Overall, this was a good hotel and a good location. I include the word "overall" because we did have a couple of issues. This is a great hotel for families with kids or for business travel but do not expect "luxury hotel" services. We love the Marriott line and stay at Marriotts more than any other hotel but we do usually stay at "regular" Marriotts or JW Marriotts so if that is what you're used to just be aware that there is a noticeable difference in the level of service. We booked a 2-bedroom suite for 5 nights for a family of 4.....mom, dad, 2 teenaged boys. I would stay here again when we are traveling with the boys. If it were just for us, I have other favorites in Chicago.
THINGS WE LIKED:
The location is good. Easy access to the "L" which we did use. Central location if you're shopping, site seeing or there on business.
The rooms are spacious and nicely appointed. Good decor and the pictures shown online are accurate.
Free breakfast in the morning
Bathroom....always like to have a sink area that is separate from the toilet and shower and these rooms do have that
Good laundry facility -- 8 or 10 front loading washers and dryers that do a good job for $1.00 per wash and $1.00 per dry
Good fitness center
Free wireless in the rooms that worked well
Nice new flat screen tv's in the living area and bedroom
Loved having the full kitchen
Our rooms had a desk and a kitchen table so there was great workspace
Friendly / helpful staff
THINGS WE DIDN'T LIKE:
location....a huge hotel is being built directly south of the Residence Inn. If you end up on that side of the building, you do not have a cityscape view at all -- the windows are dusty and the view is construction and, if you're high enough, roof tops. Our original 2 bedroom suite had this view and I asked to be moved. The front desk manager was MORE than accommodating
The "living room" furniture looks good but our layout was horrible for watching TV....the chair is comfortable but the "couch" is really not good for sitting on.....although it works well as a sleeper
No mirrors in the living area.....always like to have that in case we are all getting ready at the same time
No room service -- but we knew that going into it and stocked our kitchen. They also do have some snacks/beverages for sale near the front desk
This is a new hotel and the some of the staff is new to hotel work and it shows. I had dealings with 2 different front desk managers -- both named Katie -- who were fabulous but when I checked in the person at the desk couldn't answer what seemed to be basic questions about the hotel/location, the valets never asked if we needed a cab (but cabs were readily available)
The card-keys were a serious problem for us. We went through probably 10 keys....I know, I brought them all home because they say now that you need to destroy them yourself to protect your credit card info.....we were diligent about keeping them away from cell phones, etc but they kept de-magnetizing or something and we had to replace them which meant heading back down the elevator to the front desk.
No pay per view movies or video games. If you bring your own video game system you can hook it up to the tv
TIPS:
If you want a good view while the adjacent construction is going on, request a room that has windows other than on the south side
When we switched rooms the manager showed me some rooms on the Springhill Suites side of the hotel. They have corner king rooms that face north/east and you actually get a glimpse of the river and the lake. The view was great but I liked the decor of the Residence Inn better......the Springhill Suites is very "retro" but I'm of the age group that already lived with that furniture once in my life so to me it just looks old :-)
Parking is $41 day if you valet park but there is a surface lot directly west of the building that is less than $20
