The best accommodations Chicago

Budget & Tips

Because Chicago has grown in popularity, hotel accommodations have become more expensive in recent years. For a double room with private bath, prices rarely go below US$100 per night, and frequently go well above that! From one day to the next, depending on the occupancy rate and the events taking place in the city (such as a convention, festival or baseball game), prices can triple

As you move away from the Loop, rates become more affordable. If you are on a budget, you may want to check out the hostels, most of which offer not only dormitories but also private rooms at very reasonable rates.

Keep in mind that the tax, which is 4.5% on the room and 5% on the stay, is not included.
If you are not averse to staying with a host, the ultimate plan is Couchsurfing. Using it even for a few nights will considerably lighten your budget. If access to the site has become paying in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, you will only need one night to make it profitable. Not to mention all the valuable advice you can get directly from the locals! It will also allow you to verify, if you find a host, that the sense of hospitality of the Midwesterners is not usurped. Far from it

To be booked

To avoid unpleasant surprises, it is imperative that you book your hotel as far in advance as possible, as soon as you have your plane ticket for example. The cheapest hotels and those that offer the best value for money are crowded during the high season, from May to October, especially on weekends, vacations and summer vacations. In winter, you will obviously have more choices, and it is during this period that you will find the best rates.

What's very local

Airbnb can be a great option for saving money on housing, but be aware that regulations are pretty sharp in Chicago, and the US in general. In 2018, the city released a list of 940 buildings where Airbnb rentals are now prohibited. Despite this new law, some affected landlords continue to rent out their property on Airbnb. If they get caught, the listing will disappear and your reservation will be worthless. If possible, make sure the rental you are interested in is legal before you book.

Also good to know: in hotel chains, remember to request a non-communicating room. Adjoining rooms separated by two doors that can be locked on either side are very common in the United States. While this may be convenient when traveling with your family, it is not a pleasant experience when you don't know your neighbors

For food lovers

Most hotels do not offer breakfast. Instead, hostels usually offer a buffet breakfast included in the room rate, which consists of cereal, juice, toast and jam, pancakes and sometimes a simple hot dish like scrambled eggs

If you like hearty breakfasts, bed and breakfasts will delight you! The hosts are very often fine cooks who like to pamper their guests by offering them homemade pastries (scone, muffin, bread...), a seasonal fruit salad as well as several choices of hot dishes that they prepare at the minute.

Smokers

Most hotels in Chicago are 100% smoke-free, which means that smoking is not allowed in the rooms or in the common areas. Some (rare) establishments still offer rooms where smoking is possible. This is still the case in some Quality Inn hotels, which are resisting... Knowing that Best Western, which offered the widest range of smoking hotels, has recently become smoke-free as well. In any case, if you don't have any information, ask the reception of your hotel. At the risk of being fined between 100 and 250 US$ if it is discovered that you have smoked when it was forbidden! Also note that the legislation is the same for electronic cigarettes.

Tourist traps

With all the comparators and review sites that exist on the Internet today, scams have become quite rare and you should not have any unpleasant surprises when you book your hotel on the Internet.