I checked in to my room which was really small. I'm an Honors gold card holder and this room was on a dedicated Honors floor so thhis can't be the worst they have. There was just a bed and a desk in the room - no comfortable chair, no table for room service to be placed upon. When they deliver your room service breakfast they put it on the bed. The size of the bathroom was worse still.
The room was only clean on the surface. Jutting out from underneath the bed was a blood stained towel and a large a amount of trash. These remained for the first two of the four nights I stayed there - as did the hairclips on the carpet.
Room service breakfast took 50 minutes to arrive one morning. I called Guest Relations to tell them this and to let them know that there was no hot water in my bathroom. They just said they'd fix the water (which they did) but no word of an apology on either count. On other occasions when I called Guest Relations the phone remained unanswered.
One evening I tried to use the pool. The Guest services Directory in the room was empty, the advert for the spa in the elevator told you this was on the 5th floor but it turns out its actually on the 8th floor. I went to the Spa reception on the 8th floor and the receptionist there directed me to the 7th for the pool. On the 7th there is a door to the pool and one toilet cubicle- no changing facility or showers. I retunred to the 8th floor and they told me I could access the pool form there (where there were proper locker rooms) but that 'I wouldn't be able to get back'. I said this was crazy - they agreed, but again did nothing further to help - so don't plan to use the pool because, although it is newly renovated and looking good, this is impossible apparently.
On checking out I joined the Honors line. It didn't move and no effort was made to clear it. After 15 minutes I joined the main line which, although slow, moved eventually. The automatic doors to enter and leave the property also move way too slowly - really irritating after a number of days staying there.
The newly renovated public areas of this hotel look great - the bar etc., but I really cant think of anything else that I enjoyed about my stay.
This is the first time I've ever rated a Hilton property as 'terrible'. Why spend millions renovating a great building like this and then neglect service so badly? There are way better places to stay in Chicago and, after my four nighs at the Palmer House this week, I'll be using them in future.
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