My wife and I have stayed at the Palmer House several times in the past and so we decided to stay there on a family vacation with our young son. I booked a suite so that we would have room for our son. When booking the room, I made sure they knew we were a couple with a child, and so we needed sleeping arrangements to suit. That is why I selected the more expensive "Executive Suite"...nearly $400 a night with tax.
We drove to Chicago from Washington, DC, so we were tired after the long day of travel. We found the parking lot, which is across the street from the hotel. We got soaking wet in a downpour crossing the road. The parking lot is $38 per night self-park, and $61 per night for valet.
The guy at the front desk at checking was sucking on something in his mouth the whole time he was checking us in. He looked down his nose on us as I am sure we looked a bit frightful after the long drive and getting soaked crossing the street...but why should he judge. He had as little as possible to say, and was not very helpful in answering questions. For example: I asked about the accommodations for our son and was told "it's a king suite" and given an incredulous look. Also I asked about validating the parking ticket for in/out privileges, and he said "it's not a problem to use the ticket the way it is."
OK, so we go up to the room, and it is a very nice large room and very quiet at the end of the hall, but there is no pull out bed in the living room. Call to housekeeping, and we are told that there would be a $40 per night charge to use a folding bed. Call to front desk, and they indicate the same. So we have to get upset right away and recount to them that the reason we booked a suite was so our party of three would have room....that includes beds for all. They reluctantly agree to waive the cost of the added bed.
The package we got included breakfast, and I must say that was a highlight of the stay. The breakfast was excellent and the staff in the restaurant was very nice. It was as expected in a hotel with the reputation of Palmer House. Good food and friendly, helpful staff.
One turnoff in the restaurant was that we did see a patron, several times, pull out an injection kit, pull the cap off of a syringe with his teeth, lift up his short and give himself a shot in the side. Right in front of the staff, and no one said a word. I work in healthcare, and was appalled and grossed out by this person. I think the staff should have said something or at least got the manager to say something.
The first day we went to get our car from the garage and were told we needed our ticket validated at the front desk. I told them the person who checked us in said it was not necessary, but the garage pointed to the sign I saw the day before that indicated the front desk must validate. We trekked back across to the front desk which had a line about 20 people deep. I thought maybe the concierge could take my ticket up and validate it for me. No, they said I have to wait in the line. I got in line and saw that there were a few folks just standing around behind the desk, so I got out of line just to ask them what could be done. A woman snapped at me that "there is a line, and you need to wait like everyone else". I calmly explained that I presented the ticket at check-in and was told "no problem", and now it was a problem. She rolled her eyes, took the ticket and validated it for me...a process that took maybe 15 seconds. Service is definitely an issue here.
Our suite was on the 12th floor. The hallway had to be 50 degrees F, and from 9am on, it smelled like they were blowing the grill hood right into the hallway. walking down the hall made you smell like you were grilling steaks, and it felt like a fridge. Speaking of a fridge, there was a room fridge in the hallway outside our room for 3 days. Also, one day the room next to us left a room service cart of half eaten breakfast outside of our door. It was there for about 20 hours. Not such a pleasant site or smell to walk by. I think it would create a bug infestation, and sure enough, the last night we were there I saw cockroaches in the bathtub when I got up in the night.
We used the 7th floor pool one time. A woman was changing her baby's messy #2 diaper in the area outside the pool. We sidestepped this and entered the pool area. It was a bit crowded (I counted over 40 people in there). Ok, no problem. The water was heavily chlorinated. We became thankful for this when the lady with the poopy baby comes in the pool with the screaming baby. Yikes. I don't fault the hotel for any of this, but this was the experience we had. We took good showers afterwards and still reeked of chlorine.
I have had many good stays at the Palmer House over the years. Sadly, this was not one of them. I think all the signs point to problems with how the place is being managed. Hopefully they will get it on track.
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