Oh my, I was so disappointed with my recent trip to Chicago. My sister, daughter and I had tickets to the Oprah Show. I made reservations for us to have a suite at the Hilton Garden Inn, Chicago Downtown/Magnificent Mile. I prepaid the reservation, as I wanted to guarantee that we would have our suite. We live in Cincinnati, and instead of flying, we decided to make the five hour trip by driving. I wanted to have a suite so we could have a better place to unwind. We arrived at the hotel, and I gave the valet our car, and he parked it. We went inside to check in. We were greeted promptly, and given our room keys. Off we went to see our little suite! Imagine my surprise when we opened the door to the suite, and we walked into a tiny room with two queen beds, which consumed the room. I immediately called the front desk to tell them a mistake had been made. A bad sign - it took me about five minutes to speak to someone at the front desk. The gentleman at the front desk, John, told me that I didn't have a suite reservation. I then told him I had written confirmation, and that I had prepaid - which the check-in person had already noted that I had prepaid my room. "John" said that the room that I was in was just as good as a suite, and I should be happy there. WHAT???? I told him I was not happy, as we had three adults, and I had advised that three adults were staying there in my online reservation request, and then I learned the truth. All of the suites were taken. I told John that I wanted him to find me another suite in another hotel. John said o.k., and about ten minutes later, I called back downstairs, and he told me that he had miraculously been able to get a room at the Embassy Suites, and we were so lucky!!! So, the three of us head downstairs to be taken to the Embassy Suites. This jerk is at the front desk when we go downstairs, and he is trying to ignore us. The young man who checked us in asked us, "Is there a problem with your room?" And I told him, "Yes, we don't have a room, as my suite has evidently been given away, even though I prepaid for the suite." That young man was apologetic, and he asked who we had spoken to. Then the rude guy, John, comes over, and says, "Go over to the Embassy Suites, turn right, and it is about a block down." Did I mention it was pouring rain???? So we walk through the rain, and go check in at the Embassy Suites. They request a credit card, so I give them my Amex, which they promptly charge the "suite."
The next day when we check out, we have to traipse back over to the Hilton from the Embassy, with our luggage in tow, to re-claim our car from valet parking. Nice, huh? I have to go back inside the Hilton so that they can do a separate charge for the valet parking, but I can't seem to get anyone to issue me a credit for the suite that I had prepaid for.
I called the Hilton tonight, and I talked to someone who told me to leave a vm for the manager. I have now left her a vm, and I am awaiting a phone call to see what remedy is available for me. I am so disgusted by this hotel's treatment of their guests. Unbelievable!
We did eat at two terrific restaurants, and I will review them separately. They were Weber's Grill and Shaw's Restaurant/Seafood. Yummy!
