Reception negative experience, no greeting, did not explain the privileges in the hotel stay, did not offer water, did not give any information. Gave room keys which were not working, going to 20th floor and had to make a trip again to reception to get the keys activated and he was not apologetic at all. Room beautiful. Bathroom is to fool you. They kept remote control that tv works in bathroom, when asked it is not working, they said they know it does not work. Safe- does not work and no one came to take care of it. Had the hassle to carry my expensive stuff on the streets of chicago and the manager just offered points to brush off everything under the carpet for the inconvenience caused. Even though manager was very nice but she went the easiest way thinking it solves the provlem Ambiance- beautiful read more

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Attending a conference in Chicago for a few days, I was pleased to see The Blackstone listed as one of the conference hotels. Across from Grant Park and close to Michigan Avenue, this hotel was in the ideal location for exploring. The hotel decor is beautiful, especially the lobby and the lowest level floor. The staff were very friendly and always available if I had questions or needed recommendations or assistance. The restaurant on site is a Spanish tapas style restaurant with excellent service and a great menu. It was nice having such a nice place right downstairs! read more

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Customer service at it's finest! I was traveling with my wife who had a meeting in Chicago. Our flight was extremely early. We arrived to the Blackstone around 7:30 AM and they were able to accommodate. We were extremely grateful because we were exhausted. From the time we arrived everyone was extremely friendly. The hotel is close to the Bean and Maggie Daley Park. I walked to the Magnificent Mile but with stoplights it can take some time. Willis Tower is also within walking distance. I walked to the red line station which was less than 10 minutes. The room itself is a good sized room. The bed/pillows were very comfortable. Elevator speed was fair. There are no freebies (breakfast or anything). This is a historic structure and a great place to stay if you're in Chicago. I'd return in a second! read more

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Great find - classic and iconic hotel. Love the location within 5-10 min walk to Buckingham fountain, Buddy Guy Legends club and Jazz Showcase. We dined at Mercat (inside hotel) and since we wanted to try Chicago dog, check out Devil's Dawg nearby. The parking is steep ($70-80) but that's common in major U.S. cities. So we walked everywhere for like NY, LA this is a walking city to most of the sites. Their valet staff are very friendly and helpful. read more

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I enjoyed my stay here. The blackstone hotel stands on the "cultural mile" of Michigan avenue, easy access to everywhere especially Grant Park. If your room is facing Lake Michigan, the view would be unbeatable. The hotel did a fantastic job of embracing the past, eg old-fashioned typewriter in the lobby, chandelier, wood paneling, etc. The room was stylish, neat and spacious. The bed was super comfortable and felt Luxious. The staff were friendly. Check in and check out were smooth and hassle free. read more

The Blackstone, Autograph Collection - Hotels Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The Blackstone was the perfect location in downtown Chicago to lots of places. I was in town for Taste of Chicago and the hotel is directly across the street. You can tell once you step into the building that it's been beautifully decorated and it was recently restored. The reception area is nice and lots of guests congregated there just to lounge. Checking in was super fast and the staff was friendly. I didn't get to check out all the amenities but for a quick stay, the Blackstone did a good job at accommodating me. read more

The Blackstone, Autograph Collection - Entrance - Hotels Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This hotel is centrally located on Michigan Avenue across from Millenium Park and a short walk to the Magnificent Mile. Great rooms - we came for OASIS and the check in staff were great. They helped us sort out how to walk to the concert and were very friendly. We could see soldiers field from our room. Would have given 5 stars but the bartender actually made us feel uncomfortable both times we were at the bar and we left. Everyone can have a bad day, but 2 days in a row just isn't cool. Slamming your shakers, jiggers and glasses around and not smiling to anyone or cleaning plates off the bar is just not doing your job. And giving smug answers to questions is downright rude It was as if we were asking for a kidneys anytime a drink request would come in You're in the hospitality business but failed to serve up any. Otherwise the hotel and staff were great! read more

The Blackstone, Autograph Collection - Room with a view - Hotels Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We had an excellent experience at this lovely hotel for an overnight visit in the summer. The service here was exceptional-including use of the valet because we drove in (which I do not often recommend). It has a great location (though part of it was closed off for a street race of some variety the time we stayed). The view is great if you are on the correct side of the hotel. We had a beverage at the bar before we headed out for the night, and the service was great there too. Our room was very nice- felt a bit more boutique-like- and was well cleaned/managed. I would absolutely stay here again in the futute! read more

The Blackstone Hotel in Chicago is history meets style in a prime Michigan Avenue location. Originally opened in 1910, she's an old girl. Over the years, it fell into disrepair, but thankfully it was restored to its former glory with a modern shabby-chic touch. Staying here is perfect for a quick city trip because it's within easy walking distance to major attractions. The Art Institute, Millennium Park, the iconic Bean, and countless restaurants and shops are just a stone's throw away. I love the hotel's design--a mix of historic elements and trendy, modern updates. The rooms have personality. Give it a stay if you're in Chicago. read more

The Blackstone, Autograph Collection - Hotels Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A nice hotel I stayed at for a conference recently. My room was ready when I arrived early in the morning even though check in wasn't until the afternoon, which was great. They also can store your luggage if the room isn't ready yet. Front desk staff was friendly and helpful. Spacious room and bathroom. No shower caps were provided in the rooms but they had most of the other typical amenities. read more

Overall a gorgeous historic hotel in the South Loop, but a bit lacking in amenities given the price point. The lobby and art floor are beautiful and I appreciate the free bottles of water at the front desk. There's a cute typewriter in the lobby where you can type out a postcard and send it out for free via the hotel. The room is clean, fine and the bed was comfy (a regular room with a king bed, view facing the train) but the bathroom was cold, the shower was poorly designed (no tub?!) and it was less luxurious than it should have been. I'm not even asking for major things - even just slippers! It's not adjacent to too much by walking - we took short rides to the West Loop, Randolph Row, Lincoln Park, etc - so keep that in mind. You can definitely walk to a train or to cafes or the library, it just depends on what you're looking for! It was winter for us, so we ending up wanting much more proximity. Security also seemed a little lacking as interesting characters walked into the lobby or second floor a few times. No incidents, but just something of note. Overall an easy and comfortable stay. read more

Such a beautiful hotel! It's literally less than 10 mins from the train station! The room was clean and the bathroom was spacious. I love the wallpaper in the bathroom! We stayed here for a quick girls weekend getaway! Walkable to many restaurants and stores! We had a fabulous time! read more

The Blackstone, Autograph Collection - Hotels Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I wanted to like The Blackstone as I was excited to stay at a historic hotel on the park near the lake. Unfortunately, none of the historic spaces (like the ballroom) are open to visitors staying there and our stay left some things to be desired to be truly comfortable. There were some nice touches, like dimmable lights, so hopefully they can turn things around. There are NO amenities in the public spaces of the hotel. No bathrooms. Not even a basic continental breakfast set up -- no coffee or hot water. (There was a very small and old coffee maker in the room but tea drinkers will know this doesn't cut it.) We had to go to the fitness center on the 6th floor to get hot water for tea in the mornings, where there was a single machine that dispensed hot water. We found that there IS an actual "Club" room in the hotel that might have these things but that our stay didn't afford us the privilege of accessing it. This felt quite inhospitable when the Hilton directly across the street not only has a continental breakfast area, but multiple restaurants. There are NO OUTLETS anywhere in the room! The only ones you can find are in the bathroom by the sink. I hoped to use a heating pad while I was there but no luck. They did have an alarm clock on the bedside table that took USB cords and had 2 plug ins. The faucet handles in the bathroom were laughably bad. The corners are actually fairly sharp and there's no way to turn on the faucet with the back of your hand, if you'd like to keep the handles clean. They present a fair amount of resistance, too, so would be difficult if you have a disability. They're made for Lego people hands. I thought the people working here were the best asset the Blackstone has. They were very nice and made the stay feel more comfortable. They seem to be doing the best they can with the scanty resources Marriott is providing them. Overall, I'd probably try a different hotel next time I'm in Chicago in hopes of finding a place that doesn't make you venture out into the cold for a muffin or a cup of coffee. Cons - No outlets anywhere but the bathroom counter - Terrible faucet handles in bathroom - Shower head too close to wall with shampoo dispensers so you're fighting for the space to shower - No lobby amenities (bathrooms and other spaces were locked our entire stay) - No area with coffee or tea, or snacks, etc. - Private "club" had some amenities but it isn't open to most guests - Some maintenance needed in the bathroom (grout that had fallen out in places) - Nothing historic open for visitors -Fragrance in lobby area triggering migraines Pros - Comfortable bed, down comforter, pillows - Good housekeeping, pretty clean - Tall ceilings, spacious - Location - Nice people working there - Large bathroom with counter - Generous sized room - Dimmable lights in room and bathroom read more

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I've never stayed here before, but I've been upstairs in the Crystal Ballroom with my charity group during the Chicago Marathon. This hotel was very beautiful and elegant from the moment I entered. The location was very convenient as the marathon started and ended just across the street in Grant Park. I would hope to stay here one year for the marathon. However, the rates are pretty high during that weekend! read more

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Such a beautiful, historic hotel. Staff were helpful and friendly. The room was well appointed - I loved little details, like the presidential doodles on the notepads. They do a great job of offering modern comfort while honoring the history. read more

The Blackstone, Autograph Collection - Hotels Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I stayed here recently when I came to visit Chicago. I found this place because this hotel is apart of the Marriott Autograph Collection of hotels. This hotel has a very boutique-y feel. It is warm and quaint and you could feel the history of the building as you enter their lobby grounds. The staff area superb and friendly from the front desk to the bartender at their Mercat restaurant. We definitely enjoyed our stay here because they were centrally located in the heart of Chicago making it very easy to access all the different types of neighborhoods looming very close by. read more

Not sure what 'Autograph collection' means in the Marriott world, the Blackstone is nothing more than a motel housed in a beautiful, old world, hotel building. Rooms are small and cheap. There are hardly any amenities and what there is, is very low quality. My room was not cleaned between days. My bed sheets were not replaced. I did get new towels. Bathroom was definitely not cleaned. Crappy coffee machine and coffee to go with it. No water bottle. Nothing at all.. Continuing with the motel theme, the Blackstone has no breakfast, no concierge, no room service and a quite minimal lobby.. Saving face were some greatly helpful bell boys who did all they could to help.. In short, avoid this place unless you can get motel pricing. Right now, not worth the cost in any way. The Hilton across the street is much nicer ar the same price.. I moved there after two days.. read more

The Blackstone, Autograph Collection - Hotels Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great stay at the Blackstone even for a remote work stay. Sitting right by Grant Park which is a plus if you enjoy a brisk walk during the day. Lots of places to eat nearby. Staff was courteous. Room was very clean and updated. Ventilation throughout the hotel and in the room was very good. Will consider a revisit when returning to Chicago. read more

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Fabulous boutique hotel by Marriott on S Michigan Avenue. Old historic building listed as Chicago Landmark. Hotel is nice, with modern mixing in with the old. Great location and if your room is facing the Michigan Avenue you will have a fabulous view! Lobby is particularly spectacular! Gym is nice and has anything that traveler can hope for. Rooms are nice as well, and charming. Bathrooms are fantastic. Carpet in the hallway can use a facelift, and while hotel provides bath robes, they do not fit muscular individuals. I asked for larger ones but they inform me they only come in one size! Not a deal breaker, but come-on! read more

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It was a pleasure staying here. Staff was really nice. I felt comfortable. I asked for a shower cap and tooth paste and they had it. Fantastic spot to stay. I usually stay at Sheraton Riverwalk, but this place was better! read more

The Blackstone, Autograph Collection - Hotels Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This hotel used to be great, that's why all the stars. Horrible experience recently, to the point that after logging my stuff into 3 different rooms I ended up checking out and going to a different hotel. 1. First room was a size of the closet and faced another wall. I could not even get my 26 inch suitcase lay flat on the floor. 2. Second room was a suite, BUT all the windows faced massive, industrial, air vent from the kitchen with constant buzzing noise. Neither WiFi nor my phone signal worked. 3. Third room, I did not even try. They asked me to carry my own bags and won't bring the keys up. At that point I was completely fed up. Overall rooms are dirty, gloomy and outdated. Front desk staff slow and non friendly. How is this place still in business read more

The Blackstone is a historic hotel built in 1908-10. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. The Blackstone is an architectural icon in Chicago history. The recent pictures of the lobby evokes an earlier era, where powerbrokers held meetings in "smoke-filled rooms" (the phrase originated here). Also included are some pictures from an earlier visit, including the barbershop where Al Capone used to hold meetings while getting his hair cut (and we were shown where the secret exit was), and the Crystal Ballroom where Lucky Luciano hosted the Crime convention and where "The Untouchables" was filmed. Shoutout to the wonderful valet service that took care of our car on our recent visit. read more

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While this hotel may have a steep nightly rate for some, I think the location and the history behind the building make it so worth the price tag! Located right on Michigan Avenue, this hotel is within walking distance to so many amazing Chicago sights and attractions. We were able to see so much without even having to rent a car. The Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium are right down the street (with the Art Institute of Chicago right down the street in the other direction!). You can see Buckingham Fountain from your window. A little farther down and there you are at Wacker Drive (don't pass up the opportunity to take an architecture cruise!) The hotel itself is just a sight to behold. With a classic art deco lobby, the modern luxury of any Marriott Autograph hotel, and its very own art gallery right on-site, all wrapped up into a national historic landmark. read more

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Very nice lobby, elevators took a while and our room was small for 4 people. The bathroom was very oversized though.

Unbelievable bar overlooking Chicago skyline, but closed from 12:00 to 5:00 - unbelievable BIG miss as a a Patron at the hotel to have to sit in the lobby with 30 other people because they are not open???? Honestly disappointed I could not sit and enjoy the hotel bar and have a beer- what? Management please help and take the income$$, big miss. read more

The Blackstone Autograph Collection is a beautiful property with courteous FRONT DESK staff and amazing views from the upper floors. Unfortunately, I won't ever return to this property. I requested a feather-free room as I'm allergic to them. Though I was accommodated, it took a while for my room to be ready. That wasn't a huge deal because I was helping to set up an event a few doors down. I also appreciate that this is even an option for people with allergies. Check-in was fine; they didn't tell you they would place a $160 daily hold on your credit card for incidentals. I wasn't even aware of it until a fellow conference attendee complained about seeing it on her bank statement. Holds should always be clarified at check-in with every guest. Complimentary water bottles were available, as were umbrellas, which I needed on day 2 of my stay. The room I was in had an amazing view. The furnishings were worn, but the room was comfortable and spacious enough to lay out my things without feeling cramped. The club lounge was nice for grabbing a hot breakfast to start your day. The staff in the lounge were polite without hovering and spoke to everyone who entered; it was also kept exceptionally clean. The elevators were quick, and the AC was quiet. Now that all the positives are out of the way, the reason why I will never stay at this location again is twofold. The restaurant waitstaff displayed overt racist behavior towards my colleagues/friends, who were also guests at the hotel, and me. I'll expound on our experience on that account. The second and most egregious reason is that I was sexually harassed in the lobby of the Blackstone. A man walked past me multiple times, asking if he could "get that p---y." I ignored and didn't react the first time he said it, fearing that making a scene could escalate into an assault. After he said it the second time, I immediately walked to the concierge to ask them to call security or the police. The man had left the building when I reached the desk. I was waiting for an Uber to pick me up to take me to a work event (on a boat, so there was a time frame I had to get there), so I left with a male friend who showed up. The next day, I spoke with the manager and told her what happened. I noticed multiple cameras and told her I wanted her security team to review the footage to see if they recognized the man as an employee or a guest. I wanted further action taken regardless. She asked me to stay to talk to the head of security but told me it would take a while, and since I had a flight to catch, I gave her my card and asked her to have him email me so we could set up a phone call or Zoom meeting. That was Saturday, March 16th. By Monday, March 18th, I still hadn't heard from anyone at The Blackstone or Marriott. I left a review on Marriott.com and sent an email to Corporate. I called once again and spoke to a different manager, explaining the incident once again. She relayed the message to the head of security, who called me about two hours later. Speaking with the security was a frustrating experience because he kept cutting me off when I tried to give him the details, failed to pay attention when I was describing myself (while he was looking for the footage), and gave me the same canned apology multiple times on the call. After reviewing the video footage, he claimed the man who harassed me was not an employee but was unsure if he was a guest. He told me to file a report with Chicago PD and that he would put out a BOLO for this man to be distributed to area hotels. He also said he would call back to let me know the status of my incident report and the steps taken. It's now March 27th, and I've heard nothing more from him, The Blackstone, or Marriott except another canned response from the general manager telling me they're sorry for my experience. The officer who filed my incident report further frustrated me when she said she "would've gone off on the guy instead of being quiet." Apparently, she's never been the victim of an assault and doesn't know that it's a real possibility when dealing with predators or lecherous people like the man who harassed me. I can't recommend this hotel, especially for women, because people like the man who harassed me are free to come and go and do this to women on their property. There's been no assurance or update on what was done to prevent this from occurring to other women, so I don't feel comfortable recommending a stay there. That, coupled with the racism my dining party experienced, eclipsed every good thing The Blackstone had to offer. read more

The Blackstone, Autograph Collection - Great night views. - Hotels Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Blackstone is a beautiful historic hotel in a convenient location, however, the customer service by the front desk staff is in direct contrast of the glamorous surrounding. The lack of care and extremely casual demeanor on their part was a disappointment and made us sorry we stayed there. The valet staff was cool and friendly, somewhat redeeming the experience. read more

Thank you for an amazing quick weekend trip. Beautiful hotel, very clean, and friendly staff. Location is great to walk to parks, restaurants, and beautiful views of the lake. read more

The Blackstone, Autograph Collection - Hotels Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great Gatsby dream! Location: Across from a large walkable park. Wish they had an elevator to get your luggage into the building because the stairs are tricky to navigate with a large suitcase. Service: One of the best marriotts on service. Staff does a great job of maintaining the property very clean and secure. Does have a restaurant on location. Marriott Platinum Members : Lounge is well stocked. read more

The Blackstone, Autograph Collection - King Room - Hotels Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great hotel. Perfect location as it was walking distance to some of my favorite places to eat and sit and people watch. Staff was really nice. read more

THE JOURNEY TO NEW LEVELS at #MarriottBonvoy HOTEL #17 I recently dropped in to this little treasure in Chicago .... A boutique hotel and they say it's ICONIC ... and I'd say ok ... Entrance - Uhhh there's a few steep stairs to get in and a revolving door ... and I don't recall a bellman to help with my luggage ‍ Lobby - Gorgeous ... a love a girl with personality and this girl was definitely very stylish it's all in the architecture and interior design of the hotel lobby. If I had to give her a name maybe "Sassy Savanah" would describe this property Checkin - Three person counter where I was received by a very nice gentleman who reminded me I have 16 more sleeps until I become Marriott Elite ... or whatever the next level is ‍ Bites and Beverages - No ma'am ‍. The one option for food is a specialty restaurant MERCAT ... now if you like Mexican you'll love it but no sir that menu is not inclusive. I was starving one night and the only other option was a vending machine that was half empty it's soo off brand for @Marriott but I understand because it's #AutograhCollection it needs that side pantry shop next to the check in counter with the honor system or complimentary snacks. But the nice lady at desk at close to midnight offered to pop my popcorn if I want to grab it from the vending machine. NO ROOM SERVICE. (sidebar this is when Uber eats and door dash is a life preserver). No coffee shop but there's a Starbucks inside the Hilton across the street. Room - Perfect for business stay ...beautiful view of Lake Michigan from the 18the floor ... Bathroom - Decor is beautiful and bright marble floors and wall paper covering Design is an all in one design with no division of church and state the and are in the same space ... and shower and tub are the same same ... it's a step in tub if you want to shower Other notables - Power outlets - abundance of standard and UBS power outlets - Robe - yes a beautiful Black robe - Safe - yes in the closet - Telephone - one in sleeping area and wall mounted in bathroom but who you calling with a from the 1900s - Books - yes real hard cover/paper back books Now there are two other hotels next door Hilton and Lemeridien (I've stayed at both for business). Lemeriden is a small boutique size property as well Lobby bar has good eats. read more

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Had a short two night stay at Blackstone. I have to caveat that they were very accommodating with my early check in at 11am. I was grateful I had a room immediately when I checked in and was able to relax. However, the room was less than impressive. It was facing north so no light whatsoever and the windows were so small. It was rather depressing. And the decor is very dark and to top off with black soap. Interesting. However I was able to get access to the lounge (despite losing my platinum status, still very bummed about this) and the staff were attentive. The location of the hotel was less to be desired. Located in South Loop. It was rather far from good restaurants, there was a Trader Joe's a few blocks away. Overall, felt more of a residential location than the busy Chicago town. Will opt for a different location next time. read more

The bare minimum expected from a hotel is a comfortable bed with a decent pillow to lay your head on. This hotel does not even offer that. The bed is rock hard and the pillows turn flat as a pancake the second you lay your head on them. The room layout is completely impractical. It is quite artistic, but has a chair sitting in the corner that serves no purpose since you cannot see the TV from it and there isn't a side table on which to set a cup of coffee. Not the experience I expected. For a hotel that claims to be luxurious they offer very limited amenities. We were told breakfast was served at the lounge downstairs in the morning and then found out it is only available to platinum club members. Then we were offered the opportunity to pay $25 for the stale continental breakfast that had flies sitting on it. The only saving grace is the small coffee shop that offers some air fryer. breakfast sandwiches in the morning. If you're a Bonvoy member... Don't even expect a complementary bottle of water. They will send you downstairs to a vending machine where you can buy a limited selection of canned beverages or candy. read more

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I had a great time during my stay at the Blackstone. This is my first time at this property and while I was only here one night, I had an excellent service and my room was very clean. The rooms were large and well appointed, with everything you could want in a hotel room. I would absolutely stay here again in the future, especially for the price point. read more

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Classic Chicago. Walking into the lobby makes you feel like you're walking through history with a modern artistic touch. Location is pretty convenient as it's 10 min driving to anywhere you want to be. It's a short walk to millennium park. Rooms are clean and spacious. Nothing really to complain about. read more

Many of these reviews are 8 years old so I figured I can help in your decision making process. This hotel is overall pretty okay but in a great location. A park is across the street one way, and a bustling and decently clean city area on the other. Gym is quite nice for a hotel. So why not 5 stars? Read on. The restaurant here is in open war with the hotel. The in room dining phone button goes to some rando employee not the host staff. The hotel's front desk said they have pickup. You call to find out there is no pick up. The host says they are never on the same page. As a confused customer I should not be in the middle of their lack of coordination and communication. Marriott should own both and integrate them to avoid silly experiences. Signed, Hungry in Chicago read more

Had a great trip, hotel has cool history, great drinks, great service (especially our bellhop DJ), great view and location. No complaints! Bonus points for the lake view read more

Booked 2 waterview rooms (requested to be close to each other as we have an 80 yr old senior).Front desk Torin told us there wasn't anything available and gave us 2 different floors. She did NOT look as she was very quick to answer. Rm 1919 was OK but the other room on the 21st floor was small ( she knows there's a wheelchair involved). We went back to the front desk and told them that we booked waterview (not partial). Another person got involved and magically the room right across 1919 was available! If you are lazy to give customer service then dont work in this field. I feel like staff here don't care much. Nobody helped us with the wheelchair and the front has steps and revolving door and steps again. We weren't told that there was an elevator to the street level hidden by the cafe until 2 days later by another guest. Im a Marriott member and this is the worse and I was just recently in Marriott Manila and Orlando,FL and I feel this Autograph Blackstone Chicago needs to me remodeled and staff be trained on customer service. The only good service we got was from the asian lady who cleaned our room. The view from Rm 1919 was good. read more

It goes without saying, but the COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed many parts of our daily lives; it's almost overwhelming to think about how much has changed, both for better and for worse. Personally, I took a step back during the early days of the pandemic to reflect, and decided to take advantage of the shut-down state and go back to school to further my education. How does tie into a Yelp review of a hotel? Well, the college I (remotely) attended is in Chicago, and I thought it would be fun to attend commencement in person. I've had good experiences at Marriotts before, and since I'm a Bonvoy member I decided to start there and see what I could find. The Blackstone stood out to me for several reasons, so I decided to book it for my extended weekend in Chicago. Like most of my other hotel reviews, I'll be separating this by pros and cons, so here we go! One of the biggest pros of The Blackstone is the location - you're in the heart of the South Loop right on Michigan Ave, and are within walking distance to many sights like Millennium Park, Lake Michigan, and the Chicago Riverwalk. During my stay, I either walked to took a short Uber right to wherever I wanted to go, many sights and points of interest are within a mile or two. The aesthetics are another pro - the hotel is part of Marriott's Autograph Collection, which features spaces that have rich histories and interesting architecture. The decor was gorgeous - lots of eclectic furniture in the lobby contrasting with the clean, contemporary design of the rooms that had splashes of flair as well. The room was spacious - the bathroom in particular was super large and the bed was very comfortable. I stayed on the 16th floor which offered amazing views of Lake Michigan, Buckingham Fountain, and the Chicago Navy Pier. Other features worth noting are a restaurant that is open for dinner, an art gallery, and a ballroom for special events. So, onto the cons. Let me start by saying that as a whole, I enjoyed my stay here but that there were details that took away from the experience and prevented me from giving them more than a 3 (keeping in mind the price-point of this hotel). Accommodations is one of the biggest cons for me - the in-house restaurant is limited to dinner (starting at 5pm), so you are forced to look elsewhere if you want breakfast, lunch, or a small bite. I was honestly surprised at the lack of food offerings - they should at least have a coffee bar or something set up in the morning. General upkeep of the common area and rooms were also a con for me. Upon arrival I noticed an empty cup in the common area by my floor's elevator, and it did not move at all during my stay (did housekeeping not see it?). My room had a tub, but the shower curtain was too short in relation to the height of the shower bar (it barely touched the top of the tub). The shower curtain was all torn, not fastened correctly, and thus could not align properly with the liner. I also noticed that the TV remote was missing in my room - I asked for another one which they delivered promptly, but did they not check the room before they gave me my key? I actually did find the remote the morning I was leaving underneath one of the end tables - but it does not invalidate my concerns. All of these things really make me question the quality control in this hotel's operations. Overall, The Blackstone sits at a 3 for me - which it really shouldn't, but here we are. I have stayed at other Marriott Autograph Collection hotels, and I don't feel this is one of their better ones. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good things about The Blackstone - but I feel that a hotel of this caliber and at this price point should have better accommodations and pay more attention to the details. If I return to Chicago, I would probably opt to stay elsewhere. read more

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Wow!!!! This hotel was gorgeous!!! I'm usually impressed with Marriott's service not the hotels so much but this one!!! If I have my way I will ALWAYS be staying here. We got in pretty late and crazy enough the lobby was still busy but we walked right up and was given our room keys, plus the layout of how thing worked (brunch wise the next morning). The only thing missing (according to my youngest) was the pool. We stayed in a suite, could've been executive not really sure, but there was plenty of space! Our room had 2 queen beds, plus a pull out sofa. The bathroom had a double vanity and nice size shower/tub. We were lucky enough to stay on the 20th floor and had an amazing view! The night view was perfect to watch and even my youngest enjoyed it. The bathroom mirror also had a tv in it if you are the type to watch while getting ready. The beds were super comfy and there were 4 pillows for every bed. I can honestly say this is one of the best hotels I've stayed in and I would gladly stay again if in the Chicago downtown area. read more

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