brewdog11

Hi all,

A few friends and I will be traveling to Chicago for a short vacation at the end of the year, and I'm curious as to which IHG property in Chicago is the best for a young adult leisure trip.

We're planning on doing the touristy stuff (Navy Pier, Magnificent Mile, etc.), but are also interested in nightlife. We're into staying out late, so I was hoping for some recommendations that were in/close to lively areas or 24-hour mass transit (red line?).

Rates look good, so all properties are within our price range (including the IC) for this trip. So far, we're considering the IC, Holiday Inn Chicago-Mart Plaza River North, and the Hotel Indigo (looks close to Rush Street). I'm not too familiar with nightlife in Chicago, so I was hoping for some pointers.

Thanks!

sleuth

Intercontinental hands down. Stately old hotel with a magnificent pool close to the red line.

brewdog11

Thank you for the response! This was sort of my line of thinking. The Holiday Inn looks nice, but it's farther from the Red Line. The IC looks convenient and is located in a good area. I didn't know about the pool -- that is a huge added bonus!

MrsW

I've stayed at both the Indigo and the IC. Indigo gave me a great upgrade to their top floor suite but IC is closer to the action. It's handy for The Magnificent Mile plus there are loads of decent restaurants in the vicinity.

brewdog11

Good to hear, thank you. It's looking like the IC is the way to go. Their rates are tremendously reasonable (for an IC, IMHO) for the time we're going, so I'll probably go ahead and book with them.

Super Mario

I really regret staying in Chicago a few months back, and not picking the IC

brewdog11

Sold! IC it is! Just booked two nights for under $300!

rbAA

Well, by nightlife for young adults, I'm assuming you're talking about bars and restaurants. Rush St used to have a very diverse assortment of entertainment, but now it seems to be expensive restaurants and bars with expensive drinks. Fewer places with live music, comedy, they even had a strip (excuse me-gentlemen's) club. So, as always, it depends on what you like.

But, you can't go wrong with the IC on Michigan; the Red Line is a few blocks west and in the winter, you'll find walking a bit of a challenge, especially on those cold windy nights.

brewdog11

Yes, you're describing exactly what we're looking for! I've heard that Division closer to the lake has some good spots for food and drink. I also heard that the west side is starting to see some new places open up, too. I was planning on hitting up Rush St. (at least to see the iconic places), but it sounds like that's not as good an area to bank on anymore. Do you have any general areas to recommend?

Oh, and we definitely plan on hitting up Second City!

sleuth

The pool has its own webpage.

https://www.icchicagohotel.com/explore/indoor-pool

rbAA

Old Town is definitely a good choice, with more entertainment and more reasonable drinking establishments.

Though, the Redhead Piano Bar is still cool and mellow. And nearby is Bubbles, a champagne oriented bar but they have a younger crowd still.

DavidDTW

If anyone books the Chicago HI Mart Plaza thinking a skyline view would be nice, beware. This is going up directly south of the hotel, eliminating that possibility.