Getting to Grand Rapids will take a little bit of thought, but you can do it. The closest airport is the Grand Rapids Airport (GRR), but alternatives (with a longer drive) could include Kalamazoo (AZO), Lansing (LAN), or Muskeegon (MKG). All these airports are served by major airlines. If you are planning to fly into the Grand Rapids airport, you might think about simply taking a cab to the hotel if you are staying downtown. The hotels listed on this website are all within a short walk to the reception.
You are driving? Well then, Grand Rapids is a 3 hour drive from Downtown Chicago and a 2.5 hour drive from the Detroit area.