What the heck's going on? None of my usual downtown hotels (under $200) have ANY availability.
I guess I should look to see if there's a confluence of trade shows or something. All I know is that I've got a few trips in April into ChiTown, and thus far I'm debating whether to stay in Evanston and take the train downtown, or...gulp....stay with my PARENTS!!!! :( :eek: :) :(
Jakebeth
Mar 25, 06, 12:40 am
Sh*t. I knew it.
Apr 9-12
Biotechnology Industry Organization - BIO 2006 Annual International Convention
McCormick Place South
Delegates: 20,000
www.bio.org
Apr 21-23
Kitchen / Bath Industry Show and Conference
McCormick Place
Delegates: 60,000
www.kbis.com
Hotel_junkie
Apr 2, 06, 9:34 pm
Baseball season began this weekend. Cubbies and White Sox fanatics have taken over the city on the weekends!
FinsUp99
Apr 3, 06, 8:47 am
Take any sort of public transportation you can. The expressways (especially the Stevenson) are one contruction nightmare. And even if there wasn't any construction, the tolls would kill you. Damn that Governor Blagojevich!!
As far as hotels, there are many, many conventions going on at any given time. Try out towards the Elgin area. There are quite a few deals there.
ElmhurstNick
Apr 3, 06, 1:21 pm
Take any sort of public transportation you can. The expressways (especially the Stevenson) are one contruction nightmare. And even if there wasn't any construction, the tolls would kill you. Damn that Governor Blagojevich!!
The Stevenson isn't that bad right now once you get east of 355. There's the usual delay between Harlem and Kedzie, but that's about it. Just get off at Chinatown and hang the quick right/left combo onto Clark Street.
toomanybooks
Apr 3, 06, 1:33 pm
I think it's the baseball topping things off. 20K is not that bad for a convention here.
I know some folks who won't visit from Nov-March because of the weather; there may be some pent-up demand because of that.
Also Easter.
Wait until Tut starts at the Field Museum while there are conventions and baseball and vacations going. They have already pre-sold 100K+ Tut tickets. The city will fill up.
The Dan Ryan construction has just started. THAT is going to be a problem.
paytonc
Apr 4, 06, 9:59 am
Problem is, very few of the suburban hotels have any sort of transit access. Convention season is part of it, but availabilities are way down overall and little new supply has been added in several years. Plus, supply downtown might actually be lower than last year -- renovations at several of the condo-hotel conversions (Solis, James) plus some flat-out condo conversions (Ambassador West) have taken rooms off the market.
(Damn the patronage-padded tollway authority for digging itself into a financial hole by postponing reconstruction work forever, and Blago for entirely different things!)
Jakebeth
Apr 4, 06, 10:30 am
Problem is, very few of the suburban hotels have any sort of transit access. Convention season is part of it, but availabilities are way down overall and little new supply has been added in several years. Plus, supply downtown might actually be lower than last year -- renovations at several of the condo-hotel conversions (Solis, James) plus some flat-out condo conversions (Ambassador West) have taken rooms off the market.
(Damn the patronage-padded tollway authority for digging itself into a financial hole by postponing reconstruction work forever, and Blago for entirely different things!)In case you ever need it...
The Hilton Garden Inn in Evanston is right down the block from both the Davis Street ("Evanston") Metra station, which is literally right next door to the Davis Street, purple-line "EL" station, as well.