Find cheap hotels in Chicago
I travel to Chicago frequently and am obsessed with never paying full price. There are many beautiful hotels in Chicago with great views of the city and amazing amenities. I try to stay in a different hotel each visit and with a little research I can find very affordable rates. Chicago is one of my favorite cities to visit. I make sure the hotel is within walking distance of some of the best places. I have found treasures walking downtown that I would have missed if I was driving.
I start my research by opening multiple tabs in my browser and comparing rates on various travel websites. I search by location and star rating. Many sites offer great Chicago hotel deals. The site doesn’t always say the name of the hotel, but I haven’t been disappointed by a four or five star hotel I booked online. Most sites allow you to narrow down the location specifically to the Magnificent Mile, the Loop, or near O’Hare or Midway airports. That way I know the hotel will be close to where I need to be. I also like to check websites to find the best places to eat and fun things to do, like a river boat tour. It helps me determine where I want to stay.
Once I find the best rate, I like to compare it to what the hotel offers on their website. It’s a good indicator of how much I’m saving since hotels rarely give the best rate. When I check in, the hotel only knows that I am paid in full. They don’t see what fee I paid. I will ask you when you check in if there are any rooms available with a view of Lake Michigan, the Chicago River, or downtown, depending on the location. Since the hotel clerk doesn’t know the rate I paid, I can usually get a better room than if I knew how much I paid by booking through the hotel’s website. The nicer you are to the hotel employee, the more they can do for you. Many times, I am late when most people have already signed up. A genuine smile with a friendly approach has gotten me better. The last time I stayed in Chicago it was in a top ten hotel. I got to the reception around 11:30 pm when there weren’t many people. I had a nice chat with the hotel clerk and asked if there were any better rooms available with a view and got a fabulous room on a higher floor.