I love trains, and I love historic train stations. Chicago Union Station is a true gem. That said,…read morethere are a few things that I always find a little confusing and frustrating. It's a busy station, and unless you're a frequent traveler, it can be difficult to figure out which track your train will depart from and exactly where you're supposed to line up. The signage and boarding process can be a bit overwhelming for first-time or occasional passengers. They do have a customer service counter, and I've found the staff there to be helpful if you have the time to stop and ask questions. Having rail service from Milwaukee to downtown Chicago is a tremendous convenience, and Union Station remains a beautiful gateway to the city. With a little clearer wayfinding, it would be an even better experience.

Took the train into Union Station the other day and it was an ok experience. Union Station gave off…read moremini Grand Central Station vibes although it seemed to be much smaller. The walk from the tracks upto the street was pretty quick with escalators throughout. There were cafes and various eateries before arriving at the street level. The bus stops a block away, making it an easy way to get around town.

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.

Rebecca was very nice and pleasant! Thank you for all your assistance! I called and set up an…read moreappointment with her for my new unit! I met with her to go over the rates and unit size. She showed me the space and helped me with transfer from my old unit to my new space. The process was quick and very professional! Again, thank you Rebecca! I would highly recommend her to anyone needed help with their storage needs!

It has only one cart or dolly for the whole building. If you are moving lots of stuff or heavy…read moreitems you have to wait a long time. Also my entry code did not work after one day.

We stayed at this hotel for a few nights during our cross-country road trip. Overall, our…read moreexperience was mixed, with both positives and some frustrations. Our initial room was clean and comfortable, but late one evening we began noticing a strong sewer gas smell coming from the bathroom. It appeared the toilet may not have been installed correctly. Around 11:00 PM, we had to pack up and move rooms with our two young children, which wasn't ideal after a long day. To the hotel's credit, they upgraded us to another room, and the new room was very nice. There were a few other aspects of the stay that we found confusing. The $15 food and beverage credit wasn't clearly explained, and the policy regarding luggage carts was unexpected. Guests aren't permitted to use the carts themselves, so if you have a lot of luggage, you'll need assistance from a bellhop. The biggest downside was the parking. The location is excellent and convenient for exploring the area, but the parking fees are extremely expensive. Given the overall cost of the hotel, we felt parking should have been included with the room rate. Overall, the hotel has a great location and comfortable accommodations, and we appreciated how the staff handled our room issue. However, the expensive parking and a few confusing policies kept the experience from being as enjoyable as it could have been.

Great stay from check-in to check-out. I was here for an annual conference where the most…read morememorable thing was the hotel stay. I had a view of the Chicago River, so that made for a nice time while chilling in my room in the evening. The room itself was immaculate. Lourdes, the room attendant, was always available for service even though I didn't have any specific needs. That was a great touch in times where we commonly see a lack of customer service. Thanks for a great experience, Lourdes!

I've stayed at the Chicago Ritz, the Waldorf, and the Four Seasons, and the Sofitel was right up…read morethere with them in many ways. Located near Gold Coast, it's a great location. The hotel is beautiful. The beds and pillows were like sleeping on a cloud. If you like pillowy soft beds, you'll love it. If you need a firm bed, these beds aren't for you. The bathrooms are quite large. With a roomy shower and a separate large tub, it was nice. My single only complaint (and it's a big one) is that the only air output we had was warm. Yes, I could have complained at the front desk and I'm sure they would have taken care of us, but I'd already unpacked and put away all of my clothes. It was 10pm and I was feeling way too lazy, so I just sweated all night :/ Parking is $85 a night with free in/out privileges if you have your car with you. You can also choose several nearby parking garages if you want to save $20-30 bucks. I'd return. I liked the hotel and the location. I'm guessing that my stuffy room was just a one-off. It's located so nicely and the hotel beautiful, that I'd still recommend

My husband and I booked this hotel after doing a ton of research online for our recent Chicago trip…read morewith our two young kids. Giving this place the one star it does not deserve because it was clean. That's where anything good I have to say about this place ends. The first snafu was at check in where there was a mix up somewhere in the booking process (after we had gotten our confirmation so we thought everything was fine) we booked one of their nicest suites and apparently they lost our reservation and of course there were not any of these suites available when we checked in. It felt like the front desk staff wasn't that interested in apologizing or attempting to fix anything until my husband pushed back and finally someone offered to put us in a smaller suite and refund some of what we originally paid. When we got up to the room it was located on a lower floor right next to the elevators and ice machine so obviously not even close to the experience we had planned for when we booked. When we finally got into our room we realized it was a room for someone with disabilities and a lot of the things in the room were wonky to use like the teeny tiny shower (there were 2 showers but one was a big open room for someone in a wheelchair so the shower-head was super low) the coffee maker was in this pull out drawer but difficult to get to with the furniture in the way--not even sure how someone with limited mobility would even be able to get around in this room? This room is clearly built for at least 2 people but the extras like creamer, sugar, cups etc were only supplied for one person the whole time we were in the room. Overall for the price of this place I was not even a little bit impressed. Lastly, the ice machine on our floor was broken the entire time we stayed here. We also had breakfast in the restaurant one morning and the service was awful. It almost feels like if you come here with children you will be ignored which was frustrating because we specifically chose this hotel because online they mention they are family friendly. We didn't feel that way one bit the entire week we were here. There was a guy that was waiting tables at the outside section of Le Bar who was amazing and I wish I would have gotten his name (shaved head--if that helps?) we sat outside for fresh air a few times and he went above and beyond to be kind to us and our children. All in all when it was time to check out, we could not wait to leave and I honestly will never book at a Sofitel again after this experience. Hopefully someone actually pays attention to this review from this organization and makes an effort to step up the game at this location because the reputation 1000% does not match the experience in any way whatsoever.

Travelled on business with a very small budget, and was looking for a place with some energy and…read moresoul, 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.

The Freehand is a pretty nice hotel and hostel in downtown Chicago! I was attending a conference on…read morea 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.

Update! I called again, later in the day, and a very nice gentlemen addressed my questions and…read moreconfusion, took my information and promised to get back to me with solutions. I am now hopeful!:) Phone number doesn't work. Unable to leave a message, even though there is an option to do so. Did not answer two emails requesting when and how to schedule college dorm pick up. Happy to have taken the $400 for summer storage. Still waiting...

Blue Crates.... DAMN!!!…read more Called Amy around noon on Monday, said I was in desperate need of moving and suit bins that day. She said there normal schedule was two days for delivery but she would see what she could do. Amy called back, said they could drop the bins off by 4pm. At 3:30pm, received text that the guys were on their way. They came in, dropped off the bins and were off. Amy checked in via text multiple times to ensure all was well. And I have two weeks before they have to be returned. I'll be done by end of day on Tuesday so I'll be calling to have them picked up but I had to write a review about a great experience. Wonderful customer service and excellent price. Thanks Blue Crates, you guys are AMAZING!!!!

One of the best hotels I've stayed at in Chicago (I have stayed at most 4+ stars in the Loop)…read more Spacious room with separate living area, clean, good view. I would stay there again.

I haven't actually stayed here, but I spent so much time in my colleague's hotel room during her…read morestay last week that I feel as if I stayed here... And I like this new modern looking hotel! The people who work here are super friendly. We were big fans of the concierge who didn't even blink when we asked him if he knew of any strip clubs that served lunch. The rooms are very spacious and I especially loved the hardwood floors and rain shower surrounded by glass doors on all sides (there is a curtain to shield yourself from peeping toms). Business travelers will also be thrilled to know the wifi is fast and free...and this hotel just happens to be located in a very convenient downtown location. If you get hungry Ajasteak is right downstairs and there's plenty of other good eats (quartino is always a winner) within a block of the hotel. My colleague found this room on quickbook.com for just over $200, which I thought was quite the deal for a quality hotel during summer in Chicago. She seemed quite happy with her 3 nights in the hotel as well, her only complaint being that the walls were super thin so you can hear everything in the neighboring hotel rooms. I probably won't ever stay here since I live just minutes away, but I'll be recommending it to out of town visitors and may visit the inviting spa.

I've used Midway O'Hare Livery Service for years. I can confidently say that they always provide a…read moretop tier ride experience. When I was recently faced with a series of difficult travel interruptions, our driver (Andre) and the owner (Jeff) were supportive beyond measure. I would highly recommend them for any ride needs, special events or airport transports.

From start to finish this was the easiest business to deal with. Jeff responded quickly to my…read morerequest for a quote, super easy to schedule. Drivers arrived on time to take us to the airport, the driver was on time picking us up from the airport. Cars were clean, stocked with water and candy. The drivers were kind and drove safely. I will definitely recommend them to all my friends and we will be using them again!