Hilton Garden Inn Chicago Downtown Riverwalk

The location was the one good thing about this place. I booked it for my birthday weekend mainly because of the indoor pool, which looks nice in the pictures, but it’s tiny and less than four feet deep. Housekeeping never brought the extra towels I requested. The front desk woman was very rude, and check-in took 45 minutes. They also charged a $100 per night deposit that wasn’t mentioned before the charge. This was nowhere near what I expected, and the online listing is misleading. The service was terrible and unprofessional. Don’t waste your money here.

We found the hotel fresh and welcoming as soon as we walked in, with a soft, clean, earthy fragrance throughout. The staff, from the front desk to housekeeping, were friendly and attentive without hovering. Our room and bathroom were spotless, and housekeeping kept things tidy and made sure we had fresh towels. It’s easy to get around from this location, with public transportation just steps away and great attractions nearby. Weber Grill next door was handy for a quick bite or casual drink. We had a genuinely pleasant stay at the Hilton Garden Inn on East Grand Avenue and would happily return to Chicago and stay here again.

I stayed here on October 17, 2025. The room seemed fairly clean at first, then I spotted a few roaches and contacted management. They came up, took photos, and offered a free night. Since I’d booked through a third-party site, the manager said she couldn’t give me the night but would provide enough Hilton honor points for one. She offered 3000 points, even though you need at least 35,000 for a free night. She told me 3000 was enough, which wasn’t true, then refused to do anything more. It was a terrible experience and awful customer service. I’ll search my iCloud for the photos and post them in the coming days.

The location seemed good, and at first the hotel looked nice. But my room was freezing when I got in, the heater didn’t work at all, and there wasn’t even a blanket. In winter, I’d expect better attention to the heating. I’ve never stayed in a hotel room without a single blanket before. It was a waste of money for a very cold night. I won’t recommend this hotel or come back.