The Drake Hotel

I rarely give 5 stars to anything, but The Drake earned it. Not for its posh lobby and variety opulence throughout. Not for the terrific room with two bathrooms. Honestly, the beds weren’t all that comfortable, and the internet was iffy… but really, that’s anywhere. What would have ordinarily gotten a 3 or maybe a 4 out of me earned a 5 because of Ben, the doorman who greeted us as we pulled into the valet area. He really set the stage for our entire stay in Chicago, with professionalism and great humor! Personable, courteous, and all-​around nice man. I’ve never felt more welcomed into a city, much less a hotel such as The Drake. Many thanks to Ben!

Stayed here over Memorial Day weekend. We were a large group in town for a concert with multiple rooms. Very very disappointed with the condition of our rooms. The rooms really need to be updated as well as the bathrooms. When I requested extra sheets and blankets for our pull out sofa, dirty sheets were brought to our room with what seemed to look like a blood stain. The overnight manager was unapologetic and claimed they were out of sheets and that’s probably all they had left. Unacceptable! First and last time at The Drake.
However, I will say that the breakfast was great and the breakfast staff were friendly. Also, the lobby area was nice.

I have stayed at the Drake a few times. In fact, we chose to stay here for our wedding last month. This was, unfortunately, a very disappointing stay. I booked one room for the bridesmaids to stay at and get ready in the morning of the wedding. I called a week in advance to make sure the room would have a nice view, enough beds, etc. I wanted to make sure the stay would be stress free. However, when I arrived, it was nothing but stress. The room given to me had a terrible view of something like a brick wall. The cot was never delivered. Basically none of the requests had been looked after. My bridesmaid had to negotiate a new room. The cot was actually delivered to my husband’s room. This annoyed him because he did not need a cot. Additionally, the rooms were shabby. The windows were dirty and the furniture has seen better days. The couch in the wedding suite even had a whole in it. I ordered a very pricey breakfast ($ 350) to come at 7:30am so that everyone would have time to eat (wedding was at 12pm). The breakfast arrived close to 9am, which was also pretty irritating. Overall the service was a mess. It was very disappointing because the hotel is very pricey and I don’t feel like we were looked after at all on our special day.

Exquisite! You will fall in love the moment you pull up. The history and grandeur of this magnificent hotel surrounds you. We enjoyed tea time at Palm Court, sat beside the fountain and sipped the most delicious teas from around the world.
I never wanted to stay at another Hilton property, but the Hubby did well finding this gem.

Historic hotel conveniently located at the far end of Miracle Mile, near Chanel and LV.
Pros
Gracious and grand lobby with massive floral arrangements
Room 508 (family room) was generously sized
Bathrooms are updated and spacious
Retained many vintage features, such as mail slots by elevator
Cons
Valet service is horrible! They don’t open the doors or help with luggage. My kids struggled with the suitcases in the rain while two valets stood at the curb talking.
On the fifth floor, street noise is a problem if you are a light sleeper
The shower in this room did not drain so you waddle in dirty water throughout your shower.
Overall, management needs to work on maintenance (drainage issue) and valet training.
Two stars for the pretty lobby, otherwise not a great experience.

Went here with my aunt, and I have to say, I’m a little disappointed in the lobster roll. Shrimp thrown in with only a few chunks of lobster isn’t a lobster roll. While it tasted good lightly tossed in mayonnaise and dill, it was kind of a let down, and should be called a shrimp roll instead. The rolls and butter were delicious though.

Where do I begin? The Drake hotel is wonderful. From its amazing staff, atmosphere, classic look and rooms and hospitality. It was great!
Every person on staff, whether there were helping me grab a cab, or directing me at the front desk on what fun activities to do (Andrea) or just helping me at Drake bros… treated me like a friend.
Loved it loved Chicago!

My first visit to the Drake for tea and I had a wonderful time.
My family used to have tea yearly around the holidays at another spot which sadly stopped tea service… so I was happy to learn that this somewhat traditional tea existed.
We visited late on a Saturday and I was a little early so I sat at the bar and got to take in the lovely room and do a little people watching. There were quite a few parties (showers, birthdays, etc) and the atmosphere was actually quite boisterous.
Once we were seated, we were warmly greeted and we picked some tea (which was delicious). I liked that they came around with more hot water at just the right time and also asked us what we wanted more of in terms of food (everything, naturally!). Service was great — the right amount of helpful. We weren’t rushed even though we were there pretty late at the end of tea.
The food was delicious, fresh (even though it was late) and quite a nice variety.
The room is lovely — really beautiful and I thought that it was great that everything was so comfortable. We weren’t right next to the table next to us but far enough away to chat without having to scream whole still enjoying the lively room.
Pricey but delicious and great for a special occasion!

Had my bachelorette party over the weekend. We stayed in the largest suite. The furniture was old, the couch had a tear, the upholstery what shredding, the wood paneling was scuffed, the appliances were outdated. The only good thing was the size of the room and the amazing view. We complained about the shabbiness of the room and they gave us a discount.

Hotel is old and dated, but not charming. Mostly just creepy.
Bust worst of all, service is just horrible. I requested a double bed room and was sent to a single king room. After waiting 10 min for them to bring me new keys to a new room, I dragged my luggage only to find out the new room keys didn’t work. After waiting another 10 min sitting on the hallway floor, they brought me new room keys. The room was the smallest I’ve ever stayed in. After asking if there were any other rooms with a little more space, I was told that there was, but that because I had already changed rooms (due to their mistake) I could not change rooms.
Worst hotel experience I’ve had in Chicago by far.

We enjoyed The Drake during our 5-​day, part business/​part pleasure first time in Chicago. It was enhanced by spectacularly warm weather after a windy arrival day.
The Drake is immaculately clean, staffed by wonderful employees and the location provides easy access to restaurants, shopping and culture. We walked to Millennium Park, the Navy Pier and nearly every store on the Mag Mile. The lobby of The Drake looks like the kind of place where you would see Hugh Hefner (sans pipe, no smoking here). Our room was large and clean with a view of Michigan Avenue. A little more coin will get you a lake view. There are nice restaurants and shopping on the ground floor. Read the history of The Drake before you arrive and you will appreciate it even more. Marilyn Monroe carved her initials here (you will have to research it, I’m not telling where). Special shouts out to Gary at the check-​in desk and Andrea, concierge extraordinaire, for both exceeding expectations. Now if there was an «L» station just a little closer …

Good venue for conferences: variously sized rooms to accommodate all demands. Service of food and libations never fell short.
Old historic hotel, with beautiful, but stiff, chairs for seating. Good location in the city, and well-​organized.

Thank you Drake hotel! We will be back to enjoy your wonderful hospitality! From the doormen to the «bar» everyone was fantastic! See you in July!

This was my first experience at The Drake. Every year my Husband and I choose a hotel downtown to celebrate our anniversary. In theory, some day we’ll find one hotel we can stay at over and over again for years to come. We thought we had found it twice before, but circumstances made it impossible so the The Drake was the pick this year.
Things started off on the wrong foot. We had ordered a Lakeview room, but were put on the 7^th floor facing the street. When I called about the mistake, I was offered an apology and told we would get keys to another room. So we waited. For 20 minutes. Then I called again. Then waited another, what felt like, an eternity. We weren’t offered help with our bags, just here’s your new keys, now go. And in addition to the room, I had forgotten I included breakfast in our stay and could have used a reminder. I guess I gave a donation.
Above all, I despise being treated as if I’m not quite worth the effort.
PS: The three stars are for a clean room and the location.

Don’t stay here. This is not your Grandmother’s grand hotel. The water coming out of the bath tap was brown; the television does not work; the refrigerator is installed as if in a college dorm and there were no bellmen to bring luggage up the flight of stairs you’ll have to climb up to get to check-​in. Clearly an investor (s) somewhere has decided to invest no more money in this establishment. I wish we had known.

This is a fine old historic hotel — with all of the charm of a hundred years ago. Of course this means that some of the dimensions that constitute a new hotel’s luxury does not apply here. The rooms and the windows are the originals — which is good and bad. High ceilings were the rave in the past — but not picture windows. Grand lobbies were the craze in the past — but not an internet café.
Yes — the high end rooms have a TV at ever corner — but here, so does Napoleonic furniture. And here — the Valet’s and the Bell-​men are all in uniform — almost as strict looking as the uniforms in 19^th century armies.
My favorite thing about this hotel is the High Tea. Don’t miss it.

Booked a room for Saturday and Sunday night. Went to check in and was told the room was not ready yet but the staff would take our number and they would call us when it was ready. i was given an approximate time of 330 to 4. Check in time is 3pm. Never heard anything so i went to talk to the receptionist at around 5 and was told the room was still not ready. I then informed her that we had plans at 530 that we would need to get ready for. I was told that there were «special circumstances» and they were sorry. I then asked if we could
have some vouchers for breakfast which i saw her give to the guest before me. I was told that those were also special circumstances and they can’t give me a breakfast voucher. Well we missed our dinner plans and the hotel did nothing to «make it right» as they advertise.

It was ok. We like the location. Staff was great. The hotel itself was fine but nothing extra special. Lobby is semi spacious but has no where to sit. Parking garage is immediately out front door which was great.

I stayed here in early December with my husband on the night of my birthday. We had paid for valet service as part of our room package so we dropped our car off and went inside. The gentlemen in charge of the valet service were great. They were quick, helped us with our bags, and were very pleasant.
This was my first time staying at the Drake and I wasn’t sure what to expect since it’s an older hotel. We walked in and the lobby was beautifully decorated for Christmas. We went up to the desk to get checked in and the concierge checking us in made a cheeky comment about us only being in for the night, like I was a hooker or something. It was really inappropriate, but I brushed it off since it was my birthday and I didn’t want anything to ruin my night.
Our room was on the 9^th floor and the hallway was very clean and everything had a historic feel to it, which I could appreciate. Our room was a nice size, though the view wasn’t spectacular. We didn’t pay for a room with a good view, so I wasn’t disappointed or anything. Looking around the room, I felt the cleaning crew could have done a little better of a job tidying up. There were several hotel notepads strewn about the room. About half of them had writing on them; doodles and scribbles, not actual information that someone might have needed. One of them only had one page left in it.
We forgot some of our toiletries and had to request shampoo, condition, and soap. When we did, we were given one of each. For a pricey hotel they seem to be a bit stingy with the toiletries. I also noticed that there wasn’t any extra toilet paper in the bathroom or extra towels. The bathroom itself was pretty mismatched with some of the older items in gold and some of the replaced items in silver and the door handle for the bathroom was a super generic brass. I expected such a historic hotel to be a little more concerned with items that they replaced.
Overall, my experience was ok. I was really excited to stay here, but I’m not sure if I’ll be returning anytime soon. Valet with in and out privileges was $ 70 which seemed a bit ridiculous since we only dropped the car off upon arrival and picked it up in the morning. I also find it annoying when «upscale» hotels charge for WiFi, especially since there are plenty of hotels that include WiFi for all paying guests.

What happened?! This place used to be amazing! Did they change chefs?
I went with a group of 6 and felt so disappointed by the quality of the sandwiches this time around. The scones aren’t even scones anymore they are rolls that are used for some of the sandwiches too. Boo. The lobster was probably the best sandwich because it had flavor. Everything else left my palette yawning. The cucumber sandwich was ok, the fish option was super salty, the quiche was nasty, the macaroon was too sweet and chewy, and everything else was unmemorable. I’d give this place one star except our waiter was gracious and pleasant. Also not understanding the table situation. We sat at a low table and my knees had a couple bruises by the time we left. Pretty uncomfortable seating.
Our bill was around $ 437. This visit was definitely lacking the quality that justifies that price. I won’t be back anytime soon.

My sister celebrated her birthday by having an afternoon tea, who knew an adult tea party could be so much fun. we had champagne, tea, of course, finger sandwiches. Everything was great. I just wish I would have wore my pearls and my fancy afternoon tea hat.

I usually love coming here for afternoon tea. The ambiance was pretty. The carolers and harpist were a treat. However, this experience was disappointing. We arrived at 5pm on Christmas Day for our holiday tea reservation. My guest was given the wrong tea, but they quickly replaced it. The petit pastries and sandwiches were stale and the quality of the condiments did not seem up to their usual standards. In the past, the shape of teapot allowed for the loose tea leaves to be removed or lifted above the water. Both of our teas became over steeped quickly.

What I love about this hotel was the perfect location. It’s a few steps to the beach, a short walk to the Oak Street shops and the Magnificent Mile. Plenty of restaurants inside the hotel, especially the afternoon high tea, offer plenty of sandwiches, scones, breads, and desserts.
Did I mention the insanely gorgeous Chanel Boutique that I drool each time I stay here? Not to forget the beautiful flowers shop with the cutest dog ever. This is simply one of the most classically elegant Chicago landmark that you will find out here.

I stayed in the Drake hotel Chicago, during Dec 19^th to 20^th. I was stolen 40 British pound. and my brother also was stolen 50 British Pound and 30 USD in his wallet. The theft was only stole half money from our wallet. I am 100% sure the money was stolen during the time when we were out for shopping. We only carried credit card when we out for shopping. I called hotel security department. They just simply replied me that there is no evidence shows anyone entered my room. However, when we back to the hotel, a homeless male walking on the hallway on the 7^th floor and asked us for a job reference. We gave him our take-​out, then he left. So, I suspect safety issue in the hotel. It is not a lot money for me, but as a HHornor member with gold status, I am so disappointment about the way they treat their loyalty customers. It was the worst hotel stay experience I ever had.

Very nice historical place to stay. City feeling with close proximity to Lake Michigan, plus shopping at the finest shops.

The Drake is a historical icon and if you are looking for metro modern this is not your place.
With the prowess of yesteryear prominence the Drake stands on her own.
Dated but worn, the stories and secrets are written within the walls, the hallways wide and the walls thin enough to whisper back at you.
A rickety closet knob, a loose plug outlet but a view to die for.
Overlooking lake Michigan from the 8^th floor the Drake oozes character. Ask for a high floor and one away from the elevator and she will take care of the rest.
If you are a HHonors member which is free and you book through their website you receive free wifi with your stay.

The Drake is a cultural hub, an institution, and you should definitely check it out. Whether you want to dance, sleep or dine like a star this is the place to be in Chicago.
If you’ve ever seen vintage footage of a party in Chicago during the roaring ‘20s, it was probably filmed at The Drake Hotel. This stone monster stands on the north end of Michigan Avenue, where every celebrity of the ‘20s era was known to carouse. In 1954, when Joe DiMaggio married Marilyn Monroe, they carved their initials in the hotel bar.
If you are a twenties girl who finds this era fascinating and glamorous, then you will have hard time resisting The Drake’s irrepressible charm.

Currently staying here and while it seems luxurious it’s not. They do the bare minimum.
I searched for a room service menu in my room and could not find one. I called room service and very rudely they said it was by the TV. I checked by the TV and called again at which point they said we will bring you one.
I have a king size bed, yet the pillows are so small. They look like the pillows you accessorize the bed with. Where are the king size pillows?!?
I have never seen a hotel be so stingy with their toiletries. I have to continuously ask for replenishments. This is nitpicking but when I checked in I had three towels and used two. They only replaced one towel. Also dont expect anything «fancy» like turn down service or mints/​chocolates on your pillow.
Finally, the rooms are dark and while they preserve the architectural history, they do need to renovate. I’ve never seen so many power strips.

The Drake is okay but nothing special. After staying here I am shocked this is a go-​to place for a number of tourists. There are so many other hotels in the Mag Mile/​Gold Coast area that are better quality.
I stayed here for work after finding a cheap rate. While the lobby exudes luxury the rest of the hotel does not. The rooms were old and in serious need of remodeling and repair. The carpet was super thin as well. Given the fact this hotel is so dated, I will probably stay somewhere else when visiting Chicago.

The iconic, historic and timeless Drake hotel. Seems like it was here forever, at least a century is a lot for America. If you love Chicago and go there often whether for business or pleasure– that’s a place where you’ll stay eventually once (as Chicago offers a huge variety of prestigious and luxury hotels, like Four Seasons, Peninsula, Ritz Carlton, Westin and more) or you’ll like Drake the most and will keep on coming back. This hotel is popular to show in the movies when showing Chicago: such as «My best friends wedding», «What Women Want», «Hero», etc. A lot of celebrities and notable guests of all times were spotted there, like Eleanor Roosevelt, Prince Charles and Diana, Marilyn Monroe etc.
The location is very center of the city, superb. But most of the mentioned hotels are located in the same area. Drake is just the closest to Michigan lake. Fresh flowers in the lobby, Boutique shops downstairs, bars, few great restaurants, ball rooms. A lot of conferences, meetings and weddings are going on there all the time. Very friendly and helpful concierge and personnel.
The rooms are clear and spacious. Minibar, coffee/​tea maker in the room.
Fitness center is pretty large, including a lot of cardio machines and weights and occupies three rooms altogether. Breakfast is at the restaurant or room service. At the restaurant you can order a la cart or just choose the buffet, which includes a lot of everything to every taste and all very delicious: French toasts, omelets ordered with your choice of ingredients, pastries, fresh fruits and berries, meat cuts, cottage cheese, jams… Blueberry muffins there are the best that I ever tried in the world, I don’t know what they add in the dough that it’s soooo soft and bouncy at the same time and is melting in your mouth, as well as fresh cinnamon buns with frosting that are baked right there– those are definitely worth trying. No smoked salmon or champaign included, unfortunately, but if they had those, the price for the buffet would be a bit different I guess:) You can order that a la cart.
A nice place to stay when you’re in gorgeous Chicago!

This is simply based upon walking in and getting a chance to look around.
What I can say is that this is a gorgeous hotel. It is most certainly an absolutely beautiful land mark known for it’s oppulence and beauty. The lobby itself is stunning and filled with brass, crystal and rich hard woods. I wish that I could have gotten a chance to spend more time here, more time to explore every nook and cranny of this old grand dame.

Disclaimer: This review is only based on their Friday night entertainment and dancing — I’ve never actually stayed in a room here.
Every Friday night, there is a live band performing here at the Drake. I’ve gone twice and it’s usually a lot of fun! I always go with a group of friends and we love to dress up and make a night of it. We just show up, buy drinks and dance til 3am. The music varies depending on the band, and ranges from Tony Bennett to Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk. Their cocktails are just okay. also, they are a bit pricey due to the location of this place ($ 15 – 20 range). The servers are also hard to track down sometimes, but it really just depends on the night you’re there. It gets pretty busy and there are a wide range of people, older and younger alike. I almost always see a huge turnout and most people do dress up as well. I can’t really say anything too bad about this place, since I’ve always had a great time here. It’s beautiful, too! Very classy spot.
Also, they have super friendly valet guys outside that are always willing to help you call a cab and make sure you get in safely.