Which hotel in Chicago has the most convenient location?

We will be attending a conference in Chicago during the first week of May. The hotels listed are the Sheraton, Westin, Hyatt, Hilton and Conrad but of course we are free to stay where we want.
We are taking our children with us and we would prefer staying at the hotel which has the most convenient location to everything, shopping, sightseeing, public transportation, a park (I read somewhere that there is one)...restaurants are not that important since we will be entertained every evening.
Our youngest will be only 3 years old so it would be nice if we could just walk outside the hotel and be in the middle of everything.
Also, do you think it would be nice to stay in Chicago the week before? (Obviously I don't know anything about Chicago)
Any idea of what the temperatures will be likely to be? Or would you recommend going outside the city because we really have to see.....?
We haven't been in this area yet so any recomandations are very welcome!

For the first week, if staying in Chicago, we would like to stay in the hotel where we will also be staying during the conference. We would be staying then for 2 weeks. We have plenty of points for all the hotel chains. So most important would be the convenience of the location, pool would be nice and the rest is not that important to us. For our first week, it does not actually matter how far it would be from Chicago, we have to make reservations for our flights anyway so we can still choose where to start our journey.

Thanks very much in advance!

Hilton Towers is across the street from Grant Park and Millenium Park not far from the Art Institute which has a kids section and Field Museum which has all the dinosaurs. If you are Hilton Gold they have a lounge that gives you breakfast in the morning, free soda and water all day, a honor bar horedorves in the evening and cookies at 8PM. They are one of few downtown hotels with a pool and one of decent size. Most of their rooms that have two beds have two baths too. It's a mile down Michigan Ave to Water Tower Place and there are shops all along the way. I'm unsure where the others are located and can't comment on them. If you want to be near the action anywhere along the Michigan Ave area between 800 S and 800 N would be good. The focus on the North half is more on shopping but when we go no matter where we stay we usually end up walking from one area to the next because theres so much to see and do.

We have stayed at the Hyatt on Wacker, which is about a block from Michigan Avenue, which is where much of the shopping is downtown. We really liked it but then we stayed at the Hilton that used to be a Double Tree. This Hilton is right across the street from John Hancock Building. Oh my was that nice.We had an awesome suite and it was very close to Water Tower Place. The Hyatt on Wacker is on the South end of Michigan and the Hilton is on the North end. We always stay near Michigan Avenue because of the proximity to shopping. If you want to be near the shopping you will have to take a taxi to the museums, which are wonderful. I am not sure how old your kids are but Shedd Aquarium would be great for most ages. Museum of Science and Industry is one of my favorites. Navy Pier, another neat spot would also require a taxi.
I love visiting Chicago. My teenage sons and husband really enjoy it as well.
Sue

I didn't know the Doubletree changed to a Hilton. It also has a pool but it is a much smaller one than at Hilton Towers. It is closer to the main shopping area surrounding Water Tower Place and John Hancock ad the hustle and bustle it causes. There is the American Girl Store too if any of your children are girls. This area is further away from the parks though.

We did not know the Double Tree switched to a Hilton until we got there and could not find the Double Tree at that address. We had made our reservations months in advance and it was a Double Tree at that time. My kids loved that place. When we walked in my 14 year old son said, "oh, this is where the rich people stay" One thing I liked about it is that it was easy to find food. When you are in Chicago it can be difficult to find easy, quick food. This is important when you have teenage boys. WaterTower Place is so close that you can run over to McDonalds if you have to, which we did. The Hilton also has a restaurant as well as a little quick serve place for snacks, muffins etc.

sue

The food is a good point because they have that wonderful food court with interesting varity at Water Place that is family friendly and there is more choices on the north end for restaurants then on the south end. Shopping is better too. If your son thought Double Tree was for the rich people then he'd probably be blown away by Hilton Towers ball rooms, fitness center, large pool area and shower rooms. Hilton Towers is a much larger hotel and has several restaurants. Both has its pros and cons regarding areas for a family. If however they are Hilton Gold hands down due to free breakfast, drinks and snacks it could save a small fortune although that may be offered at the former Double Tree now that it's a Hilton.

Thank you both for the replies!

I will make sure to look at both the Hilton Suites and the Hilton-formerly Doubletree. I had figured out that Michigan Ave would be the place to be but I also figured that this might be a very long Avenue.

Our children will be 3,5,8 and 10 but there will be many other children as well, ages usually between a few months and 18 and adult-kids. So all your advice about where to go has been highly appreciated!

I think the "best pool in Chicago" award goes to the Four Seasons. I don't know how to attach images, but just scroll through this link to see it:

http://www.fourseasons.com/chicagofs/photo_gallery.html

It was used in one of the Home Alone movies and they're VERY proud of that fact. The first time we stayed there (my daughter was about 8 and the movie was still relatively new), everyone from the doorman to the maid mentioned it. It became quite hilarious and remains a bit of a family joke to this day.

Having said that, it is a really great hotel with a great location (corner of Michigan and Delaware).

Can she use the points she mentioned at the Four Seasons? The pools look similar except for the ceiling. They have two jacuzzi's too at the Towers that you can't see in the pictures. http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hot...sionid=A53E30E073FFEC84CF60A91C482132D5.etc24

If the Hyatt is the one I'm thinking off it has a good location. Art Deco style rooms but no leisure facilities.

Most of the big hotels have good web sites to check out pictures.

The Hilton mentioned in the above link is the Hilton on our list - it is also one of the locations where the conference will be. Looks great indeed - I was just worrying about if the others would have better locations.

The Hilton - formerly Doubletree, which Hilton is that exactly? (I was looking on the Hilton website but was not sure which one it is).

I don't know about FourSeasons and points but usually we can get pretty good rates. It sure looks great as well - thanks Jerseygirl!

The Hyatt on our list is the Park Hyatt.

Oh, forgot to ask, what is the American girls store? I have indeed 2 girls and they are....well, girly...

sml2181 said:

The Hilton mentioned in the above link is the Hilton on our list - it is also one of the locations where the conference will be. Looks great indeed - I was just worrying about if the others would have better locations.

The Hilton - formerly Doubletree, which Hilton is that exactly? (I was looking on the Hilton website but was not sure which one it is).

I don't know about FourSeasons and points but usually we can get pretty good rates. It sure looks great as well - thanks Jerseygirl!

The Hyatt on our list is the Park Hyatt.

Oh, forgot to ask, what is the American girls store? I have indeed 2 girls and they are....well, girly...

Click to expand...

This is the Doubletree one
http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hot...ago-Magnificent-Mile-Illinois/photoGallery.do

I'm shocked you don't know of the American Girl Place Doll store if you have girls older between 6 and 11 They were the rage (albeit an expensive one) for my daughter, nieces and their friends at that age. Perhaps it's a regional thing. http://www.americangirlplace.com/agp_chi_splash.php Many of the dolls have book series to go along with them. As far as location for shopping the Hilton/Doubletree is better but for parks, museums and hotel amenities and two bathrooms for rooms with two beds the Hilton Towers would be better. They are only a mile apart regardless. May weather is usually nice so I'd hazard a guess you'd be walking between the two areas anyway to see the sights.

Thanks for all your information!

In my defence - I am from Europe and as far as I know, we do not have the American girl store.. (I am sure that if we would have lived in the US we would have known about it... )

Anyway, I am really looking forward to visit Chicago, I think it is always nice to visit a place for the first time...

Thanks again!

sml2181 said:

Thanks for all your information!

In my defence - I am from Europe and as far as I know, we do not have the American girl store.. (I am sure that if we would have lived in the US we would have known about it... )

Anyway, I am really looking forward to visit Chicago, I think it is always nice to visit a place for the first time...

Thanks again!

Click to expand...

Oh now I understand. Hello from across the pond. It's a neat store for young girls and their mothers to walk through just to view the downstairs character dolls with all their collections. Since they have a specific character and era they have specific items to go with them. It's right off Michigan Ave near John Hancock.

For the whole family the Science and Industry museum is a not to be missed museum. It's probably the best museum in Chicago. You will need to take a taxi or bus there though. http://www.msichicago.org/ The next one especially for children would be the Field Museum to visit Sue http://www.fieldmuseum.org/ the John Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium are excellent too http://www.sheddaquarium.org/ and Navy Pier is interesting and has an IMAX theater. http://www.navypier.com/home.html There is quite a lot to do in the Windy City.

If you have time while your there you must make reservations for lunch at the american girl store with your girls. The cafe is darling and your girls will love it!! That store is not to be missed. They even have a salon in it for girls to bring in their dolls so there hair can get styled. Don't forget your credit card.
Priceless

Wow, that sounds great - especially since 1 of my girls will have her birthday while we are there.

I have checked out all the links - great information and I am sure that we will not be bored at all.

We made reservations at the Hilton Towers - the easiest I think since it is also 1 of the main locations for the conference.