We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn June 11-14th, 2009. This was our second stay at this location. The first stay was great as well and we really liked the great location just off Michigan Avenue. This hotel is also just off the EL redline, at the Grand Avenue stop. There are a lot of dining and drinking options within walking distance too.
Check in went very quickly, no lines. The room was clean and comfortable. Good beds, not too hard, not too soft, they had some sort of adjustable feature, but not like sleep number beds, it has a knob on the side, so I'm not sure how it really worked.
We were on the 17th floor and did not have much of a view but that was ok with us. We were not in the room much. The rooms are good sized for Chicago also. (Some hotel rooms can be small there.)
I recommend this hotel if you plan to use public transit. It is fast and easy to use in Chicago. We took the train to Wrigley Field for a baseball game on 2 days and also to the Sears Tower and Macy’s. We also visited the Frontera Fresco at Macy's (on State Street, 7th floor) and even saw Rick Bayless stop in to check on his quick service restaurant! That was unexpected! I've seen him at Frontera Grill and Topolobampo before at night, but I was shocked to see him here! We also dined at Shaw's Crab House, which was very good, though we ate in the Oyster Bar, not the main dining room, which is a bit louder atmosphere, but the same food. We also found a great mini golf course in Grant Park, which was very fun, called The Green at Grant Park. You can get a beer before, during or after you play mini golf. We enjoyed listening to the Blues Fest acts across the street while we golfed.
Overall, we had a great second stay at the Hilton Garden Inn in Chicago and I'd stay here again.