OverviewLocated about a 4-minute drive from Chicago's city centre, and a 5-minute walk from Roosevelt Metro Station, the Best Western Grant Park Hotel is popular with pedestrian travellers who require a centrally located hotel with on-site dining and easy access to pubic transit.
This hotel has 172 air-conditioned guest rooms and suites, each offering free Wi-Fi and wired Internet, cable TV, a coffeemaker, a desk, an iron and ironing board, an in-room safe, a complimentary weekday newspaper and a hair dryer. Standard rooms offer one king or two double beds.
Some rooms offer a mini-fridge and a microwave, and may also offer a loveseat or a separate sitting area with a sofabed. The hotel is wheelchair accessible.
Hotel amenities include an outdoor pool and sundeck, a fitness room, a meeting room and a business centre. The front desk is open 24 hours. This hotel also offers an airport shuttle service, although charges apply.
On-site dining is offered at Mei's Coffee Bar (serving breakfast and lunch daily), and Mei's Kitchen, which serves dinner daily. Room service is available. On-site parking is an additional $29 per day and pets are not allowed.
Grant Park is across the street from hotel, while Northwestern University can be found 10 minutes north by car. Atrium Mall is roughly 17 minutes away via public transit, and O'Hare International Airport (ORD) is about a 30-minute drive northwest of the hotel. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, parking $29/day, pets not permitted, wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: July 3, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with praise going to the hotel's location, staff and rooms.
The hotel's location was praised by numerous guests, who found the hotel to be close to downtown, restaurants, bars, public transit, shopping, museums, Grant Park and Shedd Aquarium.
Many lodgers were pleased with the level of customer service they received while at the hotel, and characterized the staff as pleasant, attentive and helpful in offering directions and suggestions. It should be noted, however, that some guests had complaints about the staff (see below).
Several reviewers complimented their accommodations. They described their rooms as clean and well maintained, with nice views of Grant Park and luxurious beds.
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were some common complaints about the rooms and the staff.
While several guests were pleased with their clean rooms and comfortable beds, some reviewers had complaints about their accommodations. They reported dated decor, furniture and fixtures, poor water pressure, spotty Wi-Fi and stained carpets.
Although many lodgers found the hotel's staff to be pleasant and helpful, some guests were disappointed with the level of customer service they received. They reported being unable to reach the front desk by phone for long periods of time, as well as not receiving requests, such as a crib or extra towels, in a timely fashion.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 3.8 out of 5 with an 84% recommendation rate from 1,523 reviews.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #112 out of 164 Chicago hotels with an average rating of 3.5 out of 5 from 399 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 7.4 out of 10 from 213 reviews.
The author called the hotel on July 3, 2013 to verify some information.
