Hampton Inn & Suites Chicago Downtown

The lifts are the main reason I wouldn't recommend this place. I waited more than 20 minutes for one that never showed, then had to walk down from the 29th floor to the 10th to reach another elevator bank. A logistical nightmare like that is hard to overlook. The rooms are nice and the complimentary breakfast is great. The hotel is decent overall, but the property is showing its age. I would've rated it 4.5 out of 5 without the elevator problem.

The location is lovely, with convenient attractions nearby. The Bean is a 15-minute walk away, and Einstein Bros, which had really good bagels, is just three minutes on foot. But I was extremely disappointed by the overnight stay. I got three bites on my leg after sleeping in shorts, and my friend woke up with bumps all over her face. When we got up, we also saw rusty blood stains on the bed. At first we'd thought they were makeup, before noticing the bites. It's hard to believe the room had been deep-cleaned. Please consider this and inspect the bed before sleeping there. The breakfast area was busy and messy. Ambulance and police noise at night was pretty loud, though that's expected downtown.

The location worked perfectly for us, with Magnificent Mile, the Theater District, and Riverwalk all within walking distance, plus bars and restaurants nearby. The Italian restaurant was classy and phenomenal, and its happy hour menu was excellent. Breakfast wasn't fancy, but it was fresh and good, with plenty of hot choices, and it's free, which is a big deal in Chicago. The lobby is beautiful, maybe the coolest one I've seen, and the hotel was clean, well cared for, and had great amenities. Staff were helpful and friendly as soon as we arrived. Special thanks to Yolo at the front desk for being so gracious and welcoming. I was happy with our stay from the moment we came in.

We meant to book the Hampton Inn near the London House, got turned around, and ended up here because we wanted to be downtown by the river. We paid about $250 for one night in a room with two queen beds. We didn't know there was a fire station nearby, but from our room on the building's south interior side we couldn't hear anything. The room was basic and clean, nothing special. A few more things like shower caps or bathrobes would've been nice, though it's the Hampton Inn. The next day I noticed cleaners vacuuming with some pretty serious steam cleaners. The breakfast buffet was pretty good: dark, light, and decaf coffee, make-your-own waffles, bagels, toast, and more. My main gripes were the hot bar, where the only eggs were hard-boiled or cheese crepes, and the lack of bacon, with only sausage patties. I think a breakfast buffet should have dairy-free scrambled eggs, and shouldn't there always be bacon? I didn't swim, but the pool room was so warm and steamy that I wished I'd brought trunks. I enjoyed coffee at a little table there. The outdoor patio next to it could be quite nice in better weather.