Benedictine Bed and Breakfast

It was a long time ago (2007 for the Marathon) but I am always wanting to return and visit/stay again. The loft apartment is wonderful with great views and the breakfast is unbeatable. Note there are stairs if mobility is an issue. Friends stayed in the guest house the same weekend and it was also well appointed and the perfect setting for a family/group trip. I will be back!

One of my favorite things about visiting Chicago is being able to stay here. The atmosphere is so peaceful and welcoming. Both the loft and separate apartment are wonderful to stay in. When I leave I'm already thinking about my next stay.

My family and I had an amazing experience staying at the B and B at the monostary. From booking, communicating with the Guestmaster, check in and our stay.||The apartment was spacious, so clean and organized, and welcoming. There were breakfast foods dtocked for us which was perfect, plenty of utensils for cooking, comfortable beds, beautiful dining room table for meals... I was beyond pleased with everything. ||My family hopes to return in the Summer and stay there once again.||Thank you for making the Chicago visit wonderful.

Stayed with family for 3 nights for our first visit to Chicago and couldn't have asked for a nicer place! Both the monastery monks and people in the neighborhood were genuinely helpful, beyond what I've seen in other large cities. We stayed in the upper loft apartment, and the rooms and all furnishings were extremely comfortable. The breakfast each morning (in the loft apt only) was great and more than enough to eat! The Bridgewater neighborhood in Chicago was our only concern before we left, but we easily walked to and from the L train during the day and after dark with two teenage girls, and quickly made it to and from Chicago to see the sights. The neighborhood had plenty of small restaurants and coffee places, and all places we stopped were very helpful (the restaurant Kimski across the street was definitely worth visiting; the chef offered plenty of sightseeing stops when we told him we were from out of town!). Also free parking off the street at the monastery was extremely helpful. We'll definitely try this bed and breakfast again if we visit Chicago, whether family or a couple!

It appeals to me to give my money not to a big hotel corporation, so when traveling through chicago for one night, I decided to book this B&B run by the Benedictine Monks at the Monastery of the Holy Cross. I had no idea what to expect. While the reservation process takes a bit more effort than usual (the guest brother who runs the B & B, while chatty, friendly, welcoming, etc, is unavailable at certain times during the day due to prayer schedule. This impacts when you can check in, but not the checking out). Me and my teenage daughters loved the Loft apartment. It had three bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen. it was well stocked with books, magazines, chicago info, make-up remover towelettes, fluffy towels, excellent herbal tea, etc. The neighborhood is south chicago, but don't let that stop you. Lots of people of all ages and races walking around during the day, and only two blocks from a hip coffeehouse and some of the best chinese in Chicago. (we walked to a chinese restaurant three blocks away). But the bonus here, if you're open to spiritual experiences in many guises, is the opportunity to sit in the beautiful sanctuary and listen to the brothers chant their prayers/mass. I am Lutheran, and really enjoyed the quiet, meditative experience of sitting in the back and letting peace wash over me for the compline service. Highly recommended. We'll be going back next time we're in Chicago.

We stayed in the Loft Apartment for two nights while visiting Chicago. This private apartment is spacious and a hot breakfast is provided each morning by the Benedictine Monks who run the B&B. There are a lot of fun restaurants to try within easy walking distance in this historic neighborhood. We would highly recommend it to anyone and hope to stay again when we next visit the city.

I needed a place to stay for one night in Chicago. I found this B & B online and decided to make a reservation. It was OK, not great but not bad either. I stayed in the Garden apartment. It has a kitchen, living room, bathroom and 2 bedrooms. It is a short walk from the bus stop. I think it was Father Edward who showed me to the apartment after I knocked on the monastery door. He seemed really nice. Breakfast is self-serve. There was orange juice, bread, cereal, milk, sausage as well as all necessary pots, pans, bowls and utensils. I would prefer some place a bit closer to Amtrak's Union Station in the future.

We were looking for a place to stay on the south side of Chicago, and discovered this gem by pure chance. The bed and breakfast is run by the Benedictine Monks. The two apartments are in a building separate from the monastery. There is a gate that is locked at all times that guests are provided a key for. The parking lot is right outside the building and seemed safe. The top floor is the “Loft Apartment” and the bottom is the “Garden Apartment.” We stayed at the Garden Apartment which had two bedrooms, one with a twin size bed and the other with a full size bed. There is a futon in the family room that could possible fit two more people. I am not sure why those staying in The Loft get breakfast provided for them, and those staying in the Garden Apartment are provided with self-serve items to cook their own breakfast, but we were happy to have any type of breakfast at all. The apartment is clean and the beds comfortable and provided a nice place for us to hang out with local family.

WOW! We were knocked out. Our spacious 3 bedroom apartment was $165 a night, private, included hot breakfast made by the monks, free off street parking, plenty of towels, was immaculate and we had access to all kinds of coffee/tea making supplies right in the room (we appreciated the variety of teas). Brother Ezekiel was our host and he was so kind. I was a little concerned that once we arrived we might be expected to follow some house rules or curfews, but that worry was unnecessary. Once we checked in we were free to come and go as we pleased and our apartment had a private entrance. Our breakfast was quietly delivered by the monks and placed on a table at the entrance to the apartment. Aside from check-in, we didn't see or hear the monks at all until our last day when we decided to attend one of the prayer sessions. Hearing the monks chant was a treat. The breakfasts were so generous! One morning we shared a huge platter of sliced fruit, blueberry pancakes, sausage (vegetarian for my friend, regular for me), yogurt, eggs, coffee and orange juice. Don't even get me started on the next day's french toast! We didn't have internet in our room, but our iphones worked just fine and Bridgeport coffee was just down the street (great chai!) and they have WiFi. There is a Buddhist temple next door and we loved leaving the monastery only to see the prayer flags and catch the light scent of incense as we walked to catch a ride to our event. We stayed in the Loft apartment: $165 per night, 3 bedrooms (two full and one twin), a breakfast nook, a kitchenette, nice bathroom with shower and a sitting area with a couch and three chairs. It was lovely-parking and breakfast included. The rooms have alarm clocks and there is a desk for setting up your computer if you need to get some work done. My understanding is that there is another apartment that is the same price, but has two bedrooms, a pull out sofa and a full kitchen stocked with supplies to make your very own breakfast if you would like and it also has free parking. The neighborhood is modest, but nice and we (two women) felt safe and comfortable wandering home late at night. Public transportation is close, but we caught cabs on Halsted in the morning because we were crunched for time. This place is such treasure...it is simple, yet nice and even though we are not religious we loved the idea that were were helping to support the monastery. Again, Brother Ezekiel was as gracious as one would expect a monk and an innkeeper to be. We will be back together, with family, solo or with other friends. This is a steal of a deal. We've joked that I shouldn't write this for fear that the secret will get out! :)

My family and I stayed here years back and had such a wonderful time! The breakfast was DELICIOUS and the rooms were clean and cozy.

Fun, offbeat place to stay, convenient to city attractions. The breakfast was great, and the refrigerator provided an option for saving leftovers for an evening snack. The architecture is cool too!