Aqua Chicago

I was concerned about the room’s cleanliness. Used coffee pods had been left in the machine, and I wondered if corporate was trying to cut costs by overworking housekeeping. The minibar setup also made me feel I hadn’t gotten what I paid for. You’re renting part of a room, with the fridge and one shelf reserved for overpriced snacks and drinks. A fridge for your own use costs extra, there’s no microwave, and touching or moving something risks a charge. I don’t want an overpriced minibar. I wanted somewhere to keep leftovers from a nice Chicago restaurant, but the hotel restaurant food was terrible. My Caesar salad came with unchopped lettuce and no dressing. At checkout, my bill was $15 more than what I’d paid online, and they couldn’t explain why. I’m waiting for them to review the bill. I felt anxious that even bumping something could unleash more fees.

We’ve always thought highly of the Radisson Blu Chicago and have consistently chosen it as our favorite hotel in the city. After past stays went well, my husband and I booked another Valentine’s weekend, expecting the comfort and attention to detail we’ve enjoyed before. This visit was disappointing. We noticed pink rose petals on the floor behind the curtains, which made us question how thoroughly the room had been cleaned, especially during a busy holiday weekend. We contacted management through the hotel messaging system just to flag the issue, not to ask for compensation. Their reply made us feel as though they suspected we were trying to get something for free. That was disheartening and took away from what should have been a special weekend. We hope the hotel will reinforce its housekeeping standards and respond to guest concerns with professionalism and understanding. We still want to believe in the quality that made this our favorite Chicago hotel.

The customer service was great, and everyone we met was welcoming. We also ordered room service, and the food was surprisingly good, not processed tasting at all. My steak, potatoes, and asparagus were well seasoned. There was noticeable dust on the blinds and lamps. A few spots came off easily when I wiped them with my own disinfectant wipes, so housekeeping could pay closer attention to detail. It didn’t make me uncomfortable, but a deeper clean or updated cleaning products might help. I was a little nervous after seeing mixed reviews, but we truly enjoyed the stay and I’d recommend the hotel. Some deeper cleaning and perhaps updated room furniture would help maintain the ambiance. Otherwise, it’s a solid stay with great service.

The service gets three stars from me because the doorman was wonderful. The lobby and amenities were beautiful, and the location was close to nice attractions. But the rooms felt dated, the beds were very uncomfortable, and being next to the fire department meant hearing the fire truck quite often. I didn’t enjoy the stay. I booked and prepaid online through Hotels.com, yet on arrival I had to pay for the room again, plus taxes and a $150 deposit per night. That was very off-putting, I’ve never had to pay twice for a room despite staying in Chicago many times. I was told the full amount would be returned, but they kept $100, saying I had moved items around in the minibar. Nothing was missing. I’d put my own water in there to keep it cool, but hadn’t consumed or taken any of their stock. I’m waiting to hear from the hotel about a refund and will update with the result.