Margarita European Inn

Wonderful room and the staff is very polite. The beds are fairly comfortable and noise from neighboring rooms is very minimal. The 5th deck lounge was not truly open yet but didn't have spectacular views. The room was clean and ready for us when we got there. The breakfast wasn't bad but it was served in smaller amounts as compared to the people in the room. The croissants we're good but the best thing was the sticky buns. All in all I would gladly stay at this hotel again.

Our stay here was fantastic! One needs to embrace the boutique hotel experience to appreciate the Margarita European Inn so if you are looking for a hotel chain experience there is a Hilton down the street but I will be staying here again. The staff is top notch, everyone was super friendly and helpful, the structure is historic and the location is very convenient to the train and local eating establishments. Rooms were clean and the bathroom was large and updated. Rooftop deck was unique and a great place to enjoy a glass of wine or beer and try to figure out what constellations we are looking at. The breakfast in the morning in the parlor far exceeded my expectations and my family loved the pastries. Thank you Michael, Kathryn and your staff for a great stay!

So glad we found this hotel! The staff is amazing as was the Continental breakfast. Kathryn quickly and easily fixed a problem with our reservation (that was not the hotels fault), she was our hero for this trip. The rooms are large, bright and airy. Beds were comfortable and our grandson loved the bunkbeds in our room. We also loved the library, where we spent a rainy morning playing games with our grandson. The whole hotel is like taking a walk back in history (with all the modern conveniences.). Tastefully decorated, and very comfortable. Good for families in Canton or business travelers. Oh, and the $10 parking is the best deal to be found in all of Chicago. We will definitely be back on our next trip to visit our daughter and grandson!

I really wanted to have a great experience at this hotel, especially after seeing all the wonderful reviews but it was awful. Something went wrong with check in and I was called twice, in the room after 11pm and then again on my cell phone at 1130pm verifying I was in the room. Why would any guest want to be bothered at that time? The bed was horribly uncomfortable, felt like we were sinking into the middle of the bed which kept us up the majority of the night. This was our first overnight without our daughter and we really just wanted a comfortable, restful visit and unfortunately did not get that experience. The hotel is very cute and unique and I appreciated the little touches, including the pastries in the morning but so disappointed with our stay

A hidden gem in Evanston! Quaint and beautiful! The elevator is a little difficult to maneuver with luggage but fits the historical era of the hotel. Breakfast consisted of oatmeal and garnishing, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, toast and pastries, juice and coffee. All served in a beautiful commons area. We loved sitting on the antique sofas and chairs visiting with people. If you’re wanting more than that, there’s a coffee shop/cafe down the street. Our room had a king size bed, pull out sofa, chair and a desk. The bathroom was a bit small but modern and functional. The library was intriguing and I wish I’d had time to spend there. We discovered the rooftop deck as we were preparing to leave. It was a little unkempt but we were here in mid October. We’d love the opportunity to stay here again!

I honestly loved my brief stay here at this gorgeous landmark hotel and I will definitely wish to return. My room was incredibly romantic and reminded me of the French Quarter because of the ornate gold bedspread, elaborate carpeting and vintage furniture. Everything about this hotel is charming which includes a living room lobby, a cozy library filled with books and couches and a vintage elevator dating from the roaring 1920's. The front desk reception staff was very welcoming and anxious to please their guests. People who helped me enjoy my stay were Kent who checked me in, Kenisha who conversed with me later in the evening and lovely Taiyom. Between 7am till 10 am a home made European style continental breakfast is served for all guests in the living room. This is a perfect opportunity to meet the other guests and enjoy some sumptuous croissants and pastries made on premises by their skilled and friendly French pastry chef. I took a few videos of this historical landmark and I'm definitely looking forward to future stays. I love unique boutique style hotels because you feel like you're entering a time portal back in time to a more decadent era. I also wish to add my room was pristine, fresh smelling, cosmetically beautiful and my bed was very comfortable. I had a hard time leaving the beauty of this hotel so if you are a lover of beauty and old vintage buildings you should stay here because this is a step above a sterile, traditional hotel experience. I left feeling refreshed and very much cared for.

Visited for an event. Overall, the hotel lends a sense of history to its guests without feeling outdated. The continental breakfast doesn't have much variety, but the pastries are made there and are very good and the room that it is hosted in is filled with fabulous antique furniture. The rooms are clean and have antique accents while maintaining modern amenities. I would recommend staying here.

Love the antiques in rooms and throughout. Rooftop deck is very nice. Continental breakfast includes fresh baked pastries, fresh coffee, fruits, Greek yogurt, and more. Excellent location. Old fashioned Otis elevator takes you to your floor. Just returned and I can say the reception was warm and inviting. My wife and I love the European charm. The staff excel in gracious welcomes.

The Inn is overall quite nice. I got a pretty good price for my room (in mid-September, before the arrival of Northwestern students). The people behind the front desk were friendly and helpful. The breakfast buffet included a fair number of acceptable choices (and better-than-average coffee!). The guest WiFi network is much faster than the networks at random chain hotels -- I clocked a download speed of close to 30 Mbps. I have a couple of negative things to report, however. First, hot water came to my room (on the fourth floor) only after I had opened the hot water tap for at least five minutes. This was especially problematic for showers -- I'd have to turn on the flow of water and then disappear for about seven minutes before I could get under the water. The shower, meanwhile, was an accessible "roll in" shower; as a result, a noticeable amount of water spilled over the thin threshold separating the shower from the bathroom floor during those seven minutes. To add insult to injury: the flow of shower water wasn't especially strong in my room -- I felt as though I was barely getting clean. Oh, and I'll add that the light bulb over my shower was apparently burned out; one bathroom switch turned on two lights, but the other did nothing. Second, I was disappointed by the absence of fruit at the morning buffet breakfasts. I expected to see a large supply of pineapple pieces, cut up (underripe) melon, berries and so on. There's a posted list of breakfast items that includes fruit, but fruit was nowhere in evidence. I felt that the positive outweighed the negative and rounded up my 3.5 rating to a 4. I'd be happy to stay at the Margarita again.

This is a 1927 building very vintage and it is located near the campus of Northwestern and near much shopping and restaurants. It's very old-school including the elevator. But it has a lot of modern technology it is up-to-date with the heater, the bathroom, a very comfortable bed etc. I saw complaints that there wasn't enough fruit of the buffet. Come on people get real. I saw complaints on hear about people and their water problems. I did not have any issues with the hot water whatsoever. I did not have problems hearing through the walls because I didn't hear anybody. It is a very nice place that I highly recommend and the staff are very friendly. It is pet friendly, $25 a night and there is a parking place behind there, a private lot for $10 a night which is very fair. I like all the all natural body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and soaps they provide there.

We just spent our "mini-honeymoon" here over the weekend. Hubby and I absolutely love this vintage european style inn nestled in Evanston, IL. We stayed in room 503 (Penthouse suite). This suite has a large king sized bed and oversized 2 person shower with his/hers sinks. There is a controlled temperature remote which i thought was nice and the VINTAGE ELEVATOR! OMG! It was sooo cool to find an old school Otis elevator with swing gate. This hotel has gone through significant upgrades with modern amenities and has a new outdoor terrace on the 6th floor. Check out their collection of Ugly Mugs in their Tea Room where they offer complementary breakfasts. We happily munched on ham and cheese crossant sandwiches, eggs, oatmeal and fresh sweet pastries. Absolutely loved this place and look forward to spending future anniversaries here.

Honestly Confused by both the hotel and the myriad of reviews. Setup: I came into town w my family of 4 for a memorial service and took to yelp to find solutions for overnight. Most of our family booked the $89 night freeway residence inn up off the 94 north of Lake. Honestly I travel a lot for business and know these places are basically a room w cheep furniture and a pseudo perception of cleanliness so I thought I'd trust yelpers to deliver a one-off experience for my family to break the monotony of the week. So yelp (at time of the review) ranked this hotel as #3 in a large map search and pics posted showed a NY/European vibe so I bought in... but what yelp doesn't really show are the details... *No Driveway, park on street and pay $10 for an alley spot that makes you feel you're in the projects. *Doors are locked to lobby requires a code or picking up a wall phone to get buzzed in. *lobby furniture is old; like pulled off the titanic old... which I suppose is part of the charm that other reviewers note but many of the chairs are unkept, decomposing cushions and torn fabrics... this is NOT finely up-kept Victorian furniture. This is cardboard sign FREE curbside furniture that no one wants. *the staff double up as receptionist, breakfast chefs and probably housekeeping but I did not specifically note that. But dress by the staff is frumpy. *$189 a night??? I guess I just don't get it... in relooking at options I see the Hyatt House a few blocks away has been remodeled and I would try that next time. I think this hotel might make a date night sleepover if your into that kind of titanic ship feel but I'd rather go modern minimalist next time and save the brow-raises...

This is a lovely, clean, and friendly Inn tucked in a side street outside of Chicago. I came as a part of a group and there were a lot of us but the management was friendly and very accommodating. Every morning the breakfast bar was stocked with fresh pastries, fruits, juices and coffee. The housekeeping did an amazing job cleaning and organizing the rooms. There was even a point we couldn't find our toothpaste and the front desk lent us theirs instead of venturing out at midnight. Very thoughtful and overall wonderful staff. Would definitely recommend to others.

I price shopped and received a price match from Margarita European Inn, though it was considerably higher than the $92 internet advertised price that was not available even though I attempted to book almost a month in advance! It took an extra phone call to get an email confirmation then another to get the corrected price. Upon checkout Margarita European Inn charged me an extra $5 for their booking agency. I booked direct with the hotel - not through Ascend nor any other company. This is the type of place that excels on bait & switch and nickel & dimeing. The only "protein" for a weekend breakfast was hard-boiled eggs - a great disappointment to the over-praised "free breakfast". Since checking out I've received about a dozen emails from Ascend congratulating for joining. Huh? It's a beautiful building, but not worth the price nor the games.

I stayed at this hotel using the "Choice Rewards" app on my phone because the Choice hotel brand is usually the cheapest in any area I travel.(comfort inn, econo lodge etc) But I was BLOWN AWAY with this hotel. Kathryn at the front desk was so friendly and helpful; she walked me through each and every good restaurant in the area, how to get to northwestern university, and made good conversation. Not something I'm used to. (especially for this price!) This beautiful and unique hotel is a MUST stay if you can. Ps. Don't believe the ghost stories. The only thing crazy about this place is how good breakfast is in the morning.

My husband and I live in the Chicago burbs and like to spend the night in Evanston on occasion. Typically we stay at the Orrington but this time decided to try something different. This is definitely a charming and unique place. It has stately furniture in the great room and has a cage style elevator to add to the charm. There is also a neat little library full of old books that's in between floors with comfortable seating for reading. I thought the $10 over night parking charge was a fair price and the room was also a fair price. The room was on the smaller side but the bathroom was large and the bed and pillows were extremely comfortable. The room was also very clean. All the staff were very pleasant. The reason I gave it 4 stars was due to a few things. The breakfast was ok. I thought it was going to be amazing by reading the reviews but maybe I was looking for more than I should have. The hotel common areas felt a little run down. Also, unfortunately my husband got the flu that evening and was vomiting all night. I was trying to contact the front desk to see if they had any pepto bismol and I couldn't figure out how to call them. I dialed 0 and it didn't work. I dialed the full number of the hotel and that didn't work. There was no instruction sheet on how to reach them. I eventually just got him in the car and we went home very early the next morning. I was thinking that if someone was alone and they needed help it would be impossible to get it. So all in all- I think the pros outweighed the cons and I would stay again. But if I had a choice, I would probably choose to go back to the Orrington.

Really nice hotel, loved it! Best breakfast I've had at a hotel. Everyone is sitting in couches in the family room reading the paper and there are a bunch of pastries, yoghurt, and nice things to eat. They have a parking lot in the back and is $10 a day.

What a charming quaint place to stay! It's walking distance to all the great restaurants in Evanston. The staff could not be friendlier and the fresh baked goods and coffee in the morning are just wonderful to behold. A truly special experience and would definitely stay here again.

Me and my friend fell in love with this precious hotel! Margarita European contained its beautiful vintage style, but along with the new technology it was smartly thought through with attention to every detail to make its guests feel comfortable and special. Today will be our last night to spent here, but whenever we comeback to visit, Margarita will be the place to stay for us! I want to say a special thank you to our French Chef, who made us feel so welcomed. The breakfast was outstanding and you can feel everything was made with love and soul. This place is definitely a charm thats located in the heart of Evanston. Thank you so much for your hospitality and care Margarita European Inn!

I'm reviewing the Afternoon Tea service they have every month. I love it! It's in the parlor of the Inn and it feels like I walked in the set of Pride and Prejudice (well maybe because I watched it the night before going here). For $19, you get unlimited tea and desserts, tea sandwiches, scones and attentive service. (Look at my pictures). The tea wasn't exceptional, but the experience was. It was very relaxing to be inside by the windows on a beautiful day with your friends. I was surprised that the reservations were all booked. It's through the Pensiero Restaurant: http://www.pensieroitalian.com/events.asp

Great location and staff. We decided to stay here for a Northwestern college visit and it was the perfect choice. The accommodations are very nice and the breakfast is fantastic. We will stay here again and highly recommend it to anyone coming to the Evanston area or as an alternative to staying downtown Chicago.

My husband and I really can't say enough good things about the Margarita Inn! Due to a delay in moving to our new apartment we ended up staying there a little over a month. The staff was absolutely amazing!! They are extremely thoughtful and accommodating and helpful. We had our cat with us and everyone made her feel just as welcome. Kathryn went out of her way to get the cat a little treat before we left! The continental breakfast is wonderful and very hearty. I'm already going through beignet withdrawal! Rooms are clean and spacious. The parlor is cute and comfortable. Location can't be beat- close to a ton of restaurants and downtown Evanston. We recommend them to everyone!

The Margarita European Inn is a delightful and friendly place. I recently had a friend stay here for a week and we both found the staff to be extremely nice and thoughtful. The lounge was homey and comfortable, with old world charm. Some of the guests played the piano, while my friend and I would quietly sip on our teas,relaxing in comfy chairs. Every morning there was a wonderful breakfast buffet, with a nice balance of fruits, muffins oatmeal etc. The rooms were very clean and inviting. I highly recommend the Margarita European Inn!

I honestly loved my brief stay here at this gorgeous landmark hotel and I will definitely wish to return. My room was incredibly romantic and reminded me of the French Quarter because of the ornate gold bedspread, elaborate carpeting and vintage furniture. Everything about this hotel is charming which includes a living room lobby, a cozy library filled with books and couches and a vintage elevator dating from the the roaring 1920's. The front desk reception staff was very welcoming and anxious to please their guests. People who helped me enjoy my stay were Kent who checked me in, Kenisha who conversed with me later in the evening and lovely Taiyom. Between 7am till 10 am a home made European style continental breakfast is served for all guests in the living room. This is a perfect opportunity to meet the other guests and enjoy some sumptuous croissants and pastries made on premises by their skilled and friendly French pastry chef. I took a few videos of this historical landmark and I'm definitely looking forward to future stays. I love unique boutique style hotels because you feel like you are entering a time portal back in time to a more decadent era. I also wish to mention that I was impressed with how clean my room was and I felt like royalty staying here because my room was as beautiful as a pristine jewel. If you truly appreciate vintage furnishings and Art deco buildings you will absolutely love your stay here.

We're Choice Members and have stayed at the Margarita three times... all work related visits, however, we wouldn't hestitate to stay here for pleasure. The staff is lovely and accomodating. The rooms of course are extremely clean, quiet, and charming. The elevator is original. An extra special treat is they have their very own French Pastry Chef, Phillipe, who bakes outstanding fresh pastries every day for your breakfast pleasure. If you enjoy history and nostalgia you'll sincerely appreciate its romantic seduction in the heart of quaint Evanston, just blocks from Northwestern University. You're within walking distance to everything you would need including delicious food options, coffee shops, famous bakery, Target and Whole Foods. It's truly a secret find in Evanston! Enjoy!

Advertised $300 for my stay; I was charged over $400. Rude service at front desk. Price did not include meal, purportedly due to COVID--yet other patrons were eating in the dining room. Cold and drafty building. Parking not in close proximity. Not handicapped friendly.

I stayed here for the first time this past summer. If you like one-of-a-kind places, as opposed to cookie-cutter places, this is a great find. It's not all that expensive; it appears to be family or at least locally run; they serve a beautiful, site-prepared continental breakfast in a lovely "great room"; and there are sweet, semi-private spaces like the library for you to simply relax. If you prefer plaster to particleboard and glass to plastic, give it a try!

Not sure where the bonus star is coming from, but want to hope this place isn't truly a one-star. My two nights stayed got cut to one night when the check-in process included being subjected to a horrible alarm that was in the Gated entrance way that the staff knew was going off and laughed about. The room is quaint and Tiny recently invested in decorations. Bed is comfortable. Television is Tiny fine. But when I ran the freaking hot water for 10 minutes and it was still cold , took my shower in disbelief at the temperature finished then called to the desk to report it I was told to run it another 5 minutes. no effing way that's not the way to treat a guest another fun it needs 15 to get warm that's not worth over $100 and night fix your plumbing and fix your customer service I asked for a refund for hours into. I find it reassuring that the staff in the choice Network brand of hotels is actually better service at the lower end to greeted with what I here is an embarrassment and really makes me regret spending any money here I literally thought it be better to sleep in my car then to stay but since it's paid for I'll finish out the rest of this night. Dictated in Rage not edited. When you get better service from a cigarette burned airport ancient rat trap then you do in a place like this it shows you what you get for your money. How could it have been better you might ask well first fix that alarm that greets people as they walk up to the hotel that's the most off-putting thing you can do to welcome someone then maybe allow them to enter the building in a timely fashion then maybe make sure that the plumbing provides water at around let's say 120 degrees might be the average immediately or within 5 minutes or 10 minutes of turning it on and if a customer needs those sort of Base levels of services and they're not going to get them he should be told to check in maybe this isn't the right hotel for you.

I stayed here with my gf earlier this year when we were in town for a friend's wedding. Formerly a residence hotel for young professional women, the inn still has the feel of a boarding house. There's a dining room, a shared library, and a rooftop "garden" with a view of the city below. Because the inn is within easy walking distance of the downtown area and Northwestern campus, I'm surprised I didn't know about it while I was a student. Might be a hidden gem for Evanston! The staff is friendly and professional, and most of the original structure and layout has been preserved (our room featured a standalone air conditioner -- the inn hasn't been retrofitted with central air). You can get rooms with private baths -- or share a bathroom in the European style. Also, one of the managers is related to someone involved in Filmfax magazine, so among the periodicals in the lobby, you can find the recent issues of the best American magazines focusing on B movies and genre film -- free for the taking. A weird perk offered by a hotelier, but a welcome one.

We loved this quaint European inn in lovely Evanston, and we will definitely stay here again when we're in town. They have ACTUAL ROOM KEYS and an old-fashioned elevator with a pull gate, etc. (Be aware: You have to lug your bags up 1/2 flight of steps to the lobby to get the elevator.) We had hoped to get to Evanston around 2 p.m. or 3 p.m., but road construction conspired against us, and we ended up going straight to the restaurant for dinner at 9 p.m. When we arrived at the hotel, we had the impression that it is not open/staffed all night based on a remark the clerk made about "getting ready to leave" or lock up. So, if you intend to arrive late or think you may, clarify this with the staff when making your reservation. We had what I think is listed as the most basic room, and it was small, but pretty (in a 20-years-ago kind of way) and clean. The bathroom was small but pretty and clean as well. There isn't much room to set your cosmetics/toiletries about, so you must be tidy! We slept very comfortably. Check out was efficient and friendly. One of the reasons we were staying here was that as we passed through Chicago, we wanted to go to a Cubs game at Wrigley, so my husband suggested spending the night in Evanston and taking the El to Wrigleyville to save on hassle, parking, etc. Good call, Hubby! Overnight parking (in lots behind the building) at this hotel is $8 per night, and we were able to leave our car there for the entire game and just pick it up afterwards and drive on. What a deal! This hotel is walking distance to great restaurants, the El and the Metra as well as Evanston shopping, etc. I think some reviews listed the Internet as free, but we couldn't get it to work. We were there so briefly, we didn't pursue it, so we may have been omitting an important step. We'll be back here again. We felt like we were on our honeymoon in Europe staying here! So charming, friendly and well located!

Wonderful. My wife and I went here for a little "night out away from the kids." It's in the middle of Evanston, and it is very quaint. Don't expect a corporate feel. The rooms are smaller than typical chain hotels, and there was no tub (sad for my pregnant wife - only reason I didn't give 5 stars). But altogether, it is very reminiscent of a similar hotel we used to stay in when we lived in Lincoln Park (the Willows). Tidy, great staff, and best of all, the breakfast was amazing. Yes, it was totally all sweet french pastries. But oh my god! I love that stuff. The coffee was bold and fresh. And I sat in a rocking chair, reading the newspaper with a fresh breeze through the open doors on the veranda. Doesn't get better than that.

Wonderfully quirky little hotel right in downtown Evanston. Talk about personality! This place has it in spades. The Margarita Inn is my favorite little place to stay when I'm in Evanston. I love the history - professional women's residence house. I love the fun features, including the wood paneled library and the ancient elevator. I love the price - a winter special of $99 for a small room with private bath. The beds/sheets are a little less than perfect - the sheets are itchy and the mattress isn't a posturepedic. But, that's really all that I can find wrong with this place. So, if you don't like the boring, beigeness that is a typical chain hotel, the Margarita Inn will make you smile.

I stayed here for one night before an interview at Northwestern University, and chose it based on its price and proximity to campus. Given that it was listed as a B&B I had mixed expectations, but the Yelp community did not lead me astray. The Margarita Inn was opened in the early 1900's as a guest house for professional women. These days it is a small hotel/B&B that makes you feel like you've gone back in time when you walk through the doors. Everything from the old school front desk, to the motherly managers, to the old fashioned furniture, to the original elevators was a complete throwback. Even though my room was sparsely appointed and looked rather drab, the bed was extraordinarily comfortable and I slept like a rock. And while not fancy, it was spotless, so that is really all you could ask for. The wifi was spotty at times and the TV only got 4 channels, but if you need all of those business perks you can stay at the HIlton Orrington up the street for twice as much. All in all, this served my purpose well as it was comfortable, quiet, and just a short walk from the Davis stop on the purple line as well as the Northwestern campus. I hope to have the opportunity to come back some day!

Truly, the only thing great about this place is the location. Services are non-existent for an extended stay (I've been here for ~2 and a half months on an internship). If you're looking for wifi, you must stay within a very confined space, and if you happen to be in on of the very few rooms within that range (close to the floor entry ways), lucky you. Breakfast is sub-par, unless you like heavy pastries, those were pretty great. They've employed a legitimate, French pastry chef who makes them and, I must admit, they are tasty. If I were on a pastry diet, I'd have little to gruff about here. Otherwise, options are limited. They have packaged oatmeal, horrendously boiled eggs, some alright coffee, toast, and english muffins. They used to serve apples but stopped about a month ago. It smells pretty decrepit, but I guess I'm not one to be appreciative of the "character" and the associative aromas this place carries. Room service comes around about twice a week. Again, the prices definitely do not reflect the quality of the amenities one receives, but rather the location. Evanston is a friendly and fun city with easy access to downtown Chicago.

Really wonderful place to stay. The room is charming, the bathroom was completely up-to-date, and the whole building is lovely. There's a quiet continental breakfast and a roof deck for fresh air. We had breakfast and walked to the lake-- it's centrally located. And there's a YMCA right around the corner in case you have a membership. I reserved what I thought was the least expensive room with a private bathroom. When we arrived the cost of the room surprised me-- somehow (I think this was my fault) we had been upgraded to a fancier room. I explained that we wanted the less expensive room and the staff quickly worked to correct the issue. They were so friendly and so accommodating. This place was an incredible value, beautiful, and the staff is fantastic.

I give this three and a half stars. The building is very nice and the staff at the desk are incredibly friendly, but I had to stay there for two days for a business trip and their "free breakfast" in the morning is severely lacking. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I actually ended up having to buy breakfast for myself the second day (at yummy Wild Tree Cafe!) because there was nothing much to eat at the hotel. Also I realize that it's an old hotel, but the rooms were super tiny and there was a HUGE air conditioning/de-humidifer in the corner with a printed off sign that asked the customer to empty the bucket that the water drips into when it gets full. Gee, thanks. Maybe it was just the room I was lucky enough to get. The hotel is tucked away on a cozy street, and it's only a minute or two walk from the Metra station, so that was very nice. Overall not a bad place.

Really nice atmosphere and friendly staff willing to go out of their way to be gracious and accommodating.

I really had to think about my overall star rating for this one because I definitely have good things to say, but also some feedback. So, I went with three to be somewhere in between. Bottom line, though, I'd probably stay here again. Pros: Close to public transit, therefore easy access to downtown Chicago Parking is affordable (in comparison to downtown Chicago) Friendly staff Good price and free wifi that worked fine for me Charming, cozy, quiet atmosphere that sets it apart from the chains Cons: Didn't know I'd be sharing a bathroom, so when you're booking, pay attention to that. That caught me off guard, but I worked through it "Air Conditioning unit" in room left much to be desired--there was a trash can attached to it for the leaking water Small room, so if you're claustrophobic, it may not work for you...but then again, how much time are you really going to be in your room? There's so much to do around here!!! No TV in my room, but that really means nothing to me. I hardly ever watch tv. If you can't park on the street, you have to park behind the building and there's no rear access it...this means a little bit of a walk, in addition to getting your luggage up the half flight of stairs before reaching the elevator. As a female traveling alone and sometimes coming in late at night, I also didn't really like that the parking area was not well-lit at night. I should have read through all the other reviews before booking. I would have had a MUCH better idea, but as I stated earlier, I would stay here again and my number one pro is the easy access to public transit.

Don't overlook the Margarita when you book your next stay in Evanston or the Chicago area. I'll admit I was a little concerned when I booked. I'm thinking, shared bathroom? $79 a night? This place is going to be sketchy, right? WRONG! I stayed in one of the European style rooms....just a bed and a TV and the bathroom down the hall. Everything was absolutely immaculate from the room to the bathroom to the common areas. Now I will admit that I was there on a Tuesday night and was the only person staying on my floor so I really had the bathroom to myself. I'm told this is pretty common if you're not booking for a weekend date. And then there's Kathryn. That woman is AMAZING! When I called to book the room she was so friendly. She asked what we were visiting the area for (a concert at the Aragon) and answered all of my crazy questions about Chicago. When I came to check in a month later, she had prepared me point a to point b public transit directions to the Aragon. WHO DOES THAT?!?! I promise to ALWAYS make my reservation with The Margarita European Inn when visiting the Chicago area.....unless I get laid over at O'Hare and get too drunk to take public transit that far out. That's what the Airport Hilton is for.

We got kicked out of a local Airbnb ( long story including a baby and being charged extra for one ) and found ourselves without a place during the family reunion. So we found this gem of a place on Google. Couldn't believe it for the price, so of course we go check it out first before we bring the babies in. When we get there Kathyrn (the manager ) asks us about the babies ages... And I am thinking oh no...here we go again... When she astonishes me and tells Scott (the man helping check us in), to give us a room that is 1) easier for us to get to and 2) has more room for the pack and play. Its hard to find places where people still use their brain and are considerate like that. She then informs us about the history of the place. It's a beautiful historic building that used to be a home for "proper professional women" in the early 1900s with a house mother and everything. There is this cozy library. A nice salon for continental breakfast, which was okay ( must try chocolate croissant and Greek yogurt!) With ugly mugs for coffee (pretty good for serve yourself!) Parking is $10. My kids loved looking at all the cool historic stuff that wasn't behind a glass like in museum. The roof top would probably be very nice and still needs some work to be really fancy. The place is nicely renovated but not cookie cutter. It is not for individuals who like modern style or contemporary tastes. It does not have fridges or microwaves in the room. I can imagine this being a nice place to stay during a college campus tour for instance. Overall, cannot be beat for location, quality of guest service, and price!

$79 for a room? Hoo Hah! Last night, I stayed at the Maragrita Inn for the first time in several years (I used to be a regular). I am happy to report that the Inn has lost none of its elegant, quirky appeal. When I made my reservation, all the rooms were taken except one of the pricier rooms with a private bath. When I arrived, though, I was informed that a $79 shared bath room had opened up if I still wanted it. I was impressed with the Inn's willingness to accommodate me even when it cost them a few bucks. By the way, "shared bath" here means a gender-specific dorm style bathroom down the hall--a couple of showers, three sinks, a few stalls. But to be honest, in all my times here I have never actually "shared" a bath--I always have it all to myself. Nonetheless, if you are bothered by the prospect of running down the hall in a bathrobe, spend the extra cash for a room with a private bath. I love breakfast time at Margarita. The breakfast room is an elegant sun room with 30s decor. Guests are sipping coffee and munching sweet rolls while reading the Tribune; there are no televisions blasting inane cable news in the background--just the rustle of newspaper, quiet conversations, and the occasional rattle of the antique elevator out the lobby. My only complaint is that this time the breakfast room's radio was turned to a station other than WFMT. Let's go back to classical please.

Stay away from this place. I am a frequent traveler and this is the worst experience I have ever had. In my two night stay: 1) When I checked in and asked about turndown service, the front desk clerk had no idea what I was talking about and said that they make the rooms each morning. 2) When I entered the very musty room, the clerk joined me and I asked if all the rooms were musty like this, he again had no idea what I was talking about and said all the other rooms looked the same. 3) There was a big sign at the front desk asking me to sign up for Choice Rewards. When I asked, the clerk said that he could not possibly give me points for the night's stay. It became clear that this was because he had no idea how to sign anyone up. 4) The next morning I was rudely awakened by a wakeup call 2 HOURS early. When I asked the desk clerk why, she indicated she had just walked in, which of course is not my concern, and had misread the time on the note for her to wake me. 5) It turns out the clerk from the previous night was unable to put in a wakeup call and a followup call in the automated system, so he left her a note to wake me. 6) Worst of all, I had several plastic bags of mine in front of the TV. I use these to store stuff, wrap my shoes in the luggage, etc. When I returned to the room, they were gone. Anything I had in them was gone too. So, the chocolates in the room from the night before were taken out of my plastic bags, and replaced in the room, instead of being restocked. Same was try of the bath salts I did not use; they were not replenished but were taken out of my plastic bags and replaced in the room. I have never in a hotel had someone rummage through my belongings, even if these were only plastic bags, with minor items in them. 7) Seems the housekeeper was so busy going through my stuff that she did not replenish: 8) New towels, 9) Shower cap, 10) Facial makeup remover, 11) Washcloth. 12) Moreover, she never removed the used washcloth from the day before. 13) I left a message for the proprietor Michael Pure to call me, which did not happen. I did speak to the general manager Katheryn Weimer before the housekeeping events occurred but she did not contact me thereafter when I left another message. The main pluses of the hotel are that it was quiet and the water pressure in the shower was good. Overall, if I could give a negative rating in terms of stars, I would do so. Stay away!

While Heath gave you the background, I just wanted to chime in and say how quaint and charming this place is. My parents have stayed here a few times when visiting me, because it's cheaper and a little less stiff than the other places available. The woman at the front desk is always so nice and personable, and the public areas like the library, etc. really give it a nice touch...as do the international flags hanging outside. Just to let you know, there are some rooms without their own bathroom, so make sure to specify.

The first morning we had without heat due to the radiators shutting off in the night. The second evening we had without hot water. While the hotel staff offered to allow us to shower in another room, we had hot water the first night (minus shower knob which fell off in my hand). Then, unbeknownst to us, someone trying to fix it, broke it further... so when we said no to showering on a lower floor, we had no idea we were saying no to hot water! The room and the hotel have not had a single new furnishing in 25 years. It is threadbare. If this were in fact a European pensione, it would have been $100 less per night, which would have made it fine. Breakfast was nice enough, however, for $25 more a night, I would have enjoyed all the first world charms of the Hilton. Service people were nice. Location was good.

I loved this place. It is in Evanston, which is a ways a way from downtown Chicago...we stayed here because it was the only place I could find the weekend we wanted to stay. In fact, Evanston is quite charming and had a lot of nice little businesses. Our room was $79 with a bathroom in the hall, which was clean and which I ended up always having to myself. There is a lovely Grand Parlor where you can read and enjoy breakfast...I thought breakfast was quite good..somebody else had mentioned it wasn't enough for them but I thought was fine with hard boiled eggs, fresh fruit, juice, breakfast breads, etc. There is also a roof deck and a beautiful library which are open 24. On our floor there was also a lovely parlor. Our room was small, but decor throughout was lovely and charmingly old school. In addition, the staff were awesomely helpful...Kathryn in particular went out of her to make us feel welcome and gave us maps and another woman helped us get a cab to the airport in the wee hours. They definitely gave us four star services at one to two star prices. Close to Davis CTA and downtown Evanston. Can highly recommend it.

I'm sitting in bed at the hotel while I write this. The hotel is amazing - romantic, clean, and incredibly friendly staff. I am so happy I ended up here by chance and now I'm going to sleep happy. STAY HERE!!!

Called in August for a room; debbie was nice but told me that due to renovations there are no rooms available until November ;(.

Nice place, good value, and location Well managed. My wife and I stayed there while looking for a house in Evanston. It was a good experience

I was a last minute walk-in, so I imagine I was given the poorest room available in the place, which would have been less of a bitter pill to swallow if the price hadn't been so very high ($208). The room was very small, next to the elevator, did not have a blackout shade, and had no chair or table. I was so tired I had to sit on the toilet to rest my legs, as that was the only available seating. There was no place to spread out my things - it was only later that I discovered that the 'desk' had a flip down shelf where I could lay things, but unfortunately when it was down, it was not possible to walk between it and the bed to the other side of the room! The concierge was kind enough to find me a chair and a tiny tea table, but only after I complained - she said she did not know what the room looked like. The light from the window bothered me (there were no blackout shades or heavy drapes, though I was later told there were, so maybe I missed them) and I woke up at 3 am without really being able to fall back into a sound sleep, for which I paid a significant price during the next day's activities. Otherwise, it is an interesting place w/ a historic atmosphere. I am sorry I was not in a position to appreciate it. I was not able to explore any amenities it might have had, and it did not meet basic expectations for accommodations.

The average life expectancy has increased significantly since this building opened in 1927. More and more seniors are traveling now, thanks to modern medicine and wheeled luggage. Unfortunately they haven't invented wheeled luggage that goes up and down steps yet, and this hotel seems disinterested in assisting guests in this endeavor. I recently stayed at the Royal York in Toronto, a larger hotel opened in 1929 and undergoing major renovations. With the lobby located in the basement temporarily, guests encounter an ominous flight of stairs upon entry. But staff instinctively grabs your luggage and carries it up or down the stairs. Unfortunately the Margarita Inn staff lacks those basic instincts. Upon checkout the desk clerk, with full view of the stairs, watched me struggle down to the front door after wishing me a pleasant trip. He never offered to help. Luckily, for me and for the hotel, I didn't fall and injure myself! But it's 2018 guys and high time the hotel devise a ramp or special elevator for guests who have difficulty climbing stairs with luggage. I would guess this hotel, with its historic character, has an older clientele than modern lifestyle properties, so their indifference to assisting guests is most unfortunate.

I have many complaints about my recent stay at the Margarita. Poor wifi even in designated areas, mouse traps under refrigerator complete with dead mice, measly breakfast, broken air conditioner, and cut off water service to my room. I realize it is an old building and part of the charm of the old hotel is the quaintness and coziness. But my number one complaint is that the majority of the staff did not respect me or treat me like a customer. Instead they made me feel like a nuisance and an inconvenience. I always felt condescended to, and one woman who works at the desk was rude and unfriendly every time I saw her. No attempt was ever made to fix the air conditioner or the plumbing in my room. Multiple times throughout my stay I was asked indignantly to move to a new room due to complications. The first of these times, I was not informed that I needed to move and instead received a call on my cell phone that I would have to authorize someone to move my things for me if I did not return within the hour. I don't expect luxury, but look for three things in a hotel: Cleanliness, Functionality, and Friendliness. The Margarita had none of those things during my stay. I will not stay there again. Hopefully for future customers, the current renovations will fix some of the issues they've had with the facilities.

The staff are completely unresponsive to requests to change reservations. I have called once and they suggested I send an email. I have now emailed three times and gotten no response. Buyer beware.

I'm pursuing legal action against this place. They have fashioned a cancellation policy that allows them to take 100% of the first night if you cancel less than two days in advance. I made a reservation one day in advance, thereby making myself susceptible to this charge immediately upon rendering my credit card info, simply for making a reservation--yet they did not inform me of the policy until after it was too late. They're trying to charge me $268 for two rooms at their jacked up weekend rates. Read the fine print before you give them your card info.

I hate to give hotels bad reviews but when I stayed here to drop my son off in September, the sound from the next room really traveled through the wall. The people in the next room had the radio on, and I could hear it clearly as well as their conversation. I asked the front desk to tell them to tone it down as it was getting late, and the front desk manager didn't say anything to them, saying he went up to my floor and didn't hear any noise out of the ordinary. That was complete nonsense. Frankly, I think the room that I stayed in must've been once part of a suite, as it had a door in the wall, and perhaps this is why the sound insulation was so bad, but the rate wasn't any lower as a result of this. When I banged on the wall, they did turn off the radio and quiet down, but a) there shouldn't have been a problem to begin with b) since there was, management shouldn't have ignored my request. Tacky!!! Beautiful hotel but I was very disappointed and will never stay there again in the next 4 years my son is at Northwestern.

My oldest daughter was expecting a baby so I spent 2 weeks here. Had not done a place without a bath in room so was expecting a bit of a drawback, but I was sure wrong! The place is quiet, clean, and the bath facilities were not a problem. One of my other daughters has a degree in Hotel Management so I had some "insider" knowledge of how things run on the "other" side of a stay. I dealt mostly with Kathryn, the General Manager, who treated me like a friend and anticipated and took care of my every need... including calling me back promptly when I emailed and said I needed to come 5 days early. That was CHRISTMAS MORNING, by the way! Cristina or Ines faithfully checked on me every day for any room needs I might have. Vicente greeted me so pleasantly when we saw each other as he meticulously went about his duties. Isaac even rustled my VERY pregnant (pacing the floors) daughter and I some oranges for a snack late one night. Joan Fiona, Heather, and Corinne welcomed me and were always available if needed. The breakfast spread was delicious and the BEST thing ... NOT rushed... even often stayed out a bit past "quitting time" for slow risers. Hot water, a tea set up and a guest refrigerator allowed for anytime snacks. I spent time in the library telecommuting or skyping with my littlest daughter at home missing mom. The place feels like a home, not like a hustle bustle hotel. I even made some friends with other guests which is not something I do at other chain hotels. Chain hotels are great but not home-feeling like this one. My rate here was better than what I have paid before at an inexpensive chain hotel. With a daughter, son-in-law and now TWO grandchildren a couple of miles away, this will be the ONLY place I ever stay again when visiting!