I should note that the date of the reservation and subsequent stay was in December, so some of the details may be a bit blurry, but much of the memory is still there.

We arrived a bit before checkin, but the early check in was not a problem for the desk clerk. She quickly found the reservation and sent us up to our room, which was on the 22nd floor as I recall. When I called in the reservation, I remember talking with an operator who tried to talk me out of getting the room with a view; she said that just about all of the rooms have a wonderful view and that it probably wouldn't be necessary to pay extra for that feature. Somehow, though, I read "room with a view" to be "corner room". Needless to say, I was sorely disappointed it was not. Don't get me wrong, the view was still great (see the photo with this review), but I don't think it was anything for which I needed to pay extra.

The room was clean and seemed a bit roomier than most hotel rooms in which I am accustomed to staying. Housekeeping did a great job every day. Everything looked great. It is a standard hotel room; I mean it's clean, had a great view, and you're in Chicago, so how much time will you actually be spending in your room?

Pool seemed a bit cool, as others have noted. It also was a bit too crowded for my liking, so I didn't get to enjoy it too much. Again, as others noted, the food prices looked quite a bit too high to justify eating in the hotel, but again, you're going to be in Chicago. Get outside of the hotel. Do go to the bar at least once during your stay; the view is absolutely magnificent. I could justify drink prices that were a bit higher for that view--right at the fork of the Chicago River.

The open air courtyard was nice. It was relaxing and the open feel was nice to see when leaving the room. I was quite tempted to get some of those little plastic soldiers with parachutes and drop a bunch of them to see them fall down to the courtyard, but thankfully, was talked out of it.

The hotel is accessible via enclosed walkways all the way from the brown line station (Merchandise Mart). Some previous reviews I read noted that the walkway wasn't open on the weekends. I didn't find that to be the case, but it seemed as though there was a special event going on that weekend, so I'm not sure if that was a fluke or a new rule.

Finally, I gave 5/5 for value. Since the stay I'm reviewing in Dec. 2008, it appears as though the hotel has raised it rates and substantially. If I'd paid the current amount for the room, I'd probably give it a 4/5 for value. The location is right near the heart of Chicago, yet far enough away that you're not awakened by sirens and/or traffic and/or trains. You'd be hard pressed to find a better location in Chicago.

We were very happy with our stay. There are significant renovations going on, but they appear to be nearing completion and they were limited to the lobby area and did not interfere with our stay in any way. The location is awesome, linked to Merchandise Mart (by an enclosed bridge) where there is a stop on the brown line subway. Lots of restaurant options within walking distance or by train. We did not swim in the pool but it was very pretty. The view from the room was very nice with city lights. However, we stayed on the west side of the buliding facing away from the lake and city, and I think the view would be even better from the east side. The truly amazing thing about this place is the value. The public rate on the room was pretty reasonable for being in the city. The amazing thing is the AAA discount which was over 40%. I am already a AAA member, but even if I was not, I would have saved over $100 on our three night stay even after incurring the cost of joining AAA. The only negative thing I can say is that the room was decorated a bit on the plain side, but it was spotless and perfectly acceptable. There is parking, but it was expensive as it is with most hotels in the city.

I booked my stay here over the phone. I had stayed here before, and it was great. Not this time, though. The lobby is in shambles. The ceiling is gone, wires hanging down, the fumes of fresh paint, "Beware of dust" signs plastered all over the lobby. Horrible stuff. I got to the front counter, and asked what the deal was, and accomplished nothing. I just kept finding myself asking why it was not possible to tell me that they were undergoing absolute and complete renovation over the phone while I was booking my stay. The room was no better. Green paint, a 1976ish theme, and just a general plainness. I also couldn't get any internet, which is a huge problem for me. The only redeeming quality was a fairly good view of chicago, and a canal just below my window.

Based on its amazing views of the river and downtown, I selected the Holiday Inn for a four night business trip. The first night's rate was very reasonable, but nights #2-4 were nearly double. Other comments about the difficulty in finding the hotel are well founded; the signage is inadequate. Exiting the elevator on the 15th floor, where the hotel begins, one is met with NO signs or personnel, just some construction work in progress. Turning the corner, though, and you can find your own way to the reception. At that point you realise that the HI signature dining room beneath the atrium is not there, or at least it isn't finished, so meals are served in two other locations. The bar overlooking the city is very pleasant, though you should check carefully what you order, and not assume you'll be given a promotion/cut-price drink unless you explicitly ask for it. The rooms are adequate in terms of amenities, and the exercise room/indoor pool really quite nice. But the major drawbacks are - apart from the dining issues - the constant rumble/occasional roar from the trains etc. below the hotel, and the workers who began their hammering at 6:50 am. To make the most of its location, the hotel needs a signifcant upgrade on its double/triple glazing, and either it should close while construction is underway, or it should warn the guests and require its building workers to hold off until, say, 8 am. Personally, I was disappointed, and I checked out by 8:30 am, finding another Chicago hotel for the same price that was drastically better on every level except the absence of a pool. By the way, don't use the internet facility in the rooms - they have obsolete software, and many major sites (including, ironically, orbitz.com) can't be accessed. When I complained about this, I was refunded the cost, but other than that there was only a half-hearted apology from the front desk. I expect they're weary about the current situation too, but when you have the choices Chicago can offer, this is a recipe for customer disenchantment and longterm disaffection.