Residence Inn by Marriott Chicago Bloomingdale

I spent three weeks here on a recent work trip, and the service made a real difference. When I checked in, I realized I’d forgotten both my phone charger and proper winter clothes. Manager David pointed me to a nearby place to get warm clothes and gave me a charger for free so I could get back and forth. He and the whole staff were awesome. The service was OUTSTANDING, and I’ll stay here again on my next trip.

The staff were friendly and accommodating, and the hotel is close to all kinds of amenities. There were a couple of small room problems: the phone didn’t work, and the stove exhaust wasn’t functioning. Annoying, but not enough to put me off. I’d definitely recommend this hotel and location for a family stay.

The bathroom made this stay miserable. The toilet kept running noisily, which made it hard to sleep, and the bathtub wouldn’t drain while we showered, leaving the floor wet. My wife also developed blisters from head to toe after our stay, so we wondered if the room might have had bed bugs. The kitchen setup was disappointing too: no utensils, and only enough cutlery for two people in a two-room suite. We managed with that, but it’s not what we expect from Residence Inn. We’ve stayed at Residence Inn and Marriott many times and used to prefer them, though this has us reconsidering our next Residence Inn booking.

The front desk staff were very nice, but the property feels run down and corners seem to be cut everywhere. The exercise room had no working A/C or TVs, and they gave me a pass to use the Courtyard next door. It happened so quickly that I suspect this is a recurring issue. The toilet ran about half the time; I could stop it, but it seemed to use 90s technology. The bed was worn and probably never replaced. Of the four days I was supposed to get room service, they knocked at my door at 8 one day. And $12 for parking when there’s parking all over the place? I know it’s a Residence Inn, but this place needs major renovations and help.