Howard Johnson Inn Downtown Chicago

The neighborhood is a real plus: Clark and Chicago on the Red Line is just a couple of blocks away, the Loop is about a three-quarter-mile walk, and Whole Foods is nearby. I was in town for the Chicago Marathon and paid half the nightly rate of the host hotel. I don't spend much time in my room, so I was happy with this as an inexpensive place to stay. The exterior looked a little sketchy, but inside the room was clean and everything worked. The bed had fresh sheets and pillows, the bathroom had been scrubbed and seemed to have new tile, and the plumbing all worked. The hot water was okay, though I would've liked it hotter. It's a good value if you just need a clean room, not a Waldorf or anything like that.

I didn't have to interact with the staff much during our stay, but when I did, they were rude, which was the main downside. The hotel was decent, seemed fairly clean, and had a great location. Free parking was a real plus.

We used it as a place to sleep and nothing more, and I'd have no problem coming back. For the price, we weren't expecting a Marriott, but things were clean and fresh and everything worked. The water pressure was excellent, the WiFi was strong, and management was nice and accommodating. The location is the biggest plus. It's handy for downtown, Cubs games, clubs, and Irish pubs. Fogo De Chao, the best restaurant we've ever been to anywhere, is one block away. Yellow cabs passed every couple of minutes, and the train is two blocks away.

The building was run-down and the front desk wasn't helpful. The rooms were small and old. They were clean enough, but our standards are higher, and after checking in we were already looking at other hotels because we didn't want to stay longer than one night. It doesn't look like the pictures.