Liz

I have reservations there and I was trying to figure out what is around the hotel. I have stayed many times in Chicago, but I am just trying to figure out what is on that block for example: Walgreens, The Gap the Banberry clothing store or whatever that name is where they sell all that tan plaid stuff. Can someone give me an idea. I would really appreciate it. I have reservations at the Westin river north too, so I am trying to decide. Everday we will be going to the baseball games. So I didn't know what is better for us closer to the river or just stay on michigan ave. Please give me some advice if you know your way around that street. Thanks a lot for all your help.

Liz

alex

I stayed there when I took the bar exam before I moved to Chicago. It is very well located. The Burberry's is there as is Brooks Brothers. It is one block from Neimans and two blocks from Water Tower Place. There are many many good restaurants like Tru and RL (Ralph Lauren's restaurant) within a few block radius. The hotel was recently renovated and I heard that they did a fabulous job although we thought our room was pretty nice when we were there before the renovation.

Liz

I want to know the hotels inside like the bathroom was it small or oversized. See we will be there for five nights and I think the westin's rooms are bigger w/bigger bathrooms. I was just tryint to get an idea of how big the room was. Thanks for your response. I worried that nobody stayed there before except for you. Thanks again for your help.

Liz

alex

Now I am really stretching my memory! I honestly do not remember the bathroom so I am assuming it was nothing special and nothing horrible. Otherwise I would definitely remember. It is an older hotel, and I do not know if they made any reconfigurations when they remodeled it. I am sure that we were put in one of the cheapest rooms since we were paying a reduced rate. Our room had a small kitchen in it but I think they probably took those out. I found a lengthy review of the hotel on epinions.com that is less than a year old so I would recommend checking it out. The reviewer's name is diverpam. I will say that I agree with the reviewer that I thought the service was great. The hotel was very crowded when I was there because there were hundreds (thousands?) of hopefuls taking the Illinois bar exam, plus they were administering the exam at the hotel as well. Yet, the staff was extremely friendly and accommodating.

Liz

Hi again,

Thanks for all your help I know I am stretching it out with all of these questions, but when I go on vacations I want that big bathroom and big area room too. Even though we are not going to be in the room that much, because of the baseball games. I am just too picky, but thanks for the website I will check it out. I won't send anymore emails about the bathroom, but thanks again for all your input.

Sincerely,
Liz

alex

Hi Liz,

I was not trying to discourage you from asking questions - sorry if it came off that way. Unfortunately I just do not remember. A nice bathroom is really important to me too. I still think the bathrooms at the Bryant Park hotel in Manhattan were the nicest I have ever seen (not the most ornate but spacious, full of marble and very serene)! The Allerton is really a nice hotel and the location is phenomenal. Have a great trip! Make sure to let me know where you end up staying and if you liked it!

Liz

Hi,

I know you weren't trying to discourage me from asking questions, no one can do that. I just know I am making a big deal out of a bathroom, which I am so glad you helped me with my situation. I know I should be worring about those kinds of things considering the first few years we always stayed a 6 motel, which I think now is a red roof inn, but anyway. You were more than nice to even respond. I told everyone about this fodors site which I think is really helpful for anyone. Thanks again for all your help and I will definitely let you know how my stay was there. It is kind of a toss between that one because total for all the five nights stay we will be saving about 100.00 overall. But the Westin is closer to the subway and the bars. But I know Chicago well enough to get us around. Last year we stayed at the Inter continental, that was nice but the ceiling were short. That is a new whole entire story. But anyway thanks again. Talk to you soon.

Liz

Liz

Well, I stayed at that Allerton Crowne Plaza. It was the worst. I might have just stayed at the red roof inn At least I had a better night sleep I stayed at this hotel and paid 99.00 a night it was just like staying at a holiday inn. I was very disappointed and I let the manger know it a note and never heard back, but anyway the room was 10 x 17 and that is not including the bed space. The towels had long black strands of hair I guess from the maids. And I had to ask for the coffee packets or cups everyday. The location was fine. But I will never satay there again. Especially the beds they are queen and they must be peite queens. I am a med. build and so is my husband, but we could barely move. Next time I will stay closer to River North. I had reservation at the Westin I should have kept. But I go to Chicago every year to watch the cubs play, and that was my worst stay yet. So I am just warning everyone not to staythere go to the Swissotel and the westin or even the Inter continental. Just don't go to the Allerton Crowne Plaza.

Liz

Gwen

Ummmm.....Liz, the Allerton IS a Holiday Inn.
(Or are you just being snide?)
Really. Crowne Plaza hotels are Holiday Inns and this should have been your first clue that you weren't going to be checking into the Four Seasons.

I've warned people against the Allerton in the past and have been told that the renovations were extensive, blahblahblah.
Well I've stayed there and I know how extensive the renovation would have to be to bring this place up to par with a typical Hyatt, for example. And Holiday inn did not invest that kind of money.

If it's any consolation, the Westin (your other choice) is not much better.

Liz

Well where were you when I needed you. I tell you I thought about checking out sooner, it was terrible at least when I stayed at the Motel 8 now is a red roof inn. At least I knew what I was getting into. We stayed there twice, just trying to save money. But it was more comfortable than the Allerton. I tell you. I was so mad. I forgot to mention too. One day the housekkeping gave me a new little bottle of lotion you know in the bathroom and it had already been used, so when we checked out and this was recent June 22-27, 2002. I lfilled that cheklist in the room and gave it to them at the front desk with that already used bottle of lotion and told them to give it to the hotel manager, which they probably read it and threw it away. I have emailed them but have gotten no response. I think while I am home this weekend I will get in touch with the manager and have a talk with him. The only thing good out of this trip was the restaurants and the Cubs games. We went to eat at the Chop House on Ontario, great!!!, the pizza place further down on Ontario The Original Gino East, but other than that we have eaten ate great places like. The Rosebud on rush and Spiaggi. We just love Chicago and we go ever year, but the hotel situation is always a problem. While I was there I even went to check out the Lenox Suites, because we stay in that area alot during the day shopping and eating at Houstons and the coffee shop below the hotel. It was ok for the money and much bigger and it had a kitchen and a two part bathroom, so whil you are in the shower/ toilet area, the other part with a door can be at the lavatory. But anyway. Thanks for all your help.

Liz

Laurie

Liz, how did you like Spiaggia? You mentioned you ate there but no comment. We have guests coming into town and trying to decide where to go for dinner. Most people I know think Spiaggia is not so great for all the $$$$.

xxx

Laurie:

Agree Spiaggia is a bit fussy and overpriced (more a biz dinner place than somewhere people go for fun). Better options:

Steaks (Smith & Wollensky outside, the Grill, Mortons)

Seafood - Joe's Seafood (very nice and clubby, way better than Shaw's)

Shanghai Terrace - nice outdoor dining at the Peninsula. The bar is great for drinks after dinner (make sure there's no wedding that night, otherwise eat inside).

Nomi - Great outdoor terrace for drinks

Italian - not too many really good Italian places in downtown (Maggiano's, Rosebud and Carmens - basic americanized Italian huge portions, Coco Pazzo - mixed reviews and Coco Pazzo Cafe - OK food with nice outdoor dining). Best Italian in the city is Merlo, but it's in Lincoln Park rather than downtown.

Liz:

Let the Allerton thing go. Good you've posted your bad rec and don't stay there again. Just prolonging the agony by dwelling on it.

Liz

I am posting my messages to make sure no one else out there goes through what I had to. So I will post as many times as I want to. I want others out there to stay somewhere else, so they don't experience what I have already. They need to make major changes at that hotel and I will continue my goal until I make others happy. If someone else wants to know just how bad it was i will let you know. If you don't like then don't read it. I am a consumer and I only want the best for me and other consumers. So call it want you want.
Have a great day!

Sincerely, Liz

OverratedItalian

If anyone wants to know what Chicago thinks of Rosebud on Rush, go to metromix.com for the reviews. The tourists are keeping it afloat.

liz

Hi Laurie,

We went to spiaggia about four years ago and at lunch time. I only thing I remember that was great was this apetizer we ordered and it was a white cheese pizza. I ordered the muscles in a white cream sauce over pasta. It was good but I remember the pizza more. We did just go to the Chop House and they have great steaks. Oh what about Harry Carey's. We went there too that was the best over size portion of my favorite eggplant Parm. and the best crabcakes. I forgot to mention that to you too. But Laurie I am not from Chicago, so I really don't know all of the great places, but I did mention too Rosebud is great. Last year we tried to get in around seven pm and they said it would be a two hour wait, well we eat at six, so that didn't work, but the next night we got out of that cubs game onto the train and then got off right by the rosebuds for 5:30pm and go a little table by the piano bar and my husband sang with him. I guess he like my husbands acent. Anyway, it really depends on what kind of food you want and how expensive it can be. But I thought Harey Carey's was fun and a little loud in the main room, but the Chop house was great on Ontario. Good luck let me know what you decide. Have a great weekend!

Liz