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The Kitchen Table

Need recommendations for fairly inexpensive hotel in Chicago...

14 years ago

I'm planning on going the first part of November when I'm on vacation, just for the weekend. I want to be right down town if possible but am considering something on the outskirts of the city. I've been through Chicago and in the airport, that's about it. What would you recommend? And is there transportation into the city if we stay in the outer part of the city?

I'd like to just be able to walk out of the hotel we're staying in and walk to the Field Museum and the aquarium, since we are only going to be there Friday night, Saturday and part of Sunday.

Thanks for any advice.

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Comments (3)

bigfoot_liz
14 years ago
if your visit comes any time close to the weekend before Thanksgiving you will be in tourist time and paying a premium. the magnificant mile lighting parade is the weekend before and begins the high hotel costs. my sis has stayed off peak during Feb at a cheaper Embassy Suites near michigan ave for $200 a night. when i've stayed downtown i always stay near michigan ave to get to take my shopping haul back and not drag bags all over. i've never paid less than $300 during Nov-Dec period thou but i stay usually only 1 night, then go back to my place. you do need to watch for parking too. parking anywhere in a garage is going to run $30 for 12 hrs so if it's included in your room and you can avoid driving do that. i have had co-workers go to conventions in chicago, fly into Midway, stay at major hotel chains right on Cicero Ave, take the train into downtown (many hotels have free transportation to trains) and never need a car for their 3 day visit. it's a good cheap alternative. hope this helps ~ liz
chloecat
14 years ago
Friends have stayed at the Red Roof Inn on Ontario, just east of Michigan. It used to be another brand (Sheraton or something?) and say it's very good - especially if all you're looking for is a clean place to sleep.

I've stayed at the Fairfield Inn & Suites just east of that RRI, and it was also nice. So is the Palmer House Hilton, but it's a bit more pricey.

We take the train into Chicago, typically, and walk from there to our hotel - train tickets are cheaper than driving, especially when you calculate in the cost of parking and the gas it takes to get there. When we fly into Midway we take the train into downtown.
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Last month I was in DC for a conference. I stayed at the Omni Shoreham Hotel between Dupont Circle and the National Zoo, however even at the reduced conference rate the room was $182 plus 14.8% tax ($26.94) per night. So it is a little outside your specified limit. (but just now while looking it up on a map I was seing rates for that very hotel ranging from $124 per night to $296 per night depending on the nights selected.) Something else that you'll need to consider is that the advertised rate usually doesn't include the local occupancy tax nor the additional fee for parking, (which was $33 per day at that Hotel) While there in additional attending the conference, I walked to the zoo, I walked to the nearby Adams Morgan area for meals twice, I also twice took the Metro to downtown attractions and saw the Library of Congress (for a reception for the conference) and saw the botanical gardens near the Capitol and the National Gallery of Art. I'd say that the location of the hotel itself is somewhat less important than in many other cities given the good coverage of the city via the Metro. The proximity to a Metro stop may be more important than specifically where the hotel is located. I second the suggestions to check Trip Advisor, I use it frequently and have even posted one review there. However I recently read a story about how someone gamed their system and made it so that a completely made-up, non-existent restaurant came to be ranked as the #1 restaurant in London. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/food/wp/2017/12/08/it-was-londons-top-rated-restaurant-just-one-problem-it-didnt-exist/
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chisue
14 years ago
You'll probably take a bus to the Field and the Shedd. They're south of the city. Conrad Hilton is also south.

Maybe try the "Chicago" forum on www.tripadvisor.com

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