OverviewLocated a 3-minute walk from Grand Red Metro Station and about a 7-minute drive from Chicago's city centre on Chicago's Magnificent Mile, the Conrad Chicago is geared towards business or leisure travellers who prefer a centrally located hotel with easy access to public transit, meeting/conference space and on-site dining.
Each of the hotel's air-conditioned guest rooms and suites offers free Wi-Fi, cable TV, an in-room safe, an iPod docking station, a desk, an iron and ironing board, a bathrobe for each guest and a hair dryer. Rooms with a separate bedroom, a living area with a sofabed, a coffeemaker, a minibar, a free daily newspaper and a dining table are also available, as are wheelchair- and hearing-accessible rooms.
Hotel amenities include a fitness centre, meeting/conference facilities, a business centre, a gift shop and guest laundry. Self-parking is available for an additional $40 per night and pets are permitted for $75 per pet, per stay.
On-site dining is offered at the Terrace Restaurant (serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily), and The Terrace Bar and Terrace Rooftop, which both serve dinner daily. A complimentary wine reception is also offered from 6 pm to 7 pm daily.
The hotel is connected via a walkway to The Shops at North Bridge, which are a 1-minute walk away. Northwestern University is roughly 7 minutes away on foot, while Wrigley Field is about a 13-minute drive away. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) is 20 minutes away by car. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, parking $40/day, $75/pet/stay, wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: September 27, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with much praise going to the hotel's location, rooms and staff.
The hotel's location was praised by numerous guests, who described it as central, and close to public transit, attractions, restaurants, shopping, House of Blues and Michigan Avenue. One reviewer noted, "The hotel is centrally located to just about every store you could imagine, as well as sight-seeing tours, the Navy Pier and many attractions".
Many lodgers enjoyed their accommodations at the hotel. They described their rooms as clean, spacious, luxurious, quiet and nicely laid out, with comfortable beds and linens and large bathrooms. A few guests had complaints about their rooms, however (see below).
Several reviewers were pleased with the level of customer service they received during their stay, and characterized the staff as attentive, friendly, professional and efficient. One patron remarked, "I found the staff to be exceptionally friendly, nothing was a problem to them".
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few complaints about the added costs and the rooms.
A few guests were disappointed with the extra costs they incurred during their stay. They found the parking fee, the room rates and the restaurant prices to be overpriced, and felt a free breakfast should have been included in the rates.
Although the majority of reviewers were pleased with their clean and comfortable rooms, a few guests had complaints. They reported dated decor, no in-room coffeemakers and noise transfer from the hallways and guests in adjacent rooms.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #12 of 166 Chicago hotels with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 from 1,779 reviews.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 4.7 out of 5 with a 97% recommendation rate from 875 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 9 out of 10 from 83 reviews
The author called the hotel on September 27, 2013 to verify some information.
