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As Stock Market Values Rise, Travel Point Values Drop


Seniors who travel frequently are certainly aware of airlines continuing to raise the number of points needed to earn free or upgraded flights. Now, along with the nickel-and-dime price add-ons coming almost daily for air travel, hotel chains are getting into similar belt-tightening.

As recently reported by USA Today, Hilton, Marriott and Starwood have required earning free nights through their loyalty programs to cost more points. Depending on the hotel’s location and quality, the point requirements were raised from ten to 25 percent. Along with the room prices, unfortunately.

What can the senior frequent traveler do to combat these increases in the cost of transportation and hotel accommodations? The best advice is to shop around before booking. Always look for special sales that may be posted for just 24 hours. If you’re not already aware of it, make your hotel stays when prices are lowest, such as mid-week and off-season. Of course, always book mid-week and night (red eye) flights whenever possible.  

If you have a personal online or hometown travel agent, be sure you’re regularly informed of all pricing possibilities as they break.
Chicago IL: Luxury, Casual & Budget Windy City Hotels PDF Print E-mail


Seniors travel to Manhattan for Broadway shows and great restaurants. They fly to Los Angeles for the sunshine and beaches. However, they visit Chicago mostly for business meetings and conventions.

Does anyone ever go to the Windy City just for the pleasure of staying in a Loop hotel?  The answer is yes, and you can find just the right ones that fit your budget and plans for business, pleasure or sightseeing in that great city. A luxury, casual and budget hotel suggestion:

Luxury: Trump International Hotel & Tower: Forget politics and check out The Donald’s Chicago’s digs. I has a great location, as well as business and senior tourist-friendly facilities. A magnificent sight, the Trump is a soaring 92 stories of shiny steel and glass.

It overlooks the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, and is close to shopping, restaurants, theaters and everything else in the downtown Loop area. There’s 24-hour room service, huge indoor pool, whirlpool, fitness center, sauna and steam room. Dining at the hotel’s upscale restaurant, called 16, is always a pleasure. Prices from $500. www.trumpchicagohotel.com

Casual: Ambassador East Hotel: The venerable Ambassador East (now Public Chicago), is known for its quiet 1920s elegance, famous bar and elegant restaurant, the Pump Room. It’s just a city block from Chicago’s Miracle Mile on Lakeshore Drive and Grant Park’s Lake Erie sandy beaches.

Beautifully preserved, the Ambassador East is a National Historic Landmark. The hotel is located among stately homes in a beautiful, quiet and upscale Northside neighborhood, away from the traffic and noises of downtown. Prices from $150: www.publichotels.com/chicago

Budget: Dana Hotel & Spa: Where can you spend a fun night in Chicago near the Chicago River and Grant Park beaches for $100? Try the Dana, a boutique hotel close to the famed Water Tower and many nearby hip clubs and cafes around the Loop.

Enjoy the Vertigo Sky lounge on the 26th Floor, and through the floor-to-ceiling windows you can view all of Chicago downtown and lakefront below. For the best in Asian and Continental cuisine, eat at the hotel’s Aja restaurant. Prices from $100. www.danahotelandspa.com

 
 
 
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