Lover's Lane, Chicago IL

April 15, 2010 7:20 AM

What semi-private places in Chicago can two lusty kids go to mess around if they can't go home? Do motels that rent by the hour actually exist?

I'm in an open relationship where one of the rules is that we don't bring our tricks home. It is a totally reasonable request I am bent on accomodating; I don't really want to come home to the house I share with my partner to find a sock hung on the door of our bedroom.

However, I'm dating a new boy on the side who ALSO has an awkward living arrangement, and we don't have anywhere to go. I am getting bored with having "picnics" at the Lakeshore which is really just us making out furiously in a park.

The more private, the better.

I don't mind spending money on a coffee, beer, ticket, etc. It would be nice if we didn't get kicked out after an hour.

We're both over 21.

We're not going to break any public indecency laws or emotionally scar any children.

We live in Lakeview and we ride bikes and have CTA passes. Neither of us owns a car.

posted by anonymous to travel & transportation around Chicago, IL (13 answers total)

Why not just split the cost of a cheap motel room? They don't force you to actually sleep there overnight. It's sleazy, but almost in a charming way.
posted by oinopaponton at 7:26 AM on April 15, 2010

Are you both guys? Being a girl, I have no personal experience with this, but little birdies tell me there is a bathhouse in Chicago with hourly rates (NSFW link).
posted by desjardins at 7:27 AM on April 15, 2010

Do motels that rent by the hour actually exist?

I can think of four off the top of my head in Philly but that's because I am often in high crime and drug traffic areas for my job. They tend to be convenient to hooker strolls which are typically convenient to open air drug markets. I don't think you really want to go to one of these places, they are typically totally fucking gross and in super sketch parts of town. I'm sure somebody will propose something better than hitting one of these joints.
posted by The Straightener at 7:31 AM on April 15, 2010

You live in Chicago and you've never seen the commercials for Sybaris??? It's a high-end no-tell motel and, yes, they do "afternoon" rates as well as "overnight" rates.

A little off the CTA path but accessible by Metra (& a taxi ride, I think). I've never been, but I hear it's tacky good fun.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:36 AM on April 15, 2010

A lot of normal hotels have unannounced day rates that are used by travellers with very long stopovers - call them up and ask. Show up dressed like you could be on the road for work and no one will blink an eye.
posted by Calloused_Foot at 8:02 AM on April 15, 2010

I have used a motel near O'Hare for this very purpose (well, not exactly; it was a LDR and we had some time to kill before my plane left). The clerk didn't blink at someone renting a room for a few hours in the afternoon. (We had to pay full rate, but it wasn't that much, really. )
posted by Deja Stu at 9:25 AM on April 15, 2010

1) During the week, and especially weekends, you can often find very good deals using the bidding features on Priceline. My bf and I have used this for getting out the house but not out of town getaways where we didn't really care where we were staying, just not at home.

2) Heart o' Chicago motel at 5990 N. Ridge Ave has pretty cheap late night rates, but I think you have to come in late at night and hope they aren't booked for the evening, then you just have to check out like usual.

3) Some of the old motels along Lincoln, though they are becoming fewer and farther between, have day rates, or so I've been told.

4) What Calloused Foot said about day rates.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:47 AM on April 15, 2010

A lot of motels do the "4 hour naps". Hopefully you can get your freak on in 4 hours. Otherwise do Sybaris.

Sharns or JC's in Worth is notorious for that....well notorious in my ex's brother was a total walking hormone and always tell us "well, off to Sharns".
posted by stormpooper at 11:51 AM on April 15, 2010

Yes there are hourly motels in Chicago. I know for certain (don't ask) that there's one on Lincoln Avenue out toward Lincoln Village. I don't recall the name for sure but I think it may just be called "Lincoln Motel". It's a couple blocks south of Peterson on Lincoln.

It is as bad as you might think. I'd recommend a dodgy regular hotel, but that's just me.

And yeah check into Steamworks on Halsted.
posted by FlamingBore at 12:16 PM on April 15, 2010

Word to the wise: I'd be worried about bedbugs (among other things) in a typical hourly motel. I'd go more upscale or just split the cost of a night's stay at a normal motel, which can be as cheap as $50 on a weeknight off-season.
posted by SpecialK at 2:13 PM on April 15, 2010

If you have the chance to plan more than 24 hours in advance, I've gotten some really, really good deals on Priceline. Since the brand/location doesn't much matter to you, only the cost, this might be the way to go. We stayed at the Palmer House for $50.
posted by desjardins at 5:03 PM on April 15, 2010

There are several motels with "4 hour nap" rates on Cicero Ave. near Midway.
posted by SisterHavana at 10:48 PM on April 16, 2010

Near Midway and north Lincoln Avenue have plenty of seedy (heh) hourly motels -- although there are fewer and fewer on Lincoln these days.

I'm inclined to go with the advice of those saying try Priceline and other discount sites. Hell, the Palmer House might even have a room available for a "nap" if there's no convention in town.
posted by me3dia at 9:25 AM on April 19, 2010