I cannot say enough great things about this place! Friend of mine, Rob, was traveling by train…read morefrom CA to FL when an unexpected storm hit and ALL of the trains were cancelled for 3 days! He was stuck Union Station with 0-degree temperatures and few resources at his disposable. After hous of looking, I was finally able to find a place where he could stay.... HI CHACAGO! I booked this place online and contacted the property. I spoke with Sharrod who was absolutely amazing assisting thru the process! He was super informative, kind, and professional. He explained everything and helped every step of the way. Sharrod is an absolute GEM And Hi Chicago is lucky to have him! The property itself was clean, well maintained and the room Rob stayed in was very nice! Pricing was probably the best you'll find at a place in Downtown Chicago. There is a community space on the second floor equipped with everything one needs while staying - from pots and pans to plates and everything in between! The location has multiple activities - ping pong, pool, tvs, board games, etc. FANTASTIC PROPERTY! And best of all, the greatest team! Thanks, Sharrod! Try this place, you won't regret it!

My stay ended up being split into two separate bookings, and interestingly, the two experiences…read morefelt completely different. Part 1: I spent my first two nights in a women's 4-bed dorm, and honestly, I was pleasantly surprised. The room was spotless, spacious, and much nicer than I had expected. While the bedroom was shared with three other people, the living room was shared with the neighboring dorm, so there were about eight people in total using the common space. Even so, it never felt crowded. The living room was huge, the couches were incredibly comfortable, and I actually found myself hanging out there quite a bit. The beds had privacy curtains, which I really appreciated, and since our room was on the corner, we had amazing views of Chicago from both the bedroom and the living area. If my entire stay had been like this, it would have easily been a 5/5. Part 2: I was originally supposed to move to another accommodation for the next two nights, but something went wrong with that booking. Thankfully, the hostel was able to accommodate me again, this time in a women's 8-bed dorm. What surprised me was how different this room was. It wasn't just because there were more people, it was a completely different setup. The room felt much more cramped, there were no privacy curtains, and the beds were noticeably less comfortable. My mattress was so dented that it made sleeping difficult. The biggest issue, though, was that I noticed a man sleeping in the bed next to mine, even though I had specifically booked and confirmed that it was a women's-only dorm. I went downstairs to ask the front desk what was going on, and they immediately realized it had been a mistake. They even laughed about how someone had accidentally checked a male guest into the women's dorm and said they would fix it right away. I completely understand that mistakes happen, and I appreciated that they acted quickly. What didn't sit well with me was how they handled the situation with the guest. Instead of apologizing for their mistake and politely asking him to move, they simply told him, "You need to leave right now." He looked shocked and embarrassed, and honestly, everyone in the room felt bad for him because it clearly wasn't his fault. That moment definitely put a damper on an otherwise enjoyable stay. Overall, I still really liked this hostel. The second-floor common area was fantastic--it was huge and had everything from book exchanges and board games to ping pong, a pool table, comfortable couches, and a giant TV where people were watching the FIFA matches. The shared kitchen was also one of the best I've seen in a hostel: spacious, well-equipped, and with beautiful views of the city. Despite the issues with my second room, I'd still stay here again and give this a 3.7/5 rating. I'd just try to book the 4-bed dorm if possible, because the experience between the two rooms was honestly night and day.

This was a great hostel until the manager overstepped. When someone runs a hotel or hostel, it is…read moretheir job to take the customers' money and move on. The reason I am not leaving such a stellar review is that the "manager" of the establishment overstepped their job title. I have stayed at this hostel for a few weeks now and I was attempting to book another night when i was told that was not a possibility because I am too "aggressive." For context, I am Black American and the manager is White American. If by aggressive they mean I'm a Black American Woman with a set of issues that most people couldn't even fathom, then suuuuuuure. I myself have managed multi-million, and a couple of times, multi-billion dollar, grossing companies. If I were so aggressive, I don't think I would have gotten 100+ employees to follow my lead. I had no problem with the manager up until this point, but it is not fair to a paying customer that spends most of their day outside of the hostel to be labeled as aggressive and then be told they cannot pay to have a roof over their head because people simply can't be adults. Grow up! The world is full of people you don't get along with. I'd also like to mention that I seriously injured myself in the bathroom because no matter what you do, the shower floor(s) always get wet and do not properly drain. I did in fact slip and fall while heading to the shower and seriously injured my back in the process . I brought this incident up to the manager, along with another guest that states the same thing; that the bathroom is dangerous. However, there has been no follow through to ensure this does not happen to guest in the future as the manager PROMISED. I'm young and can recuperate, but there are older guests at this hostel that might end up in the hospital if they took such a tumble. I only stayed at this location so long because of the convenience and what I thought was the reasonableness of the manager, but I have noticed that said manager gets a little bit too personal with guests which is a business red flag.

A good place for a cheap trip in Chicago that has a lot to offer for a hostel. It also seems pretty…read moresafe. Parthenon is a hostel so it's not a fancy place but it's also not a dump like others that have bad horror stories and things. Cheap rates and plenty of entertainment and transportation is close. The staff is very friendly and helpful. It has a very good location in Greektown. Lots to do and see around here. The CTA has a station a few blocks away on Halsted at UIC. A lot of places to drink and eat. This is a pretty busy area so there's bad and good things about that. It can get noisy. There's music and traffic. Maybe you'll have trouble sleeping. Take preventive measures if you have to. Bring earplugs. The good thing about this busy location is that it's safe. Cheap rates. It's about $30 a night or so. The rooms have a few bunk beds and you can get lockers as well. Bathrooms are shared but these seem clean. They also have a common area you can use to put food in. Bring soap or things like that because they don't have these for free. It does have things including towels you can purchase. The good thing is the price of the rooms is a very big money saver.

Loved the Biddle House, found this gem on Homeaway.com. We had 6 of us going to Chicago on a mini…read morevacation and to catch the Dodgers in town. We decided to rent a house for more room then a hotel. I'm glad we did, The Biddle House was perfect! Located in a cute tree lined neighborhood, walking distance from the Brown Line that takes you to downtown in minutes and just 2 stops away from another station where you can transfer to other lines. The Biddle House is walking distance to many restaurants, shops, Lincoln Park, Chicago History Museum and the lakefront etc. We walked to a local shop to buy groceries to make breakfast for the week since pots, pans etc was provided. We got to feel as if we lived in a Chicago neighborhood. We did however kept wondering why people always stopped in front on the house, especially when a group of tourists came and starred at us while we ate breakfast (we had blinds open), it turns out The Biddle House is a historic house owned by Joseph O'Connell a telephone pioneer. We then appreciated the house more and didn't mind the other tourists since we were tourists ourselves. There are 2 units available at the Biddle House. We stayed on the 1st floor which had two bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen, dining room and living room with a pull out couch. We loved the AC units and fans thorough out the place, the beds were squeaky but after coming back so tired, once we fell asleep, it didn't matter. We loved that we were able to do our laundry down the basement but wished there were clean ones provided if we needed more instead of washing our own. Overall, I loved it, would stay and recommend others to experience it!

My family stayed on the top floor for 6 nights. The unit was cozy and comfortable. Both queen beds…read morewere quite comfortable, ceiling fans were great to have. Functional kitchen with everything you can think of. Air conditioning unit was a bit loud. Bathroom was fine, it could use a new TOTO toilet with a soft close seat!! Tree lined street, very good location, Two blocks to Old Town main street.

We had the absolute best time touring Chicago neighborhoods! And our stay at Wicker Park Inn was…read morethe perfect place to lay our heads! Loved the friendly staff, great location, you could walk to many great spots and easily jump on the train! The breakfast every morning was an added perk and loved that it was homemade and healthy!

Absolutely lovely place to stay - perfect location and really awesome hosts. We stayed in the…read moregarden apartment/room (it's actually the basement apartment in the Wicker Inn's owner's townhouse.). It's a huge space with a very comfy bed. Full kitchen and a dining area, large living room/work space. Totally great experience and would go again

The Kinzie Hotel was perfect for my friends and me. The staff are welcoming and very helpful-…read morealways greeting us when we came in. The location is amazing, it is a short walk away from everything you need from restaurants, bars, and different stores. We got lucky and were right across the breakfast hall that has a microwave you can use 24/7. Lastly, the gym is clean and diverse, but more importantly, it has cold water and the vending machine full of energy drinks. Which are much needed when you're walking around Chicago! I will be back, Kinzie Hotel!

Centrally located for our Chicago adventure. They have a light breakfast and happy hour offering…read more Friendly service and rooms are comfortable. Please come and create your own adventure.

Halfway through the stay - things may change but, given many negative reviews, I thought I'd offer…read moremy initial take. It's in a cool neighborhood with great food and right next to the blue line. The price is great. Place is older but they are trying and there aren't any real problems. Walls are thin, heat doesn't always make it to the end of the line but it's very safe, very comfortable, clean. It's nicer than, say, most Airbnb's I've stayed at. Not as nice as a hotel but I'm happy with it and don't see the problems some people posted about. It's a specific place for a specific purpose and I'd recommend it for that. I wouldn't recommend it as a cheap hotel alternative. I would recommend it as a solid Airbnb option or upper-end hostile. Staff is fine, they aren't trained four seasons customer service staff so they aren't going to do well with conflict you throw at them but if you're polite and respectful they are right back at you. I am happy to be here.

I'm always surprised whenever my friends are surprised by the fact that I choose to stay at hostels…read morewhen I travel, whether it's within the states or around the world. All the hostels I've ever stayed at have been clean, friendly, accommodating, and very affordable--Urban Holiday Lofts is no exception. My friend booked this place on hostelworld, which contains all the information you need to get to the hostel. For the phone addicts, it's also searchable on Google maps. This place awesomely reimburses you for the cost of your CTA ticket to the hostel (a heads up: it's $5 from the O'Hare International Airport). Also, true to the description, they charge an additional 16.4% tax when you arrive to pay for your stay. Jason, who is very sociable and has a good sense of humor, was at the front desk when I checked in. Whoever checks you in gives you a great list of eateries and bars in the area (along with a list of rules) and a short tour of the hostel. My bed was in the standard 6-room female dorm, which had 3 bunk beds and no A/C (they had a ceiling fan and a heating system). My floor had 4 bathrooms, which can be congested during the evenings when everyone wants to shower. There's washers and dryers on-site that will cost you $1.50 each, and you can purchase detergent from the front desk. Complimentary breakfast is from 8 - 10 AM, and it consists of bagels, cereal (Aldi's version of Frosted Flakes and Raisin Bran), bread, milk, coffee, and tea. Breakfast is hosted in the upstairs common space, which also has two computers for general use. Towels are provided, and lockers are available in the shared dorm rooms ($1 lock rental for your entire stay). And I should mention that the location of this hostel is bombdotcom. Though not in the heart of downtown, Wicker Park has great nightlife, and the CRT Blue Line, from which this hostel is 5 minutes away, runs 24/7. 24 frickin' 7. Oh, before you leave, drop by the nearby Aldi grocery store to pick up some awesomely named German chocolate at awesomely affordable prices. Just beware of the weight of all that chocolate in your bag and how that could detrimentally affect your back. Don't say I didn't warn you.

The Palmer House Hilton Chicago is a historic hotel centered in the heart of the downtown Theater…read moreDistrict. It's 2 blocks from the Art Institute and Millennial Park. The hotel is said to be over 155 years old. It has 1,641 elegant guest rooms and spacious suites. I had the opportunity to stay in both rooms during my week stay in Chicago. You can find all the comfort and conveniences of Chicago within steps of the hotel. Or just stay in and dine in the Lockwood Restaurant and Bar. You can order express and it's ready for pick up morning or night. The bar also has live music and karaoke. There's a grab and go coffee shop. There's also a Starbucks inside. Complete your stay with a sample of their famous Palmer House brownie. The staff here is very welcoming and friendly. One of the fewer hotels that do daily house keeping. Only downside is because the Palmer House Hotel is older, one of my colleagues didn't have hot water. The other one's room had the musty smell. My stay was perfect. The bed was comfortable. The water was hot and I had no major concerns. Definitely will stay again in the future. Everything's right at your fingertips!

I had a wonderful experience with the security team at the Palmer House Hilton today…read more After lunch, I was convinced I had lost my phone and returned to the hotel hoping someone could help me track it down. The security staff was incredibly gracious, patient, and thorough. They took my concern seriously, helped me retrace my steps, and went above and beyond in assisting me with the search. As it turns out, my phone was safely sitting in my apartment the entire time, so there was no lost phone after all. Even so, I wanted to take a moment to recognize the professionalism, kindness, and courtesy of the team. Their willingness to help made a stressful situation much easier, and their customer service was truly exceptional. Thank you to everyone who assisted me today--you made a lasting impression.

This was a huge blessing to my family. Saved us thousands in hotel expenses. My family stayed…read morehere while I was in the hospital receiving care. After I was released, I was able to join my husband and recover for several months before returning home. Loved the employees and the activities they have in the community room. I would use this place again in a heartbeat!!

DO NOT STAY HERE!! I stayed in the living spaces and since the moment I checked in everything in…read morethe living space was absolutely dirty. From the bathroom covered in used toilet paper to the fridge filled with expired rotten food. It is not worth staying here I truly wish I would've gotten a chance to see the condition of this place before I reserved a room. It was as if I lived in a strangers filth for a week. Their excuse for not cleaning was that they could not move someone's personal items, but the condition that everything was in was unacceptable. I called to have them clean and they finally did clean at least the bathroom but did nothing about the kitchen not even take out the trash from the other person or throw away the clearly expired and rotten food. The pictures attached are of only the two things I saw on the day I checked in!

Location, location, location. This hotel is very walkable to many attractions and restaurants. We…read moreenjoyed the Art Institute, The Bean, the CIBC and all in between. The lobby is grand and lovely which is a bit misguiding as the man behind the bullet proof glass (think gas station in L.A.) whilst checking us in, was just short of surly. Our room was clean and functional. It was the hardest bed I have ever tried to sleep in. Seemed like a slab of concrete with a sheet over it. Didn't spend much time in it, because I couldn't. Our room looked out on Michigan Ave and we were treated to a fabulous fireworks and drone show during "Taste Of Chicago". The bathroom was miniscule and the toilet crammed., Congress has a nice dining/ bar area on the sidewalk so you can do some serious people watching. The elevators are vintage cool but the peeling wallpaper and dirt (look at floor7) was off putting. Would we stay there again? NO. Are we glad we did? Yes.

When I walked into the hotel to check in, the lobby looked very grand and beautiful. However,…read moreeverything went south after the lobby. Front desk had not even one smile to offer upon our check in. It was as if we were bothering them. Every single front desk person we encountered seemed to be in a bad mood. Anyway, as soon as I got off on my floor, I noticed something very heavy feeling in the air. Something just didn't feel right. (I've uploaded pictures of everything I saw in the main hallways.) There is also a lot about the invisible residents that reside in this hotel if you do a little bit of research on it. I booked this hotel because it is just a block away from Buckingham Memorial Park and I wanted to see that park both at night when it is lit up and in the morning. I also booked it because it is just minutes away from Tilly's Bagels. (I did regret my decision to stay here after I stepped afoot onto my hotel room floor though.) On the second morning as I was making my way back from Tilly's Bagels, I saw a tour group and their guide in front of our hotel. I overheard the tour guide saying, "And she screamed and she screamed!" My husband looked at me after he heard that and asked me, "Is that a ghost tour in front of our hotel? Does that mean it's haunted???" I later went on google and found out about a lot of "stuff" that happened at this very "historic" hotel. Apart from this, though, I wouldn't stay there again because of the shower water that took well over 15 minutes to heat up and the front desk clerk who was very rude about it when I called to report it. I was definitely not expecting someone to ask, "Well... do you want someone to come and take a look at it?" Lol. When I stay at a hotel and pay a total of $200 for one night, I do expect my shower water to be hot. I guess that's just too much to ask of this hotel.

My dad thinks I'm Wonder Woman…read more No, really. I'm not joking...here's the request I got from him a few weeks ago: "We'd like a hotel room in Chicago, over the weekend, with a nice view for about $125 a night. I am sure you can figure it out since you are so resourceful." Riiiiight. Ok then. I almost spat back "well, you can stay at the Red Roof Inn O'Hare with a lovely view of the Cumberland el stop for about $150." But no. I am a dutiful daughter. So, I went to work. I scoured the internet...as I often do when I don't know what I am doing. I stumbled upon At Home Inn Chicago, a service that rents out private residences in a variety of neighborhoods in Chicago. We booked him a room in an Edgewater high-rise, he compromised with me and we got it for $185. FAR CHEAPER than anything downtown, IF we could even find anything... This option requires a bit more legwork than a hotel booking. First of all, DON'T plan on canceling. I mean really, this isn't for the faint at heart or those with a propensity to bail last minute. If you cancel within 10 days you pay TWICE the nightly rate...be forewarned! Ok, besides that. You make the reservation after selecting the property and then within a day or so they let you know that it's A-OK and booked for you. (pay with credit card, it's charged 2 days before arrival). They email you a guest lease and you must sign and fax/email back to them within 24 hours (i told ya, legwork...but worth it, trust me). Then you contact the private owner to make check in/out arrangements... The owner I had the pleasure of working with was lovely, friendly and hospitable. It could not have been any smoother...I'm sure this varies by owner, but they are pre-screened... Ok, so moment of judgment: is this place going to be a hellhole? No. It was actually on a very high floor in the Park Tower on Sheridan Road with a 360 degree view of downtown and the lake. Beautiful one bedroom condo with full kitchen, dining area, LCD plasma TV, AC ...my GOD, the view. I almost made them stay at my house and took the thing for myself for the weekend! A steal for $185 on a summer weekend. I will be using them again and again as I have people coming through. I highly recommend. I only docked one star for the strict cancellation policy, though I understand the need for it... Seriously, screw the overpriced downtown hotels and rent a private condo in some of Chicago's nicest 'hoods. (downtown, Old Town, LP, LV, etc etc) Visit web site for properties...

I cannot say enough good things about At Home Inn Chicago. They saved our vacation! Thursday…read morenight of Memorial Day weekend our previous rental fell through and I suddenly needed to find a space to accommodate seven adults (five beds) for five nights. We started looking at 6pm, and needed to be in an apartment that night. When we called At Home Inn Chicago their offices were closed, but I took a chance and called their emergency number. The woman couldn't have been more helpful. She found us two apartments in the same building, in our desired location (Lincoln Park), with two parking spaces for our vehicles. We were able to book and get the access information for the building immediately. When we had questions, she was incredibly responsive. The apartments were wonderful - newly renovated, we were the first people to stay in them post renovation. There were plenty of towels, blankets, and pillows for our large group and the kitchen was well appointed. The neighborhood was fabulous, we were within walking distance of a number of great restaurants, bars, and shops, and public transportation to downtown was easy. I would definitely use them again.