Chicago Accommodation

Need somewhere to stay? You are spoiled for choice – being a major convention city Chicago has a staggering 26,000 hotel rooms, the majority catering for the business types, so you will find plenty in the middle and top end of the range.

The Loop and North Side have a great choice of hotels, but you need to get organised and book early. If you have left things a little late, start to look toward the downtown areas. Although much of the accommodation is confined to the middle and the top end, there are still options if you are on a tighter budget. For a good choice of B&Bs and youth hostels, check out the Oak Park area.

The top accommodation spot has to be Grant Park, located near to the start and finish line – a great choice if you want to minimise your travel distance before after the race. After all, 26.2 miles is more than enough distance for you to be covering! Unfortunately, though, the closer you are to Grant Park, the pricier it gets.

Another option is to go for a hotel near O'Hare Airport (roughly seven miles from the centre) or Midway Airport (14.5 miles) and take the subway back and forth. You can find reasonable lodging out there, but you don't get the feel of being in downtown Chicago during marathon weekend – which is an experience in itself.

The good news is, when The Bank of America Chicago Marathon comes to town, the atmosphere is buzzing – so pretty much wherever you opt to stay, you won’t be too far away from something interesting going on.

Useful links:

Hotels, Motels and Lodging

Information on the Official Headquarters Hotel of The Bank of America Chicago Marathon