The following are paraphrased excerpts taken from an email I sent to the hotel after experiencing a terrible stay:
· the hotel was not able to provide adequate hot water for bathing during the morning.
· the bathtub spigot was not even attached to the wall.
· the shower diverter valve channeled only some of the water to the shower head.
· the bathtub did not drain properly resulting in showers taken in standing water.
· soundproofing between adjoining bathrooms was poor. People in adjoining bathroom were audible in both actions and words.
· bureau drawer space was totally inadequate because of the installation of a mini-bar in a guest clothing storage space.
· Riverside Cafe staff inadequate to handle breakfast surge. Waiters and bus-boys harried, inattentive, and unavailable.
· elevators usually had one form of trash or another on the floor.
· Java Bar Starbucks coffee station was second rate, an inadequate afterthought.
· unable/unwilling to switch my booking credit card for one which I would have preferre to use at check-in:
· charging for toll-free calls just smacks of money-grubbing, as do the exorbitant local call charges.
· ditto for the shameful wi-fi charges.
· blatant, in-your-face, peddling of $4.50 bottled water used up most of the space on the tiny guest table.
On the positive side we did find your staff, for the most part, pleasant : we were well served by your housekeeping staff. We did enjoy the very comfortable bedding and the champagne acknowledging our anniversary. However, these minimal positive items are normally expected from a four star hotel and they did not serve to offset the negative issues. What a disappointment!!

My daughter and I stayed at the Shraton Chicago Hotel and Towers for two nights - our room had a great view of the Navy Pier, was clean and comfortable but the decor is a bit outdated and in need of some upgrading.

I found the staff to be very welcoming and helful. The location of the hotel is great for downtown and going to the museums in the city. Also if you would like to catching a movie in the evening the AMC Theatre is across the street

I think the bathrooms are a bit on the small side.

We got a good deal on our room and I would definately book it again through priceline.

I would stay away from room service as it is very expensive and the food quality is just okay.

We also found the Obel & Fox market and cafe which was mentioned in a previous post. I highly recommend this place for snacks, lunch or dinner. My daughter is a student in the city and I'm sure she will be frequenting this place for special treats.

I stayed at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers for 2 nights (April
18 and 19) for a conference. I'll start off with what I liked about the hotel:

The lobby and first floor of the hotel was very nice. Very spacious and fancy looking. There were always taxis waiting outside if you need to go anywhere. The location for this hotel is excellent - right
on the river, and only a block or two from Michigan Avenue. It is also only a short walk (maybe 10 minutes) to the nearest train station, so if the weather is nice there's no need for a taxi. There is a grocery store only a block or two away, along with many wonderful restaurants. My room was on the 14th floor, and we had a great view of the river, Michigan Avenue, and the many buildings (including the new Trump building). From the window near the elevators, I could see Navy Pier. The beds were very comfortable, and there was a nice flat screen tv in the room. I would probably say
that in general, the rooms were not much nicer than other rooms I've had at 3 star hotels...they weren't bad rooms, just average, nothing really amazing to set them apart. But the view was incredible We also
received a complimentary USA today outside our door every morning. Common areas of the hotel (mostly the first floor/lobby) do have free
wireless internet. The concierge at the front desk was very helpful in finding places to eat.

Now for things I didn't like as much:
it seemed like the hotel nickel and dimed you for every little thing.
There is wired internet access in the rooms, but you have to pay for it. There is a gym/workout facility, but you have to pay for it. There is parking across the street, but it costs $29-$39 per night (but what can you expect, you're downtown, so parking is going to be expensive...I didn't have a car though, so it didn't matter to me). There is a well stocked mini-bar under the tv, but it didn't seem to close properly, most of the things in it weren't too cold, and of course the prices were outrageous. We just walked across the street to the grocery store, picked up some beverages and breakfast/snack food, and saved ourselves a ton of money (I think breakfast at the hotel is about $12-$15 per person?...not sure, didn't eat in the hotel at all). Our room had an adjoining door to the room next door, and the door was not very sound-proof. While trying to sleep on our second night, we were kept up to the sounds of our neighbor watching adult movies on his television at a very high volume.

Overall, the hotel is very nice, in a great location, and I had a wonderful stay with no major complaints. I would definitely stay at this hotel again, but I will go in knowing that I am paying for the location and convenience, not for all the amenities.

I went out to Chicago April 20-23 for a conference at an area university and was able to snag a good university rate because of it.

I was hesistant about booking the Sheraton - we've had poor experiences in other Sheraton properties around the country so for me this was like "3 Strikes and They're Out" but I am sooooo glad we did!

The hotel was really nice - vibrant and alive. Not very stuffy even though there was a conference going on from Saturday-Sunday.

The people at the front desk were warm and helpful - went through all of our upgrade possibilities with us, etc. The room itself was great - spotlessly clean which is THE first thing I check for. The first room we were in had a problem with the internet connection so we were promptly relocated. (They do charge 11.95 for the net in room but there is free wireless in the public areas).

My mother and I had drinks in their multiple bar areas and the staff was friendly and engaging. Definitely try the gourmet burger place downstairs - 36 bucks for 2 burgers fries and beers but it's a hotel. The good thing is that the burger cafe is right on the river so it's a nice place to relax!

I had to use the business center to do some early morning printouts - the rates are reasonable .20/page and the hours are great - open til 10pm on weeknights and open at 7am on Saturdays.

The hotel is very close to Michigan Ave, Navy Pier, legendary deep dish pizza spots and for all else there's taxis right outside the front door. Without a doubt, I will stay here again!