something special to travel to Chicago for. As for the walk from Intercontinental to Bloomies, it is no big deal for me, but to a non city dweller (take for example my family from Nashville TN) where you drive EVERYWHERE, it is amazing to them that anyone would walk an entire MiLE to get to a store. They would drive or take a cab. It is different when you live in the city and walk all the time, I agree the distance is not that big of a deal unless the weather is bad or you are not used to walking..

OOPS didn't mean the Drake - strike that, I was talking about Four Seasons

Beth -

Not to beat a dead horse, but the Four Seasons IS at 900 North, (not farther) i.e. half a mile (four city blocks) from the hotel, not "an EnTIRE mile." A half mile of walking might do them some good.

I checked out all the distances and decided on the Intercontinental, and we're looking forward to the pool there. We are definitely "hikers" and the distance between 505 N. and 900 N. won't be a problem. My poor suburban raised, car-pooled daughter is getting used to Michigan Ave. hikes! Last year we stayed at the Swissotel, and Intercontinental is a tad bit further north. Psychologically, being right on Michigan is going to be great. We won't be going past 900 north to the "heinous, touristy bars" or the upscale stores. My downscale credit cards won't take me that far. And trust me, I used to work in those bars years ago -- there's no attraction there! We will be cabbing it later that night to see Blue Man Group, though.

Thanks again for all the input. I'll look for that other thread, too, for any more details on the Intercontinental.

Melissa, we, too, decided on the Intercontinental for their pool but are concerned over recent negative reviews concerning cleaniness and bad attitude of the reception desk. We decided to go for it but have asked for written confirmation of the reservation and rates (they faxed it to us). We are going the weekend of nov. 9th but have a rate of $194.50/night that includes parking, breakfast and a few other things. When are you going and where did you find your $99 rate? I have a feeling that if we waited a week or two we could do this a lot cheaper...oh, well, this is the weekend the kid has extra days off school...thanks to all for their input. Laura

Be advised Laura that there is one weekend in November when rates are SKY HIGH! Not sure what the weekend is this year (possibly the 9th?) Anyway, this is the weekend for Light Up Chicago. It is the kick off weekend for the Christmas season. All of the Christmas lights are lit for the first time and Marshall Field's has their famous hoilday scenes in place in the store windows. There are a number of very good sales at the stores (as good as the day after Thanksgiving if you ask me). There is also some special festival activities. This may be the weekend of the 9th and would explain your higher price. P.S. I would be willing to bet that Melissa's rate of $99 doesn't include parking. I'm not sure of the cost at the Intercontinental (I didn't even knowe they had a garage) but the majority of hotels on Michigan Avenue charge about $35/day for parking which could also explain your higher rate. As for the Intercontinental, my inlaws stayed there in the spring due to a really great price. They thought the room was good for the price (which was cheap) but that is the only good thing they could say about the rooms.

I stayed there 2 years ago and thought it was just OK. My brother stayted a few months ago and loved it. Apparently, one tower is much nicer than the other.

Ask about the size of the bed. When I went, we had what they called "european doubles," which are smaller than a usual double bed - they are very cozy if you are sharing.

Laura -

We're there the night of November 21, the night before Thanksgiving. Perhaps that's why the better rate. We'll get there early Wednesday morning (I have the day off of work). We take the train in from the suburbs so parking won't be a concern for us.

Thanks melissa! I did notice that many of the hotels have terrific rates that week...maybe we'll do that next year. Laura

I was just in Chicago last week and stayed at the Intercontinental for 3 nights. I was very pleasantly surprised with the rooms. I stayed there last year for a couple of nights, and I'm pretty sure they've upgraded the rooms
since then. The furnitures looked new and the rooms were clean. Be aware that they are undergoing renovation in the lobby area, so the front of hotel is inaccessible.

Thanks all for your imput. Due to the great rates, we are going to wait until Thanksgiving week or xmas time to visit Chicago & the Intercontinental. Laura