Hotels for Pinkfest

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This posting is from: Jamie
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Are there some hotels that are centrally located to activities? I am
not too familiar with the Chicago area, these days.

Maybe some links to some recommended ones so we can see where they
are at.

Jamie R

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This posting is from: annie
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>Are there some hotels that are centrally located to
>activities? I am not too familiar with the Chicago
>area, these days.

There's really no central location of our activities. There are a few
general areas in which several of them occur, but these areas are all
over, including:

1. The "River North" district, which is the entertainment district just
north of the main Chicago Loop area.

2. "Boystown", the area where many of the "Alternative" bars and clubs
are located. This is about 3 miles due north of the River North
district.

3. Oak Park, a suburb about 8 miles due west of the Loop.

The best hotels, as far as location, are in the River North district.
Unfortunately these are the most expensive.

I would say that your choice of hotel location will depend on whether or
not you will be driving a vehicle. If you will have a vehicle, River
North hotels will not be your best choice, mainly because of traffic and
the fact that free parking for hotel guests is the exception and not the
rule in River North.

>Maybe some links to some recommended ones so we can see
>where they are at.

There are a few of the favorites on this page here, which is similar to
the DLV vendor page:

http://www.geekbabe.com/annie/pinkven/

For a first-time Pinkfester, I might recommend the Red Roof Inn if you
don't have a vehicle, and the Days Inn next to Hunters Dance Club if you
do have one, but if you don't plan to be partying at Hunters into the
wee hours, any of the hotels/motels by O'Hare would do equally well.

From a personal perspective, I've enjoyed Pinkfest more without a
vehicle. That's really a personal choice. If you're confident using
public transportation, you don't need one.

Maybe some of the others can give their favorite hotel choices.

Hope this helps. :)


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This posting is from: Tina
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Usually, I like to stay downtown at the Hilton Garden Inn (10 E. Grand
Ave, a couple of blocks WEST of the Magnificent Mile), but they are
waaayyy too expensive this year at $349. The best downtown rate that
I've found (and booked) was at the Doubletree at 300 East Ohio (a couple
of blocks EAST of the Mile) for $179 (AARP rate, 24 hours cancellation
notice required). For some reason they go up to $188 that Saturday
night. Arriving Thursday, leaving Sunday.

Not a great rate, but I'll be focused on downtown with or without
Pinkfest activities. (Examples of places I like: Chicago Chop House,
Baton, Gentry on State, Red Head Piano Bar, etc). I also have a lot of
personal business to focus on.

I don't plan to do much suburb stuff this year (Hunter's, for example.)
Last year was the first I really ventured away from downtown and Boy's
Town, and, generally, I lost too much time driving around.

I don't plan to rent a car, but if I need one (like to go to that bar on
Roosevelt), Hertz is just a couple of blocks away from the Hilton. As
Annie has pointed out, hotel daily parking rates have become rather
expensive ($38 per night at the Doubletree). I can ride a lot of
downtown cabs for that alone, without even factoring in the daily rental
car rate, or the cost of a DUI.

P.S. Regarding taking the trains to/from the suburbs to/from downtown,
Brookshire and I did that a lot when we were in Chicago and Wilmette in
January of this year. They're easy to figure out, and cleaner and safer
than I was expecting. And you don't have to worry about keeping warm -
the homeless guy passed out next to you will take care of that. ;-)

(I know: typical Texas girl's prejudice against mass transit, but I am
serious about the ease and safety).

Thanks,

Tina

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This posting is from: annie
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>I don't plan to rent a car, but if I need one (like to go to that
>bar on Roosevelt), Hertz is just a couple of blocks away from the

The way the schedule is shaping up, we'll be doing that bar on
Friday after dining at Winberies. If you take the Green Line out
to Winberies (one block north of the El), you can bum a ride or
share a taxi down to the bar quite easily. :)

If you do want to rent a car, you will definitely want to have a
reservation. Cars are often not available to walk-ins in Chicago.

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This posting is from: Francine
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This brings ups some thoughts for me on what total expenses would
be, for budgeting. We are looking at thursday through Sunday or
4 nights in the hotel at $150 to $250 per night for 600 to $1000.

Add to that transportation and outing will probably be another
$150 oper night, or add $600 more. this alone is $1200 to $1600.
Plus what is a weekend trip without some shoping.

What is everyone else looking to budget for these days. Hopefully
I'm budgeting on the high end of the spectrum.

Fran

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This posting is from: annie
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> What is everyone else looking to budget for these days. Hopefully
> I'm budgeting on the high end of the spectrum.

I used to budget to try to do Pinkfest under a kilobuck. Lately
I've been trying to keep air and hotel combined under a kilobuck,
and trying to keep food and incidentals running $100 per day or
so, which is not always possible, particularly when we do Chicago
Chop House. :)

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This posting is from: Jamie
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There is no way I am going to spend that much for a room. I found
this place for $90 a night, and it has a small kitchen and living
room. It is not downtown, but I am resourceful enough to find a
way to where I need to go. I have no idea what public transit cost,
so that is an unknown for me. Entertainment is another unknown. I
am used to the prices in Vegas, so The Windy City may be quite
different. I kind of expect it to be more expensive.

I may be making a huge mistake and thins may get changed if I
decide to return next year.

Jamie R

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This posting is from: Francine
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Hmmmm well I won't have air to contend with but instead about
$200 in fuel.

Trying to hold it under a $1000 for me looks like it will be very
difficult, if not impossible. Now can I scrape up $2000 I doubt that
seriously, especialy being presently unemployed with no uneployment
checks any more. Just my military retirement check to live on.
Especialy since I want to do some shopping as well.

That is were room sharing I think could make a big difference. But wh
want to share a room with smoker these days.

Fran

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This posting is from: annie
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>I have no idea what public transit cost, so that is an
>unknown for me.

As of last month, El and subway were $2.00 on the regular transit
card, which is the most convenient to purchase. Every station
sells them. They are really pushing what they call the "Chicago
Card", but that has more formality to it.

What I usually do is buy a 3 or 5 day pass. It's something like
$12 for the 3 day and $18 for the 5 day. Not all stations have
these. They do sell them at the Midway station and the
Cumberland station, which is right by the huge park-n-ride
out by O'Hare.

>I am used to the prices in Vegas, so The Windy City may be
>quite different. I kind of expect it to be more expensive.

As for food and drink, Chicago is really not that out of line
at all. It's gonna be more expensive than Las Vegas, since
prices are not subsidized by gaming. LOL, not always! :)
Drinks at the bar at the Chicago Chop House are cheaper
than they are at the Charles Bar! :) :)

>I may be making a huge mistake and thins may get changed if
>I decide to return next year.

For the first Pinkfest I stayed out by O'Hare and had a little
sh*tbox rental car. LOL, I remember those in the back seat got
quite cozy when I drove most of the gang from Carson's to
Boystown. :) :)

Second year I stayed downtown and drove my own car in, but I
was at one of those rare places that had free parking (Best
Western River North). The car stayed in the lot most of the
time.

After that I never had a car and actually enjoyed it more without
it. I've stayed in River North, Gold Coast, and out by O'Hare but
at a place in walking distance to the El.

If you park and ride, there's a huge covered lot next to the
Cumberland El station, on Cumberland Ave. just south of the
Kennedy and Higgins Road, which is one of the main drags in
the O'Hare area and fronts Hunters Dance Club.

Hope this helps. :)

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This posting is from: Jamie
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Thanks for the info. Is there a charge for parking at
the P&R?


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