Trip to Chicago in November

Hi, have booked a good deal on Aerlingus to fly to Chicago for some Christmas shopping. Can anyone recommend a good, centrally located hotel to stay there? What the shopping tax is, and does anyone know if it's a non-smoking city (pubs/restaurants) like NY and Boston?
Thanks.

Chicago

Hi.

I actually visited Chicago last May and thanks to the help and advice from "askaboutmoney" had a great time. Firstly we were advised to stay in the Fitzpatrick Hotel off Michigan Avenue. This certainly was the best advice we had as location was superb, really central, safe and the hotel itself very good value. We booked a parlor suite and it was lovely.. around $140 per room per night.
Take a taxi in from the airport. It cost around $30, again well worth it. Chicago was not non smoking totally. Public Transport is great so no need for a car and anyway parking fees are exorbitant. Sales Tax is 8.75% quite high actually.
If I can be of any other help to you just post.
Its nice to pass on info as so many were very helpful to me and I certainly appreciated it.

Car

Chicago

Check out the Cheese Cake Factory[Restaurant] at the bottom of the John Hancock building Michigan Avenue.
Highly recommend it. Also go for a drink during the day in the bar at the top of the John Hancock building. Great view.

Thanks

Thanks, will check out Fitzpatricks now.

Carriehair, I noticed your post re Gurnee Mills, I was also interested in going there - did you find out whether you can get public transport there? and is the shopping tax cheaper than NY?

Cheers.

Chicago

Hi Coyote,

We did not actually go out to Gurnee Mills as when we arrived and enquired locally- everyone we asked told us not to bother. It seems that shopping is so good in Chicago itself that it is rare that people move outside it. Public Transport out that far was awkward as it necessitated several changes none of which were very time efficient. I think to hire a car and drive to Gurnee is the only answer by the sound of it and that then presents other problems in the city. We did use Amtrak and went to Milwaukee for a day, nothing exciting there but a nice train journey through Wisconsin and worth a days visit.

Chicago

I believe shopping tax is lower in New York but I am not certain of it. If memory serves me right the last time I was in NY it was around 7%.