Hotels near CHI

[Lamar]

I am planning a vacaction on the Texas Eagle to Chicago. Any suggestions for a downtown Chicago hotel that is somewhat affordable? Since I'm doing some sightseeing, something near public transportation would be nice.

 

[AlanB]

Affordable may be tough, especially depending on your definition of affordable. But I'd suggest starting with Kevin Korell's hotel list. All hotels on that list are near rail transportation.

 

[RobertF]

I am planning a vacaction on the Texas Eagle to Chicago. Any suggestions for a downtown Chicago hotel that is somewhat affordable? Since I'm doing some sightseeing, something near public transportation would be nice.

The Marriott downtown is nice. It's not walkable to Union Station (unless you really *like* walking) but the cab ride isn't to bad.

RF

 

[Chris J.]

I am planning a vacaction on the Texas Eagle to Chicago. Any suggestions for a downtown Chicago hotel that is somewhat affordable? Since I'm doing some sightseeing, something near public transportation would be nice.

Club Quarters in the loop (it's on Adams St) seemed fine for the night I was there. It's not too far from Union Station - I walked it with a suitcase on wheels in tow without any problem. There seem to be building works going on, so your mileage may vary, as they say, but the room I was in was fine.

I'm not sure what you call affordable, think I got it through thotels.co.uk, which is the UK version of hotels.com for around 80 UKP (which would be $160 at the current exchange rate, I guess)

 

[RailFanLNK]

If you travelling alone you can't beat Hostellling International. www.hidottorg (sorry, don't want to feed the spam bots). You can stay there for $35 a night. 1/2 block away from a CTA bus stop and 1 1/2 blocks away from the Red Line. If you are miserly, you get free continental breakfast and you can cook all your meals in the spacious kitchen. Its a shared dorm style accomodations. If you don't plan to hang there 24/7, its perfect. My girlfriend, her 15 year old daughter and I stayed there from March 22nd-26th. Both times, our roomates were young college age couples and all of them were quite gracious. I won't stay anywhere else in CHI if I'm on a budget. $5 cab ride from CUS or 15 minute walk. You can also take the 126 on Jackson to Michigan/Congress and walk 1 block to the hostel. 30 of us are staying there in September from our church.

 

[Acela150]

I always use The Holiday Inn at Mart Plaza. It's the perfect hotel. Great breakfast, lunch, dinner. It has a view of the Chicago river and a view of the northern end of Chicago Union Station. This is the end where all the trains to Milwaukee come out. The people are very, very nice. When you arrive at the hotel you go in the door and go to the hotel elevators and go 15 floors up to the lobby. When the elevator arrives at the fifteenth floor go out and take a right and you will see the check-in desk. It's about a $5 cab ride. Very nice for a Holiday Inn. I would stay there.

Acela 150

 

[Gord]

I always use The Holiday Inn at Mart Plaza. It's the perfect hotel. Great breakfast, lunch, dinner. It has a view of the Chicago river and a view of the northern end of Chicago Union Station. This is the end where all the trains to Milwaukee come out. The people are very, very nice. When you arrive at the hotel you go in the door and go to the hotel elevators and go 15 floors up to the lobby. When the elevator arrives at the fifteenth floor go out and take a right and you will see the check-in desk. It's about a $5 cab ride. Very nice for a Holiday Inn. I would stay there.
Acela 150

There was a Howard Johnson's motel about a 5 minute cab ride from the station. Not very fancy (barely a 3 star) but cheaper than most downtown, staff were very friendly, room furnishings were older but room was clean.