Hotel
We were able to secure a great rate at The Gwen, a Marriott Luxury Collection hotel located in the River North neighborhood. This will be where Leah and Tom are staying and where the post-wedding brunch will be held. Special Rates: Superior King $189 Superior 2 Queens $219 Book by August 3rd for special rates Property Amenities: 24 hour fitness center, free use of hotel's bicycles, free coffee and tea served daily in the lobby. Room Amenities: robes, upscale toiletries, free Wi-Fi. Cancel by 72 hours prior to arrival to avoid penalty.
Hotel
Beautiful hotel located on the Chicago River, directly across the street from the iconic Marina Towers. Special Rates: King-$169, 2 double beds-$189, Deluxe Suite-$369. Book by August 4th for special rates Property Amenities: Fitness center, free Wi-Fi for Marriott Bonvoy members, full service restaurant and bar in the lobby, valet parking $74 per day on-site, $64 per day off-site. Room Amenities: Mini refrigerator, bathrobes in all rooms. Cancellation Policy: 72 hours before arrival without penalty.
Hotel
Special Rates: Run of House-$150. Book by August 4th for special rates Property Amenities: Free hot breakfast daily, fitness center, guest self-service laundry, free Wi-Fi for Marriott Bonvoy members, parking $69 per day. Room Amenities: Mini fridge and microwave in all rooms. Cancel by 48 hours prior to arrival to avoid penalty.
Travel Note
For taxis: Load outside baggage claim at all terminals. For Ride Share: Load upstairs on Departure Level between Terminals 1 and 2. There are signs with different zones "Black," "Blue," and "Green." The ride share app will tell you which zone your driver will be arriving in. For public transit: Follow signs to "CTA" and "Trains to the City" and purchase a ticket at the vending machines. Take the Blue Line train on the platform with the sign "Next Train." For the wedding hotel block hotels, take the train to Lake Street and follow the signs to the Red Line (you will be walking through a shopping mall), go through the turnstile (no charge to transfer here, the ticket you have will work to get onto the Red Line). Take a Red Line train heading to Howard to the next stop, Grand. You will be within a few blocks of all the hotels. For the Westin, you can also just get off the Blue Line train at the Clark and Lake stop and walk 2 blocks north.
Travel Note
Taxis: Load lower level, Door 2, inner lane. Ride Share: Load lower level, Door 4, center lane. For rapid transit: Follow signs "CTA" or "Trains to the City" and purchase a ticket at the vending machines. Take the Orange Line train marked "Loop." You can either leave the train at the Clark and Lake stop and walk several blocks to the hotels (particularly for the Westin) or get off at the State and Lake station, walk downstairs and 1/4 block south to the Red Line subway. Enter the turnstiles (no extra fee, it is free to transfer and your ticket or card will not be charged, but you do need the ticket or card to enter the subway) and take the Howard-bound train to the next stop Grand. You will be within several blocks of all of the wedding hotels.
Travel Note
The most economical way to travel downtown from the airports is to take the CTA el train. It can be much faster than driving especially during rush hour and is almost always faster from Midway Airport to downtown. You can purchase single ride tickets or passes at vending machines at the airport stations. One way fare from Midway is $2.50, from O'Hare is $5.00. There are a variety of passes for purchase which offer unlimited rides on the el trains and buses: 1-day $10.00, 3-day $20.00, 7-day $28. If you will be using public transport often during the wedding weekend, you may want to purchase a Ventra card, which costs $5 at vending machines (or free if you order online ahead of time) and is reloadable. You can put passes on a Ventra card or choose a paper ticket at the machine.
Travel Note
Parking in downtown Chicago is, not surprisingly, expensive. The hotels all offer parking but we would recommend checking Spot Hero, Park Chirp or Park Whiz to find more economical options around the hotels. A car is absolutely not necessary for the wedding activities as we are providing transportation to and from the ceremony and reception for all our guests. There are several public transit options around the hotels as well as numerous taxis and ride share drivers in the area all the time. We have found that because of a recent tax added to ride share trips, taxis are becoming a more economical way to move around the city.
Travel Note
For those who might prefer a Hilton property, we also have secured favorable rates at the Embassy Suites Chicago Downtown and the Hilton Garden Inn Chicago Downtown/Magnificent Mile. At the Embassy Suites, the rates are $199 for a King Suite and $219 for a Double Suite. Rates include daily breakfast and evening reception and all rooms have a microwave and refrigerator. Self parking is $69 per night. Link for reservations: https://embassysuites.hilton.com/en/es/groups/personalized/C/CHIDWES-BHW-20210903/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG At the Hilton Garden Inn, the rates are $169 for a King Room and $179 for a Double Room. Rooms have a microwave and refrigerator. Parking is $65 per night valet only. Cutoff for reservations at these rates is Friday, August 6, 2021. Cancel by 72 hours prior to arrival to avoid penalty. Link for reservations: https://hiltongardeninn.hilton.com/en/gi/groups/personalized/C/CHIDNGI-BHW-20210903/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG