RSNA 2020: Hotels with No Resort Fees in the Downtown Area
The Radiological Society of North America brought its annual meeting to Chicago from 29 November to 4 December 2020, drawing thousands of radiology professionals, vendors, and researchers to the city. For Australian attendees used to balmy November summers in Sydney or Brisbane, the Chicago winter can be a shock, and the last thing anyone wants after a long flight is to be nickel-and-dimed by hidden resort fees on their hotel bill. Understanding the downtown hotel landscape, particularly properties that advertise no resort fees, helps radiology teams stretch their travel budgets while staying within walking distance of McCormick Place or the conference shuttle routes.
Hotel pricing in major US cities often includes mandatory resort fees that cover amenities like Wi-Fi, gym access, or daily newspaper delivery, even when guests never use these services. These fees can add 25 to 50 AUD per night to a room rate, which over a week-long conference becomes a significant expense for teams paying out of their own pockets or through departmental funds. Australian radiology professionals, whether travelling solo from Melbourne or in a delegation from Perth, benefit from identifying properties that roll these costs into the base rate or eliminate them altogether.
The RSNA 2020 booking platform streamlined hotel selection by grouping properties by star rating, location, and amenities, making it easier to filter out those with surprise charges. For teams coordinating group registration, the platform allowed radiology practices to reserve room blocks at negotiated rates while specifying preferences like no resort fees, complimentary breakfast, or meeting room access for daily briefings.
Understanding resort fees in the downtown market
Downtown Chicago hotels near the Loop, River North, and Streeterville neighbourhoods often charge resort fees that range from 15 to 40 USD per night, on top of the advertised room rate. These fees are distinct from taxes and are sometimes disclosed only in the fine print during the booking process. For Australian visitors who budget in their home currency, the conversion can make the final cost substantially higher than expected, especially when credit card foreign transaction fees are layered on top.
Properties that waive resort fees typically include the cost of standard amenities in their nightly rate, which simplifies expense reporting for corporate travellers. Radiology consultants from Adelaide or Canberra attending RSNA often need itemised receipts for their practices, and a single bundled rate makes reimbursement smoother. It also removes the awkward moment at check-in when a tired traveller discovers that the Wi-Fi code costs extra or that the gym is restricted to paying members of the hotel's loyalty programme.
When comparing options, look beyond the headline rate and calculate the all-in cost including taxes, fees, and parking. Chicago downtown parking alone can run 45 to 65 USD per day, so a hotel that includes parking or is near the Metra or CTA lines can save Australian teams hundreds of dollars across a week of meetings.
Hotel categories and downtown options
| Hotel Category | Nightly Rate (USD) | Resort Fee | Distance to McCormick Place | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-star downtown | 120–160 | None | 15–25 min shuttle | Solo attendees |
| 4-star downtown | 180–240 | None | 10–20 min shuttle | Teams needing meeting space |
| 5-star downtown | 280–380 | None | 8–15 min shuttle | Senior consultants |
| 3-star near airport | 90–130 | Some waived | 30+ min by train | Budget registrants |
| 4-star River North | 200–280 | None | 12 min shuttle | Group bookings |
The selection above reflects properties available through the RSNA 2020 booking platform, all of which had no resort fees for the conference period. Three-star options clustered around the Loop offered the best value for residents and fellows travelling on stipends, while four-star hotels in River North provided the meeting rooms and lounge areas that radiology teams needed for evening case reviews.
For larger groups of six or more, the platform's group registration function allowed practice managers to negotiate further discounts and confirm room blocks in advance. Teams that booked early secured properties within a ten-minute walk of shuttle pickup points, reducing commute time and allowing more flexibility around poster sessions and industry symposia.
Why Australian teams should book early
November and December mark the start of the Australian summer holiday season, which means many radiologists plan their northern hemisphere trips around end-of-year leave. This timing puts Australian attendees in direct competition with domestic US travellers heading home for Thanksgiving, making downtown Chicago rooms scarce in the weeks before RSNA. Booking six to nine months ahead is advisable, particularly for teams that require adjoining rooms or specific accessibility features.
Flights from Sydney to Chicago take around 20 hours with a connection, usually through Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Houston, so arriving a day early to recover from jet lag is standard practice for Australian delegations. This makes a one-night pre-conference stay in the same hotel a practical choice, and properties that allow flexible check-in without penalty are particularly valuable.
Group registration through the official platform simplified the process of coordinating arrivals, departures, and room assignments for Australian teams. Practice managers in Brisbane, Perth, and Melbourne used the system to track who had confirmed, who still needed travel insurance, and which colleagues were sharing rooms to reduce costs.
Selecting the right property for your team
Location matters more than star rating for many RSNA attendees, because the conference schedule often runs from early morning to late evening. Hotels within walking distance of McCormick Place or near the free RSNA shuttle routes save time and energy, particularly when the weather turns snowy or icy. River North properties offered the best balance of price, proximity, and dining options for team dinners.
For teams that plan to hold briefings or committee meetings in the hotel, venues with dedicated meeting rooms were a priority. The booking hotels with meeting rooms for rsna team briefings resource on the platform outlined which properties offered complimentary or low-cost meeting spaces, along with audio-visual support for case presentations.
Solo travellers and early-career radiologists often preferred three-star properties that focused on the essentials: a clean room, reliable Wi-Fi, and a decent breakfast. These hotels were popular with registrants from smaller Australian cities like Hobart or Darwin, where the international travel budget is tighter and every dollar saved on accommodation frees up funds for conference registration or society memberships.
Practical tips for the Chicago winter
Chicago in late November can swing from mild 10°C days to sub-zero wind chills along the lakefront, a dramatic change for Australians leaving their summer behind. Packing layers, a windproof outer shell, and sturdy waterproof shoes is essential, especially for the walk between hotels and the convention centre. While the climate in Chicago is very different from the wet conditions in places like Cherrapunjee, the cherrapunjee packing guide offers useful general advice on layering and quick-dry fabrics that translate to the Midwest winter.
Time zone differences are another consideration: Australian Eastern Daylight Time runs roughly 17 hours ahead of Chicago in December, which means morning sessions in Chicago fall in the early hours of the next day in Sydney. Setting up a shared team calendar with all times converted to AEDT, AEST, and AWST helps avoid missed meetings and keeps everyone on the same page.
Local transport is straightforward once you understand the CTA system, and many hotels offer free shuttle service to McCormick Place during conference hours. Downloading the Ventra app before arrival allows Australian attendees to use their phones for fare payment on buses and trains, avoiding the need to find a ticket machine in the cold.
Recommendations for Australian radiology teams
- Book at least six months ahead to secure rooms without resort fees near the conference venue.
- Filter hotel searches by "no resort fees" and confirm the policy in writing before finalising the reservation.
- Choose properties within walking distance of McCormick Place or the RSNA shuttle route to save on transport costs.
- Negotiate group rates for teams of four or more, and ask about complimentary meeting rooms for daily briefings.
- Bundle accommodation with breakfast included to reduce daily out-of-pocket expenses, especially for early morning sessions.
- Request rooms on higher floors away from the elevator to minimise noise during late-night case review sessions.
- Keep digital copies of booking confirmations and fee waivers in case of disputes at check-in.
For Australian practices coordinating multiple attendees, the group registration service handled everything from room block allocation to invoicing in AUD or USD. The platform's dashboard let team leaders see who had checked in, who needed travel updates, and which rooms were ready for early arrival, removing the back-and-forth emails that usually slow down conference planning.
Book your RSNA 2020 accommodation through the official platform today to lock in no-resort-fee rates and secure your team's preferred location before the downtown hotel inventory fills up.