<p>We’re looking at the following three downtown hotels:</p>
<p>Marriott Courtyard on East Hubbard
Marriott Courtyard on East Ontario
Sheraton Hotel and Towers on East North Waters</p>
<p>Are any of them subtantially better or worse then the others? Are any better located?</p>
<p>Tsdad, I’ve stayed at the Sheraton as well as several other downtown Chicago hotels (Palmer House Hilton [my favorite], Holiday Inn–Merchandise Mart, Hilton and Towers, etc.). When you ask whether any are “better located,” my question is located relative to what? To the Magnificent Mile?</p>
<p>Mac:</p>
<p>Thanks for replying. I don’'t know Chicago. Which address has more things to do, resturants, shopping, theatre, nearby?</p>
<p>Michigan Avenue is the magnificant mile. Here’s a link:
<a href=“http://www.chicagotraveler.com/maps/chicago-north-michigan-hotel-map.htm[/url]”>http://www.chicagotraveler.com/maps/chicago-north-michigan-hotel-map.htm</a></p>
<p>hope that helps. downtown chicago is fun! I stayed at the Marriott a few years ago and that seemed a good location. I don’t think you want to be much farther away from the lake then the Omni Suites or maybe Superior Street. Make sure you scroll down so you see the biggest clump of hotels.</p>
<p>I think I got used to the Palmer House because I’ve been to so many academic conventions there. It’s a couple of blocks from the Art Institute, the new Frank Gehry outdoor amphitheatre, etc., but you have to go about two blocks east ad then about a half-mile walk up Michigan Avenue to the bottom end of the Magnificant Mile. That’s really where you want to be if you want to shop or window shop – all the major clothing stores plus Sony, Apple, Nike, Hammacher-Schlemer, Crate & Barrel, etc. (Chicago’s “5th Avenue.”)</p>
<p>There are a ton of restaurants all over the north end, some on or close to the Magnificent Mile but many more on W. and E. Hubbard, North Clark, Ontario, etc. </p>
<p>So if you want a hotel that puts you “there,” for the shopping and restaurants (even if you use a short cab ride), then I think any of the hotels you’ve listed are fine. A bit of your choice would depend on what time of year you’re doing this. I will be in Chicago for a convention in early April and while weather could still be cold (but the baseball season will have started – believe me, there’s nothing like the cold you feel sitting in Wrigley Field at a game about April 5th; too bad they don’t make hot beer) I’ll stay at Palmer House Hilton because I get a good “rate” and I like that old place!</p>
<p>And here’s my favorite Chicago restaurant: Topolobampo. You need to book well in advance. But they also have a slightly more downscale place in the same building, “Frontera Grill,” which is walk-in only but also has a fine menu. At either one, don’t stint on the margaritas or just straight and wonderful varieties of tequilas. <a href=“http://www.fronterakitchens.com/restaurants/menus/topolo_menu.html[/url]”>http://www.fronterakitchens.com/restaurants/menus/topolo_menu.html</a></p>
<p>I love this place. </p>
<p>My wife and I will be meeting each other in Chicago the 2nd weekend in February. She has an $88.00 flight from DCA. I’ll be taking the bus from UW’s Memorial Union since its like $240.00 by air from Madison to Chicago. I’m not up just yet to driving to Chicago in the middle of winter in the dark.</p>
<p>tsdad, I grew up in Chicago and actually worked on Michigan Ave (25 years ago). I visit the city at least once a year. Of the 3 hotels you listed I think the Courtyard on Ontario is the best choice. The question of good restaurants is a non-issue; theyre all over the city. The theaters are located in the Loop area (south of Mag Mile closer to the Palmer House Hotel). The majority of shopping is along Michigan Avenue. The high-end shops are on Oak and Walton between Michigan and Rush. 900 North Michigan has Bloomingdales and various shops. Traveling south on Michigan Ave, 2 blocks from the Bloomingdales building is the Water Tower, which has Marshall Fields and Lord & Taylor along with various shops. Two blocks south of the Water Tower is Neiman-Marcus. The next block south has the Saks building along with various shops. Further south on Michigan Avenue is the Nordstroms building, which also has various shops. I have only listed the bigger stores many smaller stores are also located along Michigan Avenue.</p>
<p>When Im in town I usually have lunch in the food court on the mezzanine level of the Water Tower building or the food court located in the basement of the downtown Fields. The choices for dinner are end-less. </p>
<p>Good Luck and enjoy your stay! :)</p>
<p>All three hotels are well-located. Go to the “search by location” feature at the Chicago Visitor’s Bureau site, choosechicago.com, and you’ll see that they are all within a 15 minute walk of Michigan Avenue shopping. All three have restaurants within walking distance, and you are a $5 cab ride from hundreds of places to eat.</p>
<p>All things considered, because of February’s weather, I would go with the Courtyard on Ontario; it is just steps from the heart of North Michigan. It’s in area of many (too many) high rises, but the convenience of being just steps from your room can make a big difference in the cold. The other Courtyard is in a livelier area, and closer to State Street and the downtown theaters. It’s also virtually on top of the State Street subway, for convenience. The Sheraton is bigger, convention hotel, and sort of off by itself although it does have a river location and probably the best views. You really can’t go too wrong with these any of the three. Have you ever seen the trip advisor website?</p>
<p>I took the bus from Memorial Union in Madison. My wife and I met at O’Hare and took a taxi downtown, which was about $33.00 before tip. We stayed at the Courtyard on East Ontario. Nice hotel. Very well located. Did a lot of touristy things: walked around Michigan Ave., went to the top of the Hancock building (“Big John”), and went to Second City. We ate at the original Unos, which is basically a tiny bar with a very short menu but pizza that tasted much better than any Uno’s I’ve eaten in anywhere else. Takes an hour or so to get your food so you order on the way in. Sunday morning we ate at Eggs restaurant. Very crowded. Nice relaxing weekend. The Big Ten men’s bb tournament was in town so lots of people with caps and sweatshirts wandering around. They were having St. Patricks day events so the river was dyed green.</p>
<p>TSDad:
If you plan on making more trips to Chicago in the future, you may want to consider taking the CTA Blue Line train from O’Hare airport to downtown instead. Costs you $1.50 per, and can actually be faster than a cab (depending on time of day).
The practicality of this option depends on the amount of luggage you are hauling, obviously - however, if you’re just here for the weekend, I’m guessing it should just be a duffle bag?</p>
<p>Optimi:</p>
<p>We took the taxi downdown because it was 7:30 PM we were tired and we didn’t know where we were going. Going back to the airport we took a cab to the blue line at Lake and Clark ($4.00) and then took the subway out to the airport.</p>
<p>tsdad,
I live in a Chicago suburb. Of the three, I would recommend the Marriott on Hubbard.</p>
<p>Several reasons: It is centrally located near the Mag Mile, loop and Millenium Park. Also, Ontario is the main street going out to the expressways, (Kennedy and Dan Ryan.) There is traffic going out all of the time, and there are a lot of bars/restaurants that are geared to younger people on Ontario, Hard Rock, Ed Debevics, near the old Limelight (can’t remember new name,) and some other clubs. It can me noisy there at night.</p>
<p>My dad has stayed at the Sheraton. Beautiful view of the lake, but can be a pain to get in and out of, walking around the area is confusing.</p>
<p>If you want some restaurant names let me know. (What you are looking for, price etc.)</p>
<p>Wait a second–was that a romantic rendezvous with Ts Mom?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>You migth want to revise that before she sees it…:p</p>
<p>It was with T’s mom. There are many ways of relaxing.</p>
<p>I thought I’d revive this thread since we are now experienced Chicago travelers. This was our fifth visit since I started the thread. </p>
<p>Ms. Tsdad and T stayed at the Marriott for five days. It was my son’s first time in Chicago. Son turned 21 and met up with his friends from USC who live in Chicago and they went clubbing. I came in on Wednesday. We went to the Improv Kitchen, saw the David Sedaris Santaland play, went to the Brazilian show “Tropicale” at the Contemporary Museum of Art, visited the Navy Pier (for children only except for the wonderful stain glass museum)., walked around, shopped, and ate. Wife and I spent the last two nights at the Courtyard on Hubbard after T left for New Jersey to spend New Years with other USC friends. We ate at the original Pizza Numero Uno and the beautiful and reasonably priced Grand Luxe over looking Michigan Ave. They town was very crowded and the weather was gray. The temperatures were in the mid-30s.</p>
<p>Wife and I will be meeting up there again at the end of the month.</p>
<p>I stayed in the Palmer House a couple of years ago. I picked it mostly because it is mentioned in The Music Man. The lobby is very nice and modern, but rooms are very small and unmodern - sort of a failed or incomplete updating had occurred.</p>
<p>It does have a very nice central location though.</p>
<p>The Westin at Michigan and Walton is right in the heart of the nicest part of Michigan Avenue. The Sofitel is a block away. Depends on your budget (notice I didn’t mention that the Ritz Carlton is next to the Westin).</p>
<p>We prefer the Marriotts because we collect Marriott points.</p>
<p>For those of you who may be looking for good deals, may I suggest Priceline.com? We have used them numerous times in the past two or three years and have always been pleased. Although you do not get to pick a particular hotel, you enter the type you are looking for (ex: 4 star) and the location in which you wish to stay. You then enter an amount you would be willing to pay for one night. We have always gotten great hotels at great rates. One of the best we have gotten is the Westin (a favorite of ours) in St. Louis for $69 per night ($200 per night cheaper than the listed rate on their site).</p>
<p>Holiday Inn City Centre is nice too. Two blocks off Michigan Avenue.</p>
<p>I stayed there last summer (with Chrysler). Great rates this time of year.</p>