Congress Hotel in Chicago?
 

I booked this hotel thru Hotrooms and wondered if anyone has ever checked it out?(It was one of the only ones ofering rooms with 3 double beds)

I just stayed there in May. It is a large, but old hotel. The lobby is very nice, the rooms are decent sized for a "city hotel", but the hotel is showing its age. Didn't have too much contact with the hotel staff, but check-in was a little rough (i had 3 different reservations for 4 consecutive nites since i received the "best" rates from different websites for different nites). My first 2 nites included breakfast, but the clerk told me it didn't. I pulled out my printed confirmation from the website which showed breakfast included, she disappeared, then came back and told me breakfast would be included. No apology offered for her mistake (which would have been nice, but not a big deal). Since i had 3 different reservations, i was given the same room for all 4 nites, but i needed to go to the lobby each morning to "check out and immediately check in." Also, if you plan on using a laptop computer for internet access from your room, local and 800# calls are $1.00 for 15 minutes, then (i think) .10/minute thereafter. So going on the net from your hotel room could get expensive (i don't travel too much, but this is the first time i've seen a per minute charge on a local call). <BR> <BR>Overall, the hotel is "ok", but in the future i would sooner stay on NORTH michigan avenue as it is more centrally located. <BR> <BR>My favorite thing while i was there... <BR>We ate lunch at the Signature Room in the John Hancock Building. Lunch was casual and they had sandwiches/burgers for ~$10. The view was amazing, lunch was relaxing, service was great, and lunch ended up costing $30 w/ tip. Just a few dollars more than a lunch at street level, but well worth it!

By the way... that was a total of $30 with tip for 2 people.

Sorry to give you the bad news Sandi, but this hotel is a dump. Stayed there three years ago and regretted it. Rooms and furnishings are very old. A group of 20 tough looking young people (probably some tour group) were smoking pot in the hallway when I returned to my room at 11pm. I called the front desk, but I could still hear them talking in the hallway an hour later. <BR>

I wouldn't stay there. Its one of those old somewhat musty hotels. More importantly, it's really far south on Michigan Avenue. Any farther south and you're hitting the slums. It's close to McCormick Place for conventions, but far <BR>away from the more interesting areas for tourists. If you stay there, you'll be ok. Just catch a taxi to the 400 to 1200 North Michigan avenue for shopping, dining, and fun. Don't venture any more south or west.

The statement that the Congress is "far away from the more interesting areas for tourists" is a value judgment with which I disagree. I am an occasional visitor to Chicago and I find the neighborhood easily walkable from the Congress far more interesting than the North Mich. Ave. area. There are attractions in both areas of the City. To understand what the "attractions" are in both places get a good guidebook such as "Access Chicago".