Super 8 by Wyndham Chicago O'Hare Airport

My expectations were basic for a budget hotel: a clean enough room, a hot shower, and baseline customer service. I didn't expect a Marriott, but this stay was exceptionally not great. The room was clean enough when we arrived, especially the bed and shower, so it gets one star for that. The rest of the night got off to a bad start when the shuttle took 50 minutes to reach the airport, despite assurances to my best friend and me that it was on its way. No one explained the delay. When we asked for an update, we were told to “wait five more minutes,” and it arrived 15 minutes after that. It made for a much longer night. One night in, around 3 AM, the sink started leaking underneath. I called the front desk, and the person on duty asked if they could come look, so we said yes. We waited at least 20-30 minutes. He glanced at it, said maintenance would have to deal with it, and tried to leave without apologizing or explaining when maintenance might come or whether we'd need to be awake. We had to call after him. His response was, “I don't know when maintenance comes in, I'm just a driver.” We put a trash can under the counter to catch the water and turned off the valve ourselves. The next evening, a larger trash can had been placed beneath the sink, but now the faucet was leaking slowly onto the counter. We're still airing out things that got soaked there. No one told us what the “fix” was or offered to move us. On another night, our upstairs neighbors sounded like a herd of pissed-off elephants running around for about two hours near midnight. We could hear them clearly even through earplugs. My best friend called the front desk and got a brisk “I'll call them,” then they hung up on her. The noise didn't stop, and the neighbors didn't even pause to answer the supposed call. I know staff can only do so much when guests are disruptive, but the lack of concern was disheartening. I guess you get what you pay for, though I'm surprised this place has the reviews it does given the exceptionally lackluster service. I learned my lesson and will spend a bit more on another hotel if I make it back to the Chicago area.

The beds were okay and clean enough, but overall this wasn't good. The area felt desolate, with nowhere to eat or get drinks, and there was no working drinking water on site. I had to buy bottled water for $5 each. The hotel wasn't nearly as close or convenient as advertised, and the shuttle barely ran at the times we needed, so pickup took forever. Staff seemed indifferent when we asked for a shuttle, blanket, or towels. They also made strange comments about gender roles to my kid that made him uncomfortable.

The hotel has seen better days, but I'm sure they'll update it as they get the time and resources. What makes it a solid choice is the friendly staff, who treat you like a person. The shuttle driver is great and really accommodating, and the front desk staff are helpful and cool. There's a bus stop a couple of minutes away that connects to the Rosemont train station, opening up all of Chicagoland. A nice restaurant and bar on the corner has decent prices, great food, and a good vibe. I'd definitely stay again, whether for a quick flight layover or as a base for exploring Chicago.

I’m picky about hotels, and mid-range budget places can be pretty hit or miss. For the price, this is one of the best Super 8s I've stayed at. The rooms are very clean and feel modern, and the service was exceptional. I just wish there were more food options or stores nearby. It was better than I expected.