Because I received a very good rate from Travelzoo, I decided to upgrade to a room in the hotel's Historic Tower and--for the most part--was very pleased with my stay. I can't speak for the newer section of the hotel, but the historic portion is near-perfect. (If you stay at the Intercontinental, be sure to take the guided audio tour of the 1920s architecture; it is available from the concierge.)
I found the staff exceptional; the room spacious, well-decorated and clean; and the location just about perfect. My friend and I came to Chicago to see an exhibit at the Art Institute; we were able to walk nearly everywhere that we wanted to go--despite temperatures reaching as low as 11 degrees. Whenever we needed a cab, the attentive doormen had one for us in an instant.
The plusses:
Location, location, location. My room must have had one of the finest views in Chicago--albeit through a rather small window. Located on the 12th floor, it was just opposite the Tribune Tower and offered nearby views of the Wrigley Building, the Michigan Avenue Bridge and the river. It doesn't get much better.
Courteous, helpful staff
Pleasant bar
Good-quality toiletries
Minusses (I hope the management will take note):
The room's entry was poorly lighted; I had to walk quite a distance in very dim light to turn on adequate illumination.
As another recent guest mentioned, the robes were awfully thin.
My greatest complaint: no free wireless. I have stayed in both greater and lesser hotels where wireless connections are complimentary--in public areas, if not in the rooms themselves. To go to the trouble of carrying a laptop across the country, and then be expected to spend an additional $17.95/day to use it, is enough to give me second thoughts about a return stay. (I travel quite a bit and was suprised to find that even the business center charges $6.95 to use their computers.)
Another small thing for hotels everywhere: please don't ask me to pay $6.95 for the bottle of water that you have so prominently displayed in my room. I highly doubt that there are many people willing to accept such an inflated price for such a negligible pleasure, so it can't be much of a money-maker for you. I suspect that looking at that over-priced bottle for the length of one's stay merely annoys the typical guest. Either offer it as a sign of hospitality or eliminate it altogether.
That said, I did enjoy my stay and would probably stay at the Intercontinental again--reluctantly carrying my laptop across the street to the thoughtful bakery with the free hot spot.
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hotel reviews