they don't quite get it
I book through Hotwire frequently, so I've learned to navigate the system. What the people at the Intercon don't understand is that educated travellers can figure out which hotel they are booking using priceline and hotwire. However, the Intercon continues to cram those guests that use those websites to book their stay into the hotel's worst rooms.
I choose to stay at this hotel because the swimming pool is a lap pool. For those of us travelling swimmers, it's a real treat. Without the pool, this hotel doesn't differentiate itself from the other old, small-roomed hotels in Chicago. The service is very non-spectacular: they don't screw stuff up but they have yet to impress. If they want to compete with the true luxury hotels, they have a gap to fill.
Intercon should only use these small, outdated rooms in the event of last resort. I would NEVER pay a full rate to stay in a room like that. It's small, somewhat tired, and the business workspace in the room is a joke. (i loved crawling under the bed trying to plug in my lap top). Internet was spotty as well, even for the premium service.
So, I rate this an average hotel but I stay here because of the swimming pool in the fitness center. When booking this hotel through hotwire I had hoped to get a good hotel and a discounted price. What I ended up with what a discount hotel room.