Freehand Hostel?? Why So Much? (Chicago, Lincoln: 2015, hotels, neighborhoods)

[oldhousegirl]

Inspired by another thread - the OP was looking for inexpensive lodging and someone recommended a hostel. I have never stayed in a hostel and was intrigued. I am a Chicagoan living out of state the past few years and I'm visiting in the summer for a graduation.

So...checked out Freestyle, looked good and then I checked the price. It was $400+ per night . This was for either a queen or king room.

I thought hostels were supposed to be way less than that. Hmmm.

[eevee]

Hostels are cheap on a per person basis- the more people you share a room with, the cheaper it is (think multiple bunkbeds in a small room, shared restrooms). Some hostels do offer hotel-style rooms but be prepared to pay hotel-style prices. I've never heard of this place but I would check the HI hostel near Wabash and Congresd downtown.

[ChicagoMeO]

Ever since i watched the movie Hostel, no amount of money would get me to go into one.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by oldhousegirl

Inspired by another thread - the OP was looking for inexpensive lodging and someone recommended a hostel. I have never stayed in a hostel and was intrigued. I am a Chicagoan living out of state the past few years and I'm visiting in the summer for a graduation.

So...checked out Freestyle, looked good and then I checked the price. It was $400+ per night . This was for either a queen or king room.

I thought hostels were supposed to be way less than that. Hmmm.

Probably because of the nights you were looking for. If the graduation is anytime around June 13-15 then that's during NeoCon, which is a huge convention in the Merchandise Mart that totally jacks up prices for all lodging in the River North area. Even if it's not those dates, certain other conventions can really jack up lodging prices in River North, so that's my guess - a convention. But, also, inexpensive hostels are inexpensive when you stay in shared rooms, not a private room. A private room isn't usually going to save you much, if anything.

[via chicago]

Originally Posted by eevee

Hostels are cheap on a per person basis- the more people you share a room with, the cheaper it is (think multiple bunkbeds in a small room, shared restrooms). Some hostels do offer hotel-style rooms but be prepared to pay hotel-style prices. I've never heard of this place but I would check the HI hostel near Wabash and Congresd downtown.

right. freehand is both a hostel AND a hotel. if you search for shared/bunks on Freehands site, the price is more like $50-60/night. you have to be prepared to share a room 3 other people you dont know and have a bathroom down the hall. their single beds are basically being marketed as traditional hotel rooms. youre also paying a premium to be in river north

Freehand seems to be positioning themselves as a more trendy option too. Hostel International is quite a bit cheaper for single rooms, but also more spartan.

compare this

http://exp.cdn-hotels.com/hotels/100...18281_71_z.jpg

to this

http://travelblog.studentuniverse.co...ago-hostel.jpg

not exactly 4 star, but more like a hipstery Ace Hotel than a hostel.

and yea, summer is high time for any hostel/hotel. and hostels especially will get booked up for weekends theres music festivals, etc. if youre looking at July, it could very easily be either Pitchfork or Lolla weekend.

[via chicago]

maybe also try Longman and Eagle if you dont mind staying in Logan Square? it will be more than a hostel, but you can get a private queen budget room for $120

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO

Ever since i watched the movie Hostel, no amount of money would get me to go into one.

Ehh... Some hostels are great places, others not. I stayed at The Cleveland Hostel for my first 18 days after moving back to town, and I couldn't have been more pleased. And, at an average of $30 a night, it was a great deal!

[ChicagoMeO]

Originally Posted by andrew61

Ehh... Some hostels are great places, others not. I stayed at The Cleveland Hostel for my first 18 days after moving back to town, and I couldn't have been more pleased. And, at an average of $30 a night, it was a great deal!

why is it so cheap? if you have to share bathrooms and stuff, i'd get a Motel 6 for $48 a night.

[andrew61]

Have you checked out the Chicago Getaway Hostel in Lincoln Park? I seem to recall that they had very reasonable rates, as well as excellent ratings. Next time I come back to town for a visit, I'm going to look into staying there.

Do keep in mind what others on this thread have already stated: Private rooms at hostels are significantly more expensive than shared rooms. Also, rates can rise dramatically during very popular weekends and other times when the city has an unusually large number of visitors.

Don't be afraid to share a room with others. I had never shared a room with strangers before -- let alone strangers of both genders -- but the experience was not at all offputting in the end. Of course, I did have to make certain adjustments, like not sleeping in the nude like I might've done in a private room.

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO

why is it so cheap? if you have to share bathrooms and stuff, i'd get a Motel 6 for $48 a night.

That $30 rate was for shared rooms containing 6 to 8 bunk beds. Private rooms were running $75 a night.

It was a great experience for the money, and the location couldn't be beat -- one of Cleveland's most attractive neighborhoods, with nightlife and restaurants nearby plus better-than-average public transportation for the city, and just a stone's throw from downtown. One usually has to travel to much less convenient locations -- i.e., the distant suburbs -- to find cheap private accommodation like Motel 6 or others.

And there were plenty of bathrooms -- kept clean! -- and I had no trouble accessing one when I needed to.