Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
4
Where to Stay
D owntown Chicago is packed with hotels, thanks to the city's
booming convention trade. The competition among luxury hotels is
especially intense, with the Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons winning
international awards even as newer properties (such as the James and
the Hard Rock) get in on the action. The bad news: low-price lodg-
ings have become even harder to find. Steadily increasing room rates
(especially during peak convention season in late spring and during
the busy summer months) mean that Chicago is not exactly a budget
destination; all the more reason to do some research before booking.
Many Chicago hotels offer a quintessential urban experience:
Rooms come with views of surrounding skyscrapers, and the bustle of
city life hits you as soon as you step outside the lobby doors. Although
every property listed here caters to business travelers, Chicago attracts
lots of tourists as well, and you won't have a problem finding family-
friendly hotels in the most convenient neighborhoods; this is not a city
where luxury hotels have dibs on all the prime real estate.
Hotel rates can vary enormously throughout the year, but I've
divided hotels into four categories based on their average rates. “Very
Expensive” hotels are luxury properties where rooms cost an average
of $400 and up (and are seldom discounted). At “Expensive” hotels,
rooms are at least $200 per night, with an upper price limit of $350
to $400. At a “Moderate” hotel, you can usually find a room for less
than $200 per night; “Inexpensive” hotels are usually $150 or less
per night. The rates given in this chapter are per night and do not
include taxes, which are quite steep at 14.9%, nor do they take into
account corporate or other discounts. Prices are always subject to
availability and vary according to the time of week and season.
RESERVATION SERVICES For discounted rooms at more than
30 downtown hotels, try Hot Rooms ( & 800/468-3500 or
773/468-7666; www.hotrooms.com). For a free copy of the annual
Illinois Hotel-Motel Directory, which also provides information about
weekend packages, call the Illinois Bureau of Tourism at & 800/2-
CONNECT.
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