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Thread: Sf-chicago Hotel Choices

  1. #1
    IACali
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    Default Sf-chicago Hotel Choices

    This is what I suggest. Below is a list of my hotel preferences, and why, if it's important. If you are interested in a similar place as any of the previous posters, then please add anything else applicable, make any changes, indicate your preferences. If everyone going to SF who wants to stay in a hotel replies, we ought to be able to narrow down the choices and make our decision.

    If you're attending SF but either

    a) staying with friends or
    b) don't care if you stay the same place as everyone else,

    then you don't need to reply in this thread, this one is just for people wanting to stay near each other, so we can reserve a block of rooms. If you don't want to get in on the group action, just make it clear in the original SF thread that you're taken care of, and go ahead and make your own arrangements.

    Okay.

    I want to stay in a hotel downtown, for the convenience factor of being near the spots we'll be visiting. I don't care if we have valet, because I would prefer to just park my car and share cabs with other SWers as much as possible.

    I am really pulling for downtown as a group, but I do understand for those of you flying in, by the airport might be easier. I just want to note that I LOVE driving in Chicago and would be more than happy to make an airport run when I come into town on Thursday, on Friday if necessary, and on Sunday when it's time to go home, if anyone needs a ride and doesn't wanna cab it into downtown of a strange city alone.

    I am hoping to share a room to help with the costs. I might bring one other person with, and there are a couple of us members here who have tossed the idea back and forth as well. I have no problems whatsoever with packing lots of people into a room. It isn't like we're expecting to gets lots of really satisfying sleep this weekend anyways, you know?

    So I want to get a room with 2 double or queen size beds, and would consider a suite for the extra sleeping room if we really want to cut the cost down further by splitting it between more people.

    I have no idea where any of these hotels are downtown, so I have no input as far as location goes. I also don't care if we get bfast included or not - it's nice, but I just need a pot of coffee and I'm good to go, so I'm not listing the bfast-added rates.

    I am also fine with advance purchasing (non-refundable), so those are the prices that I'm listing as my preference. Although if we split the room between folks, the difference between the non-ref price and the flexible price will be pretty negligible.


    Holiday Inn City Centre (Navy Pier): 1K/2Q=$196/night (advance purchase, non-refundable) self parking=$28/day so this looks like a good option, but they don't seem to have any suites

    Radisson Hotel & Suites:1K/2D=$239/night; 1K/2D w/sitting area=$259/night; valet parking = $35/day The room with the sitting area (couch for extra sleeping) just adds $20 - so if the room is split between 3 instead of 2, it's $87+tax/night each instead of $120 for the basic room. If we double up the beds and sleep 5 in the suite, it's $52/night each instead of $58 each in the basic room.

    Doubletree Suites: 2D Suite=$254/night (advance purchase, non-refundable); valet parking=$35/day roughly the same price as the Radisson 2D suite

    Palmer House Hilton: 1K/2D=$259/night self parking=$25/day again, same price as the Radisson suite. Self-parking is available, which would save me and anyone else who does it $10/day.

    Embassy Suites Downtown (all rates incl. breakfast): 2D Suite=$269/night (fully flexible); $299/night (w/valet parking package); valet parking=$36/day $10 more a night for the suite, and the parking package shaves $6 off the total daily bill if someone in the room is valeting.

    Hard Rock Hotel: 1K/2Q=$236.50/night; valet parking=$38/day Cheaper, but no suites. splitting between 2 people is $120ish each, between 4 is $60ish.

    Embassy Suites Lakefront (all rates incl. breakfast): 1K Corner Suite: $239/night; valet parking=$36/day I'm splitting a room and want more than one bed, so this one is out for me.

    Hyatt Regency: 1K/2Q=$249/night; valet parking=$36/day roughly the same as the others

    Swissotel: 1K/2D Deluxe=$249/night (Swiss Value 3); 1K/2D Lakeview Deluxe=$259/night (Swiss Value 3); valet parking=$39/day I don't care about the lakeview, but it's there if you want it!! I'll come hang out in your room and look at the lake for a little while. Heh. Is the deluxe a suite with a couch, you think?

    Hilton Garden Inn Magnificent Mile (all rates incl. high speed internet): 1K/2D=$267/night (fully flexible); $292/night (Weekend Residence w/valet parking); valet parking=$35/day I won't need internet, I'll have SW in person! Yippee!! The weekend deal saves you $10/night, but again, does it just cover one car?

    The Drake: 1K/2T=$269/night (advance purchase, non-refundable); $299/night (fully flexible); $309/night (BounceBack w/breakfast); valet parking=$33/day twin beds? LOL. and more expensive. nope.

    Homewood Suites Downtown and Le Meridien: stretched over $300 a night. I'll pass on these.



    The Doubletree, Radisson, and Suissotel all have 2D suites (extra space) for between $249-$259, so those are my picks. I don't have time right now to look them up and check out their amenities, so if anyone is content with those prices and wants to go check out the details, it'll be easier to narrow it down. If one has a fridge and a mic, for instance, we can make popcorn when we get back to the hotel drunk off our asses in the middle of the night. Heh.


    So there you go. No one else was puttin it out there, so I did. If this is too convoluted, feel free to ignore it, and it'll float to the bottom of the page and die a slow, painless death to the back pages.

    love
    cali

  2. #2
    Chicagoeditor
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    Default Re: Sf-chicago Hotel Choices

    Cali,

    Good move to put a stake in the ground about your preferences. At a minimum, this may narrow down the choices for others.

    Because I reside in Chicago (just north of the city, actually) I don't need a room, per se. But the more I think about it, taking just one night in the "base camp" hotel would be fun and obviate the need to navigate home at some ungodly hour after cocktails. Plus, I'm a fan of hotel breakfast buffets.

    The Suissotel is a bit off the beaten path, fairly far east on Wacker. It has a nice, small bar (a larger one is right nearby at the Hyatt); the Doubletree's bar is across the street from the House of Blues bar (a guilty pleasure) and Bin 32, for those of use who might want to try a top-notch flight of wines.

    I can also recommend the Penninsula Hotel, just north of these locations. It's quite pricy, however. But the "little bar" off the lobby is a classy place for early in the evening before synapses start blinking off.

  3. #3
    IACali
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    Default Re: Sf-chicago Hotel Choices

    Quote Originally Posted by Chicagoeditor
    the Doubletree's bar is across the street from the House of Blues bar (a guilty pleasure) and Bin 32, for those of use who might want to try a top-notch flight of wines.
    Well that's settled then. I vote for the Doubletree.

  4. #4
    Chicagoeditor
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    Default Re: Sf-chicago Hotel Choices

    Whoops. Damn. I was thinking of another hotel. The Doubletree, tho, is in striking distance of the infamous Rush Street hot-spots. (Tavern on Rush, for instance.) So it still makes sense. Plus, Bin 32 would be a short cab away. Sorry for the misinformation. Doh!

  5. #5
    God/dess Farrah_Holiday's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sf-chicago Hotel Choices

    Well, I vote for a place w/ refrig and microwave. Oh and a balcony would be nice for medicinal purposes. Other than that I am not too picky.
    My new love...is me !

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  6. #6
    Chicagoeditor
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    Default Re: Sf-chicago Hotel Choices

    Quote Originally Posted by Farrah_Holiday
    a balcony would be nice for medicinal purposes.
    Okay, I'll bite. Medicinal? Someone needing glaucoma treatments?

  7. #7
    IACali
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    Default Re: Sf-chicago Hotel Choices

    LOL I'm with Farrah on the balcony too.

    Actually, as a sidenote, I really do have glaucoma. Just got diagnosed. At 26 yrs of age, can you imagine? Something is always going wrong with me, I swear.

  8. #8
    Featured Member The_Oceans's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sf-chicago Hotel Choices

    Cali, for giving this a as my original post of the rates in the regular SWFest thread didn't generate any response. It is a bit daunting to see the rates for downtown. I tried to pick hotels that were within a couple blocks of Michigan Avenue (aka "The Magnificient Mile"). Also, I had included info on internet access, because I didn't know if people would be bringing laptops (to encourage Drunken!Posting live from StripperWeb Fest) but I figured it would be a nice touch. As for whether breakfast is included, well free food is always a plus in my book

    My first choice is the Embassy Suites Lakefront...it's three blocks east of Michigan Avenue, about three blocks west of Navy Pier, and is part of a complex that includes a bar & grill restaurant and a movie theatre. I just checked availability again (http://www.hilton.com) and they now have suites with 2 double beds in addition to those with 1 king bed (plus sleeper sofas in the living room). Rates for up to 2 adults are $239/night for the 1K suites, $259/night for the 2D suites. Add $20/night for each additional guest - max occupancy is 4 people per suite. All rooms, however, are non-smoking.

    Second choice is the Doubletree Suites.

    Third choice is the Crowne Plaza Silversmith (lowest flexible rate I found in downtown), though it is more in the Loop vs. the Navy Pier area, closer to Grant Park (south of the Chicago River).

    Another consideration: How many people will be driving to Chicago or renting cars? I'm leaning toward renting a car, and if driving services are needed I can rent a full-size instead of an intermediate.
    Last edited by The_Oceans; 04-03-2005 at 01:21 PM. Reason: Added max occupancy info
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  9. #9
    God/dess RoseDelight's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sf-chicago Hotel Choices

    I booked the Swiss since I am bringing a lot of friends along, but the Hilton looked very nice as well.


    --Georg Christoph Litchenberg



  10. #10
    Veteran Member HoneyHITZ's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sf-chicago Hotel Choices

    mmmm bin32 rocks... okay that was my only comment... i live in the chicago area, so im not getting a hotel (on a pso's salary? please, lol) but im definitely gonna be hanging out


    <Rhiannon_SW> :that's where Jimmy Hoffa went!
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  11. #11
    God/dess VenusGoddess's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sf-chicago Hotel Choices

    I live in the suburbs, but if someone needs to be picked up from the airport, let me know!

    If you are going to be staying downtown, I would suggest forgoing the rental car. All you will really need is a cab...and paying the daily rate for the car, plus parking...it'll run you a shitload of money.

  12. #12
    Chicagoeditor
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    Default Re: Sf-chicago Hotel Choices

    Quote Originally Posted by HoneyHITZ
    mmmm bin32 rocks
    Would be perfect if not for the excessive lighting. Guys like me need all the help we can get. Ever been to Harry's Velvet Lounge? You have to use echo-location or touch to get around down (it's below street level) there. That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

  13. #13
    Veteran Member HoneyHITZ's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sf-chicago Hotel Choices

    okay im dumb, i meant bin 36 the coffee shop... yum


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  14. #14
    God/dess Casual Observer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sf-chicago Hotel Choices

    Can't make my reservation for another week or so, but I'm down with the Doubletree.
    Idealism is fine, but as it approaches reality, the costs become prohibitive.

    William F. Buckley, Jr.

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    Default Re: Sf-chicago Hotel Choices

    I'm not going to SF but were staying at the Residence Inn downtown next week for $49 a night. My wife used priceline.com. Maybe that will help.
    "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

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