The Chicago Hotel Collection - Wrigleyville

The room was comfortable, and the brewery next door gave us a drink voucher. I highly recommend it, the food and drinks were fantastic. Just make sure the room door closes all the way: ours tended to stay ajar unless we pushed it hard. Check-in was awkward, as others have said. The mobile key wasn’t an option at this location even though the confirmation emails mentioned it. Even after checking in online, I had to email a copy of my ID to finish the lockbox check-in. There didn’t seem to be any staff in the lobby.

The housekeeper was the one bright spot. She was friendly and helpful when she was there, though she wasn’t on site all day. If you want a cheap place and know going in that there’s no staff around 24/7, you might be okay with it. I won’t stay here again. There was nobody on site to sort out problems, and the phone number they gave us wasn’t answered. You have to rely on customer service by text, and the replies took 5-10 minutes. That can feel like a long wait on vacation. I paid about $200 a night, less than most places nearby, and I can see why. They’d said I could get into the hotel early, but that wasn’t true. I was told the bar next door could let me in, then the bar said the two businesses weren’t related. Once I finally got access before check-in, they said I could leave my bags somewhere secure. That turned out to mean unattended behind the front desk, with a security camera watching. A camera won’t help if someone else takes your bags. They also said the bar could get me ice when I asked if there was an ice machine on site, but when I went to ask for a bucket, I was again told the places weren’t related. You get what you pay for, I guess. There are some frustrations that come with it.

If you’re thinking of staying here, I hope you’ll look elsewhere. They’re overcharging while offering very little service, and it feels like they’re trying to make you think you’re getting something you aren’t. Stay at the RITZ! I spent over $400 for one night, including a ridiculous $79.99 “Concierge fee” or whatever it’s called. They said it covered “dinner,” late checkout whether you used it or not, bottled water I didn’t need, and other “perks.” I’d never heard of a $79.99 fee like that. They also charged an extra $117 a night for this additional convenience fee. There’s no person at the front desk, and you have to text and fill out forms. If you’re spending that much, go to a luxury hotel where you’ll get good service, a concierge, front desk staff, a coffee maker, and maybe breakfast. A nice Extended Stay or Holiday Inn Express offers those things too. They said breakfast was included, but there was nothing resembling breakfast in the lobby at any point. The $15 dinner voucher was for a restaurant at a different hotel, three miles away. You’d have to drive or spend at least $15 on a Lyft to get there. The drink voucher for the restaurant next door was beer only, and it closes early. I don’t drink beer, but that came with the extra fee. I also got attitude when I questioned the supposed dinner charge. They said booking through Expedia would have been cheaper, so I guess it was my fault for using a third-party app. The place feels like the SPIRIT or FRONTIER AIRLINES of hotels, charging like a high-end airline. Contactless entry means they don’t want to pay for a front desk person, but still want luxury hotel prices. Check-in and checkout were confusing, with calls and texts to all kinds of numbers. Ask for a room at the back if you stay, since the bars and restaurants nearby are very loud with music. The room itself felt cheap and poorly thought out. Only one bedside lamp worked, and you had to switch it on and off using the chord. There wasn’t even a coffee maker in the room, so you had to go down to make coffee in the lobby, which felt weird. You also pay extra for things you can’t use.

The room was lovely and kept in good shape. We were just a few blocks from the red and brown lines and several buses. We were surprised by the remote check-in, but it was easy enough. Glad we gave the place a try!