We travel to Chicago frequently for leisure and I've been many times for business. I've stayed at several hotels downtown and this is where we consistently choose to stay when we are there for fun. It certainly helps if you stay enough nights at a Marriott in a year to earn "status" but we've always been treated appropriately and efficiently at this hotel.

As Marriott's go, it is pretty consistent. The rooms are larger than many you'll get in Chicago and the price is typically on the lower end of the decent hotels. They recently updated the lobby bar to something much more trendy and approachable than what they had. We did not go - but it looked neat enough.

If you are looking for boutique hotel or high end treatment, this is probably not the right place for you. If you want a decent size room, consistent and friendly service and not a ton of frills - this place is highly recommended.

Parking is not cheap - but that shouldn't be a mystery and it is posted all over their website and at the hotel. Internet is also a charge - unfortunately something that nearly all of the "nice" hotels continue to do. Room service is also not a cheap meal - but this is also something that shouldn't be a surprise. There is anywhere from 5 star dining to fast food within about 15 feet of the door, so that shouldn't be an issue.

Location isn't bad for Michigan avenue provided you aren't going during one of the 5 months of winter. It is a quick walk along the river and there you are. The river is a neat walk anyways. It is very convenient for the theater district with most within 6 or 7 blocks. You are closer to the museum campus than most of the Michigan ave hotels, but it is still probably a cab ride on most days of 4-8 dollars.

Overall, very solid stay. I've never had a bad experience there and put it a couple notches ahead of the other hotels I've stayed at for price/value. This includes Trump, Westin, Blackstone, Hilton, Marriott and Res. Inn downtown.

In a word, the Renaissance front desk staff is outstanding. They are unfailingly polite, helpful, cheerful, and go above & beyond to assist. The location is superb, being convenient to both the Loop, Mag Mile, and all buses and trains. There is no sight more beautiful than the view of the river from one of the river view rooms. The view alone is worth the price of the stay, even at the outrageous convention period prices. The bedding and basic comfort is satisfactory. Rooms are very quiet, although you can hear the most obnoxious conventioneers talking loudly to each other as they return to their rooms in the wee hours. Internet is $15/day per computer.
There are some negatives, none of which are any fault of the staff, but rather the fault of the people responsible for the interior design and maintenance/renewal of the structure itself. The operation of the heating/AC system in our room was unreliable. And an icy cold draft at the window ledge prevented sitting there in the evening to enjoy the view (without a blanket!) The water temperature in the shower is erratic, constantly going from hot to cold to hot to cold, so that you really have to shower with one hand close to the faucet for immediate adjustments. One colleague had very inadequate water pressure in their shower, but got moved to a room with better facilities. There was almost no storage for clothes and misc items. You get a closet and two nightstand drawers, that's it. There's no dresser or any other storage except two tiny drawers in the minibar. On the plus side, there is a decent-sized room safe, although the metal edges are so sharp and rough you have to be really careful if you store a wide laptop in it, to avoid damage. One note of warning: the hotel restaurant is a dismal disappointment if you like your food properly prepared and served. The Starbucks in the lobby is great, and if you like Chinese dumplings, the Wow Bao in the lower level is extremely affordable ($1.39 per dumpling, two are sufficient for lunch) if you want a quick bite. Oh, and I should mention that while our room was exceptionally clean and well-kept, another colleague's room had dust on every surface. Maybe a room that has been empty awhile should be rechecked before allowing the next guest in. In closing, I would not hesitate to stay at the Renaissance again if a river view room was available, because the staff is also so wonderful, but given the lack of storage space and annoying shower, you really have to consider places like the Sofitel where your room will have not only more conveniences but also many little luxuries and trouble-free showering.

We had a wonderful stay at the Renaissance Hotel. It's close to the subway, so it's a breeze to get from airport to hotel. We were upgraded to a suite overlooking the Chicago River - what a delightful way to spend some time in Chicago. We spent every morning and evening just sitting and looking out over the traffic on the streets, sidewalks, and river. Service at this hotel is wonderful, rooms are comfortable, location simply cannot be beat. A great place, in every single way.

What a good experience we had with the Renaissance. We booked on priceline for a really reasonable price. Was so excited to find out we would be staying in downtown at a four star hotel for less than $100.00. We went to the U2 concert at the stadium (amazing!). It was a bit of a walk, but we are young and loved exploring the city. We would absolutely return and recommend.