G-CIVC

What's going on for the weekend of May 20-21? Almost every single HH property sold out?

WDE76

National Restaurant Association @ McCormick Place - 70,000+

pinniped

Doing a Memorial Day weekend stay with these five choices. 2 adults 2 children. Diamond status.

- HGI Mag Mile, a hotel I know I like but am not sure whether would give us 2 adult + 2 child breakfasts per day. Might not be a dealbreaker, as long as we could use 4 certificates on one day and just eat elsewhere on another day
- Palmer House
- Hilton Chicago
- Hilton Chicago Mag Mile Suites
- Doubletree Mag Mile

Rates all similar, around $200/nt with taxes. Except the DT, which is a bit cheaper...especially if we're willing to prepay. (There are other limited-service options, but no point listing them since I know if I go that route, I'd go HGI.)

From what I understand, PH and HC are incredibly crowded in the lounge. I'm guessing the HC Suites might be less so? It appears that all but the DT have an indoor pool, something I know the kids would use.

I'm leaning towards the Suites for both the extra space and the more northern location. The pool looks nice and it just sounds like a smaller, less-frenetic hotel.

I'd only consider DT if someone knows for sure they'd provide 4 breakfasts/day and there's some other compelling reason to stay there.

Thoughts? The HC Suites doesn't get much play in these threads...

kpbadger

HGI magnificent mile has always given me 3 vouchers when I had my wife and son along. I also consider the cost of the breakfast at the Weber Grill to be reasonable for the quality of the items served, even if they don't give you vouchers for everyone for some reason. Omelettes are huge and buffet is comprehensive including the steak and potatoes option I haven't really ever seen anywhere else. IIRC kids are like $7 which is really a steal.

pinniped

I do consider that Weber Grill an advantage over *all* of the other properties. Good to hear that they are cool about certs for the kid(s).

We won't likely be around in the evening, so those offerings at the properties with lounges aren't a big factor for us.

pinniped

Well, the rates in Chicago for the weekend keep dropping, and the HGI remains in the lead at $124 for a confirmed 2-queen room.

So for now, the decision is pretty easy, although who knows: maybe rates will go even lower?

London House and the Wit also have great rates, but no 2-queen rooms. If this stay was just the wife and I, we'd probably be doing one of those.

ABlue

Looking for a hotel for 3 nights in late September, based on what I will be doing (including Chicago Symphony, Architecture Foundation, Art Institute, Riverwalk, restaurants in West Loop), I'm looking to stay in the Loop this time. This is my first time staying as a Gold member. Currently have a regular King room booked at Londonhouse because I really like the location and what they've done with the historic building, but reviews seem to be very mixed.

Hampton Inns Majestic and North Loop cost the same as Londonhouse ($278 a night) but are 50,000 points vs 70,000 points so I could probably do an all points stay. Londonhouse doesn't seem to be a very good value for points. Would have considered The Wit or the Hilton but both actually cost more than Londonhouse. The other option is HGI North Loop which is a little cheaper, but sounds like it would be a very generic chain hotel and it seems like a lot of money to be paying for that. The West Loop hotels are both showing as sold out in September.

So... is Londonhouse the best option for that area? I would love the view of the river towards Marina Towers which looks like it would be the Vista rooms, is it worth about $35 a night more to book one of those? I assume if I get an upgrade, it would most likely just be to a higher floor? Would like to be up higher because some of the reviews complained about it being loud. Or would I be better off using points to stay at one of the Hamptons?

What strategies do you use for deciding when to use points? I got the Amex surpass with the intent of using the points bonus in Chicago, but none of the Chicago hotels seem to be great values for points... I will be going to London in a year or so, and it seems like you get a lot more for your points there compared to the room price than in Chicago.

ABlue

Interested to know if anyone has had any experiences with the Hampton Inn or Homewood Suites Chicago West Loop since neither one has their own thread. The Hampton Inn is still fully booked for my travel dates in September, but the Homewood Suites now has some rooms available and they share a building. The Homewood Suites is much lower rated on TripAdvisor than the HI which seems odd given the shared building and the good reviews I've seen. I'm currently planning to stay at either the Conrad or the London House, but the Homewood Suites is significantly fewer points which would let me do an all points stay instead of needing to pay cash for one night. I have been to Chicago before (have stayed at the Hampton Inn Majestic and the Talbott), so I don't mind being a little away from the noisier touristy areas this time as long as it's still pretty easy/quick and safe to get back and forth to the theaters and attractions in the Loop. Would appreciate any thoughts from anyone who has stayed at the Homewood Suites about hotel quality, location, etc. Thanks!

cop35758

Hey folks,

I'm headed to Chicago during the last weekend in April and in charge of rooms (two) for a bachelor party. We're all in our late 20's/early 30's. I currently have thewit booked ($225 a night/2 queen). I have diamond status and was hoping for some breakfast vouchers for both rooms. Would anyone suggest another hotel as far as location/breakfast and lounge or is this a solid choice?

Thanks in advance!

arlflyer

SPRINGGGG BREEEAKKKK!!!

Oh, wrong thread.

Yeah, thewit is fine. Any of the downtown properties really are, honestly. With the closure of the lounge at the Hilton Chicago I believe that only the Palmer House and Drake have lounges at this point, and IMO neither is anything to write home about. I've stayed at pretty much all the downtown properties a number of times, and I more or less consider them interchangeable. If I were you, I'd buy on price and location, then use your savings for, uh, activities.

Miesque

TheWit's Diamond breakfast I got last summer was a piece of toast and the option of coffee or orange juice. Enjoy.

The Drakes Executive Lounge is nice even though it is very small and can be crowded.

As far as getting vouchers to two rooms, if you are lucky you will get it, but definitely don't expect it regardless of which hotel you end up at.

neo_781

I don't know about the rooms themselves being a local but I really like the pubic spaces of The London House. The bar on the rooftop (maybe a bit cold for April!) is very cool and has an amazing view.

arlflyer

You know, I stayed at the LH right after it opened, but didn't get to check those out myself. OP might be very interested, though, given the nature of his visit.

(FWIW, the rooms are very nice)

mpw81

FYI... the loop is dead on the weekends. You'll be a block away from River North, which has plenty going on, but the loop is primarily a business district.

BearX220

Try the Conrad a few minutes north of the river, near the Water Tower. They have a great bar / restaurant (Baptiste & Bottle) and a greater rooftop lounge with a Japanese vibe (Noyane). And you can walk to dozens of other good spots from there; not so much if you're in the Loop.