I recently stayed at Hotel 55 in Chicago in a King Studio. Overall, there were definitely some highs and lows.
Starting with the not-so-great: the biggest issue was the air conditioning. Chicago was extremely hot and humid during my stay, and even with the thermostat set to 68°, the room never got below about 75°. It was uncomfortable enough that I ended up walking to the Target down the street and buying a box fan to put on the table just to help cool the room down.
The room also had a noticeable smell of old cigarette smoke, which was disappointing. Between the warmth, humidity, and stale smoke smell, the room itself wasn't nearly as comfortable as I had hoped.
There was also only one working elevator during my stay. I understand this was temporary, but it made getting up and down from the room pretty time-consuming, especially during busier times.
Now for the good: the King Studio was VERY spacious. There was plenty of room to spread out, and I really liked the overall size and layout.
And the shower? Easily one of the highlights of the stay. The water pressure was AMAZING. Seriously, superb. Whatever issues the room had, the shower understood the assignment.
Lure, the restaurant on the first floor, was another highlight. They had a great happy hour and a surprisingly good variety of menu options. It was really convenient having a solid restaurant right downstairs.
Overall, Hotel 55 has some great qualities, especially the spacious rooms, fantastic shower, location, and Lure downstairs. But the AC and cigarette-smoke smell were significant enough that they affected the overall experience. If those issues were addressed, I would have had a much more positive stay. read more