Help with last-minute hotel May 18-20

Hello! I am trying to find a last-minute deal for next weekend, May 18-20 in the Loop/Mag Mile/Gold Coast. I used Hotwire to get a room for that Thursday at the Hyatt Regency on Wacker for $120, but due to the huge restaurant convention going on that weekend, I can%26#39;t find anything less than $300-$500 on any of the travel websites. Staying in the suburbs COULD be an option but we would really prefer to stay in the downtown area. My budget is around $200 max per room (which I know is probably too low but my boyfriend and I are college students!)

I was just wondering if you knew of any very last-minute deals on any of the travel websites. I tried to bid on Priceline ($130 for 3 *, boutique or 4*) but was denied. What price would you recommend bidding for this Fri %26amp; Sat?

Thanks for your help!

Help with last-minute hotel May 18-20

Take a look at - www.midwayhotelcenter.com. The CTA orange line train will ge tou downtown from there.

You can stay near O%26#39;hare well within your budget. The CTA blue line train will get you downtown.

Nearby suburbs - Evanston, Skokie, Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, IL. Metra trains will get you downtown from there. Metrarail.com. Check out Metra%26#39;s weekend train pass.

With the NRA show in town, staying downtown within your budget of $200 does not appear to be workable.

Help with last-minute hotel May 18-20

The restaurant convention is taking up a ton of hotel space (with probably 75K attendees, they%26#39;re taking up much of the hotel space, as well as seemingly a lot of the hotel space in Midway to the South and Evanston to the North), and unfortunately, I%26#39;d honestly be surprised if you would be able to get anything for a reasonable price for these dates. $200 may be accepted on Priceline (stranger things have happened with Priceline), but I%26#39;m thinking it%26#39;s going to be unlikely.

I%26#39;d book something in the %26#39;burbs right now that can be cancelled, then if you cannot get anything downtown for these dates, at least you have a hotel.

I%26#39;d go with Northbrook. Northbrook Hotels (well, aside from the Renaissance, which gets some pretty mixed reviews) are nice and the area%26#39;s lovely. You could head over to the Botanic Gardens (chicagobotanic.org) in nearby Glencoe.

You%26#39;ll find Midway hotels are more than usual for these dates, as well, due to overflow traffic. I%26#39;m pretty sure the downtown Evanston hotels are booked up, as well.

Hilton Garden Inn Evanston = $199

Courtyard Marriott Deerfield = $99 superior room, $109 suite

The HGI Evanston would be a great choice (I%26#39;m surprised it%26#39;s available), as both CTA and Metra stations are right there. If you want to go cheaper, Hotwire usually has 3*s in the Northbrook area for around $50-75.

Hotwire does have a 3* in Northbrook for $54 that appears to be the Radisson Northbrook and a 3.5* for $79 (I%26#39;m guessing the Hyatt Northbrook or maybe the Hilton Northbrook.) I wouldn%26#39;t take the 4* Northbrook, as that%26#39;s likely the Renaissance.

zits