The Congress Plaza Hotel & Convention Center

The double queen lake view rooms on floor 9 are the perfect size and have a fantastic view. However, if it is hot outside forget about it. It will be 78-80 degrees in the room. It is also too quiet in the rooms due to the quiet ambient noise of the room’s hvac system. You will hear everything going on outside of your room. The bed was too hard for my liking but that is subjective. Overall, enjoyed my stay and the location is great.

Check-in was super easy and smooth. The location is definitely the best part close to downtown with plenty of food options nearby, and the Bean is only about a 10-15 minute walk. They also offer luggage storage after check-out, which is convenient if you have a late flight or plans in the city. The room itself was clean, spacious, and had a nice view. Bed and closet space were decent, and the bathroom had good water pressure, though you can tell it’s a bit worn with some rust showing. I’d recommend bringing your own shampoo and conditioner since the ones provided felt pretty cheap. One downside was the WiFi. It was pretty slow, which was frustrating at times. Also, if you don’t want to be disturbed by housekeeping in the morning, make sure to put the “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door. Overall, for the price, I expected a bit better quality compared to other hotels I’ve stayed at. The hallways gave off a slightly eerie vibe and the hotel itself could definitely use a revamp. I probably wouldn’t rebook, but it was fine for a place to sleep if you plan to be out exploring most of the day.

My Sister and I loved our 6 day stay in the Congress Plaza hotel! What an amazing location - we popped out on Saturday night to see the Navy Pier fireworks and braved the heat first thing in the morning with a run along the lake front. We were there in the 'heat dome', being from England we found the room ambient temperature (other reviews are correct - the AC didn't seem to work very well but this wasn't an issue for us). The hotel has loads of history, we read it was haunted! Our room was positively palatial compared with our small English rooms and we loved the walk in closet! We would definitely stay here again!!

Unfortunately, our recent experience at Congress Plaza was deeply uncomfortable. I understand the evening we were there, the temps were out of control. We visited June 21st with checkout on June 22nd. We spent all day at an outdoor festival and were looking forward to cooling down in our hotel room. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. It was so warm inside of our "lake view" room (that infact was NOT a LAKE view room, but rather just a Michigan Avenue view room due to its location). We could not get comfortable. We requested a fan three times before one showed up in our room (and we didn't get it until after 10pm). The fan made very little difference in the air temp of the room. There is no temperature control inside the room and the built in room fan was doing very little to provide a comfortable temp. I woke up in a puddle of sweat. This stay was probably one of my most uncomfortable hotel stays ever. I think, at bare minimum, with all the money this hotel makes, they could splurge for individual room AC units or atleast ceiling fans.

Great location, but the room needs work. First the bathroom needs updating. Shower water pressure was not good, and while standing in the shower the tub creaked and sounded like you were going to break through the tub. Then our shower leaked and had a puddle on the floor after every shower. The bed was very uncomfortable and way too firm and my back hurt every morning I got up from the bed which was also way too low. The pictures on the website of the room look bigger than it is. There was not much clearance between the bottom of the bed and the desk and dresser in front of it. We had a standard King room. For the money we spent I was expecting a nicer room. If I go back to Chicago I would not stay here again.

*You should NOT stay at this hotel.* If air conditioning or feeling comfortable in a hotel room is even slightly important to you then you should find another hotel. The location is great and adjacent to the park. But don’t pay for a lake view room. The trees in the park obscure the view. So it’s pointless to pay the extra. Seriously, you will not be comfortable here. You have zero control over the thermostat in your room and it does not cool at all. The staff brought us a plug-in fan to deal. Yes. They brought us a fan. Even the lobby/lounge are uncomfortably hot. The toilet does not run and the valve in the tank must be manually replaced. It’s a great location but in no world do the conditions in the room match any kind of standard level of comfort at a DT Chicago hotel. Save your money and find someplace else.

This place has such mixed reviews, some amazing and some rather alarming. My experience was a solid 3 stars - nothing super fancy, definitely very old, the sink and sub drained very slow and rooms really lack temp control. That said, it was clean enough (definitely not spotless!), rooms decently stocked, beds very clean & pretty comfy and overall this hotel is in an amazing location (very walkable to so many places- shops, restaurants etc, and doable walk to Soldier Field!). The lobby is BEAUTIFUL, and so many cool historical pieces around the hotel. We also loved the old elevators that have definitely been updated and worked great, no major delays despite being lots of floors. We didn't have any issues during our stay & security did a good job of checking room keys at night especially! We would not hesitate to stay in the future especially for the price and location.

The hotel is in a great location. The rooms and hotel itself are in GREAT need of updating. The curtains in our room did not close all the way and there was not a black out shade along with the curtain. To top everything off... during one of the HOTTEST weekends so far.... the a/c was broken. The system blew out cool air but not cold. The lighting in the bathroom could be brighter. The hotel is just old and looks as if they attempted to update the rooms without updating the detail. For what we paid, it could have been better.

Love this hotel. I stay in it every year I go to the taste of Chicago. It is very convenient once you walk o it the front door all you have to do is walk across the street and boom you're walking right into the Taste of Chicago. This hotel is also close to shopping (primark, Macy, tj maxx and more), restaurants and the largest Starbucks in Chicago. I am sure I would stay in this hotel again even if the taste isn't going on.

Checked in over the weekend, and room was dirty (after 4pm). Was told to come down to switch rooms from the 10th floor. No apology. Went to the next room, was clean, but I swear my shoes come in bigger boxes than the rooms we were assigned. And there's really no symmetry... Our friends room was a different size as well. Also you'd think this place was run by a slum lord ... Paint drips and dirty carpet run rampant. Every room we went to has the faint smell of cigarettes. The hallways... Lysol and vomit. Really unfortunate given the history of the hotel. The bathrooms were nice, and if they could give that level of attention to the rooms that would fix one of the many issues. Staff were pretty nice overall. Room price was expensive for what you got (tiny room, no breakfast). If you can stay for around $99/night it's a great location central to everything Chicago.

I know the reviews of this hotel have been rough and the critiques are fair. But I also think it is a hidden jewel and with some uogrades, it can be a really positive experience. PROS: -Excellent location. You are right on the Magnificent Mile and well within walking distance of so many attractions. -You are within reach of elevated, subway and surface mass transit lines, making it very easy to get around the city. With the CTA's transit app system, you can save so much on getting around and saving your Uber ride for your flight home. -A pretty decent fitness center. Hotel fitness centers can be quite suspect, dated and small, with broken equipment. Here you 24-hour, unfettered access to free weights, machines, two bikes (one reclining), two treadmills and an elliptical. -The lobby is quite large, with ample seating, if you just want to relax a bit or wait for friends. -In-house convenience and gift shop. -Free high-speed WiFI. -Many restaurants of a wide range of price points and cuisines are within a mile or less. -The park across the street is glorious green space. -Housekeeping staff are very friendly. CONS: -Rooms are dated and hallways could use a paint touchup. -Front desk staff can be a bit withdrawn. All in all, I am glad I came here and would come back next year. I hope by then they are able to do some needed updates.

Listen... lol... okay I understand why this is rated so low, HOWEVER, I'm going to give you all the pros by staying at the Congress Hotel. This is the closest you'll get to Grant Park and most reasonably priced hotel for events there. My fiancé and I stay here yearly since we are able to wake up by 7am and walk out the door and be at the hot chocolate run within 30 seconds. It is an older building however it is a historical building which has plenty of character. It's beautiful with lots of detail. There are several restaurants throughout the hotel plus you're within walking distance to a lot of excellent food spots. Tips - 1) The rooms are definitely dated and you're right by the L so if you're staying for an extended amount of time - this is NOT the place to stay. 2) Let the water run for about 5-10 mins before showering, it takes a bit for it to warm up. 3) Bring sleeping eye wear, even with closing the shades it's still pretty bright.

Quality/Quantity - Historical building = Old. But cool architecture, see pictures. Huge building, feels like the entire block. Room & bathroom fairly clean, and both above average size. Bowl with amenities, see picture. Coffee pot, I did not use it. Starbucks here I come. Locked safe, I did not use it, a fridge (two microwaves in the lobby for all to use), etc. Huge bar area, but not many people frequent. Restaurants, but again did not see many customers. Had both indoor/outdoor seating. We got here right before the rush, see the picture where all the customers wrapped around the huge lobby. I felt so bad for those people. Can I suggest an online check-in system? They are slowly remodeling room by room, but not sure how I would rate the quality as it still smells and feels very old. Atmosphere - Centrally located, across the street from Millennium Park where Lollapalooza is being held. Borders downtown, easy access to many tourist attractions - Navy Pier, museums, magnificent mile, Willis Tower, subway, public transportation, etc. Wifi - Spotty, so I did not use it. Service - Room service was supposed to be by request only and we chose not to have due to our short stay. But they knocked on our door daily... And on our last day, they made our room... So confused, poor communication between staff and management. Price - Expensive but expected as we are traveling during peak season. Staying on a weekend in a very convenient location which saves us the rental car/parking cost and convenience. Owner Suggestion - Congrats on your success since 1893. Your beautiful place is falling to disarray, I think you need to revisit your remodel, maintenance team.

Went here for the Halloween Ball, it was a lot of fun to see how creative everyone got with their costumes!! The lobby of the hotel is gorgeous and so was the hall that the event was held at. While the hallways are a little dated and not as kept up, the rooms have unique characteristics and are very clean. This place has history, and that's a big part of the charm! Before you plan on taking a shower you do have to run the water for a while before it gets warm. And yes, I believe the room we were in may have been haunted. The drawer kept opening by itself, the bed stand drawer that holds the Bible. Not sure if the ghost was trying to tell me I need Jesus or what but other than that it seemed harmless. My husband said the safe door also swung open when we were leaving to check out, he was trying to rush me out of the room because he got so spooked. I love this place and will definitely keep an eye out for future events so I have a reason to stay, husband says I can find a friend to go with next time.

5s across the board. The location was right near everything. The room was identical to the pictures on the internet. The interior of the lobby and main areas was breathtaking, and you could clearly see that the furniture and layout were thoughtfully planned. The staff was friendly and helpful. I was very impressed that many of them were multi lingual. The rooms were bright, neat, and clean. The only thing I would have liked was the little toiletries like shampoo and conditioner and body wash because I'm a huge fan of those they make me feel pampered. Our room request for a Lakeview and quiet floor were heard and attended to. This hotel clearly takes pride in what they do, and it shows. I am very happy, and we will definitely be back and sharing our review with our followers on social media as well as Yelp. Bravo owner and staff. You have impressed this Yelp elite and Google reviewer to the fullest of measures. Keep up the good work. Your competitors should take notes from you.

I stayed here with my husband recently for 5 nights. While our stay was ok, it definitely wasn't comfortable. For some context for the cons section: we visited in March and are from Phoenix so we aren't used to the cold. The temperature part might not be as big a deal to someone who is used to this climate. Pros: Great location Large rooms with high ceilings Beautiful lobby Affordable Cons: The beds are super hard and uncomfortable The pillows are flat and lumpy There is no individual heat thermostat to each room. We were pretty cold all the time! The shower hot water takes 10-15 minutes to heat up and when it does it's lukewarm at best. They spray some sort of deodorizer spray and it's intense The toilet was very hard to flush The beds have plush pillows on them and we question how they are able to wash them The walls are thin- could hear others sneezing amongst other things.... There's a shelf above the sink- beware when leaning forward-you will smack your head The water pressure in the shower is low Overall our stay was ok. We made it through without any horror stories. However, it wasn't very comfortable for us. The pros don't outweigh the cons. I will definitely not book here again when we come back to Chicago.

I hate leaving bad reviews, but I cannot recommend this place. From the moment we walked I to the moment we walked out, I knew I'd made the wrong decision. Just inside the front door there was a high-pitched squeal the entire weekend. Walking in and out, you heard it every single time. The hotel is older, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's just in disrepair. When we got to our floor, the carpet was horribly stained and appeared wet all weekend. The hallways smell of mildew, and there are a lot of broken doors. Our room reeked of mildew, and it was almost enough to make me walk out immediately. The entire room felt damp - which is probably from the busted air conditioner that could not be adjusted. The drawer in the nightstand would not stay closed unless I propped my luggage in front of it. The shower was impossible to get to a reasonable temperature, and the pressure would have been better with a kids water gun. The door was missing chunks at the bottom, and the curtains were ready to fall off the wall. The "restaurant" is a joke. It was better to just walk the 2 minutes to Dunkin Donuts. No breakfast buffet, no real easy morning options, just terrible. The only saving grace of this place is the porters. They were great and helpful every time I spoke to them. They did a great job of taking care of the guests, and made the stay somewhat tolerable. I love Chicago, but I'll never be back to this hotel.

Good morning, I hope this email finds you well. My name is Carlotta Thompson and I'm a guest staying in room 685. My family is also staying next door in 683. Their names are Trevora Smith and Martinique Thompson. We stayed the night of Oct. 26th of this year. I am sorry to say that i have complaints from our stay.Upon entering the rooms we noticed the nip in the air and attempted to turn off the fan to knock off the chill. To our surprise that did not work. So I proceeded to call the front desk to ask for assistance with turning on the heat. I was then informed that the heat was not working in the building. Imagine the shock at what I was hearing. There is nothing on the website to state the hotel was without heat. They did not inform us upon checking in the the hotel was with out heat. The manager provided portable heaters. Now these heaters do not have 3 prongs, which helps to prevent electrical shocks and fires. When we used said heaters it created a spark in room 683 and the lights blew out. We felt very unsafe using these heaters while sleeping. I could not sleep from worry from these heaters. Then this morning my niece informs me that someone entered her room at 9am this morning. Luckily she had the lock on. They did not announce themselves, just entered, couldn't gain access, then left. My niece got dressed then rushed to my room to tell me what occurred. I immediately called the front desk to speak with the manager and she informed me that it must've been housekeeping. I most certainly could not accept that poor excuse and went downstairs to speak with her in person. I asked, if it were housekeeping why didn't anyone knock on my door or enter my room? I was obviously awake, I did not hear anything that represented to me that housekeeping was making rounds. The manager had no real answer to provide me but the fact that she does not have access to who works what floors at what times. I find this very unacceptable for a manager to not be able to provide information on hand to a guest. Upon returning to our rooms we now see that housekeeping is making rounds on our floor. We asked the young lady if this was her first time on the floor and she stated yes. So please tell me who had access to that room? The manager of course could not rectify this unacceptable hotel stay and so graciously provided me with your contact information. I will be looking forward to hearing your views and solutions to this matter. I hope you have a wonderful day. THIS IS WHAT I EMAILED TO THE MANAGER AND HER BOSS. I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE A RESPONSE. BEWARE OF CONGRESS. LOCK YOUR DOORS LADIES!!!

This is an old, classic hotel. Beautiful on the inside and lovely to look at. But it's also old in the inside as well. The room size is decent but everything seems to be made in the 60's. The toilet takes FOREVER to flush, the shower has a very limited amount of hot water and range of hot temperature. The room was nicely air conditioned upon arrival but I couldn't find the temperature control (might have just been my incompetence). Overall, I would come back if the price was right and nothing else was available.

We stayed here during Labor Day weekend 2024, staff was friendly, walking distance to all the shops, restaurants and attractions. Rooms clean. If I return to Chicago differently staying here again. 1-negative was the toilet kept running.

I was so pleasantly surprised at the room upgrades!!!! Gone the dank carpets replaced w vinyl wood flooring Elevators working regularly Issues--internet kept going down for restaurant and bar even for checking out this am!! Incredible. Jew from the 13 th floor I will gladly be back ( have to say I reluctantly booked this time.: so pleasantly surprised!!)

Great views of Grant Park and Lollapalooza! Bed is a bit too firm for me. Would stay here again because of the convenience to the festival.

This is a lovely hotel that seems to have gone through renovations since some of these reviews were last posted. The hallways are still older looking, but my room was incredible. Everything was clean and new. The view was incredible, and the staff was really friendly and helpful. This was an exceptional stay with a great downtown location. If I'm in Chicago again, this is the first place I'll be looking to book.

During inclement weather my job is nice enough to put us up in a hotel. We have a list of options and I chose the Congress because it was within walking distance if I wasn't able to get a taxi. Upon entering the hotel I noticed how classic and historic it was. So many gilded gold fixtures, mahogany furniture and brass elevators. I was warned by a group of my coworkers that the rooms were horrible and that the hotel itself was haunted. I have to be honest here, that gave me a scare. I prayed and was determined to remain positive. I absolutely LOVED my room. Nice, comfy, king sized bed. High ceiling, beautiful views from windows. Nice bathroom. The carpet was a bit outdated, but it added to the overall character of the hotel. I went to the vending machine to get a drink, then back to my room to watch Saturday Night Live until it ended up watching me. I slept like a baby. No issues and NO strange experiences. Met up with a coworker downstairs so we could head to the job together. Her experience was different; she could smell the body odor of someone that kept walking past her while she laid in bed. Another coworker asked us if we had elevator issues. We said no. Her elevator doors opened then closed. Then opened again and there was a white towel on the floor. She ended up walking down eleven flights of stairs. Lol. A.J. at the front desk was nice enough to explain some of the hotel hauntings. How the hotel sells out around Halloween and exactly how many times Ghost Hunters has been there. So, if you have some time, do your own research on the ghosts of the Congress Hotel and watch a couple of episodes of Ghost Hunters Chicago.

Beautiful hotel in a convenient location along Michigan Ave. It is located right across the street from Grant Park and I felt very safe walking to/from Solider Field (a little over 1 mile away). The decor is stunning - sparkling chandeliers were hanging in the lobby, the mosaics were beautiful, the elevators had these elaborate doors that may have actually been from the early 1900s. Overall it was incredibly impressive and historic. I think many of these reviews are pretty harsh. The hallway that lead to our room needed some attention - there were areas where the wallpaper was peeling and baseboard was in rough condition. However, it was incredibly clean and overall well kept for being as old and as busy as it is. The carpet had definitely just been shampooed. The room itself was magnificent! Floor to ceiling windows with beautiful curtains, view of the Willis Tour and other notable buildings, comfortable bed, squeaky clean bathroom with stunning ceramic tile. The air conditioning was not the most powerful but it chilled the room just fine after being left on while we were out. There was even a mini fridge hidden in the cabinet below the TV. Overall, great stay and would not hesitate to stay here again in the future. Note that the adjacent parking structure is no longer affiliated with the hotel, is valet parking only, and no in/out privileges. It was $54 for 24 hours.

I'm not even sure really where to begin with this review because I'm not usually a negative person, however, this was probably one of the worst hotels I've been to. I called the hotel twice both for different things and nobody answers any of the lines unless you call the front desk. Both times I called before my stay the attendant who answered was short and wasn't rude but just not very hospitable. No "have a great day" or "you're welcome" or "thank you for calling" it was just odd. Also, there are 12 floors and only 2 elevators; only one elevator worked and it was super small so not very many people could fit. Often times there was a line for the elevator. We stayed on the 8th floor and walked up and down to go to and from our room using the stairway. I'm aware they mean to keep the historical aspects of the hotel but it's just run down. The staircase was super narrow, dim, steep, and overall just creepy. I can't imagine what it would look like in case of an emergency. Notable mention, I attached a photo of an odd room off of the staircase maybe around the second floor? The door was wide open and it just looked abandoned. Arriving to our room we walked down an eery hallway that wasn't very well lit and once again, I know it's a historical building, but the smell of "old" is so overwhelming. A couple people we encountered in the elevator agreed and made similar comments as well. The room is on the smaller side but I didn't mind, I didn't pay for a view either but the large windows really helped lighten the space up. The bed was very low to the ground, thin, and rock hard. I've never really had an uncomfortable hotel bed until I stayed here. You're also given two incredibly flat pillows -- not including the decorative pillows. The bathroom was clean and so was the shower however, our toilet was broken. I called maintenance and he flushed it and said it's an old toilet and to give it awhile to fill up before flushing. I flushed once in the morning came back at around 9pm at night and it wouldn't flush again so we just tried to use the bathroom as much as we could when we went out. Overall, it's a place to stay and that's all we needed for the night but definitely wouldn't book again.

Just a quick update before y'all read this, the hotel did respond back to me, they sent me the employees comments which totally contradicted everything I said. This is the kind of answer that you get from the Congress hotel. I'm not sure why they just simply couldn't take the information and utilize it for what it was worth or dispose of it. At some point, maybe they'll get it. Customer service cost nothing and it can be bad or good On Sunday 9.22 at approximately 6:30 PM i picked up two of your guest and take them to an event. I pulled up to have one of the women get into the car. Your doorman seemed to be pissed at me for waiting for the second, only 2 minutes behind the first. What I got was a short man about 190 lbs with slicked back hair demanding I get out of the drive. I declined because I was in fact waiting for my ride and your guest. The doorman came to my side of the car demanding I move and when I declined he took my car info. Here is the challenge for me, I am simply part of an entire process of taking care of the cities visitor and stove for the best possible service, unlike your doorman. This is my 2nd encounter with this guy the first with the same type of engagement. If I am blocking anyone I while make the needed adjustment, I am not there for anything other then to accommodate YOUR guest. Perhaps it is easier for everyone to properly post a sign or a kind simple request for your staff would be bet moving forward. The taking of my personal information is a huge concern and if anything were to happen to me or my car it will be the hotel and your staff member I will go after. I have filed a police report for he aggressive behavior. You are a service based business all of your team member should recognize this even when they are not getting under the table rewards for the ride share drivers and others.

The hotel is honestly just a place to crash, not a place to stay. People seem to forget that this is one of the oldest hotels in Chicago--the only point to staying here is because it is right across the street from the Lollapalooza festival (and everything else in the Millenium park area). The location is great and very walkable, but the hotel itself is not great. The beds were comfy and the furniture was nice, but our sink was broken and every time we started the shower the water would pool in the tub and turn dark or green colored. Definitely a place to use flip flops in the shower. Overall just convenient and okay.

I had a nice stay, enjoyed the hotel bar and restaurant. Ate at the Gazebo for breakfast. Food was fresh and affordable.

DON'T STAY HERE!! How is this place even in business!! This hotel is the pits! I arrived and my key did not work twice!! Only to find out they were trying to give me a room that was already occupied. It took me over an hr to check in to my room from having to walk back and forth to figure out the issue and have them give me a new room. And... (catch this) when they gave me a new room, I arrive with one of the staff members, and my room door was ajar! Had it not been 1am when I arrived, I would have booked a hotel somewhere else and demanded a refund! This hotel is VERY RAN DOWN!! Rooms are not comfortable. My room smelled like cigarette smoke. I don't care how close it is to miracle mile or millennial park or any other festive place in the area.... DONT STAY HERE! Worst hotel experience ever! Don't keep this place in business....

What would help this place is a complete make over , the place is old, the door leading to our room had no secondary chain lock on it but the bathroom door did ? , the pillows are for children, the furnishings and comforters were like they are from the 90's and trying to be retro. There's no Valet but there are 6 or more bellmen standing deep inside of the main entrance not even visible to the cars that pull up, Instead of them coming out and at least asking you for their help they just stood around and waited for you to come inside to ask questions. Again our door leading into the room had at least 15 drill holes in it from old signs, locks or what ever . At least patch them before you paint them . That's just poor property management. There are two TV stations and they come in so poorly that the screens are blurry. The bathrooms were clean but tiny and old. The door jamb should have been replace years ago. The hallways are the shabbiest I have ever seen in a hotel. My question is where is the hotel management? everything is so obvious I will never be back here and I will never recommend it to anyone.

We just wrapped up four nights at the Congress hotel and it was a great experience. These one star reviews clearly didn't know or understand what they were getting into. This is one of the oldest hotels in Chicago. It's got a ton of character and charm, but it's not modern and sleek. It doesn't make any claims to be either. It's exactly what you should expect from an old but nice hotel. The staff was friendly and helpful (I believe you get what you give as far as customer service goes, so I'm guessing those complaining about the bad service has some responsibility in that). The place was very clean and yes, there was some peeling wallpaper and a few dents in the hallways but it didn't bother us. It kinda added to the charm of it actually. The room was a very decent size and had the largest walk in closet I've ever seen in a hotel room. Again, it was very clean and had comfy bedding and a nice bathroom. Housekeeping came in daily and made things fresh again, but clearly didn't touch our stuff, which I appreciate. For a downtown hotel, within easy walking distance to the concert venue, museums, aquarium, tons of restaurants and more this is a great choice. Not crazy expensive but superbly located.

This place is very old and reminds me of old San Francisco apartments that I rented 30 years ago. Lots of peeling paint and poorly painted-over doors. The bathroom shower and sink water was cold for the first 8 to 15 minutes. The first day I called housekeeping and the maintenance man told me , "just let it run for a while". Don't send products ahead of time in a cooler box. I was there for a food show and Ruiz refused delivery because the box had "perishable" written on it. The staff are very nice, polite and helpful though. Also the breakfast is not very good either and the restaurant chairs are torn and stained.

I definitely think these other reviews are being really harsh. Our room was SO lovely! It was much bigger than I thought, we had a double queen room, and it was HUGE, included a walk in closet with robes, a decent bathroom, a bedroom (with tv) and living room (with table, couch, and another tv, and a fridge). The view was also AMAZING! The rooms were also very clean as far as we could tell (since that was brought up a lot in other reviews). The only downsides... the tv doesn't have many good channels, the beds aren't that comfortable and only have a couple pillows each, shower pressure left much to be desired, and the air conditioners were loud. I do want to mention... if you're not picky about the things I mentioned, I REALLY recommend this hotel! It has such a good location, and it's so beautiful and historic, definitely worth the experience!

Like others said, VERY outdated rooms. It was clean but the rooms could use a facelift; the lobby gives the impression the rest of the hotel is bright and modern which is not true. I would have appreciated USB ports in the room since I had multiple devices I needed to charge. It was extremely cold in the room which has never been an issue for me, even after adjusting the thermostat (and by that, I mean old school radiator thing). I didn't feel great about walking in bare feet on the carpet. The service here is not good. When I arrived, I was very early and they let me store my items until check in as well as for a brief time after check out the next day. The issue is that the individual helping me at check in was very rude, and when I came to get my bags the next day after check out, the man literally could not figure out which bag was mine and tried to hand me someone else's belongings. I could've easily walked off with them. Keep in mind, my suitcase is BRIGHT PINK and I even told him that. I had to flag him down to help me because everyone was standing outside socializing. It was fine for one night, and the location is fantastic but I don't see myself staying here again if i can help it.

First impressions were amazing. Beautiful lobby. Check in quick and easy. Then I had to go park my truck in an open unsecured parking lot for 54 bux a night. Made it to the room to be hit with sauna like temperature. The advertised climate controlled air is non existant. When asking front desk about it at 940 pm they said maintenance would come and open the window. It's important to note that our room has no vents. Then we asked them about food and were informed the restaurant was closed and we were instructed to walk to Subway. So we door dashed some food and sat in the lobby where there was air conditioning. I was not about to walk to Subway in this sketchy area. For over 400 bux for 2 nights I expected a lot more.

The Congress Plaza Hotel was a perfect place to stay on a budget and short timeframe booking window. It was the cheapest hotel in the area we could find, and we felt sooo fortunate to find it! They gave us a spacious room with a fabulous view of the water and Millenium park. It's not a luxury hotel, but it did the trick beautifully for what we needed.

Oh, where to start.... The one good thing: the room was fairly clean. That's about it. Now, the issues: 1. Terrible signage after checking in to figure out how to even get to my room in the Buckingham Wing. Walked down a long hall confused, had to turn around and go back to lobby to ask how to actually get to the elevator. 2. The room is essentially like a midgrade Super 8 motel room. My room was at the end of a long, Shining-esque, narrow hallway, at a corner angle. I opened the door and was basically right in the middle of the room. It's that small. And I'm a small person. 3. Noise. No soundproofing anywhere. I think a janitor was all the way down the hall changing the trash bag and it sounded like it was happening right outside my door. I'm at least 10 rooms down from the elevator and can still hear the bell pretty loudly every time it rings. Anytime the room next to me opens the door, it's loud enough to wake you up. And the train rumbling by every 5 minutes doesn't help. 4. The bathroom is about as small as you can get. Can't really lean down too much towards the sink because you might hit your head on the glass shelf right above the faucet. The shower is really narrow. I dare you to try and turn around without touching a wall or the curtain. And if the towels were any smaller, I wouldn't even be able to wrap one around my waist. Are these towels for ants? 5. It literally took 6 to 7 minutes of running the water to even get it warm enough to take a shower. After that, it was another three to four minutes before it got hot. I thought maybe hot water was extra and almost called the front desk to ask. Now if this room was under $100/night, I probably wouldn't be saying most of this. But for $160+ a night, they need to do better. A LOT better.

Stayed here for several nights on the 12th (highest) floor because they offered a nice deal, but unfortunately, we've quickly discovered why. Let's start with the pros: - The front desk and cleaning staff were all nice - Location is good and fairly central to most places we went to - Hotel has a nice history and who doesn't get excited to stay in a haunted hotel? The cons, however, outweighed the pros, and most of it was centered around the quality of well, everything. The lobby is stunning, but it appears to just be a cover for everything else. - The elevator door got stuck once when we were using it - On each floor, the carpet was pretty stained and while I generally have no reservations on walking barefoot in hotel rooms, this was an exception - The smell. Once we walked into our room, we were instantly hit with a musty odor that appeared to be coming from the carpet. It smelled like a combination of cigarette smoke, mold, and old, forgotten home. Luckily our noses quickly adjusted to the smell after a few minutes. - The bathtub was difficult to get into due to a downwards slope at one end. It was also very creaky; I was afraid the tub will suddenly collapse and fall into the room below. - Water pressure coming out of the showerhead was fine, but almost nonexistent coming out of the tub spout. - The general infrastructure looks to be ripping apart. Caulking along the walks and drains were dissolving, and the bathroom door was difficult to fully close. - There was a nice long glass shelf that ran across the bathroom, but it also ran over the sink. So if you tend to bent your face down over the sink to wash your face or to spit, your forehead is going to slam right on that shelf. Overall, it's not a hotel filled with horror stories, but it's definitely one that needs serious renovations and general upkeep. The place just seems like it was duct taped together.

I stayed here a few days ago for The Rolling Stones concert. I found the place to be delightful. Sure this old, but that's part of its charm. Our room was amazing - it had 2 separate bedrooms! The ceiling were high with very large windows making seem very spacious and airy. We had a great city view. Room was clean and comfy. It had been redone which was great. It was walking distance to Soldier Field. Thoroughly enjoyed the restaurant and chat. Everyone on the staff was helpful and cheerful. And the price was right. I had an excellent stay.

This hotel on built for the World's Fair. Then during WW1 refugees were housed on the top two floors, mostly Eastern Europeans. On a tour we told about tragedies with death here in the 1920s, and ghost stories. The lobby is beautiful. The bar is nice with tables and an outside door to use. Restrooms are located here.

The history of this hotel is by far enough of a reason to visit and/or stay a night. For instance, Frank Lloyd Wright apparently fell in love with his third and final wife, Olgivanna Lloyd Wright, at this hotel.

This hotel is what it is- a solid 3-star hotel that is very VERY old and in a great location. GREAT location. TLDR: I'd recommend if you are in town for site seeing or a downtown convention. Not great if you need to work from the room (no desks but lots of local coffee shops you could remote from) and not a resort-style hotel. Staff was nice to us. 5minute walk from the metro stop from Ohare and Midway so very convenient to take the train from the airport to here. When checking in the lobby is very opulent and gorgeous typically of Art Deco era buildings. There's a great bar off the lobby for late night drinks. The rest of the hotel does look like something out of the shining, but mainly because this thing was built before electricity or cars were even a common thing. The money was all spent on the common areas- lobby, ballroom, etc- with the rooms being much more minimal. The footprint for the room is small by modern standards, but the ceilings are 15' high because originally there were chandeliers in all the rooms (originally meaning in 1889-1920s!) The corridors are plain, there are signs of age as some old fire hose cabinets are nailed shut, a bit of visible past water damage at the wood, etc. That being said, we were on the 3rd floor, had a gorgeous view out our window, and the room was very clean. Bathroom finishes were dated but you could tell they maintained them and recaulked the tub etc. I personally don't care if hotels look trendy as long as they are clean and safe- which our experience was. I know other reviews talked of cockroaches but we didn't see anything. Bonus too they provided a lot of nice toiletries like toothbrush and toothpaste! I agree when trying to find the ice maker it is really eerie walking thru the hotel- but kinda fun too. If you stay here look up the staircases between hallways- you can't build open staircases up a high rise like that anymore so pretty crazy to see that! One star was deducted because the ice maker and vending machines were both out of order. This might have been an intentional covid measure but would have liked a drink vending machine. Overall solid experience and glad we stayed here.

------ATMOSPHERE------ The lobby of the Congress Plaza Hotel is stunning! It has lots of gold accents along with crystal chandeliers. ------ROOMS AND AMENITIES------ The rooms themselves leave a lot to be desired. The rooms look okay at first glance but everything is old and moldy. If you open up the AC unit, you can see mold growing. If you have allergies, do not stay here because you will not be able to sleep at night. ------PRICE------ The price is reasonable for the convenient location to Millennium Gate Park and downtown. WOULD I COME BACK? No, I would stay somewhere else in the same location.

I loved my room and the location can't be beat. It's everything you would expect in an old, historic hotel that offers reasonably priced accommodations. Are there parts that need updating? Sure. But my room was clean and nicely decorated. My view was amazing. I was only a few steps from the Auditorium Theater, which is why I was in town. Staff were friendly and helpful. I only took a little off the score because it was really difficult to regulate the temperature in my room and I ended up being hot. (It's winter and staff had turned my heater on full blast prior to my arrival to get it warm, then I couldn't get it cooled back down). Also, the street noise was considerable- even though I was on the 11th floor. If you're a light sleeper, bring a white noise machine or ear plugs or something. I will definitely stay here again because I love historic hotels.

What a dump!! This is by far the worse hotel on earth. you get tiny pillow big enough for a baby Lobby is nice but rooms are awful

Great Value stay in Chicago. Ya know, most of these 1 star reviews are from people who really ought to know better. They are living oxymorons, simultaneously bourgeois and stuck up about their particular needs, wants and desires, yet broke as jokes! Welcome to modern America people. If you see a hotel price for less than half of everything else nearby then you have got to figure it somewhere around half as pretty. If you are an individual that can afford something better, you would intrinsically know to not to book there. However, if the Congress Plaza is all you can afford and you therefore decide to book there, then stop complaining! All that these 1 star aficionados have proven is that they are chronic bargain hunters yet have the nerve to complain to us about. Yes: you can hear the rumble of the L train (welcome to the Loop idiot), Yes: rooms have a passive AC system, and Yes: ~some~ of the rooms are outdated ( I checked, they ain't that bad for half the price of nearby hotels). Another fine piece of hitting 1 star army! ~Get thee to Dollar General and let your next rating howl at the rain~! This is a solid 4 (Yelp) stars hotel: 5 on value, 5 on location, 5 on lobby, 3-4 on the room (depending if you get an outdated or an updated room), 2-3 for amenities ( yes passive AC system not great) 2 stars for the hallways (yes, used and abused), 2 stars on the service (some but not all staff are a bit harsh.... like literally every resident of Chicago) = Solid 4. For some it may be a solid 5 for price, value, convenience. My Review: Great Value in Chicago - Tons of charm through beautiful lobby and entry through the clean and updated little room we had. In between those two areas... um, they are working on that update too I suppose. But you're not going to get a better price near everything cool in Chicago. I would not want any other location! Location across from the park and down aways from the heart of downtown gives you a lot of green space and a mental break from the grind of downtown. The walk from hotel to downtown feels very safe even late, late at night. Cops on every block around here. Haunted halls at night really add an extra fun layer too.

Super old place, thought it would be a cool place to stay with the history but renovations have not been kept up with. Funny smell in room. No water able to be bought had to go to a store to buy water. Bell man was a super nice guy that direct traffic in front of main entrance. Breakfast restaurant inside super run down and dirty came In For breakfast was sat and took over thirty minutes for a waiter to come and take order waited another 30 minutes for an order of eggs and left as I wasn't waiting any longer for breakfast. More or less checked out a day early and moved to another hotel.... Stay away

If I could give negative stars, I would give it -20. The only thing people who was a positive experience during my trip was Security (Jay, Roger, Steve (don't remember his name, but he is always out in the morning giving the best directions) the Valet (Otis) and the ONE front desk Jasmin. When I arrived at the hotel at 3:30 to check in, when I was next in line, there was two females (Angie and Maria) I got Angie. She asked for my id and I asked if there was a shuttle to Macormick place, her response in an agitated voice was "no", I said is there a shuttle to the airport, her response in the same voice was "no". She proceeded to say, you have a deposit of $175. I said my room is paid for in full, she said, "we don't collect the deposit until you arrive. She stated I would need a card, so I said, "I would need an authorization form to be sent", in which she said to write down the email address it should go to, I did. Angie went to the back, while in the back, a young girl came in, at this time I was on the phone with my assistant. I asked the young girl if there was a manager on duty, she said that Adema would be in at 6. All of the front desk people went to the back, the young girl came back and asked if she could help me, I said no, the woman went to send the form. She told me, "you can go wait in the lobby until it's received, in which I replied, "I am not moving until she comes back. Angie came back, 20 minutes later, stated that the email was wrong and asked me was it an "a", was this an "o" and I told her what the email address was but she stood there so I rewrote the email address and then spelled it for her. She replied, "you don't have to be sassy", I said you were the one who has been rude. Still on the phone with my assistant. Angie went to the back, the young girl came back over, because the form that was sent wasn't the form Angie had just shown me. I showed it to Maria as well, but the young girl stated that the forms had changed. I said I don't understand why you all are playing with me, but this is ridiculous. As I was telling my assistant to call the booking company, because this was a mess and I couldn't do this, Maria said "just leave", I responded and told her my room is fully paid for, in which she responded, "yea, your job paid for it". She then stated I had snatched the paper from Angie and threw something at her and I said roll back the cameras, I hadn't done any of those things. The young girl told me I shouldn't be saying anything back and I stated I wasn't going to let anyone talk crazy to me. Now during this whole time, I was the ONLY black person who checked in, there was a bunch of white people standing in front of Maria and she told them, "she can leave". About 10 more minutes passed, Maria came back to the front and said, "they received the form and entered it in the back", she repeated it 3 times while asking me did I understand her. I just looked at her, she turned around and yelled to the back, "I told her, but she is just standing looking at me, so I don't know". The young girl came back and was finishing putting in the information. A lady named Wanda came up and asked for me, I said yes, she said I am on the phone with your assistant. She asked me what was going on, I said "a lot" are you a manager? She said she was in reservations. As I am explaining everything, Maria stated that was a lie, to which I responded, you did in fact state my job paid for my room. Then Maria responded, "I don't give a F**K" in front of the guest! She was rambling she wasn't going to let anyone talk to her any kind of way, "she has been there 11 years, she knows wassup". Wanda had to tell her to be quiet. This was unacceptable behavior and terrible customer service. After sending in my complaint, Adema contacted me and stated that the General Manager was handling the issue and I was upgraded to an ocean view room and that's all they were going to do about the situation. I guess they figured my looking at Lake Michigan through the trees was going to fix or soothe the frustration, embarrassment that Maria caused. I do not recommend staying at this hotel but would recommend stopping to chat with security and the valet as they were the only ones who had sense and treated the guest with respect and dignity. If you have already booked your room, please see Jazmin at the front desk, she was the ONLY one who had customer service as she is the only woman of color at that location. Also, if you are a person of color, do NOT stay there, we are only allowed to be security and valet to them but not have money to afford the luxury of staying in that dump.

Pros: you are right across from the kick off point of Chicago, Millenium Park. It's old Chicago with an old school hotel feel, minus the modern looks and feels. The design and architecture are what you would expect from a 130 year old hotel. Definitely a unique experience. Cons: Old school hotel means just that. It's dated but not terrible. Parking is a bit of a mess, no "in and out" with the lot adjacent the hotel. Saturday overnight you have to "valet" your car with the garage ( which means, you hand it over and get it back when you pay and leave), as they don't allow "lot overnight" parking. I've stayed here before and it has its pros and cons. All depends on what you're looking for with a stay. I've had easier and worse experience for the same price point but the location is an easy sell.

Stayed here for Lollapalloza 2022. Was going to just move on from my experience but as I plan for Lolla'23 I realized I had a bad enough experience here that I am actively avoiding it for this year. Yes, it's right across the street and very convenient and there are some unique aesthetics to the building.... but since you have to walk a few blocks for food and drinks anyways, I say you look for a place to stay elsewhere. The bathroom was dirty when I arrived and I asked if it could be cleaned or if I could have a new room. Nothing was done the entire 3 nights I stayed there. I was only in the room from around 1am to 8-9am every night and frankly it felt vindictive that they knocked on my door at 8am for the rest of my stay and then still never cleaned it. Wasn't cheap enough for the experience and there are too many other options. Would not return and am seeking out alternative accommodations for this year. Edited: spelling

I recently stayed at the Congress Plaza Hotel, and I must say it was an absolutely dreadful experience. From the moment I stepped into the room, I noticed the paint and drywall were falling off, creating a shabby and unkept environment. The hotel's business center was a complete disappointment, with inaccessible computers that were of no use to me. The stairwells reeked of cigarette smoke and the lack of proper heating in the rooms made my stay incredibly uncomfortable, especially during the colder nights. The most disappointing aspect, however, was the attitude of the staff. They were rude and completely unwilling to assist with any concerns or issues I had during my stay. Their lack of professionalism and disregard for guest satisfaction were evident. Overall, I strongly advise against choosing the Congress Plaza Hotel for your stay. The deteriorating conditions of the rooms, inaccessibility of amenities, cigarette smoke, lack of heating, and unhelpful staff make for an extremely unpleasant experience. There are far better options available in the area that offer superior accommodations and service at near comparable prices. This hotel should be completely renovated or demolished.

Do yourself a favor and not stay here. I'll start with the few things I did like : the location. That ends the list of the things I like. The hotel is very misleading. The place you check in is very stunning. It is beautiful and kept up nice. We were excited for our stay because we heard about the hotels history. We knew the hotel was old but the pictures on their website showed very modern renovated rooms so we decided to go with this hotel. Once you leave the first floor though, you very quickly realize they haven't kept up with the hotel. The carpets are dirty, stained and haven't been replaced for years. The wallpaper is peeling and outdated in the halls. The lights are flickering (which I guess helps their haunted hotel clientele but not their normal ones). My friends and I had a concert in Chicago. We were only staying for one night. We arrived around 5:45pm so we had to check in quickly and drop off our bags to make sure we could make it to our show at 7 across town. Our room was in the south tower on the 12th floor. Upon entering the room we realized something was really wrong. The furniture was ancient. The room was not renovated nor looked nothing like the listing. We were in shock but did not have time to react before we had to leave. I contacted management while waiting for my show to start to explain that their add for the room was misleading and did not look anything like the room that was advertised to us. The management gaslit us and said they upgraded our room. I explained to them that nothing in the room was an upgrade and everything else was a significant downgrade. They offered us a switch but we explained we would not be home until 1 am. We'd have to grab our bags from the 12th floor to switch rooms when they should've given us the room we booked in the first place. Plus our check out was at 11am so we weren't there long to begin with. Even though the management team did not provide us with what we booked they refused to give us a refund. It was clearly their fault. We didn't get what we paid for. Just do yourself a favor and choose a different hotel that is cleaner and more accommodating

To be truthful, the advertisement for this hotel is a little better than the actual hotel. This hotel is old and the common areas are truly beautiful. However I have noticed the hallways could use fresh paint. While the hotel is pretty clean, it could use some work on the areas a visitor doesn't see at first. This is not a modern hotel, if you're into that...look elsewhere. This hotel was built before 1900 and has that old style panache! There was an issue with my first room (no hot water) and the desk staff were extremely apologetic, they switched rooms for me with no issues. The hallways need care and are a little creepy. The old staircases were cool. I heard this hotel is haunted, I had no experiences and felt very comfortable here. I do recommend.

Attended an Indian wedding in their banquet hall. The hotel is a historic hotel and it does look historic on the inside as well. The wait staff we're polite... the dining area could have been better lit and the dinner plates were wet which I have almost never seen .

Run down. Pretty disgusting rooms. You get what you pay for. Bed hard as a rock. I tried to save a couple bucks but just not with it,

The hotel is older, but there's a lot of history here which is cool. The lobby is gorgeous. The location on Michigan Avenue is great. The rooms aren't the nicest or the largest (due to the age of the building) but they're clean and the bathrooms have been updated.