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Chicago Hotel Prices In December: I Checked 6 Hotels To See How Far My Budget Could Stretch. It's Far...
I love doing hotel price checks because you never quite know what you’re going to find...
And this one was especially fun for me as I lived in Chicago for 3 years back in my 30s. So, I searched the windy city - Chicago for 2 adults, staying 3 - 6 December 2026, and compared the public prices I could find (in this case booking.com) with the private member prices available through my firm favourite travel club, Travel Advantage.
Same city. Same dates. Same room types.
And the price differences were fantastic! Across the six hotels I checked, I found savings ranging from $140 to $566 on just a three-night stay - including several well-known Chicago hotels I’d happily book myself.
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The Hotels & Top 3 Savings
Three really stood out to me, not because they were the cheapest hotels, but because the gap between the public rate and the member price was so big.
These were the strongest savings I found:
Le Méridien Essex Chicago
$349 Saving
The Talbott
$566 Saving
Palmer House
$412 Saving
Le Méridien Essex Chicago - 53% Saving
A stylish Michigan Avenue hotel close to Grant Park, the lakefront and the heart of downtown Chicago. A great option if you want a central base without compromising on the hotel itself.
Public price: $658
Member price: $309 (includes $22 of member loyalty points)
You save: $349 · 53%
Warwick Allerton Chicago - 40% Saving
A historic Chicago hotel right on the Magnificent Mile, putting shopping, restaurants and some of the city’s best-known sights within easy reach.
Public price: $619
Member price: $369 (includes $23 of member loyalty points)
You save: $250 · 40%
*The public price was already showing a discount - and the member rate was still $274 lower. *
The Talbott, Autograph Collection - 47% Saving
A boutique-style Gold Coast hotel with a more intimate, upscale feel and an excellent location close to Michigan Avenue.
Public price: $1,206
Member price: $640 (includes $41 of member loyalty points)
You save: $566 · 47%
This was the biggest cash saving I found across all six hotels.
Hotel Riu Plaza Chicago - 24% Saving
A modern city hotel close to the Magnificent Mile, with breakfast included and a rooftop terrace overlooking Chicago.
Public rice: $816
Member price: $622 (includes $12 of member loyalty points)
You save: $194 · 24%
Even better, the member rate I found was refundable, while the public rate I compared was non-refundable.
Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel - 47% Saving
One of Chicago’s landmark hotels, with its famously ornate lobby and a fantastic Loop location close to Millennium Park and the Art Institute.
Public rice: $880
Member price: $468 (includes $26 of member loyalty points)
You save: $412 · 47%
That takes an $880 three-night stay down to less than $500.
Viceroy Chicago - 11% Saving
A luxury Gold Coast hotel with stylish interiors, city views and a rooftop pool — ideal if the hotel itself is part of the experience.
Public price: $1,238
Member price: $1,098 (includes $44 of member loyalty points)
You save: $140 · 11%
The smallest saving of the six, but still $140 less for the same Chicago dates.
“I adore Chicago. It is the pulse of America.”
Sarah Bernhardt
Ready To Check Your Own Dates?
If you're planning a trip to Chicago - whether that's for a Christmas vacation or something else - the easiest way to see whether there’s a worthwhile saving using a travel membership like this is to check what you’re thinking about doing, or where you're hoping to stay. Search the hotel, destination and dates you want, then compare the member price with the public rate you’d normally book from somewhere like booking.com, hotel.com, expedia etc. And trust me, it's a buzz when you see the savings!
You can do this with a free Travel Advantage Guest Pass (this will give you free access to member prices for a 2-night stay, but you can upgrade if you want to to book more nights). Or if you know already that member prices are what you want to pay, you can dive right in and choose a VIP180 membership for $99 for six months. It'll give you access to the savings for a full six months to be used across any stay during that time.
Sometimes the difference will be small. Sometimes it can be hundreds. The important thing is that you check, because the public price you see isn't the full picture. And a $500 saving on a trip to Chicago? That's a whole lot of sightseeing and pizzas covered there!
*Prices are correct at time of publishing 9/22/26 - prices may change. As a Travel Advantage affiliate I may earn a commission if you join as a member, at no cost to you.*
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