Travelled on business with a very small budget, and was looking for a place with some energy and soul, with a restaurant or bar attached. The Freehand hit all these. The (private) room was clean, but small and on the verge of threadbare, with no outlet or reading light near the bed. However, there were numerous places in the bars and public area off the lobby that were perfect for getting work done late into the evening with excellent people watching and cocktails. I had dinner here as well, and the service was friendly and the food was very good. All in all I can fully recommend, as long as you're not expecting luxury, though I will point out I have stayed at far more expensive places with far less style. read more

The Freehand is a pretty nice hotel and hostel in downtown Chicago! I was attending a conference on a budget so I picked this place (found it originally on airbnb), and it cost about $670 for 5 nights (including the nightly "resort fee" that Chicago charges to anyone staying in a hotel -- $15/night for me but depends how long you stay what you pay). I booked an individual room rather than a hostel/shared bed (which of course does cost less). The room I stayed in was pretty clean -- you can tell it's dated, but they have done a good job with upkeep. The air conditioner wasn't particularly strong but was strong enough that despite warm days it was comfortable in the room at night. The shower pressure was GREAT, no complaints there but there was no working fan in the bathroom so you have to remember to open the window after/during your shower to help with fogging! The rooms are easy to get in/out of (key card) and have manual locks on the inside. There is a small gym (very small -- a peloton that you need your own subscription for, a treadmill, and some weights). Inside the gym there is also a water fill station which is great! It's just down the stairs from the lobby/bar (called "Broken Shaker") area, and there is also a laundry room just adjacent to the gym where you can do a load (I think it costs $2.50 per load if memory serves). Of note, the staff was a little spicy (in a bad way) the day I arrived, but they weren't particularly rude, just short with guests. My guess is they were tired because it was SUPER busy and the line was long the night I arrived which isn't an excuse, but may be part of an explanation. The next day when I came in the late morning the guy working there was perfectly nice. They do bag storage on the day you check out for free as well, which is also nice. Overall, for what I paid compared to other hotels in the area I think this place is a really good option if you're on a budget and will otherwise be busy/not spending a lot of time in the hotel. It's right around the corner from a couple CTA (public transport) stations and several bus stations, and of course there are lots of bars, coffee shops, and a mall very close by as well so it's a prime location if you want to check out downtown/the riverwalk area. I'm glad it's available since most other places in the area cost a lot more per night/are pretty unaffordable for students/trainees. read more

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Still tired Absolutely avoid this hotel at all costs! It's nothing but a secret money pit. Booked on super.com and it says it completely paid for, only owe $11.74 for the stay at check in. When you get to check in they charge you $46.97 for a "resort fee" for being downtown Chicago.. um what? And don't bother asking why because the girls at the front desk couldn't care less to help you. The hotel also doesn't mention you don't have parking with your stay so you get there to check in and have no where to park while your checking in, the only thing they offer is a garage across the street for a "discounted price" of $64 for 24 hours.. which isn't a bad price for a parking garage in Chicago until you do some research and find out that's the highest price around.. not so much of a discount. Then we get to our room and it's not even the room we booked, we booked a queen bed and somehow ended up with 4 bunk beds.. you try to ask another girl at the front desk about it and once again she couldn't care less to help you. So whatever we deal with it. Then you get to the room and it just gets worse and worse, no tv.. yes you read that correctly NO TV.. who doesn't have a tv???? But in the description every room says there's a tv. No fridge, no ac it doesn't work, we don't even have a main room light because it's burnt out. So my husband goes to the front desk to ask about getting a light bulb so we can actually see and she just says "we don't have an engineer here" so my husband said just give me the bulb I'll do it myself, and she says again "oh I can't even give you one without an engineer" ummm ok so we got to sit in the dark with no tv and a burning hot room. Worst sleep of our life!! We tried to sleep with the window open but couldn't do that because all you hear is sirens and screaming from outside all night long. I also brought my iPad just incase the tv sucked. Well thank god I did because the tv didn't exist so they tell you the WiFi is free and I try to connect to it with my iPad so we have something to watch all night and the WiFi doesn't work at all nothing loads, no internet, ask the front girl about it.. once again no help. So we got stuck watching tv on our iPhone all night to have a little background noise from the screaming and sirens. The room is also COVERED in dust and garbage from the previous people, they don't clean well at all here it's so disgusting!! The shower doesn't close so the water spills all over the floor, you don't get shampoo or body wash, literally NOTHING! Barely even have a garbage can in your room. We stayed downtown for our 20th anniversary and the room ruined everything. The only only benefit is where it's located your at a wonderful place downtown but other then that you're better off sleeping in your car lol. Worst hotel we've ever been to by far!!!!! I'm not one to write reviews unless the business absolutely deserves it and my god I've never seen one who deserves it more than this! Absolutely no frills and no fucks given by any employees here. Note to business fire every girl at the front desk they are absolutely no help at all by phone or in person they don't even want to hear your mouth. Probably would help to get rid of your "cleaning ladies" they don't clean at all I've never seen so much dust in my life in one small room and what's the point of having an "engineer" if they can't even make sure you have a working light!! Do they not inspect the room before the next person checks in?? I couldn't be more disappointed in this hotel. Can you not afford shampoo and conditioner for the people staying?? Clearly can't afford a tv.. wasn't a cheap hotel either so not sure what they're charging you for to stay in a dark dusty hot room all night? I'm honestly surprised the key card worked because the place is an absolute shit hole, and I hope to god this review costs them more than we paid them because they ruined our whole anniversary. Doesn't even deserve one star it deserves to be shut down! Don't believe my review go read the rest, this place is wildly deceiving!!! read more

This place is very scary looking. It had very old lights and very dim lighting. The room is not too appealing. Feels like you're in the 1800s. ALSO THERES A 35 dollar urban fee that you can't get back. It has a basement smell as well read more

This might be the most weird yet awesome hotel experience I have ever had. It felt especially cozy because it felt like me and my family were each locked in our own luxury prison cells. Even though my view outside was a gliding mannequin, it is still 100% going to be a memorable experience for me and my family. If your all about adventures, I recommend this spot! read more

Freehand Chicago - Luxury Bunk Bed Prison Cell - Hotels Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This review is specifically for the Broken Shaker Cafe. Stacy was such a light on this trip! I was staying in the hotel with my husband and Stacy was able to recommend options to us for each meal as well as delectable drinks. She stayed busy but made sure that we still felt catered to. I'm so thankful for her on this trip! read more

Dana and Blessing are two nicest people ever for a front desk staff. Got us in our room earlier than expected and recommended UNOs pizza for a good deep dish read more

Still tired Absolutely avoid this hotel at all costs! It's nothing but a secret money pit. Booked on super.com and it says it completely paid for, only owe $11.74 for the stay at check in. When you get to check in they charge you $46.97 for a "resort fee" for being downtown Chicago.. um what? And don't bother asking why because the girls at the front desk couldn't care less to help you. The hotel also doesn't mention you don't have parking with your stay so you get there to check in and have no where to park while your checking in, the only thing they offer is a garage across the street for a "discounted price" of $64 for 24 hours.. which isn't a bad price for a parking garage in Chicago until you do some research and find out that's the highest price around.. not so much of a discount. Then we get to our room and it's not even the room we booked, we booked a queen bed and somehow ended up with 4 bunk beds.. you try to ask another girl at the front desk about it and once again she couldn't care less to help you. So whatever we deal with it. Then you get to the room and it just gets worse and worse, no tv.. yes you read that correctly NO TV.. who doesn't have a tv???? But in the description every room says there's a tv. No fridge, no ac it doesn't work, we don't even have a main room light because it's burnt out. So my husband goes to the front desk to ask about getting a light bulb so we can actually see and she just says "we don't have an engineer here" so my husband said just give me the bulb I'll do it myself, and she says again "oh I can't even give you one without an engineer" ummm ok so we got to sit in the dark with no tv and a burning hot room. Worst sleep of our life!! We tried to sleep with the window open but couldn't do that because all you hear is sirens and screaming from outside all night long. I also brought my iPad just incase the tv sucked. Well thank god I did because the tv didn't exist so they tell you the WiFi is free and I try to connect to it with my iPad so we have something to watch all night and the WiFi doesn't work at all nothing loads, no internet, ask the front girl about it.. once again no help. So we got stuck watching tv on our iPhone all night to have a little background noise from the screaming and sirens. The room is also COVERED in dust and garbage from the previous people, they don't clean well at all here it's so disgusting!! The shower doesn't close so the water spills all over the floor, you don't get shampoo or body wash, literally NOTHING! Barely even have a garbage can in your room. We stayed downtown for our 20th anniversary and the room ruined everything. The only only benefit is where it's located your at a wonderful place downtown but other then that you're better off sleeping in your car lol. Worst hotel we've ever been to by far!!!!! I'm not one to write reviews unless the business absolutely deserves it and my god I've never seen one who deserves it more than this! Absolutely no frills and no fucks given by any employees here. Note to business fire every girl at the front desk they are absolutely no help at all by phone or in person they don't even want to hear your mouth. Probably would help to get rid of your "cleaning ladies" they don't clean at all I've never seen so much dust in my life in one small room and what's the point of having an "engineer" if they can't even make sure you have a working light!! Do they not inspect the room before the next person checks in?? I couldn't be more disappointed in this hotel. Can you not afford shampoo and conditioner for the people staying?? Clearly can't afford a tv.. wasn't a cheap hotel either so not sure what they're charging you for to stay in a dark dusty hot room all night? I'm honestly surprised the key card worked because the place is an absolute shit hole, and I hope to god this hotel costs them more than we paid them because they ruined our whole anniversary. Doesn't even deserve one star it deserves to be shut down! Don't believe my review go read the rest, this place is wildly deceiving!!! read more

It's got a kind of nice location but otherwise this place was a disaster for my stay. First, I walk in and the AC is off and I can't get it to work. Second the floor is dirty. Third, the bunk bed room is tiny, and the bunks are not large enough for a tall adult. I went to the lobby to let the staff know about the air conditioning and floors. When we got back to the room, the door was unlocked and OPEN with all of our stuff there. The air conditioning still was not working. The room itself had next to nothing. No TV, no coffee machine, I mean nothing. It's good thing that Chicago is a great city, because the last place I wanted to be was this room. read more

We stayed here for 3 nights during our visit to Chicago and this place did not disappoint. You get exactly what you paid for plus some good vibes. This was in the heart of all the hubbub so many things were walkable which was our main requirement. We could walk around and explore and get to tourist spot quickly. The room was on the small side but had everything we'd need plus very cutely decorated with books and plants. The bar downstairs had great drinks and the seating area all across the hotel's first floor could be used to hang out with a drink. The staff at the front desk was very sweet and accommodating. I'd definitely consider this place again for an affordable option in the middle of all the activity. read more

Echoing all the other reviews to say the hotel is quite worn out. Lots of stains, rips and marks on curtains, sheets (yes!) and even on desks. The entire place doesn't feel very clean. The noise is terrible and does not give the hotel experience. Last time staying in a freehand hotel/hostel! read more

Ants and biting insects in the bedsheets. Great location, just a lousy goal. I recommend picking a different hotel in the area​​​

Usually I have amazoing stays here but this one 23-24 November was subpar for sure. Mostly due to lack of delivery of food supplies to the location and subsequent lack of communication by staff. Had a colleague buy the $20 breakfast and discovered Monday morning no coffee or food. Later in day 6 pm I order food in bar and only discovered the issue when I asked where it is an hour later. Pull the menus off the table if you dont have the food. read more

Nohand needs to be the name. No kitchen, refrigerator for guests. No water. Only thing that makes it a hostel is the low rates at low demand times and having to share a room with people that want to smoke weed in the room. One toilet and shower for four people in a room? Don't think the HVAC worked. I might has well went camping. read more

I'm 30 years old, and travel quite a bit. This was by far the worst hotel experience I've ever had. Walked into my 9th floor room and it was 85° because the AC was broken. They sent an "engineer" up to fix it - he lacked any engineering experience. They gave me a fan and said there was nothing they could do. Room was filthy with dust everywhere. I wouldn't recommend this place to an enemy. read more

Terrible hostess at bar, have patience. Bed sheets have purple makeup on them. Asked for ice they said someone would bring to room and never received. read more

The mold situation was WILD. You could smell and see it in the bathrooms, and the lumpiness on the adjacent wall/ceiling above the top bunk bed leads me to guess there's more mold than meets the eye. There appeared to be blood (or some other dark reddish brown stain) on two of the privacy curtains. That said, we were here for 4 nights and found it very convenient/overall comfortable. Perfect location to visit the city 5-10 minutes from the red line, lots of shops/food, and the river. We got a great price on the 4 person dorm/hostel style room, and staff was very friendly. We both left with a sore throat and sinus issues that went away after getting back home though, presumably from the mold. read more

Freehand Chicago - Grimy shower - Hotels Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Freehand Chicago was my home for a few nights during a conference in Downtown Chicago. It was one of the affordable options I could see on a 3rd party website so I decided to go for it. If you are unfamiliar with the concept, some of the rooms here function as hotels (shared form spaces) and above are private rooms with its own bathroom. This was a definite must for me so I made sure my private queen room was crystal clear confirmed. The hotel itself is a vibe. It's warmly lit public areas and hallways create a chill atmosphere. I stayed on the tenth floor which meant battling for the two elevators, which I'd say were decent in terms of speed and response. I was given a corner room which was smaller than other queen rooms. The bed was comfortable and the shower had great water pressure and temperature. Not a lot of space to do much else inside the room but it was decent. It wasn't the cleanest (and some of our towels had some marks left behind), but affordable nonetheless. Walls are thin as we definitely heard our neighbor's arguments on some of the nights. I suppose it's good for the drama but can be annoying when trying to get sleep. Wifi is complimentary and is an open network, meaning it's a bit slower than other hotels that are private. I probably wouldn't stay here again unless it was the absolute most affordable option in town, but by no means did I have a bad stay either. read more

Freehand Chicago - Hotels Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I booked five nights at Freehand Chicago but checked out after just one. That should say it all. The place felt more like a grimy hostel than a hotel -- and certainly not worth the $240 per night they charge. My room had a view of a parking garage, and I was kept up all night by the sound of shouting and what sounded like break-ins. I didn't feel safe for a second. To make matters worse, the room was barely functional: half the light bulbs were missing (possibly stolen), and the AC didn't work at all -- the room was hot, dark, and uncomfortable. It was clear that no one had properly inspected the room before handing over the key. This place is not what it looks like in the photos. I cut my losses and moved to a different hotel the next morning. Don't waste your money here. read more

I stayed here for 2 nights and the room was okay. Theres a radio in the room and I tried to use it and my hands were covered in grey black dust after I put it down. It's very close to literally anything you could want to do. I tried to go to the bar to get a drink for myself and the bartenders were busy pouring and taking their own shots. The room I booked said it was "city view" the window was a view of another brick building and some AC units. The sheets smelled like someone else's sweat. Staying here is like getting the full experience, it's like a mini Chicago apartment. I still had fun on my trip, only came back to sleep and that was enough for me won't be back. read more

The good: great location, incredibly affordable, comfortable beds and powerful, hot showers. The bad: very basic, small rooms, dimly lit. If you don't plan to spend much time in your room, it's a great base for exploring the tourist attractions in Chicago. read more

The manager, Manny, is an absolute angel! I was having a rough day, and he surprised me with a complimentary upgrade that truly lifted my spirits. His generosity and genuine care completely turned my day around. I highly recommend the Freehand Hotel for their incredible service! I stay here every time I come to Chicago...the vibe is fun, the rooms are clean, and the beatnik decor gives it a unique, artsy charm that sets it apart from anywhere else. read more

The bed literally took up the entire room, the window was covered with a moldy quilt, the only light in the room was completely covered in dust and barely illuminated anything. There was a weird art piece that was just a few ropes tied onto a wood rod and it was soooo lopsided. The tv was squeezed into the corner and the bathroom wasn't terrible but it smelled awful. read more

Freehand Chicago - The covered window and tv in corner - Hotels Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had a TERRIBLE experience staying with Freehand Chicago. Over four nights, I had to change room two times and lived in three different rooms. Each room came with its own serious problems. The first one had a disgusting flood in the bathroom (with dirty water coming back up from the toilet and the shower drain). The second one had a serious water leakage that soiled the carpet. The third one had a bad odor from the hallway. There were also dusts/stains all over the place (echoing other reviews). I was not able to rest at all (the worst you could expect during a conference trip). I brought these issues up to the hotel front desk and the Airbnb host, and requested a refund for what I went through, and both parties were taking their time to respond (and it's been over 1 week now!), which means they simply do not care about customers' experience at all. If I knew what I know now, I would never have chosen to stay here in the first place. I would never come back. read more

Freehand Chicago is a great value in a great location. Being just a couple blocks from Michigan Mile, Riverwalk and about 10 blocks from Navy Pier. It's very reasonably priced with nice clean rooms. They're not the biggest of rooms but nice for a couple with a large bathroom. The hotel has an eclectic vibe. Lobby has a large sitting area with comfortable couches and a couple nice bars. The service was fantastic on check-in. Very nice and engaging. Got to ask but they offered a great deal on a parking garage located one block away. $49 for a day and a half. read more

Freehand Chicago - Hotels Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm giving this a GENEROUS 3, it's more of a 2.35. The lobby area is a vibe. It's a very chill area but that's as good as it gets. This as my first experience at a hostel and will be my last. If you're trying to save $200+ per night then yeah, it's an okay deal however going forward we won't do that again lol. This place lacks cleanliness. It's very dusty, stains everywhere and doesn't look like it's ever been vacuumed. The 1 thing I did like about this place is the staff. Front desk was nice.. This is a 1 and done experience, could have been way worse I guess. read more

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I was looking for a cheap place to stay that's proximal to all the Chicago thangs. This popped up in Air BnB and I must say, I got lucky. AMBIANCE: Parking: There's a parking structure that's about $49 per night but I just did public transportation for my stay. Rooms: I rented out a single and it was perfect. A cozy bed with a sizable tv, workable desk, mini vault, and standing shower. The view isn't too flashy but an interesting art installation to keep you entertained. Vibes: This is a pretty prime location. Close to a lot of good things from the pier, Uno's - home of the deep dish pizza, and public transportation. You have access to a gym and washer/dryer. I spent a good amount of time at the bar and lounge as it was pretty cozy and community-friendly. FOOD Adult Big Mac (Recommend) Deefreakinlicious. A fulfilling burger with a side of fries. Everything is pretty nostalgic about the burger (even the signature Big Mac Sauce) just trade the sesame seeds with bacon! The fries complemented the meal well with a pleasant and savory crunch. Dealer's Choice (Recomend) I asked for something sweet, refreshing, and something with fire anddd boom! Results were something cinammony, sweet, with a refreshing mint flavor, and flamed for a 15 seconds or so. I dig it CUSTOMER SERVICE: I had some pretty good interactions with Jerome, Melissa, and Cesar. Great people! TL; DR OVERALL: 5 Stars. Awesome! I feel like these unconventional places are hit or miss but for nomads with minimal standards, this place is great! This place contributed to my positive experience visiting Chicago. Clean rooms, great company, and service. I recommend this to other travelers. I look forward to coming back here for my next Chicago visit. TIPS: * Check their website for live socials (New Years, Live DJ, etc) read more

Freehand Chicago - Wooo! - Hotels Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Omg this place is amazing. The price, location, service, amenities, quality of sleep and the rooms. A total package. Sure you're in a bunk bed with other people! Everyone in the two different rooms that I stayed in was very nice, friendly, considerate, and polite. The lounge are in the back is large and comfortable. I was able to get lots of work here done even with the music on. There's a small and convenient gym in the basement. Along with a laundry room. Super awesome to have available. The cafe is great. With options for food and several options for a good cup of coffee. This place is a gem. My flight actually got moved to the next day and I had no issues rebooking another night at the hostel. Made my trip to chicago soooo enjoyable. Can't wait to be back. read more

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This is a hostel/ hotel, and has a young bohemian vibe. I can't speak to the hostel part since I had a queen room with my own bathroom. The room was tiny, but that was expected. It was mostly clean, but very well used/ worn. The walls were beat up and could use a fresh coat of paint, and the woodwork needs a new coat of varnish, which was mostly worn away. There were also some cobwebs in the ceiling and from the fixtures. My curtains had unknown stains. There were also mechanical issues in that none of the outlets in the bedroom area worked causing me to have to charge my phone in the bathroom, and both lamps were inoperable, resulting in a very dimly lit room. Finally, the walls are paper thin and you will hear every person in the rooms around you. If you're young or thrifty and looking for a cheap, very average hotel in a great location, this is your place. If you expect higher than average accommodations, take a pass on this place. read more

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Interesting hotel with lots of room options. We recently stayed at The Freehand because it offered quad rooms - which we booked for our four kids in addition to a king room for us. I felt the rates were reasonable. Generally speaking, this hotel is clean but a little dated. Rooms are small, but more than adequate for a quick stay in downtown chicago. The location can't be beat! Our king room had some temperature control issues, and while mostly clean, it was dusty and showing wear. That being said, we were seldom in our room. The quad room was very spacious and beds had curtains for privacy. Elevators were very slow, especially during check out. Overall, the front desk staff were friendly and helpful. The bartenders and service staff were also friendly and were great with offering suggestions. The clientele here was very diverse, which we enjoyed - all ages, nationalities, etc. The common areas were great places to socialize or hang out. For a quick trip with kids, this hotel was more than adequate and we'd consider it again for a future visit. Probably not my choice for a private romantic weekend. read more

Had the pleasure of staying 2 nights, and felt welcomed and at ease during my stay. Dimly lit lounges are my favorite, and the bar is poppin at night. I stayed on the 16th floor, and felt there was ample space for a solo travel. I do wonder why there is no fridge or microwave on the premises though. read more

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Very disappointed in staff after a good intitial start to my stay here. Main issue revolved the safe in the room. Worked perfectly fine the first day, but then all of a sudden stopped working with the code i set for it. A little bit annoying, but definitely not at the fault of the staff. Spoke to front desk regarding issue, however it took some time for a staff member to arrive to our room. When staff arrived, they stated they did not have the correct key to open the safe, and went to get another key but informed us that they would just keep the safe open for us when we get back since my girlfriend and I had plans to leave by then. While we were out, freehand had called my girlfriend regarding the safe. A bit of miscommunication between her and the staff occurred, however by the end of a couple back and forth calls, staff informed that the issue was resolved and that the safe was left open for us. After a long day out, we come back to our room to find the safe STILL closed with keys right next to the safe (very unprofessional to do and dangerous if left in the wrong hands). With the safe still not open and my code not working, I called front desk once again, explained the situation, and was told that a staff member would come by as soon as possible. However after waiting 40 mins, I called again TWICE, and no one answering both times. Frustrated, I went downstairs to front desk and see the receptionists not actively helping others but laughing with other staff members, which was very distasteful. When I asked for a follow up on if someone would come by, one of the receptionists asked a staff member next to her if he was able to see it yet, but ended up telling me that I "would have to ask someone in the morning about it." Returning to my room, me and my girlfriend wondered if they truly did resolve the issue on the safe and possibly just reset the code without telling us. After just trying a simple 123456 on a whim, it opened. We were finally able to retrieve our items, but we were left very frustrated with something that could have easily been COMMUNICATED properly. The hotel room in itself was okay. It was aesthetically nice with the decor in the room, but it was left dirty with old candy wrappers lying around and hair left in the shower as well when we first arrived into the room. The phone in the room didn't even work either so I had to call them with my own phone or just go downstairs to talk to front desk. It's at a fairly okay location as well (lots of crackheads roaming near the front but that's normal for a hotel located in downtown), and even a bar downstairs for those who are sociable. Also, staff appears to prioritize small talk with other staff members whenever I was waiting for my turn to be helped at front desk. The last impression I was left with was when I went to go claim my luggage from front desk. (Side note: Freehand holds luggage after checkout time as long as you retrieved it before 10pm that day.) While waiting to get helped, the two receptionists, one male and one female, were helping guests. While it appeared that the female receptionist was helping a guest, she was loudly "flirting" with another staff member, as they continued to talk about their date the other day. I stood there for a few minutes until the guest in front of them looked at me and stepped aside for the receptionist to finally give attention to me. Turns out that the guest was just a friend all along taking part of the small talk. read more

The location is great and the front desk staff was nice, but I don't think I'd recommend staying here. The sheets were stained and there's lots of mold in the shower and it's nearly impossible to shower without the moldy shower curtain touching you and having to stick your arms and legs completely out of the shower just to wash them (it's that tiny.) the thermostat didn't work up or down in our room, it was always way too hot or too cold, luckily we were able to open the windows a little when it was hot, but nothing we could do about the cold. We were put on the 4th floor and you can hear absolutely EVERYTHING. I have stayed in Chicago several times in the same area and had no issues with noise, but here we could hear every car, car radio, honking, loud music at all hours of the night, the same volume as if we were outside on the street. If you stay here, bring your own sheets and towels and request a room high up. We did not go to the bar or restaurant downstairs but they looked very nice. The elevators also take forever, you'll likely be waiting 10+ minutes unless you're coming and going in the middle of the night. I'd recommend spending the extra money to stay somewhere else that is actually clean. read more

Freehand Chicago - Hotels Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My first hostel stay! The hostel was good vibes- from the front desk workers to my hostel roomies:) the hostel itself is old but in a cute way with lots of personality- it was clean too!! i enjoyed my stay here, amazing price, amazing value and amazing location! if you're solo tripping or your flight gets cancelled and you're in a pinch like me, highly recommend this hostel! read more

Stayed here in a last minute visit to Chicago, so it's great when there's not much to find . The lobby area has super chill vibes and the bar it's super cute decorated great to hang out with friends . The rooms are good .. the a/c didn't seem to work that good ; so maybe if they were to do a hit upkeep that would be great . read more

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Fun concept hotel/hostel, but will not be staying here again. We stayed in a Queen room, and both the bedroom area and bathroom were very small. PROS: -Nice lobby and common spaces. -Friendly staff. -Parking garage right by main entrance. -Shower was a good size, despite overall bathroom being small. CONS: -Room was too hot. The thermostat said it was 60 degrees, but it was probably around 73. -Bathroom counters were not very deep, so I couldn't even put my toiletries bag on the ledge. -You can hear everything that your neighbor is doing... opening/closing doors, when they have the shower running, etc. -Lighting is horrible in the room/bathroom. Way too dim. It was really difficult getting ready for dinner without proper light! -Mattress was not comfortable and felt very worn out. read more

This is a hostel. They have bunk beds but also plenty of single queen bed rooms. I booked a private queen bed room. Came with bathroom, towels and a closet. Furniture was outdated. Bed wasn't that comfy either but it was clean. It was also conveniently located, 20 mins walk from millennium park and near train stations. read more

DO NOT STAY THERE!!! Customer service is horrible. My aunt needed to stay one night, but she does not have a credit card, so i paid for her stay. I was directed to pay online, the hotel does not take cash. When she arrived at the hotel she needed a credit for the incidentals. She called me. The hotel told me they could not take my card over the phone and they could not take my aunts debit card. So she left the hotel. In the meantime i go to cancel her reaervation. I can not get a full, nor a partial refund. I am unable to get back a $1. This is the hotels policy. So, BEWARE!! read more

I did some research before planning a place to stay in Chicago for the night and Freehand had come up with decent reviews and was a fair price for the location and what was included. Positives include their own bar and coffee shop in the hotel. Nice comfortable bedding with nice big walk in showers! Negatives include a slow elevator (I heard multiple complaints about this one), the view was of a parking lot, way too many car alarms from the parking lot going off at night, couldn't change the temp up from 68. Overall I did enjoy my stay at Freehand and the staff were lovely! I might look at other places but I won't take Freehand off my list completely. read more

I am going to compare this stay to the other hostel I stayed at in Lincoln Park a bit North as a female traveling alone. First of all, this place is a hostel and I used to run a co-op that was similarly maintained. This place is habitable, but know that it is a ZOO. They have to be a bit stricter here because people are constantly taking advantage of this place/ not checking out on time/ not following the rules. They re-did the carpets on my floor starting at 8 am each day I was there and it was very loud . I'm not sure why they did this in summer! The Chicago getaway hostel didn't smell, had a nicer, larger lobby, offered free breakfast and seemed safer. The neighborhood is adorable, although further from grocery and downtown. The chcicago getaway also had no curtains around the beds, so the pod like feeling of the bunks in the freehand didn't carry over to the Chicago getaway hostel. Overall, I enjoyed my stay in both I just could not stand the smell in the freehand hostel, they need to get that under control. My other complaint is that it costs $53 to stay in a male or mixed dorm, but $123 to stay in a female dorm. This should not be the case, safety shouldn't cost 3x the price of a mixed bedroom. The good: -in house paid bar and coffee in the morning -back house tiki bar at night -relatively good WiFi -Trader Joe's and CVS down the street -bathrooms in the quad bedrooms -cute tiki decor, low lighting -cleaning seems to be relatively thorough, no lack of fresh towels, tp, etc. -staff is friendly The bad: -terrible smells everywhere. Musty, mildewy in the rooms and a persistent rotting broccoli smell coming from the basement/ gym/ laundry. -laundry costs money, but not too much. Doesn't work great tho -no microwave or fridge. Makes affordability hard -must pay more for all female bedroom but not all male. Gender safety shouldn't come with a pink tax. -absolute characters coming in and out of the building -loud ass music 24/7 so u can't take calls there Overall, I'd probably stay here again. If you don't have anything stopping you from traveling around, the Chicago getaway hostel is cleaner and smells better for the same rates, but is less centrally located. Beautiful neighborhood tho! read more