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| Congress Plaza Hotel |
Congress Plaza Hotel in Chicago, Illinois |
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Congress Plaza Hotel
520 S Michigan Ave
Chicago, Illinois 60605
Call Expedia at: 1-800-551-2409
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Congress Plaza Hotel Reviews
| Traveler Ratings Summary for Congress Plaza Hotel
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Overall: 3.01 |
Service
3.15 |
Condition
2.63 |
Cleanliness
3.21 |
Comfort
3.03 |
Recommend
64.58 % |
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| Needs renovation and cleaning |
Overall: 3 |
Service
3 |
Condition
2 |
Cleanliness
2 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| Hotel is in an excellent location and the price is right compared to others in the downtown area. However, it is really showing it's age and the bathroom in our room was ancient. There were stains on the walls and ceiling and it just didn't feel very clean. Service was good and the room was a suite which was an added and unexpected bonus. Crossing the picket lines was not an issue when they were there.
Reviewed by traveler from Morganton, NC on August 23, 2006 |
| Great Chicago Bargain |
Overall: 4 |
Service
3 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
5 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| I stayed at the Congress Plaza for a weekend of fun and I can honestly say, I was not disappointed. The only problem arose with room service; they were extremely slow in getting us our food. However, when the food did come it was good and the hotel did not charge me for it. I would definetly stay at the Congress Plaza in the future.
Reviewed by traveler from Denver, CO on August 22, 2006 |
| Old Quality, but in good shape. Waaaay comfy. |
Overall: 5 |
Service
5 |
Condition
5 |
Cleanliness
5 |
Comfort
5 |
Recommend
Yes |
| You can tell this place used to be 'Money.' It just feels like the uppercrust business travelers used to stay here and hold big conventions. But, it's been a while since a face-lift. The wood trim in the halls and rooms has been painted over so many times, like so it's half an inch thick now. Still, the place feels awesome and well built. It's clean and is a GREAT value. The lobby is incredible, and gives a peek into the past lushness of this place. The rooms themselves are clean and pretty comfy. I like this place better than the other stale, all-alike business hotels. Try to get a 'lake view'... sometimes the 'city-views' can be of the hotel across the street... Oh, and the location? It ROCKS! You can walk to every major downtown attraction and the transit system is super close, like two blocks.
Reviewed by traveler from San Francisco, CA on August 22, 2006 |
| Excellent location |
Overall: 4 |
Service
4 |
Condition
3 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| The hotel is getting close to being due for renovation but was acceptable at the price. The location gives easy access on foot to most places of touristic interest in Chicago. It is also easy to access and find coming in by car.
Reviewed by traveler from cleveland oh on August 22, 2006 |
| Congress Mess |
Overall: 1 |
Service
2 |
Condition
1 |
Cleanliness
1 |
Comfort
2 |
Recommend
No |
| We went to Chicago for a FAMILY trip. We stayed at the Congress Plaza for 5 nights. I should have known since it was lower on the rates that things would be less than average. Yes, it's in a good location, easy walking to almost everything. But if you can, spend as much time as possible outside of the hotel. Yes, it's old but that doesn't mean that it should look dirty and tattered. It needs serious cleaning and repairs. Service was laughable. Front desk people were uninterested. When the t.v. finally worked on our 3rd day, I phoned to let the front desk that there was "free porn" on our t.v. and all they did was laugh. They couldn't offer any help on blocking it. Of course, we didn't plan on watching much t.v. since the sites of Chicago are enough to keep a person busy 24/7, but it would have been nice to catch the news. Maid service was terrible, beds were made daily but bathroom was not cleaned. I should have brought my own 409.
Reviewed by traveler from Missouri on August 21, 2006 |
| BEST DEAL FOR THE PRICE AND LOCATION |
Overall: 4 |
Service
4 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| You can't get any better deal for an Hotel in this location....if you want luxury go somewhere else, if you want just a place to get some rest after a long day walking as a tourist, this is the perfect place. Oh internet users, the web is not free, it cost you 10 dollars per 24 hrs. But definitly will come back, no questions about it.
Reviewed by traveler from Pembroke Pines, FL on August 15, 2006 |
| Glad to see the lobby and surrounding floor renovations since our last stay |
Overall: 3 |
Service
4 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
3 |
Comfort
3 |
Recommend
Yes |
| Great view of the lake which we requested
Reviewed by traveler from Detroit area on August 14, 2006 |
| ok for college students |
Overall: 3 |
Service
3 |
Condition
2 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| ok hotel, excellent location for events in Grant Park; our room was booked online and was as described, just the basics. the most reasonable price in that area.
Reviewed by traveler on August 12, 2006 |
| The Shining |
Overall: 2 |
Service
1 |
Condition
2 |
Cleanliness
3 |
Comfort
2 |
Recommend
Yes |
| You get what you pay for... This hotel was in an excellent location and it served its purpose - someplace to sleep. The hotel was strange - beautiful on the outside, nice in the lobby, but old and way past its prime in the hallways and the rooms. If you have ever seen the movie "The Shining", that's what your room will look like!! When I went to my room, there was already someone else's luggage in there, which is unsettling because, just like they gave me access to someone else's room, they could have given someone access to my room with my personal possessions in it. Technically, that can happen at any hotel, but this is the first time that has ever happened to me. It was the best priced hotel in that area, and there is access to everything. If you keep these reviews in mind and don't expect much then you won't be disappointed. I would only recommend it if you can't afford anything else.
Reviewed by traveler from Virgin Islands on August 11, 2006 |
| Below Average |
Overall: 3 |
Service
4 |
Condition
2 |
Cleanliness
3 |
Comfort
3 |
Recommend
Yes |
| The room and ammenities that we had were below average, but the hotel itself was close to Grant Park, which is where we spent the majority of our time. They charge $9.99 for 24 hours of internet access.
Reviewed by traveler from Kalamazoo, MI on August 9, 2006 |
| Get what you pay for |
Overall: 3 |
Service
2 |
Condition
2 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| The building is very old butit is in a great location and has a beautiful view. All of the rooms are very different, so you never know what you are going to get. I would recommend the hotel if you were just looking for an affordable place to stay. No bells and whistles.
Reviewed by traveler from Washington, DC on August 9, 2006 |
| Don't waste your money |
Overall: 2 |
Service
4 |
Condition
2 |
Cleanliness
2 |
Comfort
1 |
Recommend
No |
| This hotel is horrible. The one thing that they have going for them is customer service. Our air conditioner was broken and our room was at least 90 degrees the whole weekend which was miserable. On top of that the rooms are old, stained carpet, tv didn't work etc. Spend a little more and get something that you will want to sleep in!
Reviewed by traveler from Minneapolis, MN on August 9, 2006 |
| Great Room, Poor Service |
Overall: 4 |
Service
3 |
Condition
5 |
Cleanliness
5 |
Comfort
5 |
Recommend
Yes |
| The hotel itself was pretty nice. The rooms were clean and looked to have been recently remodeled. I can't speak for all of the rooms but the one we had was nice. The service on the other hand wasn't all that great. I got in at 2:52pm to check in. Check in time for this hotel is 3pm so I waited in line and got to the front and they told me that my room wasn't ready and I had to wait 8 minutes and then get back in line and come get the keys. Pretty dumb. The other thing that you DO NOT want to do is eat at the restaurant in the hotel called Ralphie's Steakhouse. It has nice steakhouse prices but the service was awful. There were only three tables being waited on and it took over an hour to get our steak. It took 20 minutes to get our glasses of wine. When the steak came I had to send my medium well back because it was bloody. It was a horrible place to eat, very poorly managed.
Reviewed by traveler from Portland, OR on August 9, 2006 |
| Perfect location |
Overall: 3 |
Service
3 |
Condition
2 |
Cleanliness
3 |
Comfort
2 |
Recommend
Yes |
| Good location, close to most places of interest but the hotel needs to be refreshed. Reasonable ratio Quality-Price.
Reviewed by traveler from Paris on August 9, 2006 |
| Great location, low price |
Overall: 4 |
Service
3 |
Condition
3 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| Beautiful old hotel in a great location. Many signs of wear but comfortable. Can't beat the price. The extra $10 for a lake view room is well worth it. I would stay here again.
Reviewed by traveler from Pittsburgh on August 9, 2006 |
| Great location, Great value, so-so accommodations |
Overall: 3 |
Service
3 |
Condition
3 |
Cleanliness
3 |
Comfort
3 |
Recommend
Yes |
| The hotel is exactly what I expected. It's old and slightly outdated. But, the rooms are big. We traveled with four kids. We all fit comfortably in one room (two doubles) with two roll-away beds. There is no charge for children under 15, and they didn't make us get two rooms because of our larger party. GREAT location: right across from Grant Park and Buckingham Fountain. We walked to many of our destinations. My only word of caution is to be aware that the parking garage attendants reminded me of the mafia. Very abrupt and evening threatening to some customers. Please be aware that they valet ALL cars (no choice) and they leave your vehicle unlocked with the windows down the whole time; so, don't leave anything in it that can be stolen.
Reviewed by traveler from St. Louis on August 9, 2006 |
| It was more than we expected but we hadn't expected much |
Overall: 4 |
Service
3 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
3 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| We expected the hotel to be pretty run-down and uncomfortable after what we had heard but that was not the case. It was cleaner than expected and the experience was so much better for the simple fact that a mistake was made at the check-in counter and we were put into a large suite by accident. I would recommend this hotel to someone who needs a place to sleep relatively comfortably but who does not require any more from a hotel. Also the staff was quite accomodating and friendly.
Reviewed by traveler from Montreal, Quebec, Canada on August 9, 2006 |
| Old But Good Location |
Overall: 3 |
Service
3 |
Condition
2 |
Cleanliness
3 |
Comfort
3 |
Recommend
Yes |
| It's an extremely old hotel (and shows it), but the location is in the heart of the city, within walking distance of everything, including museums, shopping, the Lake Michigan Harbor, and a 5 minute cab ride to everything else.
Reviewed by traveler from Suburban Chicago, Illinois on August 2, 2006 |
| Congress Plaza disaster |
Overall: 1 |
Service
1 |
Condition
1 |
Cleanliness
1 |
Comfort
1 |
Recommend
No |
| The two most enjoyable things or positive remarks I can make about this hotel are that the check in was very quick and efficient(self-service kiosks), and the close proximity of the hotel to the events we had planned(walking distance to theater and museum). The hotel is very old, probably historic, and is visibly in the process of restoration/rehab. Our room was on a floor where i never did see any other guests, around the corner, and for lack of a better word, "gross." The furniture was all standard hotel furniture, but the bed was full-sized. This room looked like it used to be a closet, except there was a window. Around the window, the wall was cracked and water damaged. The air-conditioner was pumping out very cold air, but it smelled mildewed, and the printing was worn off the buttons. The bathroom had been retiled, but the toilet continued to run each time it was flushed. Reaching into gross hotel toilets to fix the running water is not one of the things I consider acceptable. The sink was a newer pedastal sink, but the water sprayed all different directions when turned on. I had bad dreams all night about this room, and apologized over and over to my fiance for having made this reservation. I was up at 6am the next morning, ready to get out of there! Our trip was for pleasure---i can not even imagine staying at this hotel as a business traveler. I don't think I have ever stayed anywhere this poor before, not even traveling as a student in Europe!
Reviewed by traveler from Kansas City on August 2, 2006 |
| Absolutely Terrible! |
Overall: 1 |
Service
2 |
Condition
1 |
Cleanliness
1 |
Comfort
1 |
Recommend
No |
| This hotel is aged, and it shows. The hallways were dark, small, and creepy with no air conditioning on a 98 degree day. The rooms were dirty, and uncomfortable. The bed was way too firm for our likings. There was a dirty towel hanging up in the bathroom, and the shower had only luke warm water and bad water pressure, that did not drain as fast as it came out, so if I had opted to take a shower in there I would have been standing in inches of water. Not to mention the people on strike picketing the hotel, they have apparently been on strike for the past 3 years. For the late night strikers, they did a Rocky Horrer Picture Show theme. This was NOT a pleasant stay, and we would NEVER go back!
Reviewed by traveler on August 2, 2006 |
| Built in 1892! |
Overall: 1 |
Service
1 |
Condition
1 |
Cleanliness
1 |
Comfort
1 |
Recommend
No |
| They really need to upgrade the rooms. They were very small and very dirty. I would not recommend to stay there, not even for a business trip.
Reviewed by traveler from South Carolina on August 2, 2006 |
| Not impressed` |
Overall: 2 |
Service
3 |
Condition
2 |
Cleanliness
2 |
Comfort
2 |
Recommend
No |
| 2 elevators, one was constantly out of service. Musky smell in rooms.
Reviewed by traveler from NYC on August 1, 2006 |
| Descent Room, Great Location |
Overall: 3 |
Service
3 |
Condition
3 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| If you appreciate old buildings with a historic past, give it a try. If your style is new and modern, go someplace else.
Reviewed by traveler from Ohio on July 27, 2006 |
| Like the location - not impressed with service |
Overall: 2 |
Service
1 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
3 |
Recommend
No |
| The location is great, the hotel is nice, the staff was not helpful at all
Reviewed by traveler from Lake Villa, IL on July 26, 2006 |
| Great location |
Overall: 3 |
Service
3 |
Condition
3 |
Cleanliness
3 |
Comfort
2 |
Recommend
Yes |
| We were a little nervous after reading some of the reviews on this hotel, but we had no problems during our stay. The room was clean if basic, although the lighting wasn't very good. You couldn't beat the location for the price though.
Reviewed by traveler from Kansas City, MO on July 26, 2006 |
| We'll be back |
Overall: 4 |
Service
4 |
Condition
5 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| A great choice for our weekend getaway. Easy access to areas from Soldier Field to the Miracle Mile. All within easy walking distance. Great Michigan Avenue location. Parking can be a bit of a problem with large events but the staff was very accommodating.
Reviewed by traveler on July 26, 2006 |
| Good Hotel for Travelers |
Overall: 4 |
Service
5 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
5 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| They let us check in early without an extra fee and they also had a baggage check where we left our suitcases for the rest of the day after checkout time until we were ready to leave for the airport. Very accomadating to visitors flying in and out at odd hours. The hotel is close to the train...so the nighttime noises are slightly louder. The elevators to the Buckingham side were tiny and slow.
Reviewed by traveler from Kansas City on July 23, 2006 |
| Good value for the price |
Overall: 4 |
Service
4 |
Condition
3 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| The place is a little old and funky, but it's definately got character and location. Given the cost of hotels in Chicago, I'd have to say this is a really good value.
Reviewed by traveler from New Jersey on July 19, 2006 |
| Great hotel for the price |
Overall: 5 |
Service
5 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| Very close by to all attractions and restaurants. Lots of close fast food places nearby. Room was large,comfortable and great lake view. Would go again!!
Reviewed by traveler from St. Petersburg,Fl on July 19, 2006 |
| not impressed |
Overall: 2 |
Service
2 |
Condition
2 |
Cleanliness
2 |
Comfort
1 |
Recommend
No |
| There was a water leak and the room smelled very stale and the odor was very strong. I was there to work and was unable to change rooms. The parking was supposed to be one price for self park and another for valet, yet I was charged valet for 3 days, when I parked myself.
Reviewed by traveler from Ohio on July 12, 2006 |
| Old and filthy |
Overall: 2 |
Service
3 |
Condition
1 |
Cleanliness
2 |
Comfort
1 |
Recommend
No |
| Hotel is in a premium location, no doubt. However, it is well past his prime. The rooms are terribly old, carpets are stained, and it sure would benefit from a redesign. One hilarious thing: there was DSL in the room... but the connection was by the TV, instead of being on the desk. So the option was either to work offline sitting, or work online while standing with your computer on top of the TV. Who came up with that idea? Definitely a last resort option!
Reviewed by traveler from San Francisco, CA on July 12, 2006 |
| I'll definetly be back! |
Overall: 5 |
Service
5 |
Condition
5 |
Cleanliness
5 |
Comfort
5 |
Recommend
Yes |
| Check in and check out was pretty fast and problem-free (especially since it was really busy with the Fourth of July holiday). Everyone was very nice and helpful. The rooms were clean and an average size for the money we paid. We were satisfied with the service and overall stay at this hotel.
Reviewed by traveler from Chicago, IL on July 11, 2006 |
| Thanks for a great stay |
Overall: 5 |
Service
5 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
5 |
Recommend
Yes |
| We really enjoyed staying at this hotel. It was a great location for the Blues festival and all the other attractions we wanted to visit. The staff could not have been friendlier or more helpful esp. the gentlemen at the doors and the people who helped us find our way around the city. Our compliments to the staff for making our stay such a pleasant experience.
Reviewed by traveler from Clinton Township, MI on July 6, 2006 |
| Great for location and price |
Overall: 4 |
Service
4 |
Condition
3 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| I had read all the mixed reviews on this hotel from bad to average to good, but someone I knew had stayed here and said it was fine. It is an old hotel so some things, like the carpeting, is old, but a lot has been done to upgrade the interior. New tile has been put in the lobby, and the bathroom in our room had recently been redone. The rest of the room was fine, other than the carpet being old. The location across the street from Grant Park was perfect, and the price is right for being downtown. I would definitely stay there again.
Reviewed by traveler on July 6, 2006 |
| If you don't mind old, you'll love it. |
Overall: 4 |
Service
4 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| The Congress Plaza is an old hotel. It was built in 1892 as a hotel for theatre patrons. It was clean, well managed, very convenient to most museums, Lake Michigan, Grant Park, and public transportation. Parking was expensive but convenient. We found the food and service to be excellent. Though old, still elegant.
Reviewed by traveler from Westminster, CO. on July 5, 2006 |
| Good Value |
Overall: 3 |
Service
3 |
Condition
2 |
Cleanliness
3 |
Comfort
3 |
Recommend
Yes |
| Good value and close to public transportation.
Reviewed by traveler from La Quinta, CA on July 5, 2006 |
| One of Chicago's Historic Hotels |
Overall: 5 |
Service
5 |
Condition
5 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
5 |
Recommend
Yes |
| Hotel is steeped in beauty of the early 1900s and loaded with history. A beautiful lobby and mosaics in the stairways. Would definitely stay here again.
Reviewed by traveler from Indianapolis, In on July 5, 2006 |
| nice location |
Overall: 4 |
Service
4 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| I stayed at the congress with a friend for two nights the 4th of july weekend and it was nice. The staff was friendly and helpful and the room big. The bathroom was too small but at least everything was working. The housekeeping did their job. We had no problems staying there, but 28$ for overnight parking are too much for an already over 100 dollars a night/room. The real good thing. Its a great location and the aquarium and Museum are in walking distance and it takes you only 15 minutes to sears tower and the river along michigan ave.
Reviewed by traveler from Grand rapids, michigan on July 5, 2006 |
| It was being updated. But if you don't plan to spend a lot of time at the hotel it was a good price |
Overall: 4 |
Service
4 |
Condition
3 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| It was directly across from the Taste of Chicago. It is dated, they were updating it. But who cares if the room is clean (which it was)We don't spend a lot of time in a hotel room when we are in Chicago so we didn't mind it being dated.
Reviewed by traveler from Grand Haven, MI on July 5, 2006 |
| Not impressed |
Overall: 2 |
Service
2 |
Condition
2 |
Cleanliness
2 |
Comfort
3 |
Recommend
No |
| I was not happy with the Congress Plaza Hotel. The staff weren't very pleasant, the parking at the hotel was over priced, the room smelled really bad and they never gave us new coffee during our 4 night stay, even after we requested it.
Reviewed by traveler on July 4, 2006 |
| Great Chicago Hotel |
Overall: 5 |
Service
5 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
5 |
Comfort
5 |
Recommend
Yes |
| I stumbled upon the Congress Plaza Hotel by accident because all the other hotels downtown were sold out. The reviews I read were not flattering but I really had no other choices. So, I was really surprised by my experience! The lobby is a grand and beautiful example of an old style hotel and is an attraction in itself. The staff were very helpful and friendly and my room was fantastic! My bay window looked out towards the lake and there was plenty of room. My bed was very comfortable and the bathroom was roomy and the facilities were nice. It was noticably an old room with worn carpet and outdated colors but it was within walking distance to great shops and restaurants and I would Definatley stay there again!
Reviewed by traveler from Austin, TX on July 3, 2006 |
| Great Location |
Overall: 4 |
Service
4 |
Condition
3 |
Cleanliness
3 |
Comfort
3 |
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