So, not sure if they've completely renovated or not -- but a lot of the bad reviews are not warranted! At the very least, we had a completely positive experience at the Congress!

It's central location and the El is very close, so its easy to get everywhere! The room was huge -- gorgeous high ceilings, clean carpets, new furniture, extremely comfy beds. The only thing that I'd want is a littttle more hot water and extra towels b/c I like big towels and a lot of them.

Like I said, it is close to the El so depending on where your room is situated, you might hear the rumbling of trains (they aren't frequent) but the sound from this was negligible. Note that me and my roomie are also New Yorkers, so sounds don't bother us like they might bother people who aren't used to hearing trains/sirens/etc at night.

Overall, definitely would come back here again!

Average all of the reviews, and you have things about right. My bet is that some rooms are really good...others not so. We just returned from a weekend in Chicago to see the sights. Bought the Go Chicago card, and used the Grey Line hop on - hop off to get around. We had a standard king room in the south tower on the 13th floor, and observations are as follows:

The Good:

Price - good for downtown from what we could see..it seems downtown Chicago is very expensive..
Location - Excellent, 5 minutes from the art institute, 15 - 20 min walk from planetarium and aquarium, right across the road from Grant Park, near the Grey Line stop, and a pretty easy walk to anywhere in the Loop, with good restaurants close by. Lots to do, so we were'nt in our room very much.

The room and linens were clean, the breakfast downstairs was good, and the staff where friendly and the bed was great.

The 'Could be better"

This place is really OLD. They where doing renovations constantly while we were there, and I get the feeling that they try to do what they can on a budget without gutting the whole place. Someone described the hotel as 'quirky'. I would add 'utilitarian'. If you want a luxury hotel experience, this is not the place to be.spend an extra 100.00 per night. and go somewhere else. If you want a place to sleep at a reasonable price for downtown, it's OK. Be prepared for noisy bathroom fans, doors that might squeek or stick a bit...outdated curtains , wallpaper and decor. The place also has some hidden charm...old marble staircases, old style elevators, etc.

Would I recommend it? If you are on a budget, only need a place to sleep, and plan to be outside most of the time...then yeah.

My husband and I stayed here one night and that was too long. We picked this hotel because of its location and reasonable price for downtown Chicago. First of all, the picketers out front were severely annoying. They don't move at all for guests trying to check in. They seriously need to give it up after protesting for years from what I heard, learn how to speak English, and look for housekeeping jobs elsewhere. The Lakeview King smoking room we reserved reeked of chemical air freshener the entire time, even after opening both sets of windows. Granted, it was a smoking room, and my husband smokes, but hell, I'd much rather smell cigarettes than overpowering chemical air freshener fumes. Come to find out, the chemical air freshener was immersed within the room's heating unit, so there was no way to eliminate it. That smell made both of us physically ill. I suppose we could've requested a different room, but I'm sure they have that stench in all the smoking rooms. The final straw was when my husband woke up at 6:00am, gagging, then vomiting due to that hideous smell. We couldn't take any more of it, so we checked out around 6:30am. Never again will we stay here, even if offered a free stay.

What a splendid way to experience Chicago for the first time! My mother and I recently stayed at the Congress Plaza Hotel on my first trip to Chicago and we fell in love with the hotel right away. The staff were friendly, helpful and professional at all times. The hotel decor and architecture hearken back to an age of polish and class. From the beautiful lobby to the gleaming marble floors and staircase, I was very pleased. We shared a room with 2 kingsize beds on the 12th floor. The view from our room was superb. The beds were comfy and clean, as was the entire room.
As for location, the Congress Plaza cannot be beat. Situated in The Loop on Michigan Avenue, you are literally within 1 or 2 blocks from: Lake Michigan, the El Train depot, the Art Institute of Chicago, CVS Pharmacy, Buddy Guy's Legends Blues Club and great food. (Hint: Go to the CVS on State St. to purchase a 3-day EL Train pass.)
I am definitely coming back to Chicago and my room will be at the Congress Plaza Hotel.