Congress Plaza Hotel - Chicago 41.87541, -87.62437

Following is a list of problems with the hotel: Perhaps the best example of the room's condition is that they had put duct tape around the windows as weather stripping! The wall paper was peeling off the wall. The TV remote control did not work. Very old and ugly carpet, wall paper, drapes, and pictures on the walls. Trim boards were unfinished wood. The furniture was scraped up. The picketers were very loud, confrontational and disruptive. They were banging metal objects and making lots of noise. The hallway outside of room was narrow and dark.

This guest did not leave a comment.

I went to Chicago to celebrate my 21st birthday, and this hotel was perfect. We knew we weren't planning on spending much time in the hotel, but it provided us with a place to sleep and hang out. I would recommend this hotel to anyone who wants to have cheap rates, in right in the thick of Chicago and isn't looking for the cream of the crop hotel.

This guest did not leave a comment.

The Congress Plaza has a wonderful history and character. I love the large windows in the room and the fact that the windows open. The high ceilings give even the standard rooms - which face the other tower of the hotel - a really light and comfortable feeling. Next time I want a room that faces the lake. What a view! Note - the last time I stayed here I was in the back corner. You do not want to be in the back, unless you like the sound of the "El". The hotel is really close to the tracks and although the windows are new, nothing is going to block that noise. Okay, the in-room wallpaper with the seal of the hotel repeated ad nauseum is over the top cheese-tastic, but other than a questionable hair dryer, everything else in the room was in working order, and up to date. The bed was super comfortable. The hallways are clean and done in a traditional style. The lobby is worth a walk through even if you aren't staying there. Look up and down - amazing! The staff was friendly and they printed off my boarding pass at the desk. I also was able to check-in early, which made my schedule work so much better. You can't beat the location. If I'm just in town for a quick stay, it's convienent, less expensive than many other nearby options, and I love being able to tell where I am just by looking around. Not a cookie-cutter hotel.

The hotel is just old. Bed is comfortable

We Stayed in the hotel for the convience that it was close to Soldier field for the football game we attended! Was close to the field and within walking distance of good places to eat. The workers there were very nice, unfortuantly some workers were in the front entrance on strike, they didnt get in the way they were quite.

- unfriendly staff - employees striking in front of main doors for months - 15 min waiting time for security to access coffre to get my bag - no breakfast, no parking included One of my worst experience...

This guest did not leave a comment.

This guest did not leave a comment.

This guest did not leave a comment.

took 20 minutes to get hot water running. when called front desk, they sent an engineer who said that was normal since it was a very old building and the water had to get up from the basement. the building was at least 12 stories I think. We were on the 4th flr. What about people on the top floor? did they have to wait 1 hr? and when the water did finally get hot, the water pressure was laughable. even their own engineer admitted that there was not much water and it wasn't that hot. and when switch to shower head, made this awful screeching noise. the room was dry as anything, and the view from our window was this nasty cement thing littered with trash. Don't even know how to describe it, other than that it made us feel like we were sleeping in a very dry sewer. there was no ac/heat in room. no thermostat. just a fan with basically on/off capabilities. it did have low/med/hi but changing between low to high made no difference whatsoever. only pro about hotel was location. a few fast food places within walking distance and drug store nearby. other than that, awful awful awful. would never stay again. would never recommend to anyone.

Pros: Great big rooms, monogrammed everything from walls to pillows Cons: Striking union workers picketing outside for ~5 years (which management should have resolved longtime ago), poor service inside (probably from scab workers), no wireless internet only cable connection, old plumbing with long delay in getting hot water and pooling of water in tub, towels smaller, no newspaper service.

This guest did not leave a comment.

This guest did not leave a comment.

I thought this hotel was "re-modeled." If that means patched OLD carpet, layers of paint, and sloppy tile work in the bath room - then forget it! No room refrigerator. Not able to control room heating or cooling - only the fan speed. A flat-screen TV was the only worthy "re-model" item.

This guest did not leave a comment.

We chose this for the location to the start of the Marathon. The hotel itself is nice enough. A bit aged but I have nothing bad to say about it. I would stay again and will recommend it to anyone needing to be in that area of town for a home base.

This guest did not leave a comment.

Location was great for Da Bears football game. The room was newly remodeled and very clean.

My sister and I were both participating in the inaugural Chicago Rock n' Roll half marathon and we wanted a hotel close to the start/finish lines so we didn't have to rely on public transportation the morning of the race. The actual location in the city is in walking distance to several 'El' (train) stations, as well as many tourist sites in/around the downtown area. Previous stays in this hotel have also met my expectations and I will continue to book rooms here when I visit the windy city!

this is very old, historic hotel and in a great location to walk to lots of resturants and the museums!

Too old is time to spend money and fix this hotel.

This guest did not leave a comment.

The room was great! The bathroom--especially the shower was way too small. It was kid size--I had to turn sideways in there. That was it though. Everything else was great! Hotel was convenient for us because we did the Breast Cancer walk Susan G. Komen and it was right by Grant Park. Thanks!

Hotel was very close to grant park which I think is the biggest advantage. The staff was courteous and the rooms were good and clean However everything is not fine and dandy. The hot water was not hot and there was almost no pressure, so the shower was more of a drip. Also, on the day of my stay, there was a protest in the city and the hotel was letting the protesters stay in the front entrance. Its not a problem for me but I wonder if they were protesting against the hotel itself. A few other guests of the hotel were note pleased about the protest.

This room was very close to Grant Park and CTA and Metra trains. It was a busy weekend we were there, and this was the best location/price combination that was not 100% booked, and I was happy with it. Our room overlooked the trains, but the noise did not keep me awake so it was not a huge downside to me. It was not a great view, but I didn't really care. Room was big enough, ceiling was very high, it did not feel closed in at all. I was aware of the picketers from other reviews, but it did not affect my experience. Decor was a bit older, but I also didn't care about that. Bed was reasonably comfortable, a bit harder than I would like. Bathroom door would not close all the way. All in all, minor defects that did not detract from the location.

An aging hotel in a fabulous location. I am way more about location, clean, and safe. The Congress had all of these. A little dated, could use some more renovation,maybe. Good, friendly service, and reasonable rates. I would stay there again. the pickets were at the entrance about 1/2 the time. that did discourage me to some extent.

I actually reserved this room for family that were in town for the U2 concert, and I went up to the room with them and visited for a while after checking in. (The two check-in kiosks by the front desk were broken, which was a harbinger of things to come.) There was an unpleasant, musty smell in the hallways and room, and everything just seemed worn down (carpets, fixtures, etc.). The breakfast order door-hanger (paper) was stained...clearly kept over from a previous guest (guests?) who hadn't used it. There is so much potential in this old hotel it's a little sad that it just isn't being kept up as it should.

We stayed on night here. We are college students on summer break from Japan. We travel to Chicago and Detroit. We found people in Chicago were not as nice as in Detroit. THe people who work in hotel were not helpful to us. We can speak English, but need help to get information on Musemums and buses. They were not friendly or helpful. The hotel was clean amd nice and in good spot.

This guest did not leave a comment.

Great location on Michigan Avenue and great lake views from our room. Very clean rooms. The lakeview room we had, had a very small bathroom and poor lighting, but the view was awesome! This is an older hotel, which to me has a lot of character. If you think you have to have new everything, stay somewhere else. You wouldnt appreciate it. We had an easy check in and check out. We didnt really use any other services while we were there, so I cant really comment on that.

The hotel was very convenient for us as we had events at Soldier Field (walkable) and at the Science and Industry Museum. The hotel serviced our needs very well and was clean. We did not spend much time in our room or the hotel, so it was "fine." However, the hotel could really use a renovation. It certainly has beautiful and charming qualities that need polishing. Many of the hallways had a musty smell.

This guest did not leave a comment.

The first room we were given was...for lack of a better word, "creepy". I was with my 15 year old daughter and she was so uncomfortable. The view was horrible. Looked out onto an odd courtyard that was all dark and all you saw were other rooms. I then requested another room and they changed our room immediately (great customer service). That room had a better view but very dated and the beds uncomfortable. Nice sheets with the sheet that goes well over the comforter which is very important. Carpet was disgusting.

Visited Chicago for an event and this hotel was in a great location to walk around and shop and see some sights. Close to public transportation. Felt like the price was a little high for the quality of the room. Room and hallways did smell a little funny, but we didn't spend very much time in the room so it wasn't too bad.

Avoid the restaurant, the rooms and lobby are a bit below average. The bar and door/bell service is nice and efficient. The location is the BEST!! Right on Michigan Ave at Grant Park!! Chicago is on the doorstep.

This place is great but I had no idea the workers are still on strike--it's been over 6 years so I was surprised to walk past picketers. If you like old places then you'll like the glass doorknobs and other things.

We had to kick the door open to get into our hotel room. The room smelled like mildew. The next morning while getting ready the power went out. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone!

This guest did not leave a comment.

We stay at the Congress for a variety of reasons, but it's a great location-- right across from Grant Park and that great plaza with the huge fountain. So the view is spectacular, especially because of the lake. It is within walking distance to everything you'd want to see when the weather is great. Yes, it's an old hotel, but I think it's been maintained quite well. I like the price, the view and the location.

Awesome Hotel! I loved everything about it! They were clean, polite, helpful, and classy. The location was fantastic!! I will stay there every time I go go Chicago!!

This guest did not leave a comment.

This was a fabulous hotel in its day. It is starting to show its age a bit. It is a clean place, very comfortable, convenient to downtown Chicago. Short walk to Buckingham Fountain. Easy access to taxi or bus stops. Tour buses are a few blocks away. The room was a great view of Lake Michigan and Navy Pier. Saw the Saturday fireworks from the comfort of our room. Cons: tub didn't drain well so your ankles were covered by the time you were done with a shower. Tub got very slick. Toilet needed just a little more pressure, sink a little less. Picketers outside not an issue but they have been there for 5 years! Had a fabulous time in the hotel. Raphael's in the hotel had good food. Could use a make over. Decor dated, mismatched chairs with black table coverings. Wood paneling showing it's age. This is a fantastic and historic hotel. Put a few bucks in it to bring it back to is glory. Final comment: a bit overpriced for the condition.

The Congress Plaza Hotel is an historic building in the South Loop of Chicago. While the rooms themselves have signs of age, they are comfortable, clean, and well appointed. The lobby is really quite beautiful, and the location couldn't be better. This is a comfortable, pleasant and convenient place to stay for the traveler who wants to be in the heart of Chicago without spending a fortune on a hotel.

I found out after we checked into the hotel that there has been a strike from the workers there since 2003. The hotel is very historic and beautiful, but there wasn't new items in the bathroom. ie shampoo, conditioner, lotion and soap. When we came back to the hotel after our evening events, there was a huge pile of vomit in the hallway. I called front desk and told them about it and they said they would send someone up. A security guard came up and told us that we had to be quiet, even though we were getting ready for bed and were not talking loudly. The next morning the vomit was still in the hallway. A cleaning lady came by at 9:00AM for room checks and when I checked out at 11:30AM, the vomit was still not cleaned up. I would not recommend staying here at all.

The hotel is not properly equiped for a business traveler..The rooms are moldy and very unsavory!...

I would not recomend this hotel to any one do to the smell and unclean rooms pluming did not work eighter...

The Hotel staff was exceptional,they had several fantastic recomendations for resturants and went out of their way to accomodate our needs from providing an extremely late check-out time (5:00pm)to give my wife and 15 month old daughter a place to wait for me, to printing our airline boarding passes, and providing a refrigerator for my daughter's snacks and milk all at no extra charge, they made us feel like valued customers and we will definately stay there again when we return to Chicago.

Location is great if you want to tour Grant Park and the museums. Hotel built in 1893 is impressive in many ways. However I would have liked a larger room. There was little room to move around. There was no bedside table on one side of the king size bed (which was a great bed) - no room for it. There were no easy chairs to sit in either - no room for one. The view was a parking structure. The shower water did not drain properly and by the time the shower was ended, you were standing in 4 inches of water. The staff were great and helpful. Hotel was clean and the bed was very comfortable.