suezan

Hello!

I'll be in Chicago for a convention between 10/6-9. I wanted to spend an extra couple days afterwards to explore what Chicago has to offer. I want to stay in the downtown area but for some reason every reasonably priced room ($70-100) is sold out in that area for that weekend! What area of Chicago would you recommend that I stay that would be closest to downtown, easily accessible via public transit, reasonably priced hotels ($50-$100), and most of all a SAFE area for a woman travelling alone?

Thanks in advance for you help!

JJ5

Do a Priceline bid in your price range for downtown Loop, River North, Michigan Ave.,and see what happens. Try $99.00. That may be marathon weekend. If no luck on Priceline or Hotwire, try Gold Coast and Lincoln Park areas.

The truth is that if it is a specialty festival weekend, you may not find your price range at this date. It isn't a question of "safe" as much as distance. You don't really want to be out at Oakbrook etc. and try to see Chicago.
Maybe someone else can help with some North or Northwest side ideas where the transit is best. With this time range, I think you should try biddingfortravel.com and maybe consider upper your hotel budget.

Kristi

The rooms are sold out because that's the Chicago Marathon weekend. Right now a lot of the hotels rooms are probably reserved in blocks by the marathon folks and the rest of the hotels are using their "special" events pricing. Just for giggles I tried Hotwire and it came back with it's best as $296 per night for that weekend!

Some of the rooms might free up when it gets closer but I suppose that's a gamble.

swalter518

Ideally, try to stay in the city, but if you can't and if you have a car, you could stay in Tinley Park. The Metra station is about a 5 minute drive from the hotels located at Harlem and 183rd (or I-80) or you could jump right on 80 to I-57N and have a 25 minute drive into the city if you don't hit traffic.

patg

hotrooms.com has some rooms listed for that weekend. Also, try the Best Western site for two recommended hotels, the one at 162 E. Ohio and the BW River North. $70-100 is a very optomistic price range for a downtown hotel.

If you need to look outside of the downtown area, the Lincoln Park neighborhood (1600-3200 North, near the lake) would be your best bet. You can locate hotels on the map under accommodations at choosechicago.com You might also try staying just one night or two nights extra instead of 3 and find a niche that way. You could spend the last night near the airport or on the road.

Dori

Try the Willows (it's a boutique hotel) on Surf Street. It's in the city in a neighborhood called Lincoln Park/Lakeview. It's a wonderful safe neighborhood. Public transportation, restaurants all over. Less than a ten minute bus ride to Michigan Avenue. It may also be very well booked up. The marathon is a tough weekend hotel-wise to be here.

travelisfun

I stayed at the Days Inn Gold Coast a few years ago and it was reasonable. Close to downtown & the water. The room was TINY, but other than that, we were okay with the place. You might try it!