Urban Holiday Lofts Chicago Hostel

This hostel is awesome. Just be aware that the neighborhood is very lively so there might be people in and out, late. Overall people seem to respect "the come in quiet policies". This is the first hostel where there were people closer to my age in it, which was great! I stayed in an 8 person female dorm. It really worked out. The staff is also very friendly. The room was pretty well kept. I had some issues with the shower. It was pretty calibrated and the drain was slow but it wasn't a huge deal. Overall if you are visiting Chicago and want to stay in a hostel, stay in this one. It's the second one I've been to, in Chicago and I probably will be back.

The rooms were clean and spacious. We appreciated the closet in the room that allowed us to put luggage out the way. The kitchen and common area were clean and easy to use. The staff (front desk and cleaners) was very accommodating and very helpful. The bath tubs had leftover water in a depression towards the front. It was not great but not gross. There was a line for the bathrooms around 8-10am so have to plan around that.

The location is great. Check-in and out was simple and staff were friendly. The room was basic, but clean and well-equipped. Sometimes you had to wait for the bathroom, particularly in the mornings when people would line up for showers. Our room was right next to the lobby and you could hear all conversations - including some at 1am and 6am. It wasn't super rowdy but I wish the quiet hours were better enforced/the front desk asked people to move to their rooms or outside.

Super cool place. My first experience in a hostel was here and it was solid. It's a noisier part of town. Our room was very small but it was all we needed. Kind staff. Free breakfast in the cool upstairs common room was nice. I really liked the blankets, even if they're a bit small. The aesthetic is fun and it's pretty homey.

It was excellent! It's a very unique hotel where it's not only right next to a corner store, but it has no elevators. It has three narrow sets of steps that go up four floors. The rooms have bunk beds! The bathrooms are in separate places though, but that's cool too. Oh, it has an open kitchen too, with a pool table, arcade machine and other stuff. I highly recommend it.

I had a great experience at Urban Holiday Lofts. I stayed for 4 nights. My bed was very comfortable as were the sheets. I was also provided with towels. All of the spaces were very clean and well maintained. I didn't have any problem with sharing the bathroom facilities. The staff was very friendly and very helpful. The location is great! Conveniently located near public transportation and very easy to get to from the airport. The surrounding neighborhood has many great restaurants, clubs, bars, shops, etc. Everything you could want is within walking distance. The commuter train will have you in downtown Chicago in just a few minutes. I loved my stay. I plan on staying with them again on my next visit.

Far exceeded my expectations of a Hostel! I had never stayed at one before, but I was very impressed with the cleanliness, privacy and staff. There was a friendly staff member on hand 24/7, ready to help you with your luggage, linens or general questions about the area! As someone who typically only stays in hotels, this was a nice experience and I will definitely consider staying there again. The market downstairs is also a great place to grab food and drinks for all hours of the day!

This was our first stay as a family in a hostel( we usually find a $$ hotel) and we loved it! Amazing location in a hip neighborhood and close to public transit. A nice big room, comfy beds( bunk beds that are comfy..wow) and clean. A hearty breakfast and lovely lounge. Best of all friendly staff and visitors from all over. Shout out to Tim who created us with a smile everyday and made us feel welcome. We will be back!

Halfway through the stay - things may change but, given many negative reviews, I thought I'd offer my initial take. It's in a cool neighborhood with great food and right next to the blue line. The price is great. Place is older but they are trying and there aren't any real problems. Walls are thin, heat doesn't always make it to the end of the line but it's very safe, very comfortable, clean. It's nicer than, say, most Airbnb's I've stayed at. Not as nice as a hotel but I'm happy with it and don't see the problems some people posted about. It's a specific place for a specific purpose and I'd recommend it for that. I wouldn't recommend it as a cheap hotel alternative. I would recommend it as a solid Airbnb option or upper-end hostile. Staff is fine, they aren't trained four seasons customer service staff so they aren't going to do well with conflict you throw at them but if you're polite and respectful they are right back at you. I am happy to be here.

Price was good but front desk staff was immediately rude. Bathrooms were not cleaned, floors perpetually wet from other people's showers. Sheets were stained but seemed clean, had to ask front desk for an actual blanket because the ones they leave in the rooms are more like thin shawls. Price good, accommodation mediocre, staff rude.

I'm always surprised whenever my friends are surprised by the fact that I choose to stay at hostels when I travel, whether it's within the states or around the world. All the hostels I've ever stayed at have been clean, friendly, accommodating, and very affordable--Urban Holiday Lofts is no exception. My friend booked this place on hostelworld, which contains all the information you need to get to the hostel. For the phone addicts, it's also searchable on Google maps. This place awesomely reimburses you for the cost of your CTA ticket to the hostel (a heads up: it's $5 from the O'Hare International Airport). Also, true to the description, they charge an additional 16.4% tax when you arrive to pay for your stay. Jason, who is very sociable and has a good sense of humor, was at the front desk when I checked in. Whoever checks you in gives you a great list of eateries and bars in the area (along with a list of rules) and a short tour of the hostel. My bed was in the standard 6-room female dorm, which had 3 bunk beds and no A/C (they had a ceiling fan and a heating system). My floor had 4 bathrooms, which can be congested during the evenings when everyone wants to shower. There's washers and dryers on-site that will cost you $1.50 each, and you can purchase detergent from the front desk. Complimentary breakfast is from 8 - 10 AM, and it consists of bagels, cereal (Aldi's version of Frosted Flakes and Raisin Bran), bread, milk, coffee, and tea. Breakfast is hosted in the upstairs common space, which also has two computers for general use. Towels are provided, and lockers are available in the shared dorm rooms ($1 lock rental for your entire stay). And I should mention that the location of this hostel is bombdotcom. Though not in the heart of downtown, Wicker Park has great nightlife, and the CRT Blue Line, from which this hostel is 5 minutes away, runs 24/7. 24 frickin' 7. Oh, before you leave, drop by the nearby Aldi grocery store to pick up some awesomely named German chocolate at awesomely affordable prices. Just beware of the weight of all that chocolate in your bag and how that could detrimentally affect your back. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Great place to stay! Perfect if you really want to explore the city. Located in a GREAT neighborhood. Lots of restaurants, bars, and shopping. Close to a train stop. The staff was very friendly and helpful as far as giving suggestions of places to go in the area. Our room was very simple: Bunkbed (full on bottom, twin on top), bedding, desk, and chair (no TV to keep you from exploring). This place is considered a hostel, but suites w/ private baths are available (thats what we had). We were right next to the common room and didnt have any problems w/ noise. Now, the minute I heard "hostel" I had doubts. But this place was *very* clean, modern, and nice. We only went into the common room once or twice, but it was very cool: full kitchen, bathroom, coffee and tea, lots of seating, TV, games, computers, and a pool table. The free breakfast consists of bagels, cream cheese, cereal, and oatmeal. If thats not filling enough for you, the staff is more than happy to recommend some great breakfast places in the area. My only complaint would be that the pillows were awful, but we made them work. The next time were in Chicago, we'll be staying here.

Location and cleanliness decent but paper thin walls and loud drunken kids for $110 a night. Don't come here if you want to sleep.

HORRIBLE customer service. Very rude staff. Upon check in (traveling with my parents who don't speak English at all), not knowing their policies I kindly asked the lady at the front desk to help me fill out the papers that she hand out. She replied (and I quote her) "THIS IS NOT MY JOB, I HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO". Way beyond rude, especially to a CUSTOMER! Rooms are small and bathroom is even smaller. Walls are very thin, you can hear people talk in other rooms. Got pissed off at the rude attitude following next morning as well so we just checked out and went to a hotel. All in all I don't have even one good word or impression about this hostel.

I'd give this place 3.5 stars. Cute spot to stay at in a more hipster and definitely safer part of Chicago with a lot of restaurants and stores to go to walking distance which was very convenient. There is also a really cute convenient store called "Olivia" literally right next door to the hostel which is nice too if you need any food or necessities. The hostel itself is very hip and is nicely decorated so when we first came in, it was really nice and visually welcoming. There's also a huge map of the world where travelers can make their mark, which was really cool to see once entering. Staying at a hostel is so much cheaper than staying at an Air BnB or a hotel and for a room for 5 people staying 2 nights, the price came out to be about $170 overall, which was only around $34 for the each of us. The room we stayed in was cozy too. The room was very clean with bunk beds, a desk, and a closet. At night, they crank up the heat, so it's not freezing, but the blankets they do provide are very thin and if they forget to turn up the heat, you'll be screwed. You're not allowed to bring your own blankets and pillows here, but they provide everything! For our section of the hostel, we had to share one tiny bathroom with multiple rooms of guests, so that is the only inconvenience. You'll have to wait your turn and strike at the bathroom once it's available fast. Overall though, I did enjoy my stay here although we didn't stay at the hostel much. It was great for what you're paying for though and you have everything you really need.

Unfortunately, this was the worst experience I have had on my many travels to Chicago. I always stay with a different hostel and LOVE it, but due to my spur of the moment trip, my favorite hostel was booked so I had no other option but to stay here. The building itself is odd. It is very narrow but tall. You climb a very tall and narrow set of stairs to get to the 2nd floor where check in is. Each staircase is about 20 steps. Its a little workout! This is not friendly for anyone with a physical handicap. Had my father come with me, he could not have tackled even the first flight of stairs. As with other Yelpers, I also found that the staff not friendly and was never present when any of us needed them. We only encountered one kind staff member. We would have to wait at the desk for someone to come back. Yet when we did not need them, we quickly found out that they watch the cameras like hawks and are nit picky about every move you make. Knowing there are cameras made us feel uneasy. The staff kept coming up to the community room / kitchen to 'use the restroom'. It was very awkward and it made me feel on edge. I was playing on my phone and the only ones in the room, I wasn't doing anything that warranted so many 'check ups'. The bathroom situation DOES NOT WORK. The floor that I stayed on had 2. Thats it ... TWO toilets. Unlike other hostels I have stayed in, where they are actual bathrooms (1 toilet, one sink and one bath with a locking door) I was expecting a large gym like bathroom with multiple private showers and toilet stalls. This was a big problem for one of the people in our party as they were flying up and down a very hard to climb staircase at 8am to use the restroom in a panic. They were all full. I have no idea how they expect the bathroom situation to work? The bathrooms were not cleaned. They leave a small towel hanging over the tub for you to use as a bath mat. Every time that one of us showered we found it on the floor wet and dirty or hung back over the tub, dirty, wet and with hair on it. There was not enough pressure to get the conditioner out of my hair which was disappointing after being at the beach all day. The room looked nice but was terribly hot. Uncomfortably hot. Unlike my last stay at a different hostel, I could not control the temperature of this room which made it miserable. The view directly out of the window appeared to be a prison at first glance!!! We joked about it until night, when the lights were on in the building and so bright. The view out the window and down was an alley and was loud at times. We were woken up one of the mornings at 6 or 7 by a very loud garbage truck which sounded louder than I'm sure it was, because it was sandwiched between two buildings. The walls are very thin & you can hear EVERYTHING in the hallway and most conversations in the rooms next to you. If you are on the 2nd floor you can hear the people, around the clock, checking in. I could hear the wood floors creaking above me which made it hard to sleep. One of the people staying there played their music every morning at 8 am no fail. I was hoping that the desk heard them and would ask them to turn it down a tad. :( There must be a bar nearby or perhaps a neighbor because every night during our stay we heard what sounded like latin music until about 11. To add to the noise, the bunk beds squeaked every time you moved. I was very disappointed to find out that the hostel did not offer recycling. I watched the cleaning lady throwing out glass and plastic in the kitchen. This broke my heart. Why don't the rooms offer recycling bins or at least one per floor? We were told that there was a lot to do in the area but I struggled to find anything in a walking distance. The hostel where I always stay is a straight shot to the waterfront, Lincoln Park & close to the city.The only immediate stores that we found were Walgreens, 7-11 and Dimos, which was okay but took 1.5 hours for a pizza order? I got a giggle out of the breakfast!!! Its a tray of bagels, 2 containers of cheap cream cheese, butter substitute, no name peanut butter and generic cereal! We were hoping for fruit but there was not any. The Chicago Getaway Hostel offers make your own pancake and waffle machines with peanut butter, cool whip, jelly, sprinkles, syrup, oatmeal, cereal, bananas, tea, coffee, oranges and apples. EVERY morning! I guess I was expecting a breakfast here! There is no where to escape the room except the community room. There is no patio, we even looked for some grass to sit on to eat, drink & chat. The photos on the website make the place look very modern and accommodating. It was a disappointment for us. The 'arcade' is literally ONE arcade game. This hostel had a much different vibe than the one where I stay. It was a cold and quiet feel. No one talked to one another. Check out the Chicago Getaway Hostel and let the reviews sell you! Its GREAT! They offer SO much! My next stay is booked w/ them.

The four stars is actually a composite. Location: 6 stars. Amazing. I don't see how the walkscore is only 91 -- this hostel is in a beautiful, well-scaled neighborhood (as long as gentrifying hipster doesn't give you the shakes too badly). It is such an easy walk from the el: you can be fairly airplane-dazed and still find it. I stayed here on the heuristic 'Sleep close to where you drink'. Served me well. Service / "ease of stay": 5 stars; no substantive complaints. Staff is friendly; the guide they give you is useful, and there is a door code so there is no outside key to lose or have to leave at the counter when you go out. The lounge is fabulous and lofty with cute things and a comfortable couch. If you want to prepare your own meals, there is an Aldi's nearby (such good things for so little money! Or maybe these are just midwestern prices. Who knows.) Breakfast is adequate as a day starter, if only the coffee: (the hostel staff has not heard about this thing called 'protein' [[i.e. hardboiled eggs]] and is still serving the 1990s 'ALL CARBS' breakfast of champions, but I understand the cost benefit decision. Someone could scald themselves boiling those eggs...! Oh, showers work, are clean, and get proper hot water. Thought I'd mention it. Towels -- supplied! -- are big and absorbent (I wasn't about to say 'thick'). Sleepability: Alas, only two. 'Hostel' is French for "50% chance of not sleeping," but there /are/ things that hostels can do to put you on the 'sleeping' side of that probability. This one hasn't done so. It's a 'loud' building: walls are thin. This matters because guests tend to be young and so are you so, and so when you get in at two in the morning, the six boys (gratuitous ad hominem: studying business in Uni) next door are also listening to music and forgetting their door cars, so you lay awake, ears still woolly and ringing from the show, also trying to block out their noise. But you know this before booking a hostel, right? Bring earplugs, etc., and you'll be able to spend your travel budget on fun things instead of lodging.

Unfortunately this place tries to go off of its hipness alone, but as far as accommodation is not worth the money. I showed up to no one answering the door for about 20 minutes(you have to be buzzed in and can't just walk in). I was waiting in the cold so went next door to the overpriced market and spent money I shouldn't have haha. The guy was nice once he let me in, but once in my room I noticed a lot of uncleanliness and a not so comforting stench. Went to take a shower and my towel had other people's hair on it. The breakfast in the morning was dry. The toaster was broken and instead the lady working there watched me fiddle with it for 10 minutes before I asked and she said "oh it's broken." Helllo!

Stayed here the past 4 days while in Chicago for Riot Fest in a room with 4 beds and a "private" bathroom. The door to our private bathroom was a sliding door with a 2 inch gap on both sides, so you better be comfortable with the other people in your room. The website for this place does it's job, because it makes it seem like it's going to be way nicer than it is. "Luxury linens" apparently equates to Ikea sheets and bleach-stained / tattered bathroom towels. The common room is ok but they lock it at night. Website also claims "daily housekeeping", but no one even emptied the trash in our room during our 4 night stay, and we had to get our own fresh towels when needed. At breakfast they would run out of things and keep extras locked up, so you'd have to ask if you wanted more to be put out. Some complaints other reviewers have touched on, but I feel the need to reiterate: This place is old and every time anyone moves on the floor above you, you hear loud squeaks, etc. I had to buy earplugs, because I got about 2 hours of sleep the first night with all the noise from the floor above every time anyone moved. The eastward facing rooms are super bright by 7 am and all the garbage / construction trucks in the alley behind the rooms will be sure to keep you awake starting at dawn. The amount shown for your stay when you book online does not include the 16% tax, so be ready to pay way more than you expected when you get there. To end this on a more positive note, we really enjoyed staying in Bucktown. It is an awesome neighborhood where you will never run out of things to do, but UHL is not the best bet for your money as far as accommodations go.

Unfortunately this place is not great. There is only one common room, with one couch and then table and chairs. One couch. Not nearly enough places to sit that were comfortable. There is no outdoor areas, and they have a sign that "If you need to smoke, go to the alleyway on the left." The.... alleyway..... That's not where I want to go as a young women. The place is not good for anyone physically disabled, the staircases are steep and unavoidable. I was on the top bunk and the whole bed frame was unstable as I climbed up, being on the heavier side. There was no nightlight or outlets, the blanket was paper thin, and the pillow was uncomfortable. The people in my dorm were respectable, but the people above us were not and kept us up all night by walking around and making the floors creek. And I am not a light sleeper. The bathroom was nasty and the room did not have good ventilation. The lockers were small and could not fit my carry on suitcase. I would not recommend.

This place was fantastic as a no-frills crash pad. My expectations were exceeded. Not only was it super clean and safe, but it also had a warm and friendly atmosphere. If you love walking around and exploring, the neighborhood is a good starting place. There are some great restaurants and shopping within short walking distance. The train is also very close so you can go downtown quickly as well. Perks: Free internet that actually works well (unlike many places I've stayed) Free coffee and breakfast The bathrooms were so clean I hardly noticed I was sharing Access to a refrigerator, laundry, TV... There's a neat little market right next door Quirks: If you are on the top floor it is indeed quite a tiring trek up all those stairs! (no elevator) If you are a smoker you will not only have to go outside (normal) but also go to the alleyway on the side of the building. Smokers were huddled there in the cold and rain :/

This was a great hostel to stay in. Really close to the CTA train station which made it easy to get around. The wicker park area its located in is also an interesting town with unique stores and restaurants. The hostel itself was very clean and well kept. I was in a female deluxe room with 8 other girls. The beds themselves weren't too bad except I felt like the bed creaked and made a lot of noise when I climbed up to the top bunk when I was trying to be quiet. But other that that it was great. I didn't try the free breakfast at the hostel but I know they had it from 8-10. The walls were a little thin...we could hear the people in the room above us.The computers were useful to print our flight tickets. And the staff was super friendly and helpful. My friends and my flight was delayed and they were accomdating for our arrival being at 3am.

Great for the price and location. The staff was really friendly and helpful. They gave good tips. The rooms had plenty of room, were clean and the bathrooms were alright. The other customers kept to themselves. People here don't seem too social, but that could have just been the weekend I went.

In a nut graf: great location, hit-or-miss customer service (some of the guys have attitude issues), epic rates, skip the breakfast, fun aesthetic. The long version. 1. Location is excellent. I was walking distance from tons of thrift stores, bars, restaurants and the metro. Super happy. 2. The room was comfortable. The walls are thin so bring ear plugs. But I love the fact that the female dorms have bathrooms. When I've stayed at HI, it's been a hassle because to go to the bathroom you have to leave your dorm, walk down the hallway and then use some communal shower. UHL did better here. We had private bathrooms and a fridge. Although I wish they'd offer more hand cloths for bathing. They only gave me a towel. I also had to ask for an extra blanket b/c it was cold. 3. The customer service was a little strange. One guy refused to help me make a reservation over the phone and acted like I was asking him to do a backflip when I told him I'd rather talk to a person than use their website. Super awkward. Most of the other guys were friendly. Some mysterious staff person cut my lock off a locker for no apparent reason and then confiscated my bag. Because apparently, if you're staying in locker number 4 and someone accidentally used it, it's ghastly to consider using locker number 7 EVEN THOUGH IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL AND COMPLETELY EMPTY. I would have been fine if they had just called me to tell me they were moving my things and replaced my lock. 4. The rate was unbelievably cheap. And they let me keep my bags there while exploring during my final half day. So that's nice. So basically if they had just all been a little bit more friendlier and offered ear plugs, I would have given 5 stars.

We had an excellent stay here! It was very clean and secure, which is what you hope for with a hostel. A friend and I got a private room, which was small with only a bunk bed and desk, though it was plenty big for our needs. There were shared bathrooms - two per floor - and I never had to wait to use one. There was also a common kitchen area with a fridge, sink and microwave. The decor is very modern and trendy, and I believe the entire place is just a converted warehouse. The staff was friendly and helpful when we asked about the area. (We ended up going to an AMAZING Indian place for dinner called Rangoli that was a ten minute walk away). Beware of parking. It is only available on the street and some of it in the area is not allowed overnight. I would recommend this place if you're looking for somewhere as a home base for exploring. You're not going to spend a lot of time here with such amazing bars and restaurants nearby!

Its really difficult to review such place but i will try my best. Pros: Cheap, Clean, very close to public transportation, super friendly staff Cons: very very small ( u can hardly notice the entrance), i dont recommend shared bathroom (its annoying), rooms has no isolation and always u can here some noise Long story short, if u are traveling by urself and want to save some money this is the place BUT if u are planning to stay more than one night and have ur partner with u, i think u should try something rlsr

I travel frequently and stay in various types of hotels, but this has been the worst experience ever. The receptionist Loriette, when asked by us for help on filling some forms for the hotel, answered "This is not my job, I have better things to do". Another receptionist denied me the possibility to meet with my sister for a few minutes inside the hotel, she told I have to go outside for that. The overall attitude of the staff is like they are forced to come to work and like are really tired of clients all the time. That's terrible, make yourself a favor and stay away as far as possible from this hotel.

This is the most terrible place I have ever stayed. Basically I did not get any sleep at all, all kinds of noise from AC in the room, neighbor's talking in their room (the wall is just like paper thin) during late night and early morning. There is only one bathroom shared by the whole floor; 50 steps more to get to our room, there is no elevator, etc. Anything bad you can imagine happens in this hostel, I will never stay here again!

When we showed up, we were locked out; we had to wait twenty minutes for the person on duty to finish in the bathroom, or whatever he was doing, before he buzzed us in. And that was the highlight. The room was unclean. The people above us seemed to be stomping on our ear drums. The staff was incredibly rude when we asked them about anything. The free breakfast wasn't worth the price. Go anywhere else.

Never stay here. My room was provided a space heater because the room was "a little chilly" but reached a low of 42 degrees over our time. There were no bathrooms and I had to fight for a time to shower. Worst of all, Jason, the manager, completely ruined my entire experience. I was so cold that I couldn't stay in my room, so I asked him if the common room was open. He asked me why I wanted to be in there and then berated me for not telling him it was cold. He got in a fight with my friend for calling him out for being so rude and called the police. The cops even told us not to talk to him as to cause more trouble. Basically, this dude is the worst and I hope no one stays here ever.

*Amazing "Tree Top" Lounge ? well there were some trees out the front of the place i guess, but roof lounge?? never even had one despite being a direct claim on their website RockStar Location ? how about the "rockstar" located in your lobby who berated us when we came in on saturday at 6pm and had the audacity to talk to each other as we got ready to head out? easily one of the biggest chumps i've encountered in my travels and threatened to call the cops when we tried to apologise, seriously ?? the fact you think this was even moderately neccessary should be a pretty big wake up call.... if you hate young people having fun perhaps the saturday night shift at a youth hostel is not the right job for someone as mentally unstable and facetious as you. lastly and perhaps most annoyingly, we booked and paid for a private 5 bedroom dorm which in fact only had four beds (one marginally bigger), why would you run a business in such an underhanded way ? don't stay here

I love that European-style hostels are coming into chic for ALL travelers, not just those with international passports. Urban Holiday Lofts is on the cutting edge in that field, I wish there was a place like this in every city. Expect a low-priced hostel in an excellent part of town, close to train lines, bars and restaurants. There was loud construction all day, we came in on the red-eye and needed a nap, the front desk provided earplugs. Free breakfast! I would recommend this to solo travelers especially; the crowd was fun and easygoing, the common room was always hopping.

I decided to stay in a hostel for Thanksgiving instead of a hotel because it cost only a tenth of a hotel room. Otherwise I'm way beyond the hostel/student crowd. However, this is not your typical youth hostel. Yes, I shared a room with 5 strangers, yes, you need to make your own bed, and the mattress is covered in plastic, and you share a bathroom... It's a hostel! But all the people I spoke with at the front desk were really nice and helpful, the bed linens and towel were clean, the room and bathroom were exceptionally clean, so was the kitchen including the fridge and microwave... They have an enormous community room upstairs with a TV and books and board games and fantastic views. there was no partying or anything crazy going on. It seemed like everyone minded their own business, and most everyone cleaned up after themselves.

Pros: Clean, new, nice location, wifi, free breakfast, nice common room. Cons: Tax is not included on the Lonely Planet reservation system so that when you show up you owe 16+% more than you thought; paper thin walls and creaky old floors so you hear EVERYTHING in the whole building; plastic over the mattresses that make you sweat like a pig; grossly inadequate window coverings on the east facing rooms so your room is like a sauna with stadium lighting by 8 am; very poor air circulation; grossly inadequate number of bathrooms. I paid $150 dollars for this??? Don't come here if you plan on sleeping.

Highly recommend this hostel! It's in a good location with easy access to restaurants and shops nearby. I had a great experience unlike other hostels that I've stayed. What makes this hostel unique? It is clean, neat, and appears to be well maintained. The bathroom is modern and clean. It seems like the hostels that I've stayed at across the country are older buildings that haven't been maintained well. This one has. Most of the rooms are on separate floors from the main TV room/lounge area so you don't have to tolerate loud noise coming into your sleeping area. The view of Chicago from the main TV room/lounge area is great. The lounge is also spacious so no matter how crowded it may become, one can find a bit of respite or a place to sit. The staff is friendly, pleasant, and accommodating. I also feel they don't nickel and dime you like they do at other hostels. I was actually most impressed by the fact that the housekeepers will actually change your bed sheets, if asked. I stayed in a room that had six beds and didn't feel that I was cramped at all. Loved this hostel experience. Thank you Urban Holiday Lofts!

Super shady. Tried calling the place to make a reservation and the phone conversation was so awkward and borderline patronizing that I hung up. Whoever was working the phones on June 13th, 2012 at 12:42am are nuts. I tried to ask questions regarding the place and the only answer I got was "Yea!". Questions I asked were not even Yes or No questions. Rude. Felt like the guy was giving me attitude for no apparent reason. Eventually he told me that there were no rooms available and our conversation abruptly ended.

I have stayed at many hostels around the world and this one is definitely one of the best. If you want to feel relaxed, comfortable, safe and clean, then this is the place for you. It doesn't have that hostel, 'everyone be best friends' vibe, but I liked that. It was quiet and clean, which is what I look for. Like I said, it's very clean and comfortable and close to the blue line which takes you downtown.

I visited in the winter, and my room was EXTREMELY hot - around 86 degrees. They had turned the heat up becuase other guests were cold. This means that the first night, probably people with rooms with windows were freezing, and then the other night the people without windows were sweating away. That is really bad management. Furthermore, when I told the girl at the reception, she turned down the heating setting from 76 to 75. Wow, like that would make a difference. And she refused to herself enter the room to experience the temperature there was. Very disappointed with this!! Even after she turned down the knob, of course it did not get anywehere near a temperature that would allow sleeping! There are a couple of good things I must mention, mainly the location and the common area. But it kind of gets ruined if you cannot sleep due to heating/freezing issues.

i have nothing but great things to say regarding Urban Holiday Lofts. i have stayed twice (once in June 2014 & again, April 2015). both times i reserved my dorm room online. some people have stated that they don't make the 16% city tax stated on the reservations but that is not true. (and for those of you who travel often, and those that don't, ALL hotels and hostels across the nation collect a hotel city tax). rooms are clean, though i wish they would change the check in from 2 p.m. to 12 p.m. they do offer early check in but not to your room. you can pay, drop off your luggage, and take off on your adventure into the city. they offer breakfast every morning. the lounge is always clean, usually empty during the day, though the noise of the arcade game is a little intense. if you share a bathroom keep in mind that you will have to wait your turn, you might be sharing with 6 or 8 people. remember to turn in your towel when you check out. staff has been awesome, regardless of what shift they are on or what time of the night. i noticed a few people were upset regarding staff, especially late night, but the fact is that the bars in Wicker Park don't close til 4 a.m. it's a party town. and during sports playoffs it gets much more intense. love this place. great experiences. i would definitely book a weekend again.

I had a great experience at this hostel! The front desk people were awesome and friendly. The bathrooms were private (only one person can use at a time) and gave off a homey vibe. The bedroom was nice and clean. However, the floor squeaks very loudly. I was on the top bed and had trouble falling asleep because whoever stayed above us were awake all night and the floor squeaked a lot as they moved around.

Great location and the price was cheap. The staff was friendly, when you could find them. I've never stayed at a hostel, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Next time i'll know.....to stay at a hotel. The first night of our stay, it was hot outside, therefore lava hot in our room. You do not have control over the thermostat. The second night the temperature dropped outside, and it was very cold in our room. Although they provide linens, I would suggest sneaking your own in. This is no reflection of Urban Holiday Lofts, but some other patrons we were sharing the bathrooms with were pigs. They left their old towels laying on the wet floor. At one point, someone must have over flowed the sink and rather than clean it up, decided to place paper towels all around the sink so I could clean it up. Lastly, what you have read about the creaky, wood floors is absolutely correct. You must bring ear plugs/headphones if you plan to sleep. I've heard marching bands that were quieter. To sum it up, if you love/miss college life, this is your dorm. Err I meant place. If you prefer a quite night of rest on an actual bed, keep searching.

Wonderful location in the heart of Wicker Park; friendly staff. I felt safe and welcome and was impressed by the common area and amenities (including private bathrooms on the floor). The room next door was a little noisy, but that's to be expected at a hostel. Street parking was easy on a weekend. I also appreciated the brochure provided at check-in, which included the staff's neighborhood recommendations. Great personal touch. The Getaway Hostel used to be my "go-to," but I think I'll again stay at the cozier Urban Holiday Lofts next time I'm in Chicago!

Great value. Great location. Great staff. Fourth floor room temperature was hot. Common room was closed until 8:00 am. Would love to have had my coffee before then. Would definately recommend.

We stayed 4 nights while visiting Chicago last week. I was impressed with the location (great neighbourhood, close to the L train, many great coffee shops, bars, shops and restaurants nearby) and the cleanliness. The staff were friendly, helpful and accommodating. Although I was nervous about having to share a bathroom, it was no big deal as one was always free, so I never once had to wait. I'd definitely go back and would highly recommend this as an affordable, clean and well-situated place to stay.

I went to Chicago with three friends for a concert in April and we stayed at the Urban Holiday Lofts on Wabansia. This place is excellent and we plan to return in the future. The prices are unbeatable and the staff is friendly, competent, and helpful. The location is great, surrounded by cute shops and restaurants of all kinds. There's a little grocery store right next door and the most opulent Walgreens I've ever seen just down the street. We stayed in a four-person private room with a private bathroom. It was clean, well-lit, and very open. The communal bathrooms were also very nice. There's a communal kitchen area and a refrigerator for guest use. I didn't venture to the top floor common area, but my friends said that it was nice as well. It's not the Ritz; there are some downsides. Parking was kind of a pain, and if we'd taken our car around the city and had to park more than once it could have become very inconvenient. The temperature control in the shower was a little tricky and it got pretty hot pretty quick, so be careful. You're not allowed to bring your own pillows and blankets and the ones they provide are on the thin side. It was a little noisy at night because we faced the street. The stairs were very, very steep. These were very minor inconveniences, however. If you're traveling on a budget and want to stay somewhere safe and with a down-to-earth atmosphere in a trendy area, I could not recommend Urban Holiday Lofts more highly.

Clean, modern, friendly and helpful staff, towels and bedding provided, GREAT neighborhood, free breakfast, free wifi, and very nice common room. Easy to find parking near the hostel. Definitely recommend. Would stay here again.

Great location and very clean, loved this area, full of many cheap bars and restaurants and very cool places to shop. Also the staff was very helpful and free breakfast. Close to the Damen CTA stop on the blue line.

Stayed at Holiday Jones and Urban Holiday on 2 separate nights. Both cool! Holiday jones is a little cozy for me being 6'5" but a nice quiet place to sleep and hang out in Wicker park. Urban Holiday has a much better common area,sunny windows and a decent view of downtown though not as quiet as HJ kitchens on each floor and both have free breakfast.

My boyfriend and I love the Wicker Park neighborhood, and eventually want to move over here. We usually stay at IHSP Chicago Hostel (amazing), but decided to try something different. Plus, the lofts looked amazing and it was pretty bad ass that they were in a 100-year-old warehouse. My boyfriend started becoming a little disappointed when he would call the hostel because it literally sounded as though the guy was drunk. But, we still decided to give it a chance. When we got to the hostel, we were two hours early. We had just traveled all the way from Milwaukee and the trains don't run very often, so we had no choice to arrive at that time. When I told the manager/receptionist that I wanted to check in, he said that the room wasn't available (which was fine), but then I asked if I could just pay for the room, and he repeated in a very snotty tone, that he had no room for me. So, I had to literally ask him for more options, instead of him offereing me more options. I have had many years in customer service, and have stayed at various hostels throughout the world, and that is not professional. BUT, I was still going to give the place a chance. He was very busy and had seemed to have lost someone's payment and the place was crowded, so I thought that he was just stressed out. Then, when everyone had left, he finally was able to pay attention to us. So, I asked him if we would be able to hang out in the lounge area until our room was ready. Since, my boyfriend and I have stayed in Wicker Park numerous times, we know the neighborhood fairly well, and we both wanted to get some work done before we checked into our room. The manger/receptionist literally asked me again in a snotty voice, why would I want to stay here for two hours. As a paying customer, it doesn't matter what I wish to do. I should never be belittled for wanting to hang out in the hostel lounge for a few hours. It was quite frankly none of his business. By this point, I no longer felt comfortable and did not want to stay here. So, we asked if we could cancel the night because we didn't feel welcome. He told us yes, but we would still have to pay for the night. After clearly seeing how upset I was, he was still going to make us pay for a room that we were not going to even stay at. So, we decided that we had no choice but to stay there. Then, when my boyfriend asked to speak to his boss, he all of a sudden was apologetic and wasn't smiling like a jerk, and decided to give us the refund. We gladly left and went to IHSP. I will never try staying here again, I would rather sleep at the train station. Very rude, and if you are not European, do not stay here, you will be belittled.

The customer service is a joke. Don't risk going there and having your exoerience ruined. There's a guy named Jason who is incredibly rude and condescending. He literally cussed me out and called the cops on me after I called him a prick for being one. There's another hostel right down the street called IHSP. Its all around MUCH nicer with much friendlier workers. I'm normally not the type to take the time to write a review on yelp but I have never encountered as big of an asshole as the guy Jason. I'm not the type to start fights either. Trust me on this one. Go to IHSP.

We stayed here March 2016. We booked single beds in the 8-person female dorm and got exactly just that! The receptionist was friendly and easy-going. After checking us in and going over the house rules, she gave us our keys and showed us to our room. The dorm we stayed in had 4 bunk beds, a bathroom and kitchen area which included a refrigerator. I loved the brick walls and simple, rustic feel. The lockers were located right by the door-- which I found out-of-place because if someone entered the room while you were putting stuff in your locker, the door would slam right into you. Ouch! The room was fairly quiet during the daytime as each of our roommates usually kept to themselves. The noise level at night, though, was a little loud and bothersome; the hostel itself was quiet, but you can hear obnoxious people roaming the streets outside. If you're a light sleeper, I recommend ear plugs. The bunk bed we had was a little squeaky; whenever my friend moved in the middle of the night, the whole bed squeaked and shifted, which I personally don't mind, but I'm sure there are people who would be annoyed by that. When morning came, we grabbed a light breakfast in the common room (fruits, cereal, toast, coffee). It was nice to share the dining table with people who're from all over the world. Everyone kept to their own group and talked amongst themselves, but we could hear Japanese to our right and Russian to our left. Overall, it was a nice experience. The hostel is old and squeaky all over, but for the price you pay-- I didn't mind :)

The place was clean and big and appeared to be amazing. The breakfast that they are so proud of consisted of a bagel with butter and some cereal. I mean, it's nice of them to offer it, but it is certainly nothing special. The staff is very nice and friendly. However, the pillows were AWFUL, the place was SOOOO noisy that we didn't sleep at all. The people directly below us were partying until 4 am and I guess that made the people on our floor decide that it was okay to be just as noisy so they partied outside our door until about the same time. I would recommend this place if you are going to party, not if you expect to get more than 2 hours of sleep. We were supposed to stay for 2 nights, but decided we would rather sleep in the car than stay there another night.

It was ok, small rooms, have to share a bathroom, no heaters or air-conditioning, only 5 people in a room, service is meh, overall things where good, Breakfast was nice. There's no TVs in the rooms, but there is a room with games and a TV, free Wi-Fi .

Unbeatable location, roomy, friendly, clean and stylish.

After staying in this hostel, I'm convinced that a single person traveling doesn't need to pay expensive hotel rates. I had a fantastic stay. The hostels are extremely clean, and they provide additional towels and blankets for no extra charge. They also have a continental breakfast in the morning, which makes it quite easy to get out the door. Close to the CTA station, which has a La Colombe coffee shop right next to it - if you're looking for a nice strong cup of coffee to get you going.

Gorgeous and spacious. Above average breakfast, really, really nice staff.

The price for a one night stay in a room for two was comparable to the price of a room at a motel in a suburb. The location is great--squeezed in the middle of a few hip young neighborhoods (nothing is more welcoming after a midnight ride on the L train than seeing a young crowd get off at your platform). Very close to a train station, and surrounded by cool restaurants and shops. The staff were stunningly nice, accommodating, and helpful. So much so that it almost feels like an act... it is not. The rooms are very "no thrills" but are clean and welcoming. The bathrooms are clean, but make sure to bring your own shower supplies. Overall a great stay, and one I would recommend to any young travelers looking for a cheap but safe place to stay in the city.