Stay at the Hilton Chicago - Your Ultimate Comfort and Convenience

[esavvymom]

double/double sounds like a drink! Double/double 2 bath is a BIG drink!

Do you have alcohol on the brain tonight John? I noticed in your other thread about the Meet-n-Greet you said how sloshed you all got one year Seems to be a pattern emerging.

 

[ChefGwendolyn]

The Essex Inn, right next door to the Hilton, great "little" hotel with great service and smaller prices!

 

[pampered1224]

Well, I guess I need to tie one on! It has been a long time! at least right now I have time to nurse a hang over!

 

[Jolie_Paradoxe]

Yes Laurie will be staying at the Hilton! With ME! hehe

So my reply is "Hilton Chicago"

LOL....thanks my friend.

 

[Nanisu]

Hotel 71. Love that place. $139/2 people, $159/4 people. Huge rooms, queen beds.

 

[jj16]

Christen take a look at Double Tree on Ohio Street. I went to Hotels.Com for the best rate. It's $135ish ($466.67 after taxes and all) and it's 2 blocks from the Sheraton so it should be fairly easy to catch the bus to the McCormick Center and get around. Whatever you do don't stay at the SAX Hotel like I did last year trying to save money. It wasn't worth it!

Judy

 

[heather223]

Hotel 71. Love that place. $139/2 people, $159/4 people. Huge rooms, queen beds.

I am staying there too! I hear it is a great hotel not too far from Sheraton. :chef:

 

[SusanBP0129]

Hyatt McCormick Place

 

[Cr8vKitchen]

I need to stay somewhere that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I'm bringing my hubby and 2 youngsters. Any ideas? I'd like to be close but I am new to the business and DO NOT make the kind of money needed to stay at Sheraton or Embassy. I'm doing a lot of research...Entertainment Book, Hotwire, and Travelocity but if you guys out there have any tips, I'd appreciate it :blushing:

I'm not bringing my family but instead it will be me and my new recruit so we're trying to find somewhere less expensive to stay, too. The Best Western is considerably cheaper- but I'm still looking.

 

[Krista Burson]

Hyatt McCormick for me. Last year was my first year and we stayed at the Hilton, but my coworkers in Chicago are telling me the Hyatt McCormick is awesome. Just jump on the Metra to get downtown if you want, or take the water taxi to the Navy Pier.

 

[esavvymom]

I need to stay somewhere that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I'm bringing my hubby and 2 youngsters. Any ideas? I'd like to be close but I am new to the business and DO NOT make the kind of money needed to stay at Sheraton or Embassy. I'm doing a lot of research...Entertainment Book, Hotwire, and Travelocity but if you guys out there have any tips, I'd appreciate it :blushing:

Try this website- Travel to Chicago Illinois - Traveler Directory, Convention Guide to Hotels, Restaurants, Dining, Nightlife, Sightseeing Attractions, Events, Tourism
Look at the "Accomodations" section - it has a great map showing where the hotels are. You can search based on location - keeping you close enough to McCormick or the site-seeing (if that's what your DH is doing while you are in conference). Look at each hotel, and do some general searching for cost/amenities/location. When you look at the Map- click on the "Legend"- you'll see the "pins" in the map- I keep the River North, Loop and South Loop. (blue, green, and orange pins). You can then see what hotels they are, click on each- after you input your dates & number in your party, every hotel you click on will automatically pull up the estimate per night. See if you can find one close to a Conference hotel that you can walk to catch the shuttle.So while the hotels closer to Downtown area are a bit more expensive...Some things to consider-
#1- you can catch a shuttle that is free to the conference, and your DH can walk to many locations,
#2- food places would be easier to find,
#3 - it's generally a nicer area and 'safer' as far a city-life goes.
Plus, if you are near the River and one of the http://www.shorelinewatertaxi.com/ ports (there are just a few- Michigan Ave is one), your family can cheaply (depending on how far you are going) take a river taxi to the Navy Pier, the Museums, or Sears Tower or something. We stayed at the Sheraton last year- and my guys take it and love it- it's relaxing too for them! They could get on the River Taxi to the Sears Tower, or out to the Navy Pier (from the Navy Pier port, you can go to the Shedd Aquarium or Field Museum). Prices on the website http://www.shorelinewatertaxi.com/- this is just one of 2 or 3 Taxi's on the river...so others may be different prices/ports.
So it just depends on what THEY will be doing and where they are going while you are in conference, and what you need to get to conference. $180 a night is alot, but if you pay $125 somewhere else, and then have to pay cab fares to go anywhere for both you AND your family, or are in a not-so-great neighborhood, or there is no food nearby (or included in the hotel cost) - you can very quickly exceed what you might have spent at the $180 a night hotel. I'm sure your family won't want to stay in the hotel all day. Maybe look for a hotel that has a mini-fridge/microwave...so you can buy snacks or can reheat leftovers or buy things easy to make in your room for the kids for breakfast or lunch/dinner? (I know there is a CVS near the Sheraton..)Since you ARE in downtown Chicago, in the summertime- things aren't going to be cheap- it could definitely be a "you get what you pay for" sort of thing...cheap could end up being YUCK or scary neighborhood maybe, or NO FOOD, etc. So keep all of that in mind. PLUS- you'll have to get to the Conference Center...so transportation for you and for your family to get around. Another thought- you can always book one of the conference hotels NOW - and then change it later (check the cancellation policy first). Know how long you have to change or cancel your reservations. This makes sure you GET a hotel room in a good area, and then if you find something cheaper, you can change it later.Alot of info, I know- but hopefully it helps you in your search. I know- this is how i did it last year! Good luck!

 

[pampchefsarah]

I'm not bringing my family but instead it will be me and my new recruit so we're trying to find somewhere less expensive to stay, too. The Best Western is considerably cheaper- but I'm still looking.

Sheila, if it's just the two of you, you might want to ask around to see if anyone is looking for roommates, and save more money that way. A lot of people were doing that last year, and I'm sure it will happen again this year. In fact, I've already had one request, which I really hope works out! Especially since I have to keep her away from my DG. *waving to she-knows-who-she-is*

 

[ChefMary412]

How many people usually stay in each room?

 

[etteluap70PC]

3-5 depending...

 

[raebates]

ChefMary, some people like to stay alone. Others like to split the bill up as much as possible. It all depends on what the occupants are comfortable with. Some hotels charge more if there are more than two people per bed. If you're trying to squeeze in an extra, be sure to contact the hotel directly.

 

[Dina Atnip]

I believe it is the Chicago Hilton for us also.

 

[pkd09]

We are staying at the Holiday Inn Express. Two of the four in the room are watching their pennies so we are trying to keep expenses down for them. The room rate is $135/night. It is only 1 mile to walk to a conference bus. We've done it before and the walk is usually nice.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Last time we went we stayed in a hotel that was a few blocks from a conference hotel, the Sheraton, I believe. It was nice being away from the craziness but I do think I lost something of the conference experience not being in a conference hotel.

 

[chef131doreen]

We are staying at the Comfort Suits on Michigan Ave 160 .00 with a kitchen . We stayed there last year it was brand new .

 

[ilovpc]

I am staying there too! I hear it is a great hotel not too far from Sheraton. :chef:

I found out today that I will be staying at this hotel (Hotel 71) with my cluster. Woohoo!!! Firt time going to conference and I am very excited!!!

 

[etteluap70PC]

I found out today that I will be staying at this hotel (Hotel 71) with my cluster. Woohoo!!! Firt time going to conference and I am very excited!!!

I was looking at that one too. It looks super nice and a georgeous walk to the Hyatt

 

[Bill Faber]

I need to stay somewhere that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I'm bringing my hubby and 2 youngsters. Any ideas? I'd like to be close but I am new to the business and DO NOT make the kind of money needed to stay at Sheraton or Embassy. I'm doing a lot of research...Entertainment Book, Hotwire, and Travelocity but if you guys out there have any tips, I'd appreciate it :blushing:

Inn of Chicago I found was .3 miles from one of the hotels on Ohio. My director said it was an good location. So I am staying there an it is 96 a night. Parking is 36 a night but beats 200 plus parking.:chef:

 

[gigi425]

We're staying at the Best Western River North. We are driving, and they offer free parking. Has anyone stayed there, or know anything about it? It's across the street from the Hard Rock Hotel.

Jimmie

 

[pamperedpals]

Hilton for me. Can't wait.

 

[etteluap70PC]

Best Western Grant Park

 

[twinmtngirl]

Best Western Grant Park, first time to Conference, WOOHOO!!! Can't wait!!!

 

[Dina Atnip]

Hilton Chicago for us

 

[letmepamperu13]

Hotel 71 -check out the pics on their website!! It looks fabulous!!

 

[cookn' katie]

Staying at the James of Chicago, gonna be a walk to the sheraton for the bus, but $98 for a 4 1/2 star hotel. I will only paying $70 for the whole 3 nights. Looks really nice found it on Hotwire!

 

[pamperedchef.em]

I'm at the Hilton Towers... and I can't wait!!! Christen, I feel your pain! I am buying different things in chunks... I bought my conference tickets first, so I HAVE to get there My Director was generous enough to book the hotel rooms and we are all just paying her back... the real expense for me is going to be PLANE tickets... I'm looking at about $500 round trip... yikes!