Holiday Inns can kind of be a crap shoot, but this one was much better than your typical Holiday Inn. My room had a nice view and was large, with a comfortable bed. Earlier reviewers found it difficult to find....but I had no problem (the lobby is on the 15th floor, but there is a doorman on the 1st floor who directs you to the elevator). The business center was closed when I was there, but they let me use a computer & printer in the office.

Second stay here, this time two nights, enjoying the flat screen television, cozy duvets on the beds and the four pillows to luxuriate in. The lure of Earth Hour brought us back this particular weekend. The renovation is almost complete and the lobby area looks fabulous. Unfortunately, the new restaurant was opening the day after my stay, but we enjoyed the great breakfast via room service one morning and the temporary location the next. Just as in my previous review, the restaurant staff is amazing. Everyone is so pleasant, helpful and genuinely happy to be working in their hotel.

Dined in Cityscape Friday night and fell completely in love with Tony Miu's Zentini, a wicked combination of Skyy Citrus, Zen Green Tea Liqueur and lime juice, followed by an equally wicked Grand Pandaro Cheese Pasta, all while watching the beautiful night skyline along the river.

Earlier in the day we had watched the Chicago Police boats going back and forth past Wolf Point and the river tour boats have already started service. Wish it had been warmer so we could have enjoyed some outdoor activity too.

This trip we got to the gym and were very impressed with the equipment available. Everything was spotlessly clean to begin with and there were wipes and sprays available to clean the equipment before and after use, which gives great peace of mind. There's stacks of fresh clean towels and a convenient spot to drop the soiled towels, so everything stays invitingly clean, unlike many gyms.There is also a very nice sauna in the same area, but we hadn't thought to bring swimwear this trip, so no pool - no sauna. Next time for certain!

Cityscape was a verrrry popular spot for Earth Hour so alas, we thought we'd have a better view from our room. We settled in front of the expanse of windows and watched as the lights went off in many downtown landmarks. It was gratifying to see how many people became involved in the energy saving movement, including, of course, the hotel who even doused the parking lot lighting.

Once again, a completely enjoyable stay.

I have stayed at this hotel three other times and each time we had a view that was absolutely unbelievable! On these other trips, we were never told that there was an additional charge for a room that faced OUTSIDE. But, this time, that was the case. So, we were in room 1855, which looked out at a WALL. It didn't seem like the hotel was very full so I don't understand putting guests in rooms with awful views - the staff should be showcasing the marvelous views, which are an important feature of the hotel.

The room was ample and the bedding was nice. Housekeeping did a fantastic job and when we returned in the evening, the room looked as good as the first day we moved in. But - one day housekeeping didn't come at all. When I mentioned this to the manager, he was indifferent.

The front desk staff is a little unfriendly and robotic as compared to other hotels in which I have stayed.

All in all, had we not had to look at a wall, I would have been much happier about our stay.

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.