Overview
Located about an 8-minute drive from Chicago's city centre and a 5-minute walk from Grand-Red Metro Station, the Hotel Cass Holiday Inn Express is suitable for travellers who prefer a centrally-located hotel with easy access to public transit and a complimentary breakfast.
This non-smoking hotel has 174 air-conditioned guest rooms and suites, each offering free Wi-Fi, cable TV, a coffeemaker, a desk, an iron and ironing board, an in-room safe and a hair dryer. Standard rooms offer one or two double beds, while rooms with a mini-fridge and an iPod dock are also available. Wheelchair-accessible rooms are available upon request.
The hotel also offers a fitness centre, a business centre, guest laundry facilities, free 24-hour coffee and tea in the lobby and a free continental breakfast. The breakfast is served from 6:30 am to 9:30 am on weekdays, and from 7 am to 10 am on weekends.
Parking (valet only) is available on site for an additional $49 per day and features unlimited in-and-out privileges. Pets are not permitted.
Bijan's Bistro is a 2-minute walk from the hotel, while Lincoln Park Zoo can be found 7 minutes away by car. Magnificent Mile is 4 minutes away on foot. The Shops at North Bridge are a 2-minute walk away, and O'Hare International Airport (ORD) is roughly a 25-minute drive from the hotel. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, parking $49/day, pets not permitted, wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: May 27, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with praise going to the hotel's staff, location and rooms.
Many lodgers praised the hotel's staff, characterizing them as friendly, helpful, efficient and accommodating. One reviewer remarked that the staff were good at giving directions and recommendations for restaurants and attractions.
Numerous guests were pleased with the hotel's location, and found it to be close to shopping, restaurants, the metro, theatres, the airport and Magnificent Mile.
The hotel's accommodations were complimented by several reviewers. They described their rooms as clean, modern, well equipped and cozy, with comfortable beds and good Wi-Fi. It should be noted, however, that several guests reported small rooms.
The hotel's breakfast was also praised by several patrons, who found it to have a great selection of hot and cold items, as well as a nice presentation and helpful staff.
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few complaints about noise transfer.
Some guests complained of noise disruptions during their stays. They reported noise in rooms situated close to the elevator, as well as traffic noise and noise from guests in adjacent rooms and from cleaning staff.
As mentioned above, several reviewers praised their rooms, however, there were several guests who felt the rooms were too small.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 4.1 out of 5 with an 88% recommendation rate from 618 reviews.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #87 out of 164 Chicago hotels with an average rating of 3.5 out of 5 from 434 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 8.4 out of 10 from 161 reviews.
The author called the hotel on May 27, 2013 to verify some information.
