citizenM Chicago Downtown

The common areas are lovely, and the rooms were clean, modern, and about what the website showed. I liked the comfortable bed and the big shower, though the standard king room felt sized for one person. I stayed for a work conference and have been in similar concept hotels in europe. It’s a good fit for solo travelers who are used to confined spaces and hotels with more coworking space. Check-in wasn’t great. The main lobby isn’t on the ground floor, and with several bags it was hard to get upstairs. There weren’t any baggage trollys available, just a heads-up. The air conditioner and airflow weren’t working, so the room got hot. The tablet wasn’t connecting either. I called reception to ask for a solution, and after talking it through they said they’d call me back. Instead, someone knocked, dropped off a fan, and left without saying anything. It helped with the airflow but not the heat. Another room or an engineer would have been preferable. The staff were very nice, but better communication would have helped.

The rooms are functional and quiet, especially considering the hotel’s location in Chicago’s business area. It’s a no-frills place. The iron is shared in the corridor near the elevators, and the shower had a small leak that kept coming back despite my best efforts, though it wasn’t a big deal. Breakfast choices are somewhat limited, but everything was very good, and the tea selection was great. Service was pleasant and efficient. The gym is large and well equipped. I’d return.

The room was clean, but the way my concerns were handled is why I’m leaving this review. I stayed at citizenM Chicago Downtown January 16-19 in Room 1523, after choosing a high-floor 1 King Bed specifically for the city views shown in the listing. Those images were a major reason I picked it over larger hotels at a similar price. The room I got had no meaningful view, and when I asked to move, I was told no scenic rooms were available. Nothing was offered to make up for the mismatch during my three nights. After checkout, I contacted the citizenM team and was redirected elsewhere without help. A manager I spoke with by phone said there was nothing wrong with the advertised pictures. Since then, the photos for this room type have changed online. I saved screenshots of the images that were there when I booked, so it’s hard to accept the response that nothing was misleading. I hope management takes both listing accuracy and guest concerns more seriously.

The bed was good, and the iPad controls for setting wake-up lights and sounds are top tier. The room is 125 square feet, as the booking description says. It’s cleverly small, a little tight for a couple but doable. For one business traveler, this place is legit.