Chicago Hotels- everything sold out

[taymaesmom]

We are headed to Chicago Oct 6th for a concert and some sightseeing. We go up often and never have had an issue booking a 3-4 star hotel thru hotwire. But this time I am finding nothing. So I started looking at paying full price and I'm finding NOTHING! Well unless I want to pay $400-500 and I dont want to. Is there a BIG event going on that I don't know about? I really hate to stay out in the suburbs since the concert we are going to is in the city.

Any suggestions for a decent hotel downtown? We are going to a concert at the Vic theatre if that helps for location.

 

[gate_pourri]

The Chicago Marathon is that weekend. Sorry to say, you may not be able to find a room in the city.

 

[tinkmom2]

We just stayed at the ACME hotel company on the 19th when we went to see Madonna It's a smaller hotel but modern. The rooms are smaller but the beds are comfy and it is central to everything. Check it out on Trip Advisor. Check out Groupon for hotel deals. That's where we found this one.

 

[annsteere]

Besides the marathon, this is the week of the Ryder cup. That's the biggest golf tournament in the world. There were more than 40,000 people there yesterday for an opening that didn't include any actual golfing.

Then there are "routine" things like Bears on Monday night football bringing tourists into town for a long weekend, Sox, Cubs, etc.

You need to change your dates or grab what you can get at this point.

 

[lovesmurfs]

If you're locked in on dates, Schaumburg is a NW suburb of Chicago. You might want to try there, and then commute in each day? You can get a weekend Metra pass, and there's a Schaumburg stop on the Milwaukee District West line.

 

[sharbear]

My D was looking for a hotel in NYC the weekend of the NYC Marathon. There was nothing. Big city marathons must be a huge money maker for the lodging industry.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Try looking for a hotel in outlying areas. I did a search on Expedia for Oct 6-10 and found plenty of availability for hotels $200 a night and under (airport hotels, hotels outside of downtown, etc.).

 

[CoP Luv]

Unless you are planning on paying $$$, look in some of the other neighborhoods not "in" the more traditional areas. My sister ran the marathon last year and the city was PACKED all weekend!

I know you said you didn't want to stay out of the city, but try Rosemont or Evanston. Easy, quick commutes.

 

[NotUrsula]

You waited too long; the city rates are always jacked to the heavens and booked solid on Marathon weekend, to say nothing of adding in the Ryder cup crowd.

Your only choice for Oct. 6th is going to be the suburbs, and even those may be getting scarce at this point. IME, the easiest area to commute in from is Rosemont, near O'Hare, using the Blue Line trains.

 

[maggiew]

Try near OHare. You can easily take the blue line into town.

Maggie

 

[Wood Nymph]

We are headed to Chicago Oct 6th for a concert and some sightseeing. We go up often and never have had an issue booking a 3-4 star hotel thru hotwire. But this time I am finding nothing. So I started looking at paying full price and I'm finding NOTHING! Well unless I want to pay $400-500 and I dont want to. Is there a BIG event going on that I don't know about? I really hate to stay out in the suburbs since the concert we are going to is in the city.

Any suggestions for a decent hotel downtown? We are going to a concert at the Vic theatre if that helps for location.

The Chicago Marathon will take all the rooms in the city. Since your location says southern Illinois and if you plan to drive to the theater, then start looking for hotel rooms in the southwest or far south suburbs, depending on which way you are coming in.

Good luck. At least the weather is supposed to be good.

 

[ltl engine]

You might try calling some of the hotels directly. Recently for work we had a visitor and we could not get a hotel room through the 800 number or on-line but the hotels were creating wait lists and taking numbers to call us back. Good Luck!

 

[jahexom]

I just tried the radisson blu online and it seemed to have availability.

 

[DiSnEyFrEaK22]

I would try searching in the O'Hare/Rosemont area and take the train into the city. Good luck!

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

I know there is a college football rivalry game between Notre Dame and Miami Hurricanes that is being played in Chicago this weekend, October 6.

 

[taymaesmom]

Well I waited until this morning to actually book something and I was surprised and thrilled to find a room available at a Holiday Inn we stay at often, it was booked solid yesterday so must have had some cancellations. Its a mile from my sister in laws house so its in a familiar area plus its only 20-25 mins from the city. Of course I'd rather be in the city but we will make due.

When we planned this trip I looked up events for Oct 6 and nothing big was showing. I should have looked at the 7th too! Oh well live and learn, we will still have a good time!