Hyatt Place Chicago-South/University Medical Center

I was in town for 10 days to support a family member receiving medical care. The hotel was clean and quiet, and the AC really moves air. The staff were wonderful. Savionne, Alex, Kim, Cordell, Rashaun, Martha, and everyone whose name I missed were so helpful and kind. Breakfast was a tasty $11 buffet with healthy choices. The coffee was full-bodied, never weak or bitter, and there were good coffees and teas in the morning. Alex made great espressos later in the day, and Savionne mixed delicious drinks in the evening. The location worked well for restaurants within walking distance, though shopping nearby is limited. I walked 1.5 miles to UChicago Hospital during daylight in good weather, and the UGo bus stop is several blocks away. Lyft and Uber had the hotel entrance pinned to the SE side of the block, so I asked them to direct rides to the NW entrance instead. A few things made the medical trip harder. There is no guest laundry, despite what some AI said, and no laundromat close enough to walk to with a load. I found Rinse, a wash and fold service, and its fast option takes 24 hours. Parking is about $40 a night here and $40 a day at UChicago Medicine, so renting a car didn't make sense. When UChicago started in September, the hotel was an astronomical $400 a night including tax. Hyatt Place, thanks for the great staff and clean facilities.

The room was fairly clean, though you can see some wear, and the location is handy for the Metra and lots of good food. But the bathroom's glass sliding door rattles and barely blocks sound or light. Every nighttime bathroom trip woke the whole family, so I wouldn't recommend this place to families. Service was poor throughout. We weren't greeted when we came in, and the only time staff acknowledged us without us speaking first was to yell across the lobby when one of my kids used the side entrance instead of the revolving door. One day housekeeping made just one of the three beds, and left the bathroom trash can on top of our toiletry bags. There were five of us but only three bath towels. We called for more, were told they couldn't bring them, and had to go get towels ourselves every day. I also heard an employee loudly complain and swear in the hall about having to fix something. The place didn't feel welcoming, and it seemed like everyone hated their job.

I still can't believe how we were treated by front desk employee Savionne Stamps and Hyatt customer service at Hyde Park. On Christmas Day, after we'd already paid for our room, Mr. Stamps checked us in with a terrible attitude and left my exhausted family waiting for over an hour before saying he couldn't honor our reservation. We asked for a manager. He said, "that's me for now and no one could help me at this time." We had to take a taxi to a nearby hotel and pay for another room. My kids were frightened and traumatized. This person should be investigated and trained in customer service empathy.

The staff were friendly and professional, and the location is convenient for restaurants. The shower pressure was good too. But I slept badly all three nights, partly because the pillows were uncomfortable and mostly because of the HVAC. It only had an auto setting, no separate cool or heat option, so it kept flipping between cold and hot air every few minutes with a loud clunk. That's not acceptable for a hotel that's supposed to give you a good night's sleep.