The Hotel at Midtown

The penthouse worked well for our wedding party of 22 because it has two floors. The girls could get ready downstairs while the guys used the upper floor, and we did our first look on the second-floor balcony with its skyline view. The front desk also brought a mirror and glam chairs when we asked. I have a soft spot for The Hotel at Midtown because we used it for our wedding, but knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t have considered it. The biggest problem came on our wedding day. We left around 2 pm for the venue and arranged for room service to make the bed. When we got back around midnight, the door was unlocked and standing wide open. It had been that way for all 10 hours we were gone. Most of that floor had wedding guests, and nothing was missing, but it was unsettling after such a long day to have to check for theft. We might not even have realized the room had been cleaned if the door hadn’t been left open, if they hadn’t picked up a random pair of eyelashes I’d noticed in the shower the day before, or if they hadn’t left a cleaning bottle on the dresser. The catering rules were another issue. Groups over four count as a “party,” and can only use the hotel’s catering. Outside food and drinks bring a fine, so we went with their per-person pricing rather than paying per item. The bagels were stale, and nobody ate them. Food and drinks were taken away within a couple hours, before people getting glammed up for 1-2 hours had a chance to eat or drink. We assumed soft drinks and non-perishables would stay since we’d paid per person, but many of us didn’t see staff remove anything, and they didn’t ask if we were done. For room blocks, the cutoff is 60 days before the event. Our wedding was on 12/12, and the block closed on 10/11, just a week after invitations went out. Midtown extended the deadline by a week, but we couldn’t control when guests booked, and many couldn’t get a room in the block and stayed elsewhere. Noise was also a common complaint from our guests, though we didn’t have the same issue in the tucked-away penthouse. People were woken early by weights slamming in the gym or fitness classes, and others could hear neighboring guests’ phone conversations word for word through thin walls. I’d avoid staying here and use Midtown just for the gym if you’re a member. The view and location aren’t worth the headache, and it’s painfully obvious they don’t care about hotel guests.

At 5 am, the weights made the whole fourth-floor room shake like mini earthquakes. Every blast woke me up more, and earplugs couldn’t help. The website warned about gym noise, but I had no idea it meant the room itself would shake. I asked for a quieter room, but none were available, and they wouldn’t let me cancel, so I was stuck with a miserable night. I hate leaving an alarmist bad review, but this was shocking. My biggest regret is not losing the money and booking somewhere else. If this saves even one person from making the same horrible mistake at the Midtown hotel, I’ll be glad. I was lying awake at 5 am thinking how sad it is that this will keep happening to people.

This is an amazing athletic facility and gym that happens to have a hotel in it, and I had plenty to do instead of sitting in my room. The gym noise starts around 5 am, with classes and weights dropping on the 3rd floor. I could hear the instructor during the 6 am class, but I was already awake. I sleep with a loud white noise machine, so it didn’t bother me. Chicago is noisy in plenty of places, but if you need quiet to sleep, you’ll wake up early and probably write a scathing review. If you sleep through anything or use a noise machine, this could be the best hotel you’ve stayed at. I’d absolutely recommend it to heavy sleepers who want a high-class workout facility with their hotel. One tip: the thermostat is confusing, and it took a long time for my room to heat or cool.

The cafe was fantastic. I’d eat there for breakfast every day if I could. I had a rough drive into Chicago because of a vehicle crash, and the hotel gave me a gift card for the trouble. I couldn’t have been more grateful for their hospitality.