How to book a hotel in Chicago?

Travel Info
I'm going to be visiting Chicago for a night or two (I live near Milwaukee, WI) at the end of March. I'm wondering if I should book way in advance on a site like hotels.com or wait for last minute deals on hotwire.com. Has anyone used this site with success? They have really great last minute deals, but it doesn't tell you the exact name or location of the hotel until after you book it.

Any suggestions on the best way to do this?

Travel Tips

The best deals are usually on the hotel's own website. I like to use Orbitz or Expedia to narrow the list down to a couple of hotels that look good and then go to the actual site to book.

It's pretty cheap to be in Chicago right now (winter) so I would just book and not have the hassle or worry of wondering how the last minute discount will work out.

Others
Stay at the Swissotel on Wacker, see travelzoo.com, special for $99 a night, a four star, has great views, a pool on the 30th floor (or around there). I stayed last year; a great hotel. Try to get a view of the Navy Pier.