I would try aLoft O'Hare... they are closest to the airport, free shuttle, complimentary WiFi and it's quite cool! The rooms are also quite nice, provide enough space etc. and the hotel has a small lobby market for snacks, breakfast etc.
If you want info on which rooms are best click here
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tullupump
Try the AAA rate even if you don't have the AAA card. They never ask for it when you check-in.
I have a friend who previously did this all the time. At one *wood property he was asked for his AAA card. Of course, since he wasn't a member, he didn't have one. The hotel was full so they substituted an outrageous RACK rate for his AAA rate. Since he was past the cancellation deadline, they told him he could either pay the RACK rate and stay or pay the RACK rate as a no show for cancelling after the deadline. He doesn't do this anymore.
I have a friend who previously did this all the time. At one *wood property he was asked for his AAA card. Of course, since he wasn't a member, he didn't have one. The hotel was full so they substituted an outrageous RACK rate for his AAA rate. Since he was past the cancellation deadline, they told him he could either pay the RACK rate and stay or pay the RACK rate as a no show for cancelling after the deadline. He doesn't do this anymore.
The KEY is when using a code or whatever that you dont have ID for, use it as long as you plan to check-in before the Cancellation time has passed. That way if confronted you can simply say OK, sorry just Cancel the res out and I'll find another place
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Now that I've stayed at all of them...
my vote is for the Sheraton Suites in Elk Grove. As I posted in that hotel thread:
I stayed there Sunday night for the first time. A really nice property that's >> any of the other O'Hare area properties, if you have a car. It's less than ten minutes to the rental car return at most times; if it's rush hour just take Higgins>Lee>Mannheim>Bessie Coleman and skip the tollway altogether.
As mentioned, it's in a sleepy industrial park, but there are good dining options close by, and Woodfield has everything you could ever want just 10 minutes away.
Free parking, immediate platinum recognition (including a good free buffet breakfast), rooms were nicely updated, good gym/pools, comfortable bed.
What's not to like? No Wifi! It's 2009, and you're a hotel in a business park. Who wants to be tethered to a desk? I'd give them the $10/day asking price for internet if it included wifi access. Inexcusable.
I checked in late and left early, so I didn't notice until leaving that the maid missed vacuuming up a bunch of Cheerios and nuts on the carpet. Gross. There’s no way you could not have seen them. I emailed the manager and had an apology and a couple thousand points in my SPG account the same day.
Suites is a bit of a misnomer, it's just a decent sized room with a wall dividing the bedroom. But 2 adults with small kids would be fine. But for comparison, the next night my "standard" room at the Mandarin Oriental Miami was about 50% larger than this "suite."
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Just to update this..they did add Wifi, and Plats get a free password per nights stay. So that's good, right? Plus the Cat5 connections are still on the desks.
So I check in tonight (Saturday).
Front Desk: "So...here are your password cards, but there's no internet..."
Me: (puzzled) "Ohhhkayyy...."
Front Desk: "...until Tuesday"
Really? A hotel in the middle of a business park, and you can't get your wired or wireless internet fixed for 3 days?
Just to update this..they did add Wifi, and Plats get a free password per nights stay. So that's good, right? Plus the Cat5 connections are still on the desks.
So I check in tonight (Saturday).
Front Desk: "So...here are your password cards, but there's no internet..."
Me: (puzzled) "Ohhhkayyy...."
Front Desk: "...until Tuesday"
Really? A hotel in the middle of a business park, and you can't get your wired or wireless internet fixed for 3 days?
I'm staying at the suites right now, and there is definitely no wireless (except in the lobby). Extremely disappointing this day and age to not have wireless. So much for being able to facetime with the family at home - not like I'm going to sit in the lobby with a bunch of kids running around and playing on the lobby computers.
I haven't stayed at the other *wood properties near O'Hare but I have been completely underwhelmed by my stay here. It's 100+ degrees outside and the AC in my room isn't functioning. The guy has been up twice to bleed the pipes, but it doesn't seem to stay "fixed". The gym is really small and extremely humid since it shares a hallway with the indoor pool. The sound on the TVs in the treadmills doesn't work. Breakfast is included in my rate, but all I really want in the morning is a banana - guess what - no bananas! There's also no concierge lounge which I thought there was when I booked. I got my sparkly "you've been upgraded" envelope with my key, but the room is nothing to get excited about. If this is really an upgrade I'd hate to see the non-upgraded rooms...
It's also a decent haul from O'Hare. It may not *seem* like it, but sit 30 minutes at a toll booth one morning on 90 trying to get near the airport and you'll realize how far that extra few miles really is. My next trip to this area I will be staying somewhere else for sure.
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I stay a lot at the Sheraton Chicago O'Hare Airport hotel (previously known as the Sheraton Gateway O'Hare Suites), and I like it. The staff is especially helpful and friendly.
i have a a 6am flight the next am, is there any proper which is closer to the airport with reliable shuttle or are they all about the same?
I haven't noticed much of a difference in any of them--I mostly stay at the aloft and I'm pretty happy there. The van runs from the hotel on the top and bottom of the hour and from the airport quarter 'til and quarter past. It is generally on time, especially leaving the hotel.
What the Four Points has going for it is free parking and free wi-fi. Otherwise it's a fairly depressing old property, recently renovated with new soft goods but bathrooms are small, and most king bed rooms overlook the freeway. As other have mentioned, there is nothing within walking distance so you'll need a car for dining outside the hotel restaurant.
I basically agree with this assessment, but would emphasize how terribly grim and depressing this Four Points is. Dark hallways with stained carpets. Old, tiny bathroom with barely functional plumbing. Well below the level of the average Comfort Inn, IMO. I'd never go back. The parking and shuttle and wifi all work, though, and it is cheap.
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I'm back at the Sheraton O'Hare (former Sheraton Gateway Suites), and in one of the newly renovated rooms on the 11th floor. They've finished renovating the 10th and 11th floors, and have shut down the 7th, 8th, and 9th floors and are working on those now.
All new furniture, a new (bland) color scheme, new lighting fixtures, including the small spotlights built into the headboard/wall on the left and right side of the bed. They got rid of the coffee table in the living room portion of each suite, and in its place is an oversized hassock/footrest. I like that, it's a lot comfier than the wood table. The work desk gets a thick glass top on it.
The bathtub does not look brand new. They got rid of the flowing white curtains on the front and back windows, and replaced them with a more effective light and heat barrier white window shade.
Stayed at the Sheraton on Mannheim on Fri. night. Not a bad stay. Can't say too much about it as I was only there 8-10 hours - long enough to sleep, shower and grab a 6:30 am airport shuttle to catch my flight home. The room seemed spacious, with a living area in front and separate bedroom and bathroom in the back. I'm not a big Sheraton guy, but it was clean and the bed was comfortable. If you don't have a car, it seems like dining options are pretty limited to the Sheraton restaurant, Harry Caray's or the McDonald's next door.
Overall, I'd stay at the Sheraton again if I needed to catch an early flight out of ORD.
