> There seems to be a lot of choices for the hotel accommodations .
> I was hoping to stay in the area where most of the gurls hang out.
Welcome, Brandy! Looking forward to having you.
(OBTW, I am partly Canadian by heritage.)
If you have not read the hotel page, it's on line here and gives a good summary of what's available.
http://www.geekbabe.com/pinkfest/hotels/The only update I might make is that in the last few years more of our people have been doing AirBnB in lieu of a hotel and have been having very good luck with it and saved a bunch.
Personally, after years of trial and error, I find that I enjoy Pinkfest (or any other Chicago trip) better if I stay in a centrally-located name-brand midscale hotel which has the usual suspect type of room and the expected amenities. I know it costs more, but I've grown accustomed to just holding my nose when I pay at the desk.
One of our people had very good luck at a lower cost at the Super-8 north on Sheridan last year.
I think it's probably too early to tell where any concentration of our people will be this year. I have not made hotel reservations yet but I will probably do one of three hotels, all within a stone's throw of the intersection of Grand and State.