Congress Plaza Hotel Chicago

Ben Jackson | Jul 12, 2018

The Congress Plaza Hotel is an absolute classic. My wife and I stayed there over a long weekend during a trip to Chicago. The lobby was elegant, the rooms were quaint and the staff was friendly. It’s important to note, it is one of the oldest hotels in Chicago and although it’s been renovated, you can still tell the bones of the building was built over 100 years ago. If you’re into culture and have a appreciation for the past you’ll love this. If you’re looking for a hotel that’s modern and spacious you should probably keep looking. The only reason I give it 4 stars is because there seems to be some misplaced shops on the ground floor. There was a tacky gift shop filled with cheap trinkets and a few display cases filled with stuffed animals. For a hotel that’s otherwise elegant, I can’t quite figure out what’s going on there.

Janice Ryan | Jul 13, 2018

Just back from a two day stay at the Congress Plaza and we loved it. Yes the hotel is old but that is what makes it so charming. The style and materials used in its construction are stunning. We had room 327 in the South Tower - a large, high-ceilinged, bright room overlooking Grant Park which was lovely. The room had a refrigerator which worked well. The King bed was super comfortable and the linens were white cotton and spotless. The bathroom was large and very clean. The only wrinkle was a lack of hot water in the morning which needs to be improved upon but in the middle of a hot summer it wasn't a big deal. We found the staff to be super friendly and very helpful with directions. I made an error in my original reservation which I hadn't noticed til the last minute and their reservations manager straightened it out for me very quickly - her kindness was much appreciated. The concierge/valet at the front door when we arrived was extra helpful - should have gotten his name - wonderful gentleman. The beauty of this hotel is that you can park your car and either walk or use public transportation to get wherever you want to go. We walked most places and there is so much to explore in this beautiful City. We plan to return in September for a longer stay and will definitely book at the Congress Plaza.

Madison Durham | Jul 5, 2018

We were 100% pleased with our experience at this hotel! We were visiting from Kansas City for the Harry Styles concert at United Center and the location of this hotel could not have been more perfect. We could only be in Chicago for about 3 days total, and because of the Congress's central location we could easily go to all the attractions (Cloud Gate, Magnificent Mile, Field Museum, Adler Planetarium, and Shedd Aquarium) in two and a half days and we were close enough to catch the shuttle for our concert in a timely fashion. The hotel staff was pleasant mostly, I can't complain a lot because it was partially our fault for being so clueless on how public transportation works! The concierges did their best to be patient with us... 😂 We always had fresh towels and the room was super clean (no bedbugs, we checked!!!). The hotel is historic and extremely cool, but if you're looking for some perfect/luxury experience you won't find that here. The building shows its age but again, it's historic! It's not unsafe or unclean, just old! We had no issues with our AC or hot water.