[ARCHIVE to 2014] DISCUSSION Hilton Honors Hotels near Chicago, Illinois USA {US-IL}
#151
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Madison, WI, USA; NW Platinum, Marriott Silver, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 938
I hate to tell you this but the Bears are playing in Champaign. It's a good two-hour drive from Chicago.
#152
Join Date: May 1999
Posts: 6,084
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by TravelLover:
I hate to tell you this but the Bears are playing in Champaign.</font>
I hate to tell you this but the Bears are playing in Champaign.</font>
If you decide to stay in Chicago anyway, you may want to consider FansExpress.
#153
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Chicago, Il. USA
Posts: 428
FYI, the Champaign hotels have jacked up their rates during the Bear's weekends.
#154
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,579
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Jakester:
FYI, the Champaign hotels have jacked up their rates during the Bear's weekends.</font>
FYI, the Champaign hotels have jacked up their rates during the Bear's weekends.</font>
Unless you are dying to party in Campustown in Champaign, I'd stay in Chicago for the hotel. Make that drive EARLY on Sunday unless you want to deal with a lot of traffic. Allow THREE HOURS to get from downtown Chicago into the parking lot at Memorial Stadium. That's what we do on Saturdays - no reason to change the pattern for NFL. If you want some good tailgate time for a noon kickoff, leave Chicago between 6 and 7 am.
Any of the Hiltons downtown in Chicago are nice. I've done a few $109 weekend rates at the Palmer House over the years. They take care of HH Golds pretty well there...
#155
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BTW, while we are on the topic, a bit of useless trivia for you: Sept 21-22 appears to be the only weekend during which you could do a "combo weekend" - Illini at home vs. SJSU on Saturday and the Bears at home vs. New Orleans on Sunday.
#156
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One other note: if you are thinking about staying about halfway between downtown and the stadium, avoid the Kankakee Hampton Inn. The place isn't exactly "charming". It's a low-end Hampton in a mall parking lot.
Not that I'd advise staying halfway between Champaign and Chicago to begin with...
Not that I'd advise staying halfway between Champaign and Chicago to begin with...
#157
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Valley Springs, Ca USA;Proud Retired AAer SJC Ramp/ AA- 2 MM Platinum;Hilton Diamond
Posts: 851
I grew up on winter days in Soldier Field. Why are the Bears at U of I?
#158
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Chicago, IL - AA PLT
Posts: 973
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by FoothillFlyer:
I grew up on winter days in Soldier Field. Why are the Bears at U of I?</font>
I grew up on winter days in Soldier Field. Why are the Bears at U of I?</font>
#159
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UA 1K & 1MM/AA Gold & 1MM/HH Gold/Marriott Titanium
Posts: 2,928
Chicago Hiltons
Palmer House or Hilton Chicago?
#160
Moderator: CommunityBuzz!, OMNI, OMNI/PR, and OMNI/Games & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: ORD (MDW stinks)
Programs: UAMM, AAMM & ExPlat, Marriott lifetime Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 23,514
what about The Drake?
#161
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UA 1K & 1MM/AA Gold & 1MM/HH Gold/Marriott Titanium
Posts: 2,928
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Sweet Willie:
what about The Drake?</font>
what about The Drake?</font>
#162
Join Date: May 1999
Posts: 6,084
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by TWA Guy:
Too expensive. Hilton was $219 and Palmer was $206.</font>
Too expensive. Hilton was $219 and Palmer was $206.</font>
#163
formerly known as Frugal Travel Guy
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Greenville, SC
Programs: UA Gold, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Silver, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 1,925
Bid $65 4 star at Priceline and I've hit each of them. For that price they are both great.
#164
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Starwood Plat, UA Plat, 2MM, AS MVPG
Posts: 493
Stayed at the Chicago Hilton two weeks ago. Got a $130 rate the day before on the Hilton Website.
#165
Join Date: Sep 2002
Programs: HHonors Diamond USAirways CP Hertz Pres Cir
Posts: 549
Both are older properties, in close proximity to each other, and very similar in many aspects. Hilton Chicago has Towers, so you can get upgrade there to a nicer room. However, I cannot recall this aspect of the Palmer House?
Not sure about your reason for the visit to the Windy City, but I usually prefer to stay North side of the river at the new Hilton Garden Inn simply because of the great shopping and location is much closer to tourist sites. It is pretty new, and I personally prefer newer properties (but the rooms are not anything fancy). There is also a Double Tree and an Embassy Suites up that way too, but Double Tree bumped me late one night and I refuse to go back (being diamond I thought it was wrong). The Chicago Hilton upgraded me to the Presidential Suite that night (very nice!!! and largest suite I've ever seen), so they actually seem to care.
[This message has been edited by elbidercni (edited 09-22-2002).]
Not sure about your reason for the visit to the Windy City, but I usually prefer to stay North side of the river at the new Hilton Garden Inn simply because of the great shopping and location is much closer to tourist sites. It is pretty new, and I personally prefer newer properties (but the rooms are not anything fancy). There is also a Double Tree and an Embassy Suites up that way too, but Double Tree bumped me late one night and I refuse to go back (being diamond I thought it was wrong). The Chicago Hilton upgraded me to the Presidential Suite that night (very nice!!! and largest suite I've ever seen), so they actually seem to care.
[This message has been edited by elbidercni (edited 09-22-2002).]