Chicago is one of the largest cities in the USA and, therefore, there is a subway on almost every corner. But when deciding where to stay in Chicago, it’s worth considering that depending on your choice, you can do almost everything on foot.
Where to stay in Chicago
I was in Chicago in October and had a lot of trouble finding a place to stay. I started looking for accommodation almost two months before the day I arrived in the city, but all the hotels were full (whether well or poorly located). Then, I discovered that, precisely, this weekend the marathon would take place, which left the city crowded.
After a lot of searching, I found a room with 8 beds in the H.I. Chicago Hostel. But before talking about the hostel, it’s worth mentioning the best area of the city to stay.
Best region
If you want to do most of the sightseeing on footthe tip is to stay in the region of The Loopin the city center, where the main attractions are, such as the Millenium Parkand is very close to the region known as Magnificent Milepart of Michigan Avenue which is full of large stores and luxury hotels. The only problem is that this region of The Loop, although it has several subway lines, is not very busy at night. As I preferred to walk a lot during the day and not go to sleep so late, for me, it was great. I only took the subway when I arrived in the city and when I left.
Hostelling International Chicago
My tip for where to stay in Chicago is H.I. Chicago Hostel (24 East Congress Parkway). I chose this hostel because, besides being the only good option that wasn’t already crowded, it’s super well located. Close to the subway and on the Michigan side, close to Millenium Park (about a ten-minute walk).
The daily rate for the room with eight beds was R$ 100 (expensive, but the price for the city). Even though I don’t like staying in rooms with so many people (this was the only option I had left), I found it very clean and organized. The place really looks like a hotel. It is very large and the rooms are divided into two environments. Upon entering, there is a part with a sink with two taps, a door with the toilet and another door with the shower. After that are the eight beds.
The breakfast is even better than some American hotels. It has sliced bread, cake, cream cheese and juice.
The only thing that left something to be desired it was the service. They weren’t friendly at all and didn’t really like to help, they didn’t even give a proper map. But it is very well located and you can do practically everything on foot. Even so, an important tip is that the closest metro station to the hostel is LaSalle. From O’Hare Airport to the hostel, just take the blue line at the terminal itself. The journey takes around 40 minutes.
If I return to Chicago, I will stay there again, mainly for the price and location. The less I need public transport, the more I enjoy the city.
Adolfo Nomelini
Journalist graduated from PUC-SP and postgraduate in Communication in Digital Media, he is passionate about music, coxinha, television, his glasses and the internet. He has worked with online content for more than 15 years and spends much of his time “throwing his body out into the world, walking everywhere and, according to the natural law of encounters, leaving and receiving something.”
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