DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Chicago Wood Dale - Elk Grove

I was told the housekeeping request was fine when I asked for the room to be cleaned around noon, and that it should be ready when I got back. At 10 PM, nothing had been cleaned. There was also a second charge when I checked in. An associate asked me to return the next day to speak with a manager, which I did. I showed the manager the $800 transaction on my card and raised my concerns, but she didn’t acknowledge them. She just said I’d been charged a $125 incidental fee. I didn’t see a point in continuing the conversation, so I left.

I’ve stayed here many times over the last 14 years, and I’d like to see the hotel get back to its potential. The location is great, the staff are always awesome, and they keep the place clean and maintained. Service is still good, but the rooms are showing their age: the furniture is worn or broken, and the interiors haven’t been refreshed in a while. There seem to be some exterior remodeling signs, and the courtyard is finally getting a long-overdue makeover. It’s a decent hotel that badly needs an update. I’ll update this review when the work is done.

Julia made a strong first impression. She greeted me before I could say anything, checked me in quickly, explained the amenities, and patiently answered all my questions, including whether I could have another cookie. She gave me one, too. There was a small technical glitch at arrival, but the staff handled it properly without adding any wait. Jessica walked me to my room and was a great host and conversationalist. It was my first night at this DoubleTree ORD Airport, and the warm welcome, cookies and all, was just the start. I travel around the country a lot and have stayed at plenty of hotels, but this one stood out from the moment I stepped inside. It’s conveniently near ORD, with several gas stations nearby. The lobby is open, with tables and chairs in different styles, heights, and spots. Julia also explained the restaurant hours and told me the bartender/server’s name in case I had menu questions. The restaurant has plenty of space between tables if you want privacy, large windows with different views, and lots of outlets near the tables. Useful if you’re working through dinner, or eating through work. The red cabernet was great, and dinner had lots of options at affordable prices. Ricardo served guests at the tables and bar very professionally. After dinner, you can take an evening walk around the parking lot and watch planes land. I’d stay here again when traveling through ORD and highly recommend it.

We were charged for three nights in a room we never used. My husband’s job set up a last-minute training and initially gave him two hotel choices to pick from, then made a reservation for the workers at the last minute. We tried to cancel and get our money back, but reaching the hotel was impossible. Every number we found led to a third-party company, and none let us talk to someone at the hotel. The number my husband did find tried to verify the booking with my phone number, even though my number was never on the reservation. I never received a call or text, and after three attempts it wouldn’t let him try again. It was incredibly frustrating. We’d bought insurance for cancellation and reimbursement, but it wasn’t refundable because the company didn’t consider our reason good enough. I’m judging this on the reservation experience, not a stay. I’m sure the hotel and rooms may have been great, but we never got to find out.