The Palmer House Hilton is an outstanding property, situated very close to many of the museums (most notably a short walk down a block or so to the Chicago Art Institute). The history is fascinating and the decor is stunning. The rooms are well appointed, but alas, missing most of the complimentary amenities (such as free or ANY in-room Wi-Fi, coffee maker) making it necessary to shell out for any extras, whether for wired in-room internet or a coffee at the downstairs Starbucks. If you're used to luxury hotels, this won't come as a surprise. If you're used to mid-range hotels who put out a lot of amenities to compete, you'll not find that kind of "free" here. For example, you pay to use the fitness centre, which is very clean with the standard equipment.
The concierge service in this hotel is remarkably poor for such a classy place. You pretty much have to do your own research unless it's for basic directions. I think with some advanced notice they could accommodate you, but were weak when asked things on the fly. On the upside, they do have a written list of restaurants really close by with great after-hours dining if you'd rather not spend time at the bistro in their beautiful lobby. However, it's probably good to know they will always recommend their hotel dining (even if for a coffee--kind of lame).
Along with being a very old building, the walls are thin and you can hear a lot of noise between the rooms and halls. Nothing that kept me awake. On a sad note, on the last day of our stay my mom had an empty purse stolen from our room. The security took this concern very seriously, but it didn't result in any satisfaction. We were left wondering if the hotel staff took it, or a stranger walking by with the door open (as they maid service doesn't seem very conscientious about security when cleaning rooms).
I did enjoy my stay (for business purposes) but I probably wouldn't stay there again on a personal vacation, unless my trip was to see the Chicago Art Institute (location can't be beat!) and splurge on a bit of luxury.
hotel reviews