Chicago Posters

[drudy23]

Planning a long weekend in Chicago with the family, but we want to try to avoid staying in a "downtown" hotel. Basically would like to find a hotel in a nice neighborhood (suburb) and then take the L to various places.

Any suggestions on family friendly (bigger) suite type hotels in nice neighborhoods with easy access to the L? Thanks.

[Muskie]

Not to pry... but why not stay downtown?

[chico]

I don't know where you can stay, but if you're looking for Chicago Posters here's one you may like.

http://cache2.allpostersimages.com/p/LRG/15/1568/YLJDD00Z/posters/chicago-illinois-central-train.jpg

[pizza delivery]

Planning a long weekend in Chicago with the family, but we want to try to avoid staying in a "downtown" hotel. Basically would like to find a hotel in a nice neighborhood (suburb) and then take the L to various places.

Any suggestions on family friendly (bigger) suite type hotels in nice neighborhoods with easy access to the L? Thanks.

Lincoln Park has cool stuff and a free zoo.

[drudy23]

Not to pry... but why not stay downtown?

Cause we have 6 people, and most downtown hotels won't accommodate that (and I really don't want to cram all those people in a room that sleeps 4...for comfort reasons). Also, I would imagine it's likely an extra $30-40 bucks a night just to park my car at a downtown hotel.

[XULucho27]

Depends. Does the quality of the hotel matter immensely? The best hotels are obviously downtown. However the Day's Inn Chicago one that is supposed to be good quality, in Lakeview (about 3 or 4 miles north of Downtown). You'll be walking distance from the L (Brown Line - Diversey Stop - 3 blocks away), walking distance to Wrigley Field (about a mile), walking distance to the Lake, and there are a bunch of restaurants around the area as well. Here is a link:

http://www.daysinn.com/DaysInn/control/Booking/property_info?propertyId=06906 (http://www.daysinn.com/DaysInn/control/Booking/property_info?propertyId=06906)

[LadyMuskie]

The Inn of Chicago (a Best Western), in downtown Chicago, has large suites that can accommodate 8 people. We stayed there once as a big group. There were two large bathrooms, two king size beds and two pull out sofas, as well as a large table and chair set. I don't remember how much it cost, but the amount you'll save in train fare may make up for it.

[Mrs. Garrett]

Planning a long weekend in Chicago with the family, but we want to try to avoid staying in a "downtown" hotel. Basically would like to find a hotel in a nice neighborhood (suburb) and then take the L to various places.

Any suggestions on family friendly (bigger) suite type hotels in nice neighborhoods with easy access to the L? Thanks.

The L only runs in the city and Evanston/Oak Park. Metra will get you into the city from most burbs, but doesn't run as often on the weekends. Once you're in the city you can take the L.

Actually, you can probably find a decent rate in the City if you stay at a hotel off of Michigan Avenue. There's a Holiday Inn on the upper levels of the building I work in that might have some decent rates. My wife's family has stayed there when too many of them show up in Chicago at the same time to stay with us. It's attached to the Merchandise Mart. The Mechandise Mart has a Brown Line L stop as well as a food court inside and a lot of great restaurants nearby.

I'm a city snob, so take this for what it's worth. You'll have a much better time if you stay in the city than you would if you try to commute back and forth from the burbs. There's so much to do that you don't want to miss out because you have to catch the Metra. Weather permitting I recommend Millenium Park, and from there you can go to the Art Institute, Shed Aquarium, Field Museum, and on and on.

[ChicagoX]

Depends. Does the quality of the hotel matter immensely? The best hotels are obviously downtown. However the Day's Inn Chicago one that is supposed to be good quality, in Lakeview (about 3 or 4 miles north of Downtown). You'll be walking distance from the L (Brown Line - Diversey Stop - 3 blocks away), walking distance to Wrigley Field (about a mile), walking distance to the Lake, and there are a bunch of restaurants around the area as well. Here is a link:

http://www.daysinn.com/DaysInn/control/Booking/property_info?propertyId=06906 (http://www.daysinn.com/DaysInn/control/Booking/property_info?propertyId=06906)

I second this recommendation. It's much nicer than your typical Days Inn and you're right on the Lincoln Park/Lakeview border in a great area. The zoo is also walking distance from here.

[ford]

The L only runs in the city and Evanston/Oak Park. Metra will get you into the city from most burbs, but doesn't run as often on the weekends. Once you're in the city you can take the L.

Actually, you can probably find a decent rate in the City if you stay at a hotel off of Michigan Avenue. There's a Holiday Inn on the upper levels of the building I work in that might have some decent rates. My wife's family has stayed there when too many of them show up in Chicago at the same time to stay with us. It's attached to the Merchandise Mart. The Mechandise Mart has a Brown Line L stop as well as a food court inside and a lot of great restaurants nearby.

I'm a city snob, so take this for what it's worth. You'll have a much better time if you stay in the city than you would if you try to commute back and forth from the burbs. There's so much to do that you don't want to miss out because you have to catch the Metra. Weather permitting I recommend Millenium Park, and from there you can go to the Art Institute, Shed Aquarium, Field Museum, and on and on.

ha! I work in your building (along with 50,000 other people)

[Mrs. Garrett]

Depends. Does the quality of the hotel matter immensely? The best hotels are obviously downtown. However the Day's Inn Chicago one that is supposed to be good quality, in Lakeview (about 3 or 4 miles north of Downtown). You'll be walking distance from the L (Brown Line - Diversey Stop - 3 blocks away), walking distance to Wrigley Field (about a mile), walking distance to the Lake, and there are a bunch of restaurants around the area as well. Here is a link:

http://www.daysinn.com/DaysInn/control/Booking/property_info?propertyId=06906 (http://www.daysinn.com/DaysInn/control/Booking/property_info?propertyId=06906)

This Days Inn is also known as the Real "Hard Rock Hotel". A lot of big bands have stayed there because there are a lot of decent venues up north to catch a show.

http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/hoekstra/2727797-452/hotel-inn-rock-bands-stay.html

[ford]

Evanston to the North and Oak Park to the West are technically suburbs but you can take the L downtown and they may have some more affordable hotels, don't know never looked. Evanston is nice because Northwestern is there too.

[Mrs. Garrett]

ha! I work in your building (along with 50,000 other people)

Yeah the Mart has it's own zip code.

[Professor X]

Def agree with the posters that said you could find somewhere DT. Thats where the majority of the hotels are and it's just way incredibly more convenient than trying to stay in any burb or anything like that. You can usually find pretty good deals too. My girlfriends family has gotten some really good rates the past couple times they have come up, I will check with her to see where they got them and post back. It may have just been priceline or hotels.com, I really can't recall.