Where can I store luggage in Chicago?

July 25, 2010 7:35 PM

I am travelling to Chicago, and there is a gap of a few hours between when my plane arrives and when I can check into my room. Is there a place where I can store my luggage for a few hours?
posted by tallmiddleagedgeek to Travel & Transportation around Chicago, IL (15 answers total)

Which airport?
posted by allthewhile at 7:36 PM on July 25, 2010

Best answer: There is a possibility that they will hold your luggage for you at the hotel. I would call ahead and tell them what's up. They'll most likely be accommodating.
posted by allthewhile at 7:37 PM on July 25, 2010

Response by poster: I'm travelling to Chicago Midway airport. Will try the hotel, but want a fallback position in case that doesn't work out (their web site offers luggage storage on the day of checkout, but doesn't say anything about checkin).
posted by tallmiddleagedgeek at 7:38 PM on July 25, 2010

There's no way a hotel won't let you to store the luggage. In fact, you might be able to put your luggage in your early check-in room.
posted by sandmanwv at 7:40 PM on July 25, 2010 [4 favorites]

Agreed with the others -- the hotel should let you store the bags, but it's been my experience time and time again that the hotels may say that check-in is at 4pm, but you can show up hours earlier and they will give you a room (so long as there is one clean and empty, which there will likely be).
posted by puritycontrol at 7:47 PM on July 25, 2010

2nding sandmanv. It's common practice for a hotel to hold your luggage if they don't have your room ready (even if it's due to the fact that you've arrived early, rather than them not having it ready on time). I've done this every time I've stayed at a hotel and arrived before the official check in time. It's the same procedure as when you are storing your luggage after checkout. Hotel staff will take your luggage and give you some sort of numbered tag or receipt to use it when you pick it up. If it's a nicer hotel, they will most likely bring it up to the room for you. I usually tip a dollar/per bag.
posted by kaybdc at 7:47 PM on July 25, 2010

As others have mentioned, you can safely assume the hotel will allow you to keep the luggage there before you officially check in. This is very common.
posted by dhammond at 7:49 PM on July 25, 2010

If the hotel won't take your bags, Union Station has lockers available to store your things in. They're on the Concourse Level.
posted by skilar at 7:58 PM on July 25, 2010

Nthing the suggestion to go to the hotel and if you cannot check in when you arrive they will most certainly hold your bags for you in a safe location!
posted by labwench at 8:00 PM on July 25, 2010

I've never been to a hotel that wouldn't let me drop off my bags before the room was ready. In fact, I've dropped off luggage at hotels that I wasn't checking in for another week, and I've had hotels hold my luggage for quite a while after checking out.
posted by halogen at 8:30 PM on July 25, 2010

What everyone else said. I've never had a hotel refuse to hold my luggage if I get there before check-in time. In fact, many times, they've actually had a room ready for me!
posted by SisterHavana at 9:43 PM on July 25, 2010

If your hotel won't take your bags, get another hotel, because it's probably actually an apartment complex.
posted by Rendus at 9:45 PM on July 25, 2010

Nthing that the hotel should store your bags. FYI, it's customary to tip $1 to $2 a bag when you pick your bags up.
posted by Jacqueline at 1:45 AM on July 26, 2010

Where is the hotel? If it is relatively far from the airport (like downtown), by the time you get there it will probably be so close to check-in time that nobody will even notice. But yeah, most normal hotels should have no problem with this.
posted by gjc at 5:47 AM on July 26, 2010

Response by poster: Thanks for all the responses. As it happened, the room was ready when I got there, so all was well.
posted by tallmiddleagedgeek at 2:38 PM on July 28, 2010