ILWG Folks: Inexpensive Hotels in West Chicago?

[CAP4117]

For anyone who is familiar with that area, I am going to a SAREX there this weekend and it's a little too far for me to commute both days. I was hoping to find somewhere to stay Saturday night. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

EDIT: (I can always go for a chain but I know local establishments can sometimes be a lot cheaper, and cleaner.)

[Abdomina]

Usually around here cheap and clean don't go together, you will be better off getting something in the suburbs if anything.

[sparks]

I'll have the same problem for the Eval. Usually checking Expedia.com or Kayak.com will pop up some options. Local unlisted motel/motel establishments might be OK but probably won't be up to the expected standard. Of course you couls ask if Winig HQ has a cot that could be used in the conference room or hanger. I wonder if there is a plan for out of town cadets. They need inexpensive accomomdations which translates into cots & hangers or someone's basement.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Usually around here cheap and clean don't go together, you will be better off getting something in the suburbs if anything.

^^^+1000


I think you meant West OF Chicago, not West Chicago. The little time I've spent in West Chicago always involved closed car doors, and brisk walks. The prices also grow the closer you get to the city, so your best bet truly is getting something in the suburbs.

[Eclipse]

ILWG HQ is in the City of West Chicago.

Find a chain.

I'm not aware that there is any plan for accommodations during either weekend at Wing HQ, and in that area there isn't much in the way of preserves, etc., that allow overnight camping other than Blackwell, which is about 7 miles South. 

[CAP4117]

Ok, I will do that. Thanks!

[a2capt]

Another 'trick' I have found is to pick up those motel coupon books in the rest areas, at Denny's off freeway exits, etc- as you near your destination. At the same time, you have Expedia, Hotels.com, or whatever, open on the computer. .. if you are still able to book a property, it means they have rooms.

The coupon books are usually for walk ups, and can't be done online, but you can usually find rooms in there for less than the sites online will give them. With the ratings online and the coupon book in hand, you can decide if that might be the place for you or not, and aim for it. Walk in with your coupon .. and score.

Of course, this doesn't work as well for those arriving at the wee hours of the morning, late a night, etc.

..and a few times I've run into where I've gone in the lobby and the desk person will say they are sold out. At least once, it was because they were busy on the phone with friends and didn't want to work, based on the conversation being had.. but, when I drove into the place, I had the option of making a reservation on hotels.com on the computer.  I just finished it online, and then went back in and said "I have a reservation"...

"How did you do that???" .. "doesn't matter, here's the confirmation code."

[Eclipse]

Interesting no one has suggested Priceline, and more interesting that lately they have not been doing so hot price-wise.

This is another reason to sit down and join every hotel and airline affinity club and keep the cards handy.  When you cold-call
800's, you look like any 1-timer, but when you log into a hotel chain's site, you're "in the club".

I stay at a Courtyard last weekend, and the "public" rates were in the $95-110 a night range.  There was a "click here for Rewards Member Special".
I did, and got the same room for $88.

Also, a number of airlines and hotel chains are getting fed up with the aggregators like Expedia, and not necessarily posting their best
prices there (and some aren't even listed anymore).

[a2capt]

I bet thats why no one has suggested Priceline yet ;-) you can't get a price much less than the other sites, and the opaque part pretty much bites for hotels unless your destination is someplace like Richfield, UT. Where it's two exits on the interstate and nothing is more than a half block from each other.

[Spaceman3750]

I will be at this SAREX, and will be camping either at Burnidge/Paul Wolff (Elgin, 30min North on a good day) or at a state park about an hour west.

[ol'fido]

The last I had heard several coming up from down south were camping out in the hangar.

[Eclipse]

The last I had heard several coming up from down south were camping out in the hangar.

Yes, that was discussed in one of the planning calls, but there's a difference between a few key staffers grabbing a couch and
setting up bunk room for a whole bunch of people.

[Sapper168]

Being from Illinois, i can honestly say the words 'Cheap' and 'Chicago' have no place in the same sentence! :angel:

[Майор Хаткевич]

Being from Illinois, i can honestly say the words 'Cheap' and 'Chicago' have no place in the same sentence! :angel:

You haven't been to River City, have you?

[SAR-EMT1]

Being from Illinois, i can honestly say the words 'Cheap' and 'Chicago' have no place in the same sentence! :angel:

Nor "honest"   ... 

[tarheel gumby]

Just a few of things to remember about hotels.

1. When you walk into a hotel lobby to make a reservation before the posted Check -Out time and the front desk clerk says that they are sold out, that probably means that there are not any available rooms to check into at that time.

2. When booking through a 3rd party website please please read the cancellation policy first. A large number cannot be cancelled or changed once booked and you are stuck with it.

3. Coupon books are great, but please read the fine print.

4. Be nice to the Front Desk , They can sometimes "make things work" when rates/ discounts aren't shown in the system.

[Eclipse]

Being from Illinois, i can honestly say the words 'Cheap' and 'Chicago' have no place in the same sentence! :angel:

Nor "honest"   ...

Nice.

Thanks for coming, BTW...

[CAP4117]

How did the EVAL go? I really wanted to be there, but I had to work 

[Eclipse]

Quite well, depending on where you were standing.

The overall grade has not been published to the wing yet, so far be it for me to do that, but I feel we did quite well, and was happy with my grade as GBD.  We have identified some weak points and I'm cautiously optimistic we may be able to implement some positive change in processes and expectations wing-wide.

On a personal note, I was basically able to validate, hands-on, that everything I have been whining about espousing regarding online systems and shared documentation, with little to no push back beyond seeing where we need to iron out information flow. 

Bottom line, I think the majority of the people involved felt their time was well-spent, meaningful, and enjoyed it.

BTW - Spaceman3750 did a great job in some challenging situations, and it was nice to have a young man with a clue and a good attitude hanging around the Ground Bistro.

[CAP4117]

Glad to hear it!
It sounds like you had many good people there!