mtabusrunner's profile and reviews

Stayed here in March of 2007 on a Priceline package, and was very pleased.

Location is excellent. Neighborhood just a tad seedy south of here, but area near hotel was fine. Access to buses (47), trolleybuses (1, 49), and California Cable Car were big pluses.

We checked in around 1am, and got a prompt welcoming check in. Front desk was very accomodating, and the room was quite good for the price.

We never ate in the Hotel Restaurant, as the menu was a bit pricey, nor did we hit the pool, as we were out when the temps were at their warmest, but for what we needed, a good place to sleep, shave, sh**, and shower, it was a great find.

Stayed here overnight last February on a Hotwire win for about $80. The hotel has a very welcoming and lively feel to it, and the front desk was very accomodating in getting a nice room, and very friendly in pointing you to the right tower for your room. Got a great night's sleep, and awoke well rested!

Hotel's location is pretty much ideal, a short walk to both the Magnificent Mile and Downtown State Street. Navy Pier is also within a reasonable distance.

I'm sure it's not the easiest place to afford in prime season, but if you find a good deal on it, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the place.

I've stayed here three times, (4/2006, 9/2006, and 3/2007) all on Hotwire bids of under $60 a night. Lately, however, the Hotwire price has risen over $100, and its been more cost effective to stay Downtown.

The Wyndham's best attribute is its location, set just slightly west of the heart of Oakland in U Pitt territory. This equates to some great convenience to a wealth of dining options, particularly in evenings. Oakland strikes me as being lively enough without being too lively, and is very easy to get away from at most times via Port Authority buses on the 61 and 71 lines, among others. There is a CVS right next door for any last minute needs like toothbrushes, etc.

The hotel itself has always struck me as clean, and is reasonably well maintained. Front Desk has typically been polite, though not always accomodating. On my last trip here, despite a reservation for 4 people, I was placed in a room with a single bed, necessitating a rollaway, not what we were expecting, and not changed, apparently due to a full house.

Despite the niceness of the area and its walkability, I've always been jinxed by having to get a cab out of here on departure day, since the train from PGH leaves at 545am, and PAT buses won't quite get you there with much time to spare. The hotel's shuttle does not begin running until much later in the morning.

Stayed here in Sep. 06, and found it to be more than acceptable for my needs. If you're looking for a very convenient location with neighborhood appeal, this is a good pick.

This Best Western sits on the southern part of Chicago's Evanston suburb. Evanston turned out to be a great place to stay, as it had a lot going for it. There were a wide variety of restaurants (from chain to ethnic spots with Indian and Ethiopian) and shopping to be found just blocks away. A short walk east through the neighborhood brings you right to the shores of Lake Michigan. The area does have its share of homeless wandering through, but I didn't find them menacing.

The hotel itself is a good midgrade, not bare bones, but not full of frills. If you're looking for an included breakfast or piano bar, you're looking for too much here. One nice touch is the availabilty of luggage checking, great for those leaving later, who want to explore Evanston before heading into town to leave town.

Evanston also makes a good home base to explore Chicago using its easy transit access. Word to the wise though, make it out in time to get the peak hour Purple Express or take the METRA line into Union Station. The midday alternative of the Purple to the Red seems to take an eternity.

I would return here, but every date I've checked lately, either the prices have been steep, or the dates are unavailable. If you can get the hotel for a rate of under $110 a night, I would certainly recommend it for the adventurous Chicagoland explorer.