Essex Inn

Cheap hotel so I’d say you get what you pay for, but I’ve paid about the same price in the same area or better in Chicago and it was a lot better! Humid, smelly, and dirty.
At check in (which had to be after 4pm) we had to sign a document saying we would not party, and another no smoking in the room policy. This initiated the red flags for me. The hallway and elevator are just damp and seemingly grody, and the room pretty much follows up the same. The bed and sheets were probably clean and comfortable enough. The bathroom resembled a gas stations, and I chose to opt out of my morning shower because I felt like I’d feel dirtier after.
We got back to our room at about 1am to a very strong smell of weed. We went downstairs to let the front desk know, and see if they could do anything. He tried to be accommodating, but couldn’t really do anything. It seemed like they have the kind of issue often.
Needless to say, I will not be staying here again. If you decide to, don’t use the $ 60 valet parking with the hotel. We found garage parking right next to the hotel for $ 20 overnight.

I’ve stayed at the Essex several times now the past few years. I have always been satisfied with the room, and blown away by the customer service. While the Essex may not be super luxurious, the rooms are clean, functional, and in a great location. The staff has always been more than accommodating when it comes to early check-​ins, luggage storage, and giving directions. They’ve even hailed cabs for me! My only suggestion would be to have a microwave somewhere. More than once, I’ve brought back some Giordano’s and wanted to eat it for lunch the next day, or as some late night drunk food… only to find no microwave! Overall, great place though. My go-​to when I’m downtown!

My stay at Essex was far from great. we got to the hotel and walked in the room we couldn’t seem to get the lights to come on because they ere missing bulbs. The curtains were torn, mini fridge didn’t work several other lights didn’t work also. when we went to take a shower we opened the curtain to find a used wash cloth from the previous people and long black hairs all over the shower. the TV’s have a lot of static like you are running off an antenna. i would recommend not staying here. i have stayed in a couple others near by that actually seem cheaper and a lot cleaner i would recommend one of those over this one.

Booked this room on Hotwire for an outstanding value.
My plan was to host a birthday party for myself with the added attraction of the indoor, rooftop pool. At check in, they had me sign a paper that said I wouldn’t host any parties. Erp. Kind of awkward to sign in while hoisting a giant speaker. I made sure to tell my guests to keep it civil.
In hindsight, it seems the paper is mostly just so that they can justify kicking out né’erdowells, not necessarily everyone who is having a party.
Upon check in, I found a dirty pair of underwear on the luggage rack. The staff promptly came to get rid of it, and offered me a different room, but I was on the corner so I declined. Later, I was playing cards on the bed and dropped a couple on the floor. When I picked them up, a pube was stuck to one. So, if you’re looking for a squeaky clean experience, this is definitely not the place for you. The staff was very apologetic and gave me a late check out time and 40% off the restaurant. They said they would have refunded the room for me, but I booked through Hotwire and were unable to.
The party went off without a hitch, though. Well, one hitch Someone knocked on the door at night and said to not smoke (though no one was smoking in my room, the hallway did smell very much like cigarettes). I had an awesome time. The next day, my friend and I woke to pretty billows of steam coming off the roof and a great view of the lake. The breakfast we had downstairs was tops, the salmon croque monsieur still dances through my mind.
The good: was able to accommodate about 15 people in a single occupancy room, plenty of towels, met cool people staying at the hotel, the staff were very nice. The pool is warm, and the glass ceiling is novel. Great view and choice location.
The bad stuff: pube and dirty underwear on the floor. Sauna does not work reliably, though they did send someone to fix it pretty quickly. Pool closes at 9. The floor of the pool is made of stone and collects water, making the underfoot experience kinda icky.

Love the hotel and the staff is extremely friendly. The location is superb for being near all the downtown activities.

The location of this place is great! But sadly that is it you get what you paid for. the sheets and curtains have holes in them. there is no way to control the temprature in your room so you are ethier boiling or freezing. The porcelain in the bathroom is peeling. The was broken so it would lean in on one side. I have stayed at hostels that have better conditions!

GREAT location, walking distance to many local attractions. Staff was very friendly. Park in the parking garage right next to the Essex garage for half the price. We pricelined and got a great deal so I can’t really complain about anything. Wouldn’t be disappointed if we ended up here again but if I paid full price I might be.

We stayed here based on an Expedia type booking. I am giving it 3 stars based on the price of location. It was under $ 100 for the room, it was clean and we didn’t get shot. The negative. Parking is $ 60 at the hotel. The bellmen were very nice and helpful though. The lobby is modern and nice but the rest of the hotel is very outdated. A picture fell off the wall and hit me as I was laying in bed. The rooms are not individually temperature controlled. It’s either hot or cold blowing depending on the season. Oh and there is a parking garage that charges only $ 20 literally right next to the hotel BTW.

Decided to have a quick Christmas trip to Chicago and booked this hotel on
. I was a bit nervous after reading some of the reviews but the location and price were right.
The location: perfect! A 5 minute walk to Millennium Park, Trader Joe’s, State St., and 20 minutes to Magnificent Mile. I’m a small woman and felt totally safe walking alone at night. Sure, there are some homeless around but they were nice and not aggressive like in SF. Keep a few dollars in your pocket for them.
When we arrived, they accommodated an early check-​in but we noticed our room wasn’t clean. The front desk was so gracious and immediately, without question, upgraded our room. They apologized repeatedly and offered to help us change rooms. It wasn’t a big deal to us but it seemed like they were mortified.
So ok, the hotel isn’t perfect. There are some signs of wear and tear (nothing horrible — scuff marks, dings) and the walls are thin. The bathrooms are tiny. We weren’t there to spend a lot of time in our room but toward the end we stayed almost a whole day in chilling out. Still, the size of the room wasn’t an issue and the beds are soooo comfy.
The best part of the hotel — the staff. AMAZING!!! They greeted us every time we walked in and out. They were helpful with local suggestions, called places on our behalf, and always asked if we needed help with carrying things.
To me, customer service is everything and I’ll overlook the small stuff. I would stay here again. While the rooms are small, they are clean and the maid service is great.
Tip: don’t park here for $ 60/​night. We found a space on ParkWhiz for $ 48 for 3 nights rather than $ 60 for each night at the hotel. The spot was a 7 minute walk from State St. No hassle and super convenient.
Tip 2 — didn’t like the restaurant adjacent to the hotel. Have breakfast at Yolk, get coffee at Peet’s 2 blocks down from the hotel, and stock up on food from TJ’s and explore the restaurants around the city. In fact, ask James the Concierge and he will point you in the right direction.
I’m taking off a star just because of wear and tear but it is not like a roadside inn or a motel 6.

Attended a medical meeting at Mccormick convention center and needed a hotel last minute (close to the convention center).
The staff was friendly and the Spanish restaurant in the hotel had solid good food.
There is only one temperature for the WHOLE hotel. Hot and cold. I run on the cold side… My thermostat read 55 degrees the whole 4 days I was there. They wouldn’t change the temp but Did offer me extra blankets a few times but never brought them up to my room after I requested them. Oh well.
If you’re looking for a hot shower don’t expect one here – the shower runs like warm at best. The room is old and dingy and crack in the corners of all the walls.
Cheap, friendly, and below basic hotel.

This hotel is a gem for the price you are paying and it’s location. The rooms furniture was a bit worn but not terribly. The doors are LOUD lol. Can hear everyone coming in and out of thier rooms.
The staff is VERY friendly. I laughed a bit with the lady at the front desk. She’s a lot of fun.
Bathroom is literally standing room only. You have to straddle the toilet to close the door LOL.
The room itself was large and spacious. Bed relatively comfortable.
The person who had the room before me left the safe locked. I called the front desk and they had someone at my room within fifteen minutes to open it for me. He tested it to make sure it worked before he left.
As I said, the furnishings are a bit worn but not enough to complain about… for the price you are paying to stay in a hotel that is in the heart of chicago literally, right across from Buckingham fountain and millennium park.
A very good experience. I will be back.

Just… don’t do it. Spend the extra few dollars and stay somewhere better.
I was utterly appalled at my experience at Essex Inn. I had made a reservation for a king skyline suite for 10 days.
I took a red eye flight and called the hotel in advance to notify them of my early arrival (to make sure a room would be readily available). I was given confirmation that my room would be ready for early check-​in.
Upon arriving to the hotel I was so tired and a bit sick from a recovering flu. When I attempted to check-​in, rudely, the teenager at the desk told me my room wouldn’t be ready before 4-​no exceptions and told me whoever said I could check-​in early «didn’t know what they were talking about». Exhausted, I decided to sit on one of the lobby couches to rest and wait until 4.
It then came to be 4:00 and I was told my room still wouldn’t be ready for another 25 minutes. I couldn’t believe it. I had just waited 4 hours in the lobby, feeling terrible, to be told I still can not have access to my suite. I cancelled my entire reservation and got a suite a neighboring hotel.

Personal an der Rezeption sehr freundlich und kompetent!
Lage des Hotels super zentral!
Preislich zu hoch!
Sehr altes Hotel renovierungsbedürftig!
Frühstück nicht inbegriffen!
Fitness und Schwimmbecken Plus Punkt!
Internet ganz ok.
Nix besonderes!

Stayed here for 6 days in their Skyline King Suite. The room was clean and comfortable. We had beautiful views of the park and the navy pier. We were even able to see Halloween night fireworks from our suite!
Great location in the south loop within walking distance of all the major attractions with local bus stops right across the street that can take you anywhere you want to go.
I would definitely stay here again.

You get what you pay for?
I booked a week before my stay directly thru the hotel’s website and scored a cheap-​o $ 99 rate. This place is definitely not the snazziest, but you get free wi-​fi and a decent bed. I ended up with a room on the 15^th floor while others in my group who paid more were on lower levels. The room itself was basic but clean, two beds, a desk and a TV. Two of the four lights over the bed were inoperable. One of the windows had a bad lock and kept blowing open with high winds. The walk-​in shower had low-​pressure and measured exactly 3×3 — not much room to even bend over!
If I was traveling with family I’d probably opt to spend a little more at a different property, but for a single overnight for downtown meetings, $ 99 can’t be beat.

The rooms where clean but there was a moist feeling. The humidity inside the room was palpable. Which I didn’t love. But the staff was attentive and went out of their way to be pleasant & helpful.

I must say I had a wonderful stay at the Essex Inn, it was very comfy and great customer services.
Everything was very clean, excellent hotel for the price. I highly recommend staying at this hotel. Also it is very close to Lake Michigan so you get a lovely view. You are also very close to awesome restaurants and close to the subway system.
Only con was that the wifi was sucky.

I had a very positive experience with Essex Inn when I stayed here. The only problem was parking. I would’ve expected hotels to offer parking for customers but apparently you have to find your own parking nearby. There’s a couple of parking garages within a block radius so don’t worry (especially if you’re staying here winter).
I was greeted by a friendly front desk agent at night and the whole checking in was very easy. I booked my hotel online and there was a deal! I was ready to knock out and I was thinking of just going in my room and sleeping in my bed while I was going up in the elevator.
As soon ask opened my hotel room door, I was shocked at how beautiful it was! I had a nice window which I could see the park. The bed was also very comfortable and the whole place was clean. I was highly satisfied!
I would definitely stay here again if I had the chance.

I had been through the airports in Chicago a bunch of times, but never had been to the actual city itself.
I was only in Chicago for a short period of time and wanted to take in as much of the city as I could on foot. I was looking for a reasonably priced and safe motel/​hotel in a central location. This hotel is close to so many of the city’s tourist attractions (museums, waterfront, parks and boat tours).
I was very happy with the size, cleanliness and overall quality of my room. The bed and pillows were very comfortable. I had a view of the pool and did not have any noise complaints during my stay.
I received a complimentary early check in which was VERY much appreciated after a rough night of travel. The hotel staff was very friendly and pleasant.
This location is VERY close to Union Station, it’s about a $ 8 cab ride away.

I really hate to rave about the Essex and rather keep it as my little secret due to its location & affordability, but I have to give credit where credit is due!
This literally is the only place I ever consider staying at when in Chicago. I’ve stayed here on several visits and while it is just a smidge bigger than a boutique hotel it sure does come with a lot of amenities.
Obviously, the downtown location is super convenient. The last few times I visited chicago, I decided to forego driving and decided to utilize the public transit (bus & train lines)…this saved me from having to pay hotel valet & city parking fees.
Upon check in the front desk was able to pull up my info from previous stays and greeted me like they knew me… made me feel special. I appreciated that. I arrived at about 8 am — a few hours prior to my check in; the staff had absolutely no issue about holding my bags until my room was ready which allowed me time to venture around the city and enjoy some breakfast. While on the subject of bag holds, my flight out of the city was scheduled to leave at 7pm. I’m the type of person that loooves to utilize my trips up to the absolute last minute possible so even AFTER checking out of my room the hotel still had no issue of holding my bags, which allowed me time to check out the water tower, enjoy brunch at the Signature Room, and discover the Art Institute for a few hours before I finally had to swing back to the Essex to pick up my bags, hail a cab, and head to the airport.
Back to my stay… I’ve been in both the single King bed room and double queen room; the bathrooms seem to be about the same size in both. In all my stays at the Essex, I’ve been fortunate enough to have all my rooms facing out on Michigan Ave. to view of Grant Park.
The last few times I’ve stayed here, after getting up for an early run on Lakefront Trail, I worked out in the hotel gym — standard workout equipment: cardio, resistance machines and dumbells. The gym was clean overall, along with the indoor pool — which you have to walk through to get to the gym.
The hotel’s breakfast offering consists of juices, coffee, cereals, fruits, yogurt, and pastries. I usually grab a few items and take it to the hotel’s outdoor patio to enjoy while cooling off from my workout.
I recommend this hotel to all my friends and hope they enjoy their stay and much I have.

This is a solid, no frills hotel in a good location. I picked this hotel because it was on a shuttle route for a conference I was attending with coworkers at McCormick Place.
I’ve stayed at Essex Inn about 6 times now over the past 3 – 4 years and customer service has always been excellent and the doormen are very friendly and make it easy to store your luggage before you can check in or after you check out.
This isn’t the fanciest property, though. The lobby was remodeled a couple years ago and it’s nice, but nothing spectacular. And the guest rooms? They’ve seen better days. They definitely look a little worn and could use an update. And the bathrooms? Don’t go in one if you’re claustrophobic.
I’m also not a fan of the restaurant next door. That really has nothing to do with the hotel, but they’re connected, so it’s worth mentioning. We experienced some slow or apathetic service during our stay and the bar closes really early for an urban hotel.
This hotel is great if you’re not going to be spending a lot of time in your room. But if you’re looking for a high-​end, luxury expereince where you’re going to be pampered, stay elsewhere.

Wir waren für 3 Nächte zu Gast in diesem Hotel. Es liegt direkt am Loop und unweit der Buckingham Fontaine. Vor der Tür auf der Madison Avenue sind viel kleine Lokale in die man sich bei tollem Wetter auf die Terrasse setzen kann. Das Hotel war bei unserem Besuch 100% sauber. Alle versprochenen Leistungen waren vorhanden. Es ist Def. Empfehlenswert!

Qui aurait cru que cette batisse moche de seulement 14 étages se révélerait LE tuyau à se passer et repasser pour loger à Chicago? Et pourtant, dès qu’on est dedans, on trouve de belles chambres spacieuses avec deux Queen size beds et surtout une piscine franchement grande pour un hôtel, une vraie oasis pour qui a sillonné la ville dans le climat chaud continental.
C’est un 3 étoiles aux conditions particulièrement avantageuses dans un package, le métro est à deux pas, on donne directement sur Michigan avenue (multiples bus), on est à 10 minutes à pied de Millenium Park et du centre du Loop, ou du Museum Campus de l’autre côté.
Une réserve cependant: un chantier est annoncé dans le même block, pour une tour de 80 étages Peut-​être va-​t-​on vers une période de bruits et poussières dans le voisinage immédiat ?
Si c’est le cas, n’hésitez pas à le dire ici