Courtyard by Marriott Chicago Highland Park/Northbrook

We reserved a suite through a group rate, but were assigned a double queen without being told. When we went to the desk to ask for the suite we’d booked, the man there insisted we were wrong and had a very “I’m right, you’re wrong” attitude. We were also told breakfast would be included, as it had been in past years, but no breakfast was provided. Keeping commitments is a huge problem here, and the service was simply bad. The hotel has some nice facilities, though breakfast offerings can vary by brand.

Watch your bill. About a week after our family’s wedding stay, several of us who had booked outside the room block were charged $6.50 for bottled water left on the desks. There was a little sign saying it cost $6.50, and we all left the water there. I keep a close eye on my bills, noticed the charge, and checked with the others who booked separately. They’d seen it too. The people who called got refunds, with the hotel saying it was an oversight and apologizing. My card had expired, though, and they said they couldn’t refund it. I pointed out that Amazon can refund an expired card because it has the same number, but they kept saying they couldn’t. That meant I had to involve my credit card company over this, which was ridiculous. $6.50 is two gallons of milk for me. It takes time to notice and sort out an overcharge a week later, and I can’t imagine what they’d pocket if they did this to every room. It seems like it should be illegal.

The food was delicious, especially the Margherita flatbread and chicken quesadilla, and we had a couple of drinks too. My cousin and I stopped by the Bistro for a bite, and Linda greeted us with real warmth and helpfulness. Amber looked after us there and was phenomenal, upbeat, attentive, and genuinely kind. A wonderful visit!

I slept really well thanks to the comfortable bed and the fan they provided when I requested one. The room stayed cool, and I was glad they kept the bathtub during the renovation, since most hotels seem to have switched to showers only. The renovation was well done, and the hotel does have an elevator despite what some Google reviews say. The courtyard is nice too. We played cornhole one night and sat by the fire the next. Both night-time bar staff were great to work with.