I stayed here with my son on the weekend of May 16th. Check-in was quick and very pleasant.My room was on the 6th floor,cityview. Both of our rooms were identical. The entryway to the room was spacious.
The room had a large (50"?)flatscreen TV, desk with comfortable leather chair, easy chair with ottoman and a dresser with 3 drawers for storage. For the life of me, I cannot understand why this hotel does not have wifi, just old fashioned wire hookup.There was a good sized closet equipped with a large Conrad shopping bag to carry home your souvenirs. The closet was also eqipped with slippers, cloth laundry bags and an umbrella for use during inclement weather. Because of the hotels proximity to a firehouse, the area can be loud at times I never did hear anything from other rooms or hallways the 2 nights I stayed and there was a convention in town, so I was quite impressed with the quietness.
The bathroom was "Kohler" branded with luxurious marble countertops and floors, a tub, and glass enclosed shower. Toiletries were Italian, but also included Q-tips, flossing sticks, mouthwash and a toothbrush with a very small tube of Colgate toothpaste included. The toilet was seperated by a door from the bathroom. The towels were very thin and worn as mentioned by others.
The hotel had a bar with around 12 barstools and tables and easy chairs to accomodate another 28-30 patrons. There were more tables and easy chairs in the area surrounding the lounge entrance. The bartender and his assistant were very good at their jobs and pleasant to boot.
I only used the restaurant for breakfast. I was given vouchers for a free Continental breakfast. The vouchers were worth $14.00 and could be used as credit for any item on the menu. I opted for the American breakfast which consisted of eggs, potatoes, a meat item, toast, juice and coffee or tea. The price was $19.00. The portions were on the small side and I would have definitely opted for another restaurant if I didn't have the vouchers. Onlike some other comments about the staff, I was very happy with the service I received from my waiter and waitress.
The hotel itself is in a great area for shopping, and a 20 minute walk to the waterfront. It is also a 5 minute walk to the C.T.A. Redline, which is great for traveling to the friendly confines of Wrigley Field or connecting to other train lines.
My ride coming into the city from ORD on Friday evening was about a 35 minute ride and $45.00 +tip. On Sunday morning, the ride took about 25 minutes and cost me $36.00 + tip.
Having Diamond status in the Hilton Honors program, the only thing I was slightly disappointed about was the lack of an executive lounge. But I knew this going in. Overall, the hotel was everything I expected.
Because of the lack of an executive lounge, I will probably try the Drake Hotel the next time I am in Chicago.