Chicago Hotel Stay?

I would contact Columbia College

In all likelihood they have a “deal” w/ an area hotel to get you an unadvertised cheaper rate.

If not, I would contact the admissions office. They would constantly be having visiting students and their parents looking for similar accomadations.

Additionally, keep in mind that the El or L is cheap and reliable, expanding your geographical range for your hotel selection. When contacting hotels ask them how close they are to the nearest stop….

Exactly. I echo the power of the El.
When you call Columbia, I would suggest asking them how close they are to the nearest El stop, and what line that is on (green line, red line, etc.). And bring warm clothes!

@millastrellas, Columbia’s got you covered.

Thank you all! Now I just need to think about finding a decent priced flight! :)

@millastrellas I don’t know what area of the country you are coming from…..but you might want to consider Amtrack. All major train lines in the Midwest run through Chicago…

It can be significantly cheaper…

WHAT UP! COLUMBIA COLLEGE ALUMS! graduated from there in 1987!

I would be coming from Texas, so it would be about a 52 hr. ride :/ I wouldn’t mind if, but its also a school week, in which I am already missing school days. So I think flying would be my best option, thank you for the suggestion though. :)

columbia college is one block away from a hotel. well, at least back in the 1980s. it’s still there and college buddies and i would go over there to a hotel pizza joint on the 1st floor between classes. good times. good times. don’t know the rates today, but we used to balk at whole pizza and beer pitcher prices of less than $15. that was the 1980s though.

Southwest is having a really great sale for just a few days and you might be able to get pretty cheap airfare from TX to Chicago if you can book now, have 14 days advance notice, and will travel before 5/20/08

YES – stay at the Congress Plaza Hotel. Practically right next door on Michigan Ave, cheap, and a great stay! I had a lake-front room for the Obama Rally last November for just $145. If you don’t get lake-front, it’s even cheaper. Looks like it’s about 75 bucks right now: http://congressplazahotel.com/

P.S. To echo some of the earlier posts, Columbia is just a couple of blocks from the Harrison red line stop. So if you wanted to stay somewhere else, it’s pretty easy to hop on the el. I suggest purchasing an unlimited pass depending on the length of your stay. They have 1-day, 3-day, 5-day, etc. passes for really cheap, and you have unlimited rides. Great city – hope you enjoy it!

Go to Chicago while you can, as I am trying to put a bill through the IL legislature to either have Chicago annexed into Wisconsin or to move the entire city forty miles east. IL would be so much better without that silly town. Of course, given our latest problems with a lunatic governor, that bill might not get through for awhile.