KENNECTED

I'd like to suggest doing a search as these to properties are heavily discussed on FlyerTalk.

Many, many FlyerTalkers have taken the time and effort to post their experiences, comments, suggestions, opinions & general information that you didn't need to create this thread.

Simple Search Instructions:

A � Clicking the Search this Forum pull down at the top of the main forum page
B � Type in what you are looking for. Example "Drake", "Chicago" or "Palmer house"
C � Click the GO button

Taa Daa....... Helpful information will appear.

Some may view this as "mean" but adding more post to a heavily covered topic instead or doing a search OR asking your question in a thread that has already been heavily covered will only make the search feature more difficult going forward as unnecessary threads pop up! Then the feature become useless and nobody benefits!

Sosiouxme

Hi all,

A girlfriend and I are taking a weekend trip to Chicago this summer and I was wondering which property - between the Palmer House and the Hilton would be a better choice for a Diamond -- both of these properties seem comparable as far as location. I've stayed at the Palmer House before but not when I had any status in the Hhonors program. Both are comparably priced.

I would be interested in recommendations as well as any experiences with upgrades or the lack thereof.

Thanks!

--Sioux

Hotel_junkie

Summer season has begun in Chicago. Alot of the Hiltons in the city are sold out over the weekends.

I wonder how HH Diamond room upgrades will fare during this peak season. I have a Drake stay this weekend. We'll see if I can get upgraded.

Are there other cities that see crazy occupancy rates that affect upgrade potential? I would think NYC is one such city.

mach92

I booked the Conrad for the 30th of June (4 nights) last week no problem.

heffa

I've also started to look for two nights from June 30th as a short family trip. Which one would you say would be the best family hotel in Chicago for a weekend?

KENNECTED

I did trip reports on a couple properties earlier this year. I dont have any tax deductions...er kids, but this is how i see the properties in terms of being kid friendly.

If I had a family, I would stay (in this order)
Embassy Suites (lakefront)
Embassy Suites (Downtown)
Hilton Garden Inn
Hampton Inn
Homewood Suites
Hilton Chicago


The ES lakefront is attached to entertainment and not in a crowded area on weekends, but a few blocks away from Michigan Ave. and easy access to the lakefront activities

The HGI, HI, HS and ES (Downtown) are all blocks from one another just west of Michican Avenue with great access to the subway.

The chicago Hilton is accross from Grant Park and a few block south of discount shopping in the loop area.

To me, the Conrad and Palmer House aren't kid friendly.

jcardi01

I booked july 1-4 at Drake gov rate $127! ^

I go to Chicago every year for the Taste of Chicago that kicks of that weekend. I liked the location of Homewood Suites and Lakefront Embassy Suites. Lakefront is close to Navy Pier and Grant Park.

Homewood Suites has some deals alot. Lakefront always more expensive.

Here's an awesome interactive map. http://maps.mapnetwork.com/chicago/cctb/index.asp

Info about the Taste of Chicago:
http://www.tasteofchicago.us/

bfeuling

I just looked up two weekends. June 30-July4, pretty open with some booked, but not many. Also, July 21-23. More booked, but still some good downtown properties available.

ITravelThereforeIam

Probably not the right place for this, but I have to say, the Palmer House may not be kid friendly, but the kids don't seem to notice. My company has its annual gi-normous shin dig at the palmer house every year at about the same time...and there is also this huge group of kids - the mock united nations or MUNAC....they pretend to represent the countries of the world and discuss politics and solve all the problems of the world (by a little child they shall be led?). They are mostly high school kids, maybe 1 adult for every 45 kids....they run amok through the hotel at all hours of the night and day, crowd the elevators (a colleague was pushed OUT when she tried to get on in the midst of a swarm), crowd the restaurants and the gym - heck, they probably pee in the pool too.

Somehow, every year, a bunch of them end up on the exec floor as apparently the hotel is truly sold out that weekend, and you'd think these little cretins actually came from a third world country and had never seen "complimentary" (duuuuude, they are like, freeeee!) cookies before - they were loading up their back packs, stuffing them in their shirts, sneaking their buddies in with their magic gold card...I saw them exchange key cards so another group of starving adolescents could go ravage the cookie plate...

I wonder if these kids' parent are as happy to see them back home again, as we are to see them leave!!! :-D tee hee

ITTIA

mikey1003

King Tut is in Chicago also

Unimatrix One

Oh dear...

What weekend is this? Please tell me it's not in July (when I'll be staying there)!

KENNECTED

I forgot to add, the chicago gay games takes place July 15-22

lofly

Planning to go to Chicago later this summer. Did any of you try for "point stretchers" for the Chicago hotels?

Thanks.

ITravelThereforeIam

you should be relatively safe. our groups go in february...when most tourists and vacationers want to avoid chicago's weather, which makes it prime convention time for the hotels......there IS a conference there the 1st weekend in august, and i think it is booked up...i am going for the conference but chose the chicago hilton...i prefer the palmer house's executive lounge, but it is a nice walk from one to the other in the summer, the rate was better, and this way I will be away from my peers and colleagues (less chance of running into someone i don't want to talk to in the whirlpool!!

ITTIA

bassmanben

also note that the first weekend in august the Tall Ships are going to be at Navy Pier, and also there is going to be Lollapalooza 2006. In addition, i'm going to be there, so that should set the city all abuzz by itself.