Hi there,
I just signed up for Big Shoulders and am wondering if anyone has any good hotel recommendations. It would be for my son, my husband, and I.
Thanks!
One I would avoid is the Red Roof Inn downtown. Its convenient to Ohio Street beach and less expensive than others but I stayed there last year and had a terrible experience. After switching rooms three times, I gave up trying to get a room where the HVAC worked (the windows do not open either). The halls were dark, dirty and smelled. The rooms were not much better. Definitely a 0 star rating from me.
I have stayed at a number of hotels in downtown Chicago that are within a short walk to Ohio St. beach. The RRI was the only one I would not recommend. A lot depends on how much you would like to spend. When viewing websites, I would check the 'map it' to see where the hotel is in relation to the Ohio St Beach (or Navy Pier).
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Chicago is also the city of Big Hotels. The Hotel Intercontinental has a 25 yd deep art deco pool (Johnny Weismuller trained there) that is free to hotel guests; photo on the Web site. It is my home pool. It is on the Magnificent Mile ($$) and within walking distance of the venue and interesting things to do. I don't know how competitive the rates are, but the hotel has been offering discounts at various times over the summer (I think % occupied rooms might be a metric of concern to hotels).
Do you have some preferences/decision factors in mind?
Per Big Shoulders Web site, the org makes arrangements with various downtown hotels for discounted rooms; "check back." Things should be moving on that front, as it is less than 2 months away and the event is after Labor Day, so hotels will be crying for custom.
Rooms will not be cheap that weekend. For one thing U2 starts the American leg of their tour at Soldier Field the same day as the swim.
If you've got money to burn the W Hotel literally looks down on the course. That would be a great choice if you can afford it!
One I would avoid is the Red Roof Inn downtown. Its convenient to Ohio Street beach and less expensive than others but I stayed there last year and had a terrible experience. After switching rooms three times, I gave up trying to get a room where the HVAC worked (the windows do not open either). The halls were dark, dirty and smelled. The rooms were not much better. Definitely a 0 star rating from me.
This description is completely accurate. (My family and I stayed there when I did Big Shoulders in 2007.)
You can still have high tea at the Drake!
I emailed the Big Shoulders organizers to let them know there was growing interest in finding a hotel offering discounted rooms for this event. I imagine the participating hotels will be posted: www.bigshoulders.org.
This description is completely accurate. (My family and I stayed there when I did Big Shoulders in 2007.)
I was there in 2007 also. Red Roof Inn was horrible. Don't stay there!
