Chicago South Loop Hotel

The staff were kind, and the front desk assistant pictured made the stay even better. The place was clean and spacious, and the price was budget-friendly, which is hard to find on a Chicago trip. The location was perfect. We’ll be back.

The first elevator was out of order, though there was another one, and the vending machines didn’t work. At midnight, a loud argument started and went on until two in the morning, and the hotel didn’t step in. The bathroom floor was sticky, there was dried conditioner all over the shower handle, and the room clearly hadn’t been cleaned properly. When I asked for it to be cleaned again and the sheets changed, I got attitude. Staff confirmed the room was dirty but resisted changing the sheets; I had to ask several times for the pillowcases to be replaced too. The manager never seemed sorry, just annoyed that I expected cleanliness. There was also a deposit issue. The first swipe on my husband's card didn’t show up on their end, so they swiped it again. They said it would take several days for the deposit to return. We were irritated but tried to make the best of it. The location is close to downtown, but I’d rather pay extra to stay downtown than return to a dirty, shady, unsafe-feeling hotel.

The bed was so comfortable I melted into the sheets like butter. Staff made the place feel like home, checking in by phone to make sure we had the right accommodations and being so welcoming. We’d had a booking error, but the manager went above and beyond to get it sorted out. It was almost too good to be true. I’d definitely recommend this hotel over a lot of downtown options.

I’ve showered a bunch since getting home, but my skin is still crawling. The only thing I can give this hotel credit for is that there were no bed bugs. The bedskirt stains were exactly what you’d think, and I can only assume the desk chair was the same. There was mold on the shower curtain and even inside the ceiling light, plus mold in the heater. The bathroom sink and floor had makeup and hair all over them, the towels smelled off, and the lamps were broken. There’s no way anyone actually cleaned the room, though I didn’t even see a cleaning lady until the last day. It seemed like housekeeping only changed the garbage bags. The service didn’t make up for it. One staff member seemed more interested in her phone call than helping us, and another brought her dog to work. That was unprofessional, unsanitary, and inconsiderate of guests with allergies. The whole experience was disgusting.