I went to Chicago this past weekend and was pissed to find out you had to be 21 to rent a hotel in the whole state of Illinois. I wasn't about to stay in Indiana so we headed to Wisconsin. If there are any Land of Lincolners here I would suggest doing something to change this law. I plan on being in Chicago quite a few times for a new job with BlueCross Blueshield of Illinois. having to go to Kenosha is one expense that is totally unnecessary. Does anyone know why this law is even present?

What's wrong with Indiana?

^^^Lots ;)

^ You're from Kentucky, which is fifty times worse than Indiana. :D

Nothing other than I didn't want to have to drive through that part of Chicago at 1am than drive around Gary. I don't know if it is that bad but why chance it. Plus I have a friend in Milwaukee and family in Wisconsin so if worse came to worse I could have went there. I was planning on staying at a youth hostal (sp? ) in Chicago but I had my brother who's only 15 so I didn't want to bring him to one of those.

I don't think Illinois is the only state where that law is present. I could not get a hotel in Louisiana when I was 18. So I drove across the border to Beaumont and stayed at a Super 8 Motel because the hotels in Beaumont also would not let me get a room because I was under 21.

I work in the hotel industry and the age requirements to rent a room are not mandated by state law (as far as I know), they are policies set forth by individual hotel companies. A lot of hotels have mini-bars in the rooms which are easily accessible to guests and if a minor got into them, the hotels would be liable.

Or just live in one of the Casino's hotelsa in Hammond which is only probably less than a 5 minute walk to Chicago, which is in Indiana. Plus, there are free shuttle buses from the hotel to CHicago's chinatown, and depend on where in Chicago you need to go to, take the cta.

^ You're from Kentucky, which is fifty times worse than Indiana. :D

True. A few million people but only 15 last names. :)

I dont recall the law in Illinois being that you have to be 21, but it doesn't matter to me. I'm far past that age limit bs.

Are you absolutely positive about this, because back in the mid-90's when I was 18, I booked and stayed at several hotels downtown. 18 was indeed the age minimum. Did they change this in the past couple of years?

A quick Google search finds that the minimum reservation age is still 18. I'm not sure what hotels you tried or who told you it was 21...

http://www.amalfihotelchicago.com/privacy-policy/

"You must be at least 18 years old to make reservations [...]" it says at the Amalfi downtown.

I found several other hotels in Chicago on Google where the minimum is 18 too, though most had their minimum at 21.

True. A few million people but only 15 last names. :)

The same applies for rural Indiana as well.

I've gotten rooms in central and southern IL and you didn't have to be 21...chicago might be a diff story tho

Chicago is often another story.

I worked at the Embassy Suites in Downtown Chicago until July. We allowed people to check-in at the age of 18. The law in Illinois is 18 to check into a hotel room. Otherwise, it's a hotel policy.

Shit. I wish I would have known that.

At least we have teeth in Indiana. :)

Here's a joke, kiddies:

Q: Why doesnt Kentucky celebrate Christmas?

A: Because they dont have three wise men.