SX Sky Bar

Wow! SX Sky Bar is the definition of luxury. The staff were so friendly, making you feel welcomed and exclusive. The food and drinks were to die for while not being over priced! I had the pork belly wrap... highly recommended! I can’t wait for my next night out at SX Sky Bar, definitely an experience not worth waiting on.

Had breakfast on the patio. It was really good and the place is quite comfortable. The only thing I would criticize is that the waiters were wearing wrinkly shirts. I ordered Royal eggs Benedict with salmon on a croissant bun and potato pancakes. Really delicious food. A little lightly salted. The orange juice was freshly squeezed and had a slightly bitter taste. I would definitely recommend this place for having breakfast.

There was literally a gap in this neighborhood for places fo hangout. Literally. Bc it's not quite in the heart of downtown and on weekends it's dead bc the main part of this area is school or work. SX is a much needed addition. The decor is interesting. Huge over sized chairs and a lot of attention was paid to the smallest details. Not a fan of the wall champagne art, it's tacky and so not done well. Perfect spot to pregame before an event. I'm sure with any event in Grant Park, e.g., the Taste of Chicago, concerts, etc., this place will be packed. SX specializes in craft cocktails and a merriad of small plate options such as sushi, chicken, etc. I suggest the Elotes Dip along with a classic Martini.

Blonde as hell with a twist of Manhattan. Sex in the city. A little getaway in chicago newest chic bar. Ambiance inviting. Food good and drinks crafty. Note: not an outdoor rooftop bar as some mentioned. But nice views overlooking Michigan ave.

Beautiful atmosphere in the south loop with great views of the summer fireworks and a multitude of party spaces for rent. Food and beverages were great. Totally worth checking out!

Beautiful, elegant, sexy, bar. food good, good drinks, clean, open VIP seating, nice bar to take your other half to on a drink date

Could be an intimate experience. Expecting more of a view. Nice beverage selection and bites menu.

What a great way to enjoy a beautiful view of Chicago! The food and drinks are amazing and I received great service from the staff! Try the Moscow Mule, shrimp and the cauliflower! They're delish!

Stayed here on a business trip. I waited outside 5-10 mins for valet parking, and no one was around. Finally, I noticed him standing at the front door. Valet is $75 a night, stay far away from this. Went inside for check in, we received a daily $16 credit for food, so we went in for a quick snack. We ordered the Buffalo chicken sandwhich and fries. The fries were full of oil and the chicken was horrible. I didn't use the credit the rest of the trip. There were no rooms available, so I got the two double beds. Who wants two double beds! This is very weird. The beds were ok, but I looked out my window and all I saw was another bldg. The next morning, I went down for coffee. They don't have coffee except for inside the restaurant. Overall, not what I should expect for a Marriott.

Horrible Attitudes everywhere Service is bad Food is bad Directions were bad No compassion Almost felt some racism

The Le Méridien Essex is one of the better Marriott stays I've had in a while. The people were amazing and they clearly put a lot of effort into the hotel; the changeover of lobby decor was a nice touch. I appreciated the champagne upon check-in. The stay was easy for my conference next door at the Hilton. I liked being able to get away from the conference to a different space, but it only took me 3-4 minutes to get to my sessions from my room. My only complaint was the stain on the walls of my room. It is something I would expect a hotel that prides itself on presentation to take care of.

This hotel has so many problems from the attitude of the staff (Kiara) to the cleanliness of the facility. Sooo completely discouraging and disappointing as a loyal Marriott member. I wish I had seen the reviews prior to booking now, I will NOT be back

Comfortable room. Was on 14th floor. Took me a bit to figure out the shower. Clean room.. wish they had a master switch on both sides of the bed. Also provided a $16 coupon to use at the restaurant to offset the destination fee.

I had a great stay at the hotel. Check in was a breeze and I was given two complementary bottles of water when I checked in. Additionally, they offered $15 off each day at their in-hotel restaurant, making breakfast almost free. The room was clean and serviced everyday. The bathroom was large, and the shower had great water pressure. There isn't much more you could ask for in a hotel. It's got a great location on Michigan avenue, close to many of the things Chicago has to offer. I would stay here again.

Part of the Marriott Bonvoy hotel, it's modern and hip. Located in downtown Chicago next to the Hilton. When making my reservations go stay here I requested a quiet room and away from the street as I need to get rest the day before I work. They accommodated my needs with kindness. Excellent customer service, friendly, professional service and helpful. They give you complimentary water, complimentary food for a famous Chicago pizza place nearby, and a gift card for their restaurant. Wow! I used the gift card next day applying it for breakfast. I had breakfast in their restaurant overlooking the park across the street. I ordered fresh squeezed orange juice, tea, and my favorite eggs Benedict. The food did not disappoint, it was scrumptious and I didn't leave a crumb.after breakfast I headed out to walk and explore this stunning city. I suggest walking if it's not too cold. I braved it, it was windy and 35 degrees in October 2022. The hotel is south of the bean and the River Walk. You can get a Lyft or walk. There is parking in the hotel with friendly valets. Right spring the corner is Peet's coffee which serves delicious hot chocolate and baked banana bread. At any rate, the rooms are comfortable and comfortable: the bed and pillows were outstanding like sleeping on a cloud. I appreciate they have black out curtains too and you can open the windows a little for some fresh air. Most importantly my room was quiet and you have all the needed necessities. A great hotel to stay and away from the bustling busyness of Chicago. Thank you all for your hospitality!

Booked this hotel for my conference stay! I've lodged at this brand of hotel in San Francisco, so I was expecting good things. I enjoyed my stay from start to finish. I arrived about 3 hours early from my check-in at 4 pm, but the receptionist was kind enough to help do an early-check in! Like all elevators at hotel, they're slow... I was on the 7th with a view of a wall which I was expecting since there's an option to get a city view. My room was equipped with a king size bed, ironing machine, shower robe, lots of lamps, a nice recliner chair, coffee machine and awesome bathroom. The room aesthetic was a beautiful cool blue. Room service is done every day during your stay unless told otherwise. During your stay, they offer you a $15 off coupon for the restaurant on the lobby floor. They'll give you bottled water when you check in, and you can ask for more of course. Throughout the nights, I slept fairly well despite the 2 hour time change, great AC/heating system to fight off the cold windy Chicago nights. The hotel also has a gym on the 2nd floor with lots of treadmills, a stationary bike, and lots of dumbbells for weight training. I didn't need to contact room service nor the lobby for any assistance, so it was a seamless stay. They're a busy place since they were fully booked when I inquired about a late check out. After I checked out, I forgot my charger in the room. The receptionist helped me by letting go back to my room to check!! What an act of kindness! Cleaning service was already in the room, but they set aside my iPhone charger on the table, and I was so relieved. Awesome customer service. Would love to lodge here again!

The room cleanness 8/10 Bellman service 10/10 Front desk service 7/10 Super crowded over the weekend. Location 9/10 Value 7-8/10

Yikes this place seems like a hot mess. People complaining about smells, dinner place gave me a glass with lip stick on it, odd urine smells in the elevator, sink is just very odd and has a shelf right over it, bed is super soft, and of course, I am across from an elevator. Rough night.

This hotel is cool. It's clean, the decor is warm and welcoming and the staff is just incredible. It's rare that hotels meet the expectations their website sets. But this one does. The furnitures are pretty cheap but the website doesn't advertise luxury or anything different. The bed which is the most important to me, was super comfy! The room was kept clean. The staff deserves an applause, they are all super nice. It's not fake or over the top. I asked the bartenders for mocktails and to make me whatever they wanted each night and both were the best I've ever had elsewhere. Bartenders roll their eyes often when you say mocktail but here they all loved the challenge and coming up with beautiful and tasty ones. I thank you for that

Overall Decent stay. The front desk was nice. The hotel provided a 15 dollar voucher for food but charge you a ' destination fee and destination tax' which defeats the purpose. They did have some cute little chocolates upon check in. There was no ironing board or iron in the room, but there was a bathrobe. I liked the lighting in the bathroom mirror.The walls were thin and you could hear everything. The location was convenient for me so I ended up staying another night. The bar was sub par. Although service was friendly I ordered and old fashioned that tasted terrible and the pesto pasta was even worse.

Le Meridien review Arrived for a long weekend getaway for my son's Spring Break. I am a Marriott Reward member so booked through them. Cold March days so our movement outside was limited. We made early arrival around 3pm & were told our room was not ready. so our checkin was delayed. We waited a bit in lobby. About 15-20 minutes in young lady (not wearing a name tag) offered us a room for deaf patrons which, we were told, was "the same" as other standard double beds. Except that lights flashes when someone knocked. But did "same"mean that the room was situated directly across from the elevator at start of hallway, where guests congregate, talk, and generally are loud enough to be heard through nearby rooms? then that's what we did NOT anticipate and we would have said no to this room if we'd known this was the case. Room was beautifully renovated into mid century modern decor complete with gorgeous brilliant blue tile shower in the bath and gold (not brass) trIm. Robust amount of Hot water courtesy of rain head shower was glorious. Restaurant next to hotel, Grant Park Bistro, was mediocre - with its "French fare" that didn't offer much variety. (Thank God for the $15 coupon/per day the hotel offers to dine here as well as its close proximity to the hotel. Else we would not have eaten there the few times we did) HIGHLIGHTS: 1. Phyllis, front desk person, who I encountered our 2nd night, kindly assisted me while on my search for vending machines that didn't exist. She miraculously found a full chocolate bar & gave to me. Made hubby VERY happy. Phyliss was an Angel! 2. Side View of lake 3. Side View of Grant Park 4. Jesus, the gentlemen who kindly assisted us with our luggage 5. Diego, who so patiently assisted us at checkout. 6. Super soft clean bedding 7. Endless hot water 8. Bottled water- free CONS: 1. Room location 2. Not great Value for the money ($170/per night not including all fees) 3. Service (especially at checkin) mediocre at times 4. Variable housekeeping 5. No microwave in room 6. No vending machine I travel a few times each month now that my kids are teens. We will check the Hampton Inn next visit - we are also Hilton Honors members. I hear they throw in a free breakfast for a few dollars more than we paid here.

Had the most wonderful time here! Teyonna at the front desk was such a delightful human being - she was so helpful and made us feel right at home. Those interactions (from when she picked up our phone call to checking us in when we arrived at 6am) really made our experience here start off so well. Had a delicious breakfast at the restaurant (our server was also so friendly). What a beautiful hotel and great location - check out Paris Baguette down the street for the most delicious donuts/pastries!

I was very impressed during my December 2022 stay at this iconic Essex hotel on South Michigan Avenue. Only 2 blocks from Cloud Gate BKA "The Bean". From the curb this hotel gives high end boutique vibes! The lobby was decorated beautifully for the holiday season! So many photos ops! It was snowing when we arrived in Chicago so the heated entry was needed. We were greeted by front desk representative, Willie displayed southern hospitality during our interactions. He was warm and provided suggestions on nearby restaurants and attractions during our short stay. He even upgraded our room to a view of Michigan Avenue and Grant Park without having to ask! The room (901) smelled of light gardenia, clean, warm, with a soft bed, and hot shower. We also received daily $15 off at Grant Park Bistro (hotel restaurant/bar) and did we use it?! Our bartender Manny earned the best mixologist award! Manny was personable and knowledgeable. He made the best French 75, Bees Knees, and Sazerac cocktails. I love when bartenders recommend new drinks and have a great memory on your drink preferences. This bar is certainly worth a visit even if you aren't staying in the hotel, though I highly recommend a nights stay. .

I was honestly torn between and 3 and 4, but the staff was excellent during our stay so I'm sticking with a four! My family and I came because my daughter has a gymnastics meet. I knew the rooms would be small but I didn't know that the room didn't meet the website description.. and also uneven (we couldn't even sit in the office chair because we kept rolling down the floor since it was so uneven... but that made for some entertainment ). The staff was excellent and the housekeeping was very quick when I ordered new towels and some toiletries. We did order food to go at the restaurant that was pretty decent but pricey for being just decent. The location is good and there are several restaurants and parking nearby!

Great stay. The staff is amazing. Especially Yvonne made my stay amazing. She truly embodies the Marriott service. The bed was super warm and comfy. Great location. The food at breakfast was awesome. The only cons are: -My room was drafty. Even with the heat, I felt the cold. -The bath products were subpar. I have stay at other marriott brands of a lower catergory and they had better bath products -There is a $15 amenity fee however you get it back as a credit to the restaurant. I didnt mind but others might.

I wanted to let you know how frustrating the "Resort Fee" is. We stayed at Le Meridian Essex in Chicago, and we were told at check in that that fee allows us to have $15 to the restaurant each day, minus the day of check out. We didn't use it until the last day, and the restaurant said we needed to get the vouchers from the front desk. I went to the front desk and spoke with Jasmine. She was not only unhelpful and rude, but she refused to give us the vouchers saying that they were given to us on check-in (which they were not. Not sure how she claimed this as she was not there when we checked in). Essentially, Marriott stole $56 from me and refused to keep their end of the agreement. Those tactics speak a great deal about the integrity of the organization.

I am a Marriott Titanium Member, and please keep that in mind when you read this (I stay 100+ nights a year in Marriott and love the brand!). This hotel is WAY off the mark for several reasons and was the most disappointing stay for me in the last year. - Small, Overpriced rooms $$$ - Deceptive descriptions of the rooms on the website (A city view = a view of another building). On the website, it's a nice view of the skyline and park. - Staff is rude and NOT helpful - Cleaning of rooms only once every three days due to "Covid" (get real, this is a $350++ night hotel, covid is over, you are done saving $, and this is a GROSS policy). So stay at other Marriotts in Chicago. I really like the W and the Blackstone. Just pass on the Le Meridien.

I am a platinum elite member and have never been treated so poorly. Stood in the designated elite checkin line only to be ignored by the staff as they were just checking in other folks. Was told that I had to wait my turn- what?????? Then only to be treated rudely by the staff that after waiting since 330 for a room that they did not know when a room would be cleaned. 5 minutes later went back to the elite line, a new person was there and I asked to be changed to another a Marriott close by- had to walk bc no car. In almost 30 sec, a room suddenly appeared- strange bc only 5 minutes earlier I was told no rooms available. The person near the elevator also was rude. Did not hear once from any of the staff at checkin- "thank you sir for being a platinum elite member. We appreciate your loyalty." An absolute horrible experience. Will not return again. Hoping for some compensation for the inconvenience.

My wife and I stayed in this hotel last week for a conference. When we arrived, we were put in a room that was not what had been reserved (a king with a city view), but instead were put in a room with two doubles and a view of a wall. I was informed that there were no rooms of the type I reserved available that night. As a Lifetime Bonvoy Platinum member, I should have been guaranteed my room type or they should have walked me up the street to the Blackstone. At check-in, I asked to be contacted by a manager in the morning. No one contacted me. Later the first morning, I went to the front desk as was moved to a 1 King, city view room, and again asked that a manager contact me. Again, no contact. The second morning, I stopped at the front desk and asked to speak to a manager. None was available and the clerk politely took my cell phone number and promised to give my message to the manager. Again, no contact after that. When checking out on the next day, I once again went to the front desk and was informed that there was no manager on site at that time, but the clerk again took my contact information and promised to have the manager reach out as soon as they arrived. Here it is five days later and still nothing. The rooms are tiny - even by large city standards. Yes, they "give" you $15 a day for use in the restaurant (but not during happy hour) but there is also a $15 "destination fee" plus tax on the bill. I won't be staying here again. Follow up: Their first offer at resolution is to refund the $15 per day destination fee. Not satisfactory.

Hotel and amenities were nice- clean room, nice restaurant down stairs. Complaint is with check in. I arrived at my check in time and my room was not ready and the staff was saying that there were no rooms available and they would call me when they had my room available. They never called me. I showed up again 4 hours later and they still didn't have a room for me. I had to wait another 15 mins for a room that should have been ready at 3pm (it was now 8:30pm) . They finally got me a room but didn't offer my anything for the wait. I understand that it may not have been the staffs fault but if they are overbooking rooms they should be ready to compensate or offer additional accommodations for my trouble. My stay was not discounted and I was charged for the full stay despite not having access to my room for like 1/3 of my stay, pretty inconsiderate .

after staying at a le meridien in philly, when i knew i was coming to chicago i had to try this one out too. first and foremost, the employees are so so nice. particularly markel and teyonna. now, markel checked us in and was so personable, kind and thorough doing his job. if we had planned better, or woke up earlier, we might have got to try the restaurant. alas, we did not. teyonna was bright and welcoming at 12 am when we rolled in after a concert. again, super nice! the rooms are amazing! beds are clean and comfortable. there was a mini fridge! this is always a major score. the bathroom was dope! there was a bluetooth mirror and the water pressure was pressuring! the only thing i didn't like about the bathroom was that the sink has a ledge over it for your stuff. it was definitely hit and miss. i was so afraid i'd smack my head while washing my face. the tv was large, there was a nice work space right next to that too. which i used for makeup! anytime you share a bathroom with someone else there's always going to be someone in the way. not this time! they also had a light up vanity mirror which made the makeup space EVEN MORE workable. it's the attention to small details for me like the vanity mirror and the robe and slippers even though we didn't use them. espresso pods in the room instead of weak coffee! lots of space for clothes, shoes and luggage. in safe room. the star of the show here is still going to be the exceptional staff. yes, the room was gorgeous, but moreso the wonderful people we experienced during our stay. markel made SURE we had a great time and further solidified why i will be trying as many le meridien's as i can! here's to the next one! and maybe i'll remember to take photos BEFORE we use everything. lol.

I don't understand why the rating on Bonvoy is so low. The room was nicely decorated. Good size. Amenities are all there. illy coffee maker! Location wise, convenient.

Great stay. Stayed here while in town for a concert at the United Center. Staff was great. Rooms small but perfect for me. Great location. Easily walkable but if you have a car the valet is quick and easy.

Very clean very friendly Markel was great did a great job helping out he need a raise

This place was just okay- the rooms were very small and it was strange how front desk staff guarded bottles of water with such fervor. My husband was in town for the marathon and so we needed multiple bottles of water at a time- we had to beg to be given extra. If they had a water filter like a normal hotel, this wouldn't have been a problem! When I came down to ask for water bottles for the gym (in my gym clothes) I got a side eye for asking for more than 1. I seriously don't understand why they don't have a water filter in the gym! Kudos for having a peloton that was clean and easy to use. The restaurant was also good but kind of strange how they charge you $15 to give you $15 off to eat there. What a racket.

Let me start with the positives first. This hotel was gorgeous. My now-fiance and I got engaged here, that's how gorgeous it was. I mean, clean, modern, very nice. The bed was comfortable and again, everything was clean. We had a great stay. I requested a view and didn't get it-- I understand it was just a request, so I am not mad at that. Now to the negatives-- this hotel's staffing is...hit or miss. They aren't very responsive -- I had to ask twice to get a second robe brought up to my room. I had to wait close to an hour to check in, in the lobby. I'm glad I got there early to set up for my engagement, but still, this isn't something I've experienced before with a Marriott Property. The most infuriating part was that they have the incorrect room service menu in their rooms. I was charged way more than the menu said. When I brought it to the restaurant next doors attention (this restaurant does the room service) they said they've been asking the hotel to change the menu and the hotel will not. What??? Not only did I get engaged here, but we are having our wedding in the venue that's next door, so I plan to refer guests to this hotel, at that time. I really hope they fix their issues by then.

Not very good. I booked this place for its location, but that's about all it has going for it. It is dated and really not up to the level of equally or, more competitively priced properties, nearby. My one kind room was tiny and had a tiny bathroom, and terrible climate control. I had the AC as low as it would go and my entire time it smelled funky and musty, was really moist, and never seemed to get sufficiently cool. Now, as a recently crowned Marriott "Titanium Elite Member, I was looking forward to my first stay at this "elite" level. I was far too optimistic. I wasn't greeted as a member at check-in, was not upgraded, ended up with a pretty crappy room (although on a high floor) and there's no executive lounge or concierge club. Admittedly, those are perks, not something everyone would get. But there was none to be found. Disappointing. Go somewhere else.

This is a great hotel. Service was pleasant, and my room was clean and acceptable. I specifically liked the shower. It was a walk-in. The heat blowing when walking through the hotel door from outside is a nice touch as well. The missing two stars comes from the destination fee ordeal. When browsing rooms online, the room looks like it is going to be one price, but a $15 destination fee is tacked on when it comes time to actually book the room. Upon checking in, I was given a $15 voucher for the restaurant located inside the hotel. It's a nice gesture, but the whole thing just felt like a scheme to get more business at the restaurant. I paid the fee, so of course I want to use my $15 at this restaurant. Very frustrating. I stayed two nights, so I had two vouchers. When paying at the restaurant, I am told I can only use one. What the heck? So now not only am I forced to spend MY money at a restaurant, I have to go there TWICE instead of a nice Chicago genuine "destination" restaurant.

Paper thin walls. I could hear everything from the next room and hallway. If you want to sleep well, don't book here.

Husband and I check in our room ! We found use condom on the floor of the restroom and the bed frame have make up on it and a lot food crumb on the floor ! So dirtyyyyy Towel was dirty ! And front desk was rude and mean no smile at all when u try to talk to them ! Please don't waste money ! We stay there for 3 night and no one come to clean it ! Worst place ever !!!! I try to tell front desk about my problems and he tell me message the Manager I try email them the email don't even work !!!!

I had stayed at the "old Essex" prior to Marriott doing this wonderful remodel. Marriott as expected provided a beautiful transformation. My room was as promised, updated, beautiful furnishings and felt extremely safe during these Covid times. Marriott has added a flair throughout the hotel. All the hotel staff was incredibly kind, helpful and very service oriented. During my stay, we were offered a daily discount to eat in the Grant Park Bistro or have room service using the daily discount and it was a true gift. Thank you, staff at Le Meridien Essex! ALSO, the design, furnishings and staff of the Grant Park Bistro added beauty and grace to our meals. The servers were fast, considerate, watchful, but not obtrusive! Chicagoans need to stop and have Brunch, snack, cocktails, dinner at the Grant Park Bistro. Prices were very good and you could order small sides or a complete meal

I stayed there this past weekend for a conference. The staff was friendly, checking in. I immediately noticed the floor was sticky and dirty when I arrived at my room. I had to go straight out, so I waited until the next day when they would clean my room. The next day I received a letter stating that they were not going to be cleaning rooms and they would give everyone a $10 credit. I called the front desk and informed them that I needed my room cleaned as the floor was sticky. The person on the phone was immediately defensive and said the manager wasn't available (I didn't ask to speak to a manager). I asked if they would clean the next day, and they said they wouldn't know until tomorrow morning. The next morning as I was leaving my room, I overheard the cleaning staff bragging about going home early in the hallway. Yet again, I received a letter stating they would not be cleaning rooms. I called the front desk again, and they said the same thing, the manager was unavailable, and the best they could do was offer me towels. I do not understand how this is a Marriott property which such horrible service. The front desk staff is not empowered to help guests without the manager, who only works a couple of hours early in the morning. Avoid this property if you can.

Drove overnight to this hotel in which I had a reservation. Upon walking in at 2am was met with grumpy faces and a clerk with a attitude. Very unfriendly. Take the elevator to my floor the hall stinks like cigarettes smoke. Enter my room and hit with a overpowering smell of mildew. At 2am my friend and I are dead tired and we concluded that going down to complain about the smell wouldn't yield much resolve so we decide to just leave at daybreak. I went to sit on my bed and by behind felt wet, I get up and check the bed and I feel the sheets on the bed are very damp, my friend found hers the same way. Not only were the sheets wet so was the blankets on both beds. This time we go to the front desk and I told her the bedding was wet, she rudely repeats "wet"! I explained that perhaps they were not done drying before housekeeping applied them to the bed. She looks frustrated, picks up the phone and told someone to bring new sheets. We go back to the room and someone came and threw two thin sheets on the foot of the bed and expected us to remake the bed, never replacing the comforters. I call and ask why do I a guest who has paid a lot to stay there have to change my sheets ? She said there is nothing she can do and if I'm unhappy to call the manger the next day (which was a Sunday). I call American Express (3rd party booking) and after hearing the situation they called to the front desk and when they ask the front desk what is their policy in situations like this the, the girl said "she doesn't know". American Express tried for over an hour with me on hold to get us a new room or a refund , was told no and there is nothing they can do. We were stuck there to sleep in wet beds. Asked for an iron upon waking was told they don't have any but all rooms have a clothes steamer, I informed her my room did not, she then said she'd send me a steamer, someone brought a dirty broken iron to the room (pic below). I was able to obtain the managers info but it's pointless. I have called and emailed Ms. Lopez to no avail. They refuse to make this right. The place is a smelly dump with below standard, unprofessional service. Was told the room had a view, it didn't (pic below ). The place looks nothing like the pictures online and I would have preferred to stay at a low budget motel than to be treated how we were. I will continue to escalate this issue until it is resolved.

Poor housekeeping service Employees overwork Managment unqualified Resort fee of $15 .....BS Rooms made every 3 days Check in .... Only 1 sheet on the Bed

You know, I'm not mad at this hotel in the least bit. Is it worth a 5? Probably not. But it's certainly worth higher than the current 3.5 Yelp rating. We could start on a positive foot or get the negativity out of the way. Ima gonna take the latter route. The location is in a really nice, safe neighborhood in Chicago but it's not really within walking distance to anything - certainly not during the winter. And, what is winter in Chicago - like 6 months? :) The lobby, while nicely appointed, is tiny. Why do you care? Maybe you don't. I do. I don't like to be around crowds during flu season or, well, any season to be honest. I don't like to feel closed in. This lobby made me feel just that when there were restaurant delivery people, guests & employees all milling about. It wasn't a place where I'd feel comfortable sitting for more than a few minutes. And sometimes I like to sit in the lobby of a hotel to read or work when my significant other is sleeping or working. Sometimes I want more space when my room is tiny. Unfortunately, my room - a real upgrade from the hotel - was extremely small by American standards. Were you in Asia or Europe, it would be fine. But it's really quite a small footprint here. There would be no room to stay more than a few days for one person, let alone a couple. Not enough storage space. Nowhere to eat. Nowhere to sit besides an office chair set up on a table almost completely covered with coffee center, phone, ice bucket and more (NO way to work at that desk!) , a closet almost filled my just my winter coat, etc. Had the lobby been bigger, this wouldn't be such an issue. As it stands, it's a big issue for me. The walls are ridiculously thin and I was able to hear the conversations - word for word - of my neighbor. He wasn't yelling either. Keep that in mind. The $15 voucher for breakfast is nice but doesn't pay for anything. There's no point in giving a voucher to charge the same amount in a fee. Comes off as shady and sleazy, actually, and not what one would expect at this level of hotel. Either give it or don't. Water bottles are hard to come by. Why? They're cheap. Give them out already. It's not like you have a club for status. Don't make someone beg for water. Let's get to the positives already. The folks at the front desk and the concierge were lovely. Really professional, right there to help with whatever needed, and just nice people. I was upgraded to the top floor with the best view ever without asking. I usually get upgraded being a Marriott Titanium. But I generally have to ask. Not here. That upgrade was already in the system. Really nice. The view from my room is insane. I look over the water and the ferris wheel and the museums. I could leave those drapes to my floor to ceiling windows open all day and just stare at that view. Ther is a refrigerator for your use, sans the ridiculousness usually kept in those refrigerators. So you're able to keep that deep dish Gino's pizza - hey, I'm not judging - in your room for those midnight snacks. My room was spotless. SPOTLESS. And I'm a real witch when it comes to cleanliness in my room. I might even be a witch with a B. But this is a family site, so we're going to leave it as-is. The room was SPOTLESS. Bed comfortable. Pillows actually had life to them. Sheets could be a little softer but they were fine. Nice weight to the blanket. And, really, you go to a hotel to sleep, right? Right. All good with that bed. Bathroom lovely. The blue tile in the shower is really unique. I also strangely enough appreciated the view from my bathroom. Beautiful. There's a steamer in the closet. Nice touch for those of us who hate to iron. The lighting is wonderful. Right by the bed there are switches to control every light in the room. No need to get out from under the covers. That is good news for those of us at a certain stage in life where we're getting up in the middle of the night. Large, quality television with ample channel selection. Parking available and inline with cost. Would I stay here again? No. That's just honest. I need more space and walkability. But if you like smaller hotels with more of a European flare, this hotel will be wonderful for you.

Especially if you are a Bonvoy Ambassador, do not stay at this hotel. You will be sorely disappointed. The only 2 things I can say good about this hotel are the view and it has decent WiFi. The description (and pictures) of my room said that it would have a chair and an ottoman. It did not. The only chair in the room was a rolling desk chair without arms that was very uncomfortable. I called 3 days in a row trying to get a chair. The manager never even bothered to contact me. I contacted Marriott directly and they did nothing either. My room was a cracker box. It is so small the ironing board is just leaned up agains the wall because it won't fit in the tiny closet. I did have a view of the lake and Michigan Avenue but the room was so tiny and uncomfortable who cares. Well, I found out, no one at Marriott does. This hotel should in no way qualify as "luxury".

Last minute weird life left me 2 days in Chicago randomly. Booked through Bonvoy and picked this one. Cool. Amari at the desk is a Very cool dude and an asset to the hotel, Go Bears! Nice room, giant TV and overall coolness.

Mediocre rooms, outrageous destination fees, and pretty miserable front desk staff. I stayed here for a work trip and any time I interacted with someone from the management they acted as if I was an inconvenience--even during check-in. I don't request a red carpet, but if I'm paying an average of $500 a night hotel staff shouldn't actively avoid helping guests. Do not stay here unless the rate is less than $200/night. Even then it's questionable if it's worth it.

Clean and nice modern room. Cool features like wireless charging dock and Bluetooth speaker built into the mirror. Huge TV. Good coffee and machine in room. Friendly service too. Location for restaurants, transit, and Grant park was perfect. Not sure on parking I did not use a car.

Pros: Friendly staff; quiet gym space - provided water, have TVs, treadmills, weights, elliptical, nice view out of the building, and more; and 3 elevators. Across from a park. Pokémon fans: near 2-3 pokestops, depending on where you are in the location. Cons: AC unit blows air all day to keep the room cool and makes the AC noise all the time. If you are a light sleeper, you may stay awake from the noise. Corners of the beds are dusty and not cleaned since they are hard to reach areas. No USB outlets. The outlet cords by the beds are at the bottom of the beds and I have to get down on my knees to use it. Floors feels worn and in need of replacing. Overall, stay was not bad and would use again.

I came to Chicago for a three and a half day vacation with my gf and stayed here for three nights. The overall experience couldn't have been any better. I was able to book this hotel via Chase Travel Portal in which they provided a substantial discount with my flight booking (don't know if you need to book the flight via portal to obtain the discount). The location is prime for a first time visitor as you're located in the middle of all of the tourist attractions you can think of with the closest being a 15 minute walk to Millennium Park to see "The Bean". The room itself is probably one of the nicest rooms I've ever booked. Love the wooden floors over all of the carpet floors I've stayed at so you can tell they cleaned the floors well (or can't get away with not cleaning the carpets). The mirror in the bathroom as a built in bluetooth speakers which is cool to use, until other people try to connect to your speakers which just becomes creepy. The service is quintessential for hospitality and they were able to deliver. LaShawn checked us in and out whom was friendly, welcoming, and very helpful with any questions that we had. We were able to leave our luggage at the front desk the day of checking out in which she was very accommodating. Even the other hotel staff members were friendly and did all the little things like getting the elevator for you. There is a resort fee in which you pay after your stay. This covered the gym, conference room, fax machine (who still uses fax?), newspapers (WSJ which I happily grabbed Fridays and Mondays edition), and some other stuff I didn't use. I used the gym once and didn't go again as the bench is super stiff and uncomfortable to lay down on. They only had two attachments for the cable machine which was a letdown, especially since I'm paying a resort fee to use the equipment. As I previously stated before, the overall experience couldn't have been any better and I would love to stay here again when I come back to Chicago.

Here's the rundown of the rooms available at the Essex: Bathroom: - can't get in the bathroom and close the door - shower dripped - sink the size of a dinner plate - counter very low Bedroom: - dirty, old furniture, stained, chipped, etc - walls stained - pillows awfully uncomfortable and lumpy - bed sloping - curtains broken and didn't close all the way - windows stuck open Service: kind of rude and the opposite of hospitable most of the time. The one extra star to make this a 2-star stay instead of a 1 star stay was for the security guard I had to call who was, for the first time at this hotel, the only person who said "we want your stay to be as comfortable as possible!" Hotel rooms: - no way to control the temperature - no kitchen so no breakfast in the mornings or any room service available - I had 3 hotel rooms in my 3 nights here because there was an issue each day... so weird. Just seems like a discount type hotel for a young party-going scene who doesn't care much about their stay. TL;DR: don't stay here if you have high hotel standards or are sharing a room with someone you don't want to see use the bathroom (because they won't be able to be in the bathroom and close the bathroom door at the same time).

absolute trash management, and horrible customer service. they do not care about their customers. there are 1,000 hotel in chicago, this is bottom of the barrel, highly recommend staying anywhere else but here.

Catfished by a hotel. First, I should say we lucked out with a corner view and could see Willis Tower but not everyone is as lucky. I also liked the Lavazza coffee pods and the colorful tiled shower that ran HOT or COLD but literally all else felt like we got screwed. It was actually a mistake to stay here on my part, I was looking at the Essex Condos which I learned are rented out by Sonder so this place had NO gym and NO pool. At checkin the Front desk gave us two $15 coupons to use at the breakfast place downstairs but the amenity tax was $16 so basically we paid for it. When I asked what this includes the rep said, "access to the water" meaning Lake Michigan...but the lakeview is nowhere to be found. The bed was comfortable but the pillows were NOT. They had a bluetooth mirror in the bathroom which was an exciting feature I wanted to use but could not connect to it. Classic. Loudest bathroom flush of my life, like in an airplane. Would not stay here again. Please fix.

Nice job with the remodel! The rooms are clean and now have zero carpet. The tile in the bathroom was New & Clean. Location is perfect as it's right by the colleges, convention center, Soldier Field, & very close to the nice restaurants. The wings in the bar are ridiculous. Nice speciality cocktails as well are offered. This is a 4+ star hotel.

Pissed.... we had to pay double , so almost 1k for a one day stay. They took the money originally, declined the charge and made us pay again. NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH YEA AND THERE ARE GNATS IN OUR ROOM.

I absolutely loved this hotel. They took and older building and upgraded it. Our room was small, but who is in the room that long for it to be too small. Our view of Lake Michigan, Solider Field, the museums was spectacular. The hotel restaurant breakfast was reasonably priced and tasted great. The eggs cooked just right (over medium), the chicken sausage delicious. The WiFi worked well, the glass shower with overhead rain nozzle, Bluetooth bathroom mirror, in-room safe and bathrobe. The bed was so comfortable. The breathtaking view from our 10th floor room was incredible. The hotel has a great lounge that open until 2am. I loved the key floor entry that added a more secure feeling. No key no entry. They have a nice bar downstairs and fitness room. We will stay here again whenever in Chicago again.