Chicago Hotel Location Advice

[printman2000]

Our family will be vacationing in Chicago this summer. It will include five nights in a hotel. We will not have a car.

Price and hotel brand are most important in our hotel selection. I currently have a hotel reserved near O'Hare with a decent price and they run a regular shuttle to the blue line. From what I can tell, the blue line from O'Hare takes about 45 minutes to get downtown.

Prices for hotels around Midway are $50 ($250 total) more a night, but from what I can tell, Midway is closer to downtown, thus less time to get in and out on the orange line.

So what do people think. Are the closer in Midway hotels worth the extra cost?

 

[tomfuller]

Are you going to ride an Amtrak train into Chicago? This is an Amtrak forum. There are plenty of good hotels downtown to use for 4 nights and then 1 night at a hotel near your airport of choice.

The cheapest place to stay near downtown is the HI Hostel on Congress. With luggage you would need a taxi from Union station.

 

[Trogdor]

It really depends on how much you value the 40-60 or so minutes per day of extra travel time (not just the longer ride on the Orange Line, but depending on exactly where the hotel is, and whether they shuttle you to O'Hare proper or to Rosemont - one stop closer to downtown on the Blue Line, the shuttle ride will probably be longer to O'Hare than Midway).

I can't imagine the hotels themselves will be appreciably different.

The Orange Line is generally a nicer ride (better equipment, and the Milwaukee Avenue subway can be quite loud, particularly southbound). For the railfan, the Blue Line 2200s will probably already be retired by summer, but depending on delivery schedules, the Orange Line may be running new 5000s (assuming they get the Red Line fully equipped by the time you arrive).

 

[printman2000]

Are you going to ride an Amtrak train into Chicago? This is an Amtrak forum. There are plenty of good hotels downtown to use for 4 nights and then 1 night at a hotel near your airport of choice.

The cheapest place to stay near downtown is the HI Hostel on Congress. With luggage you would need a taxi from Union station.

Yes, we will be arriving/departing on Amtrak. The reason behind staying near an airport is price. Simply put, I have not found a hotel I like that I can afford downtown. There may be one, but I have not found one yet. We are very picky about what hotel we stay in.

Anyway, I am not really looking for people to propose hotels, I am just wondering if people think the savings in commute time and the change from blue line to orange line is worth the extra expense.

 

[Trogdor]

I am just wondering if people think the savings in commute time and the change from blue line to orange line is worth the extra expense.

That's really something for you to decide.

The total added time will be on the order of 20-30 minutes extra each way (so, 40-60 minutes per day).

Some people will decide that saving money is worth the extra time. Others will say they'd rather spend a little bit of money and save some time.

It comes down to whether you have something better to spend that $250 on than saving a few hours of your family's time.

 

[MrFSS]

Craig - a few years ago I stayed three nights at this HOTEL in Aurora The breakfast was good and it is right at the Aurora Metra Station where you can ride right into CUS. Check the prices and see what you think.

 

[Trogdor]

The problems with Aurora are that it's a much longer haul, less frequent service (particularly if you want to go back in the evening after the rush) and the Metra fares are going to be much higher than what you'd pay on CTA.

 

[printman2000]

Thanks for the feedback. After doing some more research, I was able to find a hotel downtown that was not much more than near the airport.

 

[SarahZ]

Thanks for the feedback. After doing some more research, I was able to find a hotel downtown that was not much more than near the airport.

Fabulous! I was going to recommend Hotwire if you hadn't used that already. We got a room at Hotel Sax, normally $300/night, for $120/night.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

The reason behind staying near an airport is price. Simply put, I have not found a hotel I like that I can afford downtown. There may be one, but I have not found one yet. We are very picky about what hotel we stay in. Anyway, I am not really looking for people to propose hotels, I am just wondering if people think the savings in commute time and the change from blue line to orange line is worth the extra expense.

I know people who are very picky about where they stay. I also know people who are very picky about price. I can't say I know anyone who is both very picky about price and very picky about where they stay. :wacko:

As for me the only time I've stayed near either of Chicago's airports is at the end of my trip if I have a morning flight the next day. Otherwise I always stay downtown and try to stay close to the action. Spending an hour or two each day just getting from my hotel to the next attraction is a huge waste of time in my view. In any case I'm glad y'all found a place that will work. Care to tell us which hotel you eventually selected?

 

[printman2000]

Care to tell us which hotel you eventually selected?

I have narrowed it down to two, SpringHill Suites Chicago Downtown/River North or the attached Residence Inn. They are in the same building, split half and half. The Residence Inn would be more roomy, but also cost a bit more.

Both are about a 5-10 minute walk from a CTA station.