JJ5

I just did a quick search on
www.quikbook.com

This is available RIGHT now and is cancellable as well.

Tremont (nice little boutique hotel and I wish I would win this one once)100 E Chestnut -
Michigan Ave./Rush and not too far North at all
Tremont is $206 per night right now.

This is the kind of location that will make the other non-U.of C. days for shopping and for meals FABULOUS. I'm pretty sure Ditka's is right there too.

Also straight out flat $248 at the Hard Rock -LOOP location. Your daughter might like that better than the Hyatt.

That's just on quikbook without bidding at 7:15pm central time 9/13/08.

Tons (about 30) places show lots of vacancies yet. I'd bid for sure on Priceline and take a chance.

But I have a great risk tolerance and love being sent somewhere new- it's like an adventure to me. Stick with 4 star.

JJ5

Found the best one yet, but it is a wee bit further North.

www.hotwire.com and this one is LIKE a bid but not a bid- not as tricky- but you don't know the name of the place and it IS totally locked in and on your credit card when you accept it. It's Michigan Ave./Streeterville 4 full stars plus a spa at $176 per night. You are going to have to take the bus to U.of C. anyway, and this is a fun spot too- not at all far from Loop anyway you look at it and maybe this would be GREAT for a Marathon weekend and not right in the muck of cheek to jowl crowds either.

I would either go for the Tremont or this one- if I was afraid of bidding.

hotwire and quikbook are super worthy to have your reservations "made"- I've never had a mess up.

kelliebellie

Good stuff JJ5! Could you check the Priceline site for the OP and tell him exactly the terminology for your recommended areas? I think they did change them from what you wrote.

JJ5

They are these designations:
#4 Area- Millenium Park, Grant Park, LOOP

#5 Area-North Michigan Ave- River North

I would do 4 star just on #4 first and then add #5 if that fails

It's too bad I didn't see this before she had made the $252 choice. I've never done that kind of choosing, so I'm not sure if it could be cancelled. When you get into the booking itself, if you are bidding it is always non-cancellable. But I'm not sure if that method, which is really just a straight rack rate price with maybe a 5 or 10% deduction for multiple days only, is cancellable the way she did it.

Nothing wrong with the Hyatt, but I think Tremont would be dishy for the daughter/friends, and also maybe the $176 with the spa and where it is (I looked at the map and that one would be a 10 on food and very close to bus anywhere going South- and I bet with a good map google you could even figure out which hotel it is before you even commit to it. It has all the 4 star features BUT a pool, but it also has a full spa and is close to MI Ave.

With all the added taxes, you are talking about saving in the ballpark of $300 to $400 just on the room alone. Shopping/meals- they could be OH so much better. LOL!

I think I might have just talked myself into going down the weekend after that one if I can get it for less than $100 per night.

Frankly, summer was MUCH higher, and I'm delighted at the straight rack rate prices on those sites I posted for Marathon weekend. The only "high" night that puts the total up so much actually, is Saturday. Sometimes it is Friday or Sunday that is that much or higher.

Tremont within that section near Ditka's would have numerous different eating choices for both bread and circuses. That one or Senaca, I would like to win sometime.

Chicago itself, in numerous areas is flooding tonight for the first time in many years. DesPlaines River up and into many homes, worse than 12 years ago.

japw82

You can do your Priceline research on bidding for travel.com to see which hotels have been won, the price, and the dates. This, along with all the great recommendations on this post should help you secure a nice hotel for less than the $252 @ the Hyatt.

kflodin

wow JJ5, thank you so much for your incredibly detailed explanations. I am totally in grateful awe!! really! I just quickly checked in before I'm running out for a soccer game with daughter #2, but I'm going to print out your guidelines and see what happens. I will be brave, I will! I would be more adventurous if I knew the city at all, because while I'm not totally unfussy, being a New Yorker, I'm not afraid to poke around a city either. But I've never been to Chicago and I haven't had much time to closely research the city as a vacation choice since the schools are the main reason for the trip and the lack of knowledge has made me cautious. The Hyatt can be cancelled though ( i have to double check when I'm back at my desk), so if I can find some time this p.m. I'm going to give this a try. I'll keep you posted. Again, you've been invaluable. And nice to hear your thoughts on UofC, too!

kflodin

and thanks KellieBellie, too.

japw82

Sorry, the website is biddingfortravel.com. It has always been accurate when I have secured hotels via Priceline or Hotwire.

kflodin

JJ5, I owe you big time!!! I followed your advice and went on to Priceline bidding. I made sure the Hyatt $252/night was cancellable and I bid on 4-star hotels in the Loop area only for $119 a night and I got....(drumroll)... an acceptance at the Hyatt!!! So, I now have the same nights at the same hotel for more than half the price of my original reservation. I'm thrilled. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

kelliebellie

Holy cow! I love scoring huge travel deals like that!

JJ5

See, yowza, isn't it worth it to take a chance??

You will be treated exactly like any other excellent guest at an excellent hotel. Your hotel also has an undergound that attaches it to the Swissotel (there is a view there at the Swissotel from the gym/women's area and gym/pool itself- where you can get a freebie view to the lake front all the way looking South- you can see the entire curve to Hyde Park and where your university visit will be-despite it being 50 to 60 blocks distance. Besides shops and restaurants and all kinds of venues down there in this walkway type of mall, it also leads to the River and Michigan Ave. entrances- and under the streets westward, I think-so if the marathon sidewalk density is obnoxious, you'll have a cut-through.

Honestly, it's karma. I'm half tempted to go down that very week now- 16 to 18th- just to do several museum related excursions.

You just seemed open to instruction, and many are not- have little tolerance and are fussy- mostly both.

It's so true that you will have LOTS more to spend now on the good stuff- and there's lots of that.

It will be an easy walk nearly everywhere downtown/loop/and all the way up to Watertower Place from where you are. My favorite places are all alone the Chicago River- for that very reason.

The Impressionists at the Art Institute, that group experience to see them one upon the other- it's worth the fee even if you only have an hour or two.

Also, if at all possible and you have any time try to see Wicked. You can walk easily to any of these.

I'm so glad you got a decent price this late. Good for you for taking a chance.

U.of Chicago is like no other place. Also its schedule for quarters, class projection toward "major" etc. are quite unusual. It is also extremely, extremely diverse and at the same time not about "stuff".

If she actually ends up there for school, more power to her. It's a road start that can lead to virtually anywhere.

Thanks for posting your result. Give us a nice trip report, if you can.

kflodin

JJ5, thanks for all your suggestions (and to all the other fodorites). We are very excited and searching and inquiring as we build our itinerary. I will definitely do a trip report. I found doing those reports for the Fodors community has been a wonderful way to save the memories (and resources) for us, too!

itsv

We took our son to U of C last month for a visit and had a great time in chicago. One thing you might like that we did was go on a Seagway tour. We covered a lot of area and touring in that fashion was a lot of fun for a teenager. Plus if I can do a Seagway and not fall off, anyone can do it. If you want the company name that we used, I can get it. Be sure to visit Millinium Park, we really enjoyed the fountains and "bee" or "cloud". Shopping along Michigan Avenue was also a lot of fun. We ate pizza at Lou Malnotti's (check spelling of last word) and Graham Elliots plus we got popcorn at Garetts (again check spelling). Go on chowhound.com for restaurant recommendations.

sarge56

JJ5, I hate to disappoint you AND kflodin, but most of the Impressionist art from AIC is on loan to the Kimbell Art Museum here in Fort Worth- thru 11/2. I know, 'cause I've got tickets for this weekend.

(Which is kinda funky, as Chicago is my hometown AND I was born at a U of C hospital many moons ago!)

But, kflodin, it's not like you won't find plenty of other stuff to do! My first choice would be a visit to the top of the Hancock building to take in the Lake shore. And next I'd head to the Field Musuem of Natural History. Hands down, one of the best natural history museums in the world. (And worth the trip just to see "Sue".)

A MUST SEE-DON'T MISS- the architectural tour on the Chicago river. A+++++++

Have a great time! If you don't find Chicago one of the greatest cities in the US you've ever visited- I'll eat my hat!

Paula

PS Please realize that Chicago is MUCH more compact than NY. It's a large city- but it's all in one place.

Orcas

sarge56, I was born at the very same hospital!

Is the 56 your age or when you were born or neither - we could have been roomies....

JJ5

Believe me, whatever they have away on tour, there is still eons left to see. Last time at the Art Institute, I never got out of the Renaissance and went for another showing altogether. Also, their shop is the BEST for female present buying- it is fab. I use the online portion frequently. All my note cards and everything I use has Renoir or "The Diner" or some of the others from A.I. on it.

When I go in Oct. I plan to see the new Historical near Michigan Ave.- a little North- because I want to see the new Riverview related memorabilia. Riverview was beyond description- nothing like that exists in the USA today. Liability would be TOTALLY prohibitive.

In fact, you have inspired me. I'm going to get a group of about 8 to 11 of us old time friends and get us all to do "Riverview" together.

Daley is looking, within a bankrupt budget and with NO legistlature- to get the Navy Pier huge ferris wheel replaced with one much bigger and with HEATED gondolas. LOL! Only in Chicago!

And they wonder where the speculative and risky to the hilt futures application of credit and funds comes from? LOL. LOL! - Not from the Streets and Sans. people, that's for sure.

exiledprincess

kflodin, with all honesty, I have to mention that I've seen several reviews and posts on other travel websites about the Hyatt Regency overbooking.

I hope that everything works out well for you.

ncounty

If that is true, it can be averted by showing up on the early side.

sarge56

Orcas- born at the U of C Lying-In Hospital, May of 1956. And I don't think we were roomies, as- as the name indicates- I was "rooming" with my mommy! (From what she told me, a very new and shocking idea at the time! Imagine- sharing your room with your hatchling!) Of course, I was number 6 and she had 5 kids at home aged 13 months to 4 years (2 sets of twins less than 12 months apart!), and she said she didn't WANT me in the room- as she needed to get as much sleep as she could before she took me home!

Orcas

I'm the other 56, so was long gone by the time you were born in 56. I didn't know "Lying In" meant our poor Moms had to be with us when we were born. I'll have to ask my Mom about that. My brother was born there as well.