Coming to the PRSA Health Academy conference in Chicago was a mostly last-minute decision, but I decided that as long as I could get a cheap flight (thank you, Southwest) and a decent price on my hotel room, it would be worth it.
The conference is being hosted at the Hilton Suites near the Magnificent Mile, and there was a fairly decent conference rate posted in the brochure. But when I called the hotel, they told me that not only were they sold out of the special block of rooms, they were sold out, period. I was moments away from canceling my plans altogether when I decided to check nearby hotels. $300/night. $350/night. It wasn’t looking good.
Then Google Maps “search nearby” function found the Millennium Knickerbocker, just around the corner from the Hilton Suites. Their website offered me a king bed for — are you ready for this? — $89/night prepaid. Their regular room rates are $229/night for the same room.
The hotel itself is old, with a small lobby and ancient elevators. But there is a real human being playing piano in the evenings, which is a cool touch. The rooms have been modernized and upgraded and are as well-appointed as any I’ve stayed in. It’s really quite nice, and literally steps from the Hilton Suites. It’s also half a block from the Magnificent Mile, and a block and a half from the entrance to the Lakeside Trail for morning runs. You can’t beat that.
All in all, if the conference turns out to be even half as good as I expect it to be, this is going to be a successful trip.