OverviewLocated about a 5-minute walk from Harrison Metro Station, across the street from Grant Park and a 4-minute drive from Chicago's city centre, the Congress Plaza Hotel is suitable for business or vacation travellers who prefer a centrally located hotel with meeting/banquet space, on-site dining and easy access to public transit.
Each of this hotel's air-conditioned guest rooms and suites offers cable TV, a coffeemaker, a laptop safe, a desk, an iron and ironing board and a hair dryer. Rooms with a separate bedroom, a dining area and a jetted tub are also available, as are wheelchair-accessible rooms. Smoking and non-smoking rooms are offered and in-room Wi-Fi is $9.95 per day.
Hotel amenities include fitness facilities, over 50,000 square feet of meeting/banquet space, a bar, a business centre, a barber shop, a gift shop and valet dry cleaning. Self-parking is an additional $39 per day and pets are not permitted.
On-site dining is offered at Gazebo Restaurant (serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily) and Rafael Steak House, which serves lunch and dinner daily.
The Navy Pier is about a 7-minute drive from the hotel, while the Chicago Symphony Orchestra can be found 5 minutes away on foot. Atrium Mall is roughly 13 minutes away via public transit and O'Hare International Airport, Chicago (ORD) is a 25-minute drive away. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Wi-Fi $9.95/day, self-parking $39/day, pets not permitted, wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: October 28, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with praise going to the hotel's location, staff and rooms.
Numerous reviewers praised the hotel's location. They found it close to Grant Park, Millennium Park, Lake Michigan, Navy Pier, public transit, restaurants, bars, The Art Institute, shopping, the airport and museums.
The hotel's staff were the source of many compliments, and were characterized as helpful, friendly, efficient and knowledgeable about the area. One patron noted, "The concierge and front desk staff and security folks were extremely kind and accommodating. They even took the time to grant our request to see the "haunted" ballrooms which were absolutely magnificent".
Several lodgers enjoyed their accommodations at the hotel. They described their rooms as clean, spacious and quiet, with great views of Lake Michigan. It should be noted, however, that some guests were disappointed with their lodgings (see below).
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few common complaints about the hotel's rooms and value.
Although several lodgers were pleased with their clean and spacious rooms, some guests were disappointed with their accommodations. They reported dated decor, worn furniture, musty odours, poor water pressure and no in-room fridges.
A few reviewers complained about the hotel's value. They found the added Wi-Fi and parking charges to be expensive, and felt a free breakfast should have been included in the daily rates.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 3.4 out of 5 with a 78% recommendation rate from 4,117 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 7.3 out of 10 from 1,741 reviews.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #121 of 166 Chicago hotels with an average rating of 3 out of 5 from 1,022 reviews.
The author called the hotel on October 28, 2013 to verify some information.