The Willows Hotel

We only stayed for two nights, but we would have loved to stay longer. The hotel has a charming retro flair that captivated us right from the beautifully designed hotel lobby. The entire hotel staff is extremely friendly and helpful. A 24/7 coffee and tea bar rounded off the relaxed and cozy hotel experience. The neighborhood is also very quiet and pleasant. The only downside was that finding parking around the hotel was a bit challenging. Nevertheless, we highly recommend this hotel!

This is a terrific little hotel packed with charm and hospitality. It is located in a very pretty neighborhood (Lake View area) close to shops and restaurants but has the feel of a quiet, historic place. If you don't mind a little walking the hotel is truly an easy 20 minute walk (I'm in my late 50s with a back issue and not in perfect shape and I easily walked it) from so many major sites to see in Chicago - Lake Michigan, the free Lincoln Park Zoo, Lake Shore Drive's Lakefront trail, the Nature Museum with butterfly conservatory, The Elks Lodge, Target, Trader Joe's, and more! The hotel is not super fancy but it has a certain quaintness to it and a quirky style. It was also very clean for my stay. The bed I had was so comfortable that I had some of the best sleeps ever! Truly "slept like a rock." A friend who stayed in a different room said the same thing about her bed. The staff is friendly (they greeted me by name each time I returned from my outings!) but they also seem to respect privacy and leave you alone if desired. I was hesitant to post this review because I thought maybe it would be smart to keep this wonderful find a secret just for my family and close friends, but it is too good not to share! Also not hard to get to from airport view trains or Uber or taxi. On the way in I took the trains from Midway airport. On the way out I took an Uber. All went well with both options. I had a very enjoyable experience at the Willows!

Charming little hotel. The building is older and I suppose all of the rooms are different, but mine was thoughtfully appointed with things like a robe, nice toiletries and a couple of bottles of wine and snacks. Also, bathtubs! The tub wasn't fancy, but I appreciate that some hotels still have them since so many are moving to showers only. I was lucky to have a very quiet room. The heating system buzzes a bit. It wasn't very loud, just a slight buzz so not a huge deal, and I'm sensitive to buzzing. As for hearing the neighbors, I didn't hear anyone. This could vary depending on occupancy. While the rooms don't have coffee makers, there's fresh free coffee in the lobby and it is surprisingly good. Better than I make, for sure. Since the hotel is small, you can easily roll out of bed, head to the lobby and grab it. There's also a microwave there if you need to heat something up. Oh, and the lobby is wonderful! It's small but quiet and had a fire going. No loud music, just a homey ambiance. Location is not touristy at all, but mainly residential, so a lot of visitors to the hotel seem to be visiting friends or family in the neighborhood. But even though it's residential, there are tons of little shops and restaurants nearby, and you're a 5 minute walk from Trader Joe's. I recommend this hotel for solos, couple and people with cool, well behaved kids.

Echoing most of the reviews on here - the Willows is an old hotel that could use some updates here and there, but it's clean, in a great location, and the staff are super nice. ||A shout out to Adrian at the front desk. He noticed upon check in that my wife and I would be staying 5 nights so moved us to a room with a better view.

I will start with the positives: the location is great, the room was mostly clean, check in/out was easy, we felt safe in this area. Beyond that, I'm still puzzled as to how this hotel had such amazing reviews and high rating on Trip Advisor. We arrived fairly late at night as our flight had been delayed. The welcome by staff was okay but upon entering the hotel I realized that what I had believed was going to be a 'quirky, boutique experience' was probably not going to live up to that. The lobby was sad looking and the hotel smelled musty. (The lobby looked much better in the morning with the light coming in but was still not up the 'boutique' standard that we are used to) The elevator is unappealing to say the least. The flooring material is peeling and the walls are scratched. When we got to our floor, the hallway is very dark and smells like an old motel. The room had an even stranger smell - maybe ammonia? The wallpaper was peeling in several spots (with a little mold on it in the bathroom) and the decor is terribly outdated. I've stayed at 'vintage' hotels but this room was not vintage, it was just old and outdated. The worst part was the air conditioning unit. It was LOUD. I am a light sleeper and ended up having to wear earplugs to be able to sleep. Even then, I did not get a lot of sleep over the three nights. My other family members slept a little better as they are not as light of sleepers. What bothered us the most was that we'd paid over $425 a night to stay here. The room and hotel were not what they show on the website or even what the other Trip Advisor reviews had led us to believe. For even a little bit more money, we could have had a nicer room/better experience even if the location were not as premium. If you are paying more than $300 a night to stay here, I would suggest you look elsewhere.

First time visiting Chicago to celebrate granddaughters birthday. Although an old building was very clean and comfortable. Price was excellent for the area and convenient to many restaurants and stores. The staff excellent. Would not hesitate to recommend .

Horrible customer service experience. I did not realize that I booked a non-refundable room rate. I had something come up and needed to cancel the room. I called and the woman who answered was rude and condescending; made me feel like I was stupid for accidentally not realizing that I booked a non-refundable room. Could have gone very differently if she were more polite and understanding. This experience definitely did not make me want to stay or ever make a reservation with this place again, especially with how expensive it is.

Horrible on every level, in fact GROSS. Do not stay here ! |I arrived and the whole lobby was a building site. A pipe had burst apparently, ok I get these things happen but there is no excuse for the state of the rooms and the unprofessional staff. |The hot water was minimal. When I mentioned it at the desk their response was "Oh you should have said earlier, some of the rooms don't really have much hot water." What?!!!!!|The heat did not come on in the morning and it was cold in the room. |The TV did not work, I called down and the front desk said they would bring me a new remote - yet they did not, |The wallpaper was stained and peeling off the walls and the whole room and walls were dirty, the carpet was disgusting and old and there were cracks and damp water marks around the windows. The room did not look anything like the photos on the website and was so far off the look of a boutique hotel, the website feels like a lie. I was expecting something nice for the price I paid and was hugely disappointed. |When I left I asked for the manager who apparently was "on holiday" The staff on duty said they would send an email to the manager requesting that I received a partial refund. Surprise surprise, I did not hear from them. 3 weeks later, I called up and the same staff member answered saying that the manager was not there and I could not have their email of phone number, he then became confrontational and rude when I mentioned I was following up on the partial discount we talked about and actually put the phone down on me ! I have travelled worldwide and this is hands down the worst hotel I have ever stayed at. GROSS and horrible on every level.

We would definitely stay here again for their great location, close to bars and restaurants. We took an Uber to Wrigleyville, maybe about 5-7 mins because it was too cold out to walk. Nice rooms and friendly people at the front desk.

Horrible on every level, in fact GROSS. Do not stay here ! I arrived and the whole lobby was a building site. A pipe had burst apparently, ok I get these things happen but there is no excuse for the state of the rooms and the unprofessional staff. The hot water was minimal. When I mentioned it at the desk their response was" oh you should have said earlier, some of the rooms don't really have much hot water". ?!!!!! The heat did not come on in the morning and it was cold in the room. The TV did not work, I called down and the front desk said they would bring me a new remote - yet they did not, The wallpaper was stained and peeling off the walls and the whole room and walls were dirty, the carpet was disgusting and old and there were cracks and damp water marks around the windows. The room did not look anything like the photos on the website and was so far off the look of a boutique hotel, the website feels like a lie. I was expecting something nice for the price I paid and was hugely disappointed. When I left I asked for the manager who apparently was "on holiday" The staff on duty said they would send an email to the manager requesting that I received a partial refund. Surprise surprise, I did not hear from them. 3 weeks later, I called up and the same staff member answered saying that the manager was not there and I could not have their email of phone number, he then became confrontational and rude when I mentioned I was following up on the partial discount we talked about and actually put the phone down on me ! I have travelled worldwide and this is hands down the worst hotel I have ever stayed at. GROSS and horrible on every level.

Quaint hotel with a lot of personality and BED BUGS. I stayed there for one night at the end of June and came home with BED BUGS. I checked with my doctor to see what the bites were, and he confirmed that if they're in a line like mine were - they're BED BUGS. Plus, I haven't been anywhere else that I could have gotten them. And when I asked the hotel about it? They said they wouldn't/couldn't do anything about it. So basically - "it sucks to be you, please come again" I would NEVER stay here again. Ick! BED BUGS!!!!!

Dropped into the hotel for a couple of nights to go to Wrigley Field. The hotel has a great staff! They're friendly and professional. The hotel is old. The stair creek the elevator is slow and scary. However, it's an old building, it's expected. My room was clean but old. The bed was comfortable. The heat worked without a problem. There was multiple heating units throughout the room. I would figure they would remove the old ones when they put the new ones in the rooms. For the price and location it's a nice hotel. Parking is an issue in the area but it's north Chicago. The lot recommended was down the alley. It seemed safe making the tract to the lot but not perfect for women at night. The area has plenty of restaurants nearby and food delivery is always an option. I'm not sure if I would stay again but it's not the worse you can do in Chicago.

Roach cruising the bathroom. Although there was plenty of room, there were no luggage racks provided - certainly needed given the place has roaches. Both mattresses sagged so badly they disturbed our sleep and caused backaches. Extremely poor water pressure in the shower. 'Wallpaper' in bathroom in poor shape. No follow-up email from the hotel asking how our stay was..... Price and quality are a huge mismatch here. I don't mind that it is old. But I expect clean, and I expect a sleep-able mattress.

Such an adorable little boutique hotel with an instaworthy lobby. The hotel is historic, I think it was built in the 20s so there are super old times heaters in each room that sometimes hiss... but it's funny. I like the location because it's near a Stans donuts to grab coffee and donuts in the morning. I like the decor, the art, it's worth checking out. Comfy beds and larger rooms. The staff was wonderful and super friendly & they have refreshments, just ask receptionist if they're not out.

Personally, I am very particular about cleanliness and safety (over things like amenities) when it comes to hotels. We recently stayed 2 nights at the Willows and while it's showing some signs of its age, it was very clean and everything was in good working order. The staff is friendly and helpful, and it's in a great, walkable neighborhood. We will definitely be back.

* I stayed at the Willows Hotel for ten days and had a wonderful time. If you're not picky about being in a 98 year old building, you'll have a great experience too. The small hotel is on a beautiful quiet residential tree-lined street, but only one block to tons of city amenities, trendy shops, theatres, and any kind of restaurant/cafe you'd want. * There's a lot of public transportation available as Willows is at the Clark/Diversey/Broadway hub in the East Lakeview area, and you're two blocks from Sheridan Road and Lake Shore Drive busses to the Magnificent Mile and downtown. There is some street parking, and they'll direct you to parking lots behind or near the hotel. * The lobby has an inviting seating area with fireplace, the walls covered with whimsical photos and art. Classical music fills the room. There are marble tables by the huge windows to read and have (24 hour) complimentary coffee. The elevator is up-to-date and fast. * The hotel and rooms are immaculately clean, and housekeeping is happy to fulfill every request promptly. The bed was super comfortable with soft sheets and duvet, squishy pillows that conform to your head, and a mattress pillow-topper. There are plentiful absorbent towels, and you can ask for more. The hot water is really hot, the cold really cold and the shower water pressure is good. Chicago alternated from 38 degrees to 72 degrees while I was there, both heating and air conditioning kept the room perfectly comfortable. * I had one of their smallest rooms (on the top floor) and it was a comfortable size for sleeping and getting ready for the day. There are nice touches like free wi-fi, very soft comfy robes, iron, hairdryer, and mini-fridge fully stocked with snacks, drinks, wine, liquor. There are blackout blinds, and lots of drawer and hanger space for your clothes. * The lobby is staffed 24 hours around the clock, I felt secure and there was always someone there to say hello and answer questions. Everyone who works in the hotel is very friendly, efficient, open to helping with city suggestions. I felt like I was a guest in their home rather than at a boutique hotel. Though it's a modest neighborhood hotel the staff always wants to go the extra mile to make your stay pleasurable. * Some will find a "downside" to staying at the Willows. In 1924 rooms were built small so If you like large Hilton-style rooms these may not do for you. There are a lot of windows but some don't face the streets, so if you need lots of light ask for the top floor. Yes, some of the paint is flaking and there are scratches on the furniture, I found it quaint, or you can pay twice as much and stay downtown. * I know this is a long review, but I wanted to be detailed as I stayed there a ten days while as I enjoyed an unparalleled Autumn in Chicago, I hope I can visit the "windy city" and make Willows Hotel my home again.

Friendly staff and great location. Older hotel and showing its age, but it's clear that the staff is trying. Friendly reception upon arrival, clean and comfortable room. Bathroom is small but was very clean and functional. We will book this hidden gem again.

It is clean and the staff is friendly. The location was very convenient for what we needed. Likely would not stay here again as the facilities are very dated and the room is tiny.

I have been staying at the 3 hotels in this chain many, many times! I have the "friends ." from the Majestic Hotel. I last stayed there July 22-25. The stay was wonderful as usual. I have many friends in Chicago and most work in the restaurant and hospitality industry so often they'll stop by for a drink after work. I noticed that the "sentinel" who works the night shift was watching and frowning as I would welcome my friends. Today, I was going to make a reservation for a quick trip to Chicago and was informed that I had been 'banned" from the hotel. The man I was speaking to told me that the night clerk had done this for "too much foot trafic!" I travel a great deal and stay in many hotels and have NEVER had anything like this happen to me. All I can say is BEWARE of this nosey "sentinel"! This is a terrible way to be treated after so many years of wonderful visits to these hotels!9

One of the WORST hotels I have ever stayed in. Gross, AC didn't work properly, paint chipping, walls cracking, AWFUL "full size" bed that had zero support. Unfortunately I have more negative things to say then positive.

Stayed here several times over the past year because it's a great location in Lakeview. Very sad to see that with each visit I have seen the hotel show it's age and tiredness. Honestly, I have started to get skivvied by the place. The hallways are drab and dark (think The Shining), and the petit queen was the size of a shoebox. My husband had no nightstand on his side, but improvised with an ironing board. The outlets wouldn't hold a plug; and the air conditioner looked as if it was from the 1980s--and spewed clammy cold air all day/night. While the front desk was nice, I didn't feel that sharing any of this would have made any difference. Please, Willows Hotel, get a sizable makeover so your rates reflect what it SHOULD be, not what you hope it is.

"Eek! Methinks not" sums this place up well. When I first arrived at this hotel, I was "high" on being fresh off the banana boat in Chicago and the lobby is the best maintained space in the hotel (as far as I could tell). Once I checked in, I made my way up the dank/smelly stairwell to my room, which was just above the lobby. Now in the room (and happy to be in a room with a bed given that mine hadn't arrived yet) and overlooking the dirty windows/screens, dim/outdating lighting, and generally rundown appearance and musty smell, I was still thinking "it's just got character: 3 stars." In a nutshell? WRONG. The carpeting is dirty enough to leave dirt imprints on my feet and socks. The sheets/pillowcases were stained. The wallpaper is peeling in multiple places, the dirty bathroom is the size of a postage stamp (the door hits the toilet, tub size would challenge a child, very little usable space to place toiletries, there's mold/staining in multiple corners inside and outside of the bathroom, there are stains on the walls/ceilings, the tub had a slow drain--and I was in ankle deep water before I finished: EWWW), the pen broke when I attempted to write with it (and was never replaced during my 2 night stay), most of the power outlets are in poor locations for use (two were even partially hanging from the wall), the TV is maybe 20" and received no premium channels, etc, etc, etc. SOME of these inexcusable things could be at least partially minimized by exceptional service, but even that's in short supply here. After check-in neither of my scanned room cards worked, when I placed my "clean the room" placard--and followed up in person at the desk on the way out--my room STILL hadn't been cleaned over 7 hours later upon my return, the hygiene of a couple of staff members--including a particular front desk staff member--is very off-putting (e.g. visually unclean, including visibly dirty/soiled clothing), etc. There were a handful of pleasant moments, but those aren't worth mentioning--and had no meaningful impact--given the above. (see 9 included photos that were taken in the room's "natural" lighting) BOTTOM LINE: Yes, the location is good, but so is a mattress on any given curb. It's all contextual! Until this establishment renovates these rooms? I'd avoid it like the plague.

It's overpriced, unclean and stuffy. Window nailed shut, and bath has no exhaust fan. Musty smelling also because of all of this. They tried with the weird animal motif but need to update and clean other things. Gross ice bucket and garbage can rusted and don't match with old hotel name?? of Nic? Don't understand. TV remote was so crusty and dirty, barrette under bed so obviously they don't vacuum well. Staff seemed bored and miserable. Saw a few creepy bugs in the bathroom. Won't stay there again or recommend.

I return to Chicago, 8 years removed from the Chicago marathon I've done in 2009, but it was nice to be back. On this trip to the Windy City, I decided to book a night at the Willow Hotel. I found this cute, swank, boutique hotel on hotels.com and decided to book it. I usually don't book properties that were $100/night, but it was nice to splurge once in a while, especially while in Chicago of all places. This place is definitely in the city, with striking distance to downtown and a train ride to wherever you need to go. Luckily for me, the hotel was less than a mile from the Roosevelt station on the Orange train line. I flew into Chicago's Midway airport on Southwest Airlines, so it was awesome to have the train station there. I arrived on a brisk casual Thursday afternoon, but was told that the room wasn't ready yet (around 2pm). The hotel lobby was very swank and you can tell it had that upscale-ish touch to it, & that they know how to clean and do it well daily. Everything else was quite nice, although the room was a bit small, but I can't complain too much, as Chicago's quite cramped anyway. Still, doing it in style is one way to do things here. The overall experience here at the Willows Hotel was good, positive, and got a good night's sleep. Possibly the most important thing is the comfort of the bed itself and the quality of the sleep I've experienced and it was quite nice. I received room 403, with a king size bed. The room itself, as mentioned before, is very small. Makes me think of hotel properties I've stayed in Seattle and San Francisco previously. It was large enough to walk around and be comfortable, but small enough to be cramped, like in a private bedroom in a single family home. The Willows hotel is located at 777 Surf Street in the heart of Chicago, sort of near Logan's Square. Next door is a Walmart for your needs, as well as numerous restaurants nearby to satisfy your need for food and sustenance. Nightly prices here is over $120/night, taxes and fees are not included. Like all hotels in the industry, they accept major credit cards, so that's always a good thing, especially those of us who are traveling and don't carry cash most of the time and like to be paperless. Since I took the train here, I can't speak about parking. Although I can guess, paid street parking and paid parking garages are most likely the options you would have, if you had a car here in the urban corridor. They have free wifi here, but the wifi was kind of spotty. The television worked, as did the shower / tub. The check in process was nice and fast, although I wished that I could have checked in at 2pm. I should have asked the front desk lady to hold my bags somewhere safe while I go out drinking with a Chicago area friend. I was able to check in at 6pm later that evening. The complimentary continental breakfast was pretty good, yet simple. Breakfast pastries, coffee, and other simple foods to get your day started off to a roaring start. It was pretty cool to have breakfast at 8:30am on a Friday morning and not have anything really pressing to do at the moment. It was nice to sit there and enjoy not having to do anything. Vacation is awesome. 4.0 stars for the entire experience. While the price point certainly is not what budget friendly travelers look for in a hotel, it was nice to splurge. 4.0 stars for the service and comfort. Support local! B

This place is perfect if you are visiting this great city. It's perfectly in the middle of some great breakfast and dinner restaurants. The service is great and everyone is very kind. Always there when you need them.

The location is close to perfect because the walkability of the neighborhood is wonderful. Access to the L is a short 10-15min walk, there are many bars restaurants and interesting shops to explore. And the North pond is close too. The hotel's lobby is very well maintained and clean. I wish the room had been as well kept. It was clean but rundown and worn. The bathroom was very small for a room called an "executive king" but the bed was comfy and the air cooling worked well. Juan was friendly and professional. Other staff were okay.

**Update. To their credit, Manager Juan came up to my room to address the issues I pointed out in my previous review. The maintenance man showed up early to repair the tub stopper. Juan expressed his commitment to making The Willows the very best boutique hotel it could be, as well as his concern for the problem areas I'd previously mentioned. I wondered how the hotel had such great Yelp ratings if my experience was typical, but I think I'm beginning to see that good customer service (as evidenced by both the night manager & by Juan)'is the key difference maker here. As previously mentioned, I love the historic building/boutique hotel scene. I will take the inherent problems that come along with them; except for the ones that are due to inattention or neglect. I believe these issues will soon be addressed as per Juan's promise. Although I still cannot change the comments on the room size, I am told that mine is one of just a handful of rooms in the hotel this size. My advice is to inquire prior to reservations on whether you are being booked into the "petite queen" room. While I'm just gonna choose to look at it as "Cozy", it is still a bit disappointing that My son won't be able to stay any nights w me here as he usually does when I'm in town (there simply is no space for a 2nd person in this room type). They obviously can't change the room size but perhaps could highlight the tiny size a bit more clearly so as not to surprise any other guests. I appreciate the prompt attention to the tub repair & Maintenance man John was extremely friendly and quickly took care of it. I also trust that Juan will address the other issues we discussed so as to have a better reflection on the hotel. I will add that the location is a quiet area but convenient to the beach and other outlying areas of the city. Lots of shopping and great restaurants within walking distance. The beds are very comfortable with luxurious linens. I've increased my star rating to 3 based solely on my experience here thus far but based on what I am told about other rooms & the customer service, I can now see why it has earned 4 stars and above. I come to Chicago often to visit family. This trip I decided to forego my usual "go-to" hotels and try something a bit different. Since my son lives in Andersonville, I try to stay closer that direction rather than one of the downtown hotels. After looking around a bit I saw The Willows. I'm a fan of smaller boutique hotels Vs a chain set up. Based on other reviews of this hotel I pulled the trigger on my reservation. Well I don't know if I just got a "lemon" room or not? It is the very last room down the long hallway almost looks like it should be a closet. But I stay a lot in New Orleans & some of my favorite hotels are older/historic buildings which usually translates into small rooms ; however I was shocked at the tiny size of the room at The Willows! Thankfully I am traveling alone on this trip because there is no way 2 guests could comfortably stay in this tiny dorm-like space. That being said, I decided to make the best of it & think of it as cozy. After all it had a clean bed, a cold air conditioner & I could take a long hot bath each night! I was hopeful that this boutique hotel would fill the bill & find its way into my short list of regular places to stay on my frequent trips to chi-town. But I quickly was a bit disappointed. Cleanliness not so great. But it's okay if you don't look in the corners. Older buildings can be a challenge to maintain but it's a hotel so it's a necessary task. One of the reasons I like to stay at older places is because I suffer from RA & most older hotel bathroom have a bathtub. I need to soak after a full day of sightseeing etc. however, to my extreme frustration, the older tub fixture is broken and the stopper is not working. As an alternative I was offered to bounce around to other rooms as they are available during my week stay. What? Who wants to pack up their things and relocate 2-3 times? So alternatively I was handed a stack of wash clothes and told I could "stuff it" Classy. The one person staff that I have seen are very friendly but this place will def not make my list. This will be my last visit. The only reason I have to stay out my visit is due to a non refundable payment. I was so hopeful to find another little gem to add to my rotation but the Willows won't make the cut.

Average hotel that certainly shows signs of age. It took a few minutes to figure out where the parking was. It's in a small alleyway behind the hotel. Staff was nice and friendly. Room was clean but again shows signs of age. Soaps and lotion are in a bottled dispenser. I didn't stay for breakfast because there were just bagels/muffins and hard boiled eggs from what I could see. Might not come back, but if I did, it would be for the location and price.

We loved this place!! Stayed last week for a quick night due to being in town for a concert. The room was nice and cozy. I loved the fluffy robes! The mini bar was stocked and was way cheaper than any bar. In the morning, I went on a walk around the neighborhood and saw that the area was awesome. When checking out, the staff was super friendly. Nothing bad to say at all!

Old fashioned hotel. Sheets come loose and bunch up...in general the bedding is a mess because they don't use fitted sheets. My husband and I have stayed here several times in the past because it's close to a good friend and in a good neighborhood. The prices have always been fair. This time, we were gouged! My friend made the reservation and she warned us the prices had gone up considerably. Neither she nor I questioned the hotel about this...shame on us. When we went to check out, we saw that most nights were reasonably priced. but the price for Friday was three times the normal rate and Saturday was even worse! They raised the rates because the Cubs were in town! If we had done our due diligence, we would have just not stayed there for those two nights...the two nights cost us almost as much as the rest of the week! for the money we paid, we could have stayed somewhere really nice! I'm pissed at them and I'm pissed at us for not paying closer attention. But the reality is, they are doing what so many others are now doing...gouging customers. It's shameful and disgusting.

I would hardly call this a "boutique hotel". The location is good, as we were looking for something within waling distance to Wrigley/Wrigleyville - it is about a 1 mile walk, which we did several times during the weekend. Fortunately, we didn't spend much time at the hotel because it is run down and musty, and the rooms just aren't very clean (the corners of the bathroom floor were gross). The long hallway to our room was creepy, my husband & I laughed that it looked like something from The Shining. If I had paid $100/night, I wouldn't have been so disappointed, but at $250/night, it is incredibly overpriced. Definitely won't be staying here again.

Where do I begin? This is a dilapidated, barely renovated "boutique" hotel. It has the musty smell of years of wear and tear and the ambiance of a retirement home. The uneven floors creak noticeably and you don't want to look too closely into any corner or windowsill. The walls are so thin I could hear normal conversation from the guests around me, which made the screaming fight next door at 3am feel like it was in my room. The first night I tried to move from a room in front of the elevator but no go. When I went to run a bath at 11pm there was no hot water, nor water pressure beyond a trickle. I ran it for 40 mins just to see if it would heat up. Sadly lukewarm was the best I could get. The next day I was able to change rooms and when I gave them the reason BOTH DESK CLERKS SAID, "Yea that room is farthest from the water heater." Ok. You knew that when you checked me in and may have been alerted to how important having hot water was to me when I double checked there would be a tub. And you didn't say or do anything then. "Free breakfast" is the usual Hampton Inn fare: hard boiled egg, yogurt, toast, cereal. With several excellent breakfast restaurants in a one block radius, this doesn't really seem like a "perk." The TV worked (mostly) in room #2 but if you don't have a card telling you what the channels are good luck. It changed stations at the speed of dark and randomly shut off. 2 things that were decent were the bed and pillows ( although the sheets felt like they has been in use since the 1950's, kinda scratchy and dull, as were the Motel 6 quality towels.) incredibly the Wi-Fi worked. At least it did until the power failure. Then no such. This wasn't their fault, but the 2nd night there was a power failure owing to a transformer outside, but that meant the elevator was out of service when I checked out and had to hump bags down 4 flights. If you can find another place to stay in chicago, stay there. I've stayed in many chicago hotels and this study in creepy dark hallways and mostly useless desk clerks ( see screaming fight above that I called down about to no apparent avail) really tops my list of don't repeat this mistake. You're welcome.

So....this hotel isn't super nice but the location is SO worth the small issues. The hotel is in a great neighborhood on a gorgeous tree lined street. Every convenience is at your fingertips with tons of restaurants, bars and a 24 hour Walgreens within a minutes walk. Cost - so reasonable for your location Service - not bad but not super great. Especially at night. Bathrooms - so old and the water pressure suuuucks Cleanliness - solid! I would for sure stay here again but it'd do well to remember this is not a 5 star hotel. It's cozy, clean, safe, free wifi surrounded by reasonable parking.

Post working @Hyatts & Hiltons, etc. I look for ol' funky hotels. The Willow Hotel did not disappoint! Located in Lincoln Park; a uber hip 'hood in Chicago. I'm not going to lie it's an old hotel with large hallways and windows that actually open but the service and location can't be beat. It's been decades since I was greeted at my taxi by a bellman. Who ushered my luggage to the elevator without the usual, "You need help with that." Upon registration, I was informed that hot cookies and milk would be available in the lobby @ 4PM. I didn't take advantage but the lobby smelled like fresh baked cookies when I returned; kinda homey. I was given a key and internet password (FREE & FAST) and taken to my room. The room as large with 2 large beds, tiny closet, desk, TV, and end tables. The bathroom was "charming" with a pedestal sink and circa 1950s pink subway tile. Everything was extremely clean and ordering. The cost of eating in a hotel especially a quick snack or drink from the mini bar has always makes me crazy. I was delighted they offered an extremely drinkable bottle of Pinot Noir for $15 - that's usually the cost of one glass in the lobby bar. Even the room service menu look reasonable but I didn't try it. They offered free breakfast in the lobby which I checked out but didn't eat (just not hungry). For a small area the covered all the bases: coffee, tea, water, fruit, yogurt, cereal, bagels, hard boiled eggs and microwavable breakfast sandwiches. The only issue I had was check out time. I tend to leave "late check out" requests to the last minute. I spoke to 3 people on this issue. 1st I was told: we can offer 1PM for free or 3PM for $30. When I asked for the 3PM I was told to check back with the manager. Later the manager said: We're sold out we can offer till 2PM for $30. I said that was fine. @2PM when I checked out they waived the $30 (THANKS!) and said they hoped to see me again soon. I just which I knew how late I could check out for $30 because my flight wasn't till 830PM. I'm in Chicago every year. I will book stay again without question.

Old and rundown. It was probably a mid-quality hotel at some point. But everything is old and dirty now. There was dirt on the wall next to the bed, dirt on the phone, dirt on the door handles and locks. Thankfully the sheets and towels were clean. The carpet in the suite felt gross on your feet, like it had not been cleaned in a very long time. The floors were uneven and lumpy. The elevator smelled like rancid oil. There was no sound insulation and nothing to stop the doors from slamming and we were woken up very early in the morning by other guests closing the room doors. There was no HDMI connections on the TV. To make matters worse, there is no parking at the Hotel and attendant gave us incorrect directions to find the parking lot and when we finally found it, it was $21 a night (as of 2019). Overall a sad and overpriced hotel. I would never stay here again.

Cute boutique hotel! Small and cozy! Staff was very friendly and helpful. Located in a nice neighborhood with lots of places to eat close by! I had read some reviews about the loud heating units in the room....and they're exactly right. VERY LOUD! There were several times where I was woken up in the middle of the night to loud clanging from inside the unit. Would stay here again, but would probably bring a fan to drown out the loud system.

This place was a very nice hotel it was clean and the physical building/location was great. The way that the hotel staff treated me was super ridiculous. The guy on 3rd shift gave me the third degree and told me I couldn't have a visitor go to my room. This is not some Government subsidize living place in Wheaton. I paid for this hotel it's supposed to be a boutique hotel in Lincoln Park. Considering it was Covid their impromptu policies and actions were stiffer than an ironing board in Winter... If your feeling deadpan and don't plan on leaving the room and running into the desk staff then this hotel is great but otherwise keep looking...

Excellent hotel in the Lakeview neighborhood, within walking distance to lots of shopping and dining. Very clean rooms, homey atmosphere. Complimentary breakfast in the early morning hours. Very professional staff on the top of their game. This hotel is truly a hidden treat.

We had a great stay at this hotel! Everything was clean and the staff was courteous and attentive. Nice sized room in a great location. Has a friendly neighborhood feel with local restaurants and shops nearby. Will certainly be staying here next time we visit!

Cute boutique hotel! Small and cozy! Staff was very friendly and helpful. Located in a nice neighborhood with lots of places to eat close by! I had read some reviews about the loud heating units in the room....and they're exactly right. VERY LOUD! There were several times where I was woken up in the middle of the night to loud clanging from inside the unit. Would stay here again, but would probably bring a fan to drown out the loud system. They need to put air acondition. The rest la perfect!

Decent for a hotel in a crowded city area. Super weak water pressure. Guest doors slam loudly. Recommend jamb pads to management. Ac worked well despite sweltering summer heat. No k cup machines in room. Whazzup with that?

I had such a crummy experience here, and would not recommend this place to anyone. Unfortunately I stayed here the night of my wedding, about a month ago. The reviews I read were decent and the price was high enough that I assumed it would be nice ($250). So many things went wrong. First: when we checked in around 1:30 a.m or so (again- after our wedding) we were treated like a huge nuisance. Just bad customer service. But then we get to the room, use the restroom, and the toilet overflows!! Eventually it stopped and luckily it was not a code brown so to speak (haha). I used all of our towels to soak up the mess. The air conditioner dripped water into a puddle on the carpet all night. The constant dripping finally drove me insane and I used my own sweatshirt to absorb the dripping so we wouldn't have to listen to it anymore. When we checked in I asked about doing a late check out and was told that was no problem...he said 1 pm or even 2 pm would be fine, no extra charge. When I called in the morning, around 11, to get extra towels sent up, I was told that we'd already overstayed and would be billed. Fortunately that didn't happen after I told the morning person we'd been given different information by the overnight staff. The room seemed mildew-y and half clean. The staff was pretty unpleasant. When we checked out, I told the staff about the air conditioner and the toilet and they stared at me blankly. I told them that I used all of the towels to clean up the mess that the toilet made, and had set them outside the door. Their response was to kind of laugh and say "ok, we won't bill you for them". I liked the idea of staying in an older hotel with character; one in Lakeview rather than all the way downtown. But this place really needs to be kept up a little better. Paint chipping on the walls, dingy bathrooms, crummy lighting, everything's just kind of...moist. It felt more like staying at someone's grandparent's house than a hotel. Wish I had known this before booking for my wedding night, but hey, live and learn.

This is a great boutique hotel to stay at in the Lakeview/Wrigleyville area. Older hotel, but very well maintained. Big, spacious rooms that are clean with very comfortable beds. The bathrooms are older, but again very clean. All common areas were kept clean. Staff super friendly. Parking is nearby and only $22/night. Many restaurants and bars within walking distance. Free use of a nearby gym. There is a Walmart Market place and a Trader Joes within a block. This is not the newest or the nicest hotel I have stayed, however it is very nice and has a great location.

We are staying here because of the proximity to DePaul and the discount they offer. The street is quiet and beautiful. We were greeted by Dan who was a wealth of knowledge and very personable. I am in a queen room on the 3rd floor with a bathtub and it is great. The bed is super comfortable and the room is spacious. My son and his dad are on 4 with a large room with 2 queen beds. The lobby was full of friendly guests this morning enjoying the continental breakfast. Everything we need is within walking distance; food, dorm room shopping, clothes shopping and this afternoon Wrigley Field. They offer a list of recommendations for eating and so far it has been spot on. I will definitely return to stay here when I visit my son.

I actually live just a few blocks away, but work was being done on my apartment and I needed a place to stay overnight. At first I couldn't understand why every hotel in the area was booked but learned the Draft was in town. Ended up paying $345 for a room that's normally around $150 at other local (nicer) hotels. I've stayed at the Best Western a few blocks away for $128 in a room three times the size, better decorated, better amenities, with a much better breakfast. Since I was working on the apartment, I didn't actually get to the room until after midnight and was just planning to crash until morning then head back to my place. WHAT A DUMP! Tiny room with mismatched furniture. They stuffed a queen bed into what could barely hold a twin. There was a FOLD DOWN desk of sorts on one wall and a table that housed a dorm room fridge and a tray of snack for sale. The bedside lamp didn't work. The toilet worked once and then ho more. The bathroom in general was horribly decorated. In retrospect, I would have been better off staying in my under-construction apartment. When I filled out the email survey I received, I did get a letter of apology but not even a coupon for a free night's stay or a partial refund for my inconvenience. Really horrible experience. One positive...the staff I spoke to on the phone and encountered at the front desk were very polite and pleasant.

The room was small and cramped, and the bathroom was worse. The door came within inches of the toilet bowl while you closed the door. The water pressure was very weak when it was flowing, and the parking is NOT included. Another 21 for the parking garage down the alley. The breakfast was nothing great either, premade waffles, hard boiled eggs, and cereal.

Stayed here for a family wedding in town and was incredibly disappointed. The room was dirty, especially the bathroom - including black hairs all over the bathroom floor (see pictured). The walls in the hotel are paper thin - I could hear EVERYTHING the people above me were doing. I got little to no sleep from all the doors constantly slamming and all the noise just from people walking down the hall. Several family members stayed here and the same experience. Very disappointing, do not recommend this hotel at all.

Great food and excellent portions. Definitely use the get in line option on the phone and avoid the long wait.

This hotel was pretty cute, the decor was nice and up to date. The staff was helpful. The only things I didnt really like was that our room wasnt super clean. My boyfriend travels for a living so hes pretty picky when it comes to hotels. He checks everything before we will even unpack. We found some dust and several hairs throughout our room, specifically on our sheets and in the tub. They also offered a free breakfast in the morning, that was nice, but we didnt have time for it. Would I stay here again? Probably.

Great stay at the Willows Hotel I. A great neighborhood --perfect location for visiting the Lincoln Park area. manager was super-helpful!

This was formerly called the Surf and is located on Surf (one block north of Diversey) so not sure why they changed the name to the Willows. I suppose the new name has a more elegant ring to it. The Willows is a smallish property in East Lakeview with a pleasingly ornate exterior and decent rooms.

My friends and I stayed at the Willows Hotel for only 1 night, but we had a great experience. The front desk was super friendly and efficient, plus there was complimentary cookies and coffee/tea! We booked 1 room with 2 queens for such a great price. Not only was it affordable, but the location was amazing. It is near so many different restaurants and stores, like Crisp and Stan's Donuts. I would definitely recommend staying here if you want to explore Lakeview/Lincoln Park.

Cannot say enough nice things about the staff here - most friendly and helpful I've ever encountered, Nice room, Great rate!

Wish I could give this a 3.5 stars... because I would! Found a great deal at The Willows through hotels.com and was very pleased with the quality of the hotel - especially for the price! My traveling companion and I were only here one night and we spend the evening out. So for sleeping and being close to most things, this was a 4-star hotel. The beds were huge and super comfortable (and the copious amounts of beer that we drank that night helped lull us to sleep) and the room stays dark. The bathrooms, albeit antiquated, were very clean and the shower had great water pressure. They weren't especially large, which made getting ready a little difficult. Only one person fits comfortably in there. I give that part of the room 3 stars. I didn't hear anything coming from the rooms next door, but we were especially close to the lobby and could hear people having brunch in the morning, so that kind of sucked. But again, the massive amounts of alcohol that my friend and I drank the night before kept us semi-comatose in the a.m. Overall, the hotel was very cute and affordable. Even the room service was cheap. $3 burgers and $15 bottles of wine available in your room? Nice! I would absolutely stay here again if given the opportunity!

The location can't be beat. The staff was friendly and helpful. And this place has the kind of character you expect to see in this neighborhood. The building is older but maintained well, in my opinion. I rented much worse in Chicago when I lived there so wasn't expecting much for the relatively low rate and age of the building but was very pleasantly surprised. The room was clean, the bed and shower were comfortable, and the radiator gave off a perfect amount of heat. The elevator is old-fashioned--so watch your fingers and limbs so they don't get slammed in the gate. We were on the third floor (four floors in all) and mostly used the stairs, which wasn't a problem. They also offer an expanded continental breakfast which didn't look like anything special. Although with so many other fabulous food options in the neighborhood, I'd recommend skipping the freebies and going out to one of the local haunts instead (ie Melrose Restaurant or Ann Sather's). I would definitely stay here again, provided they have a/c units available during the summer.

I live on Surf and my mom recently stayed in this hotel and I feel it my duty to give it a great review. The staff was fun and friendly and very helpful to my mom (she's from Dayton and runs on a higher octane than most). They gave her a great deal on parking and offered her a special price for guests with family in the area. If you're looking for a "W" style hotel with brand-new shiny everything then this will not meet your needs but if the convenience of a friendly staff and charm of the surrounding neighborhood are important to you then it's your place. Think Knickerbocker's little, down-to-earth sister.

JUST AWESOME! The staff have beautiful hearts and genuinely care about their customers. I'd recommend this place to everyone.

Good basic hotel with excellent service. No amenities like a gym or pool. Free continental breakfast and coffee and tea are available 24 hours. Walking distance to lots of restaurants and stores. I would stay here again. Our average nightly rate for a two-Queen bed room was $260. Note that this is an older building and hasn't been modernized. The rooms are nice enough though, and clean. Ours had two queens and two ceiling fans which were great for white noise (since the building is older you do get some muffled sounds from other rooms and outside). The bathroom was a little on the small side but manageable.