The Hotel is a nice hotel located in the heart of Chinatown Chicago, and is an ideal choice for budget minded travelers. -Only 4 blocks from McCormick Place;-Just 10 minutes way by bus or train from the Chicago Downtown, Grant Park or Museum Campus. -A couple of minutes to charming Chinese cuisine dining, shopping and entertainment venues inside Chinatown. Easy accessible to both O'Hare and Midway airports and other parts of the city.
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During your Chicago vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum
Chicago's vibrant Pilsen neighborhood, just southwest of the Loop, is home to one of the nation's largest Mexican-American communities. Ethnic pride emanates from every doorstep, taqueria, and bakery, and the multitude of colorful murals splashed across building exteriors and alleyways. But this building, the largest Latino cultural institution in the country, may be the neighborhood's most prized possession. That's quite an accomplishment, given that the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum was founded in 1987 by a passel of public schoolteachers who pooled $900 to get it started.This is truly a living museum. There are wonderful exhibits to be sure, showcasing Mexican and Mexican-American visual and performing artists, and often drawing on the museum's permanent collection of more than 2,400 works. But it's the visiting artists, festival programming, and community participation that make the museum really shine. Its Day of the Dead celebration, which runs for about 8 weeks beginning in September, is one of the most ambitious in the country. The Del Corazon Mexican Performing Arts Festival, held in the spring, features programs by local and international artists here and around town. And the Sor Juana Festival, presented in the fall, honors Mexican writer and pioneering feminist Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz with photography and painting exhibits, music and theater performances, and poetry readings by Latino women.The museum is very family oriented, offering a deluge of educational workshops for kids and parents. It also has a splendid gift shop, and it stages a holiday market, featuring items from Mexico, on the first weekend in December. Allow 1 hour.
Navy Pier
Built during World War I, this 3,000-foot-long pier was used by the Navy during World War II as a training center for pilots. But any military aura is long gone, now that the place has been transformed into a bustling tourist mecca. A combination of carnival, food court, and boat dock, the pier makes a fun place to stroll (if you don't mind crowds), but you'll have to walk all the way to the end to get the best views back to the city.Midway down the pier are the Crystal Gardens, with 70 full-size palm trees, dancing fountains, and other flora in a glass-enclosed atrium; a white-canopied open-air Skyline Stage that hosts concerts, dance performances, and film screenings; a carousel; and a 15-story Ferris wheel that's a replica of the original that debuted at Chicago's 1893 World's Fair. The 50 acres of pier and lakefront property also are home to the Chicago Children's Museum, a 3D IMAX theater (tel. 312/595-5629), a small ice-skating rink, and the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. The shops tend to be bland and touristy. Dining options include a food court, an outpost of Lincoln Park's popular Charlie's Ale House, and the white-tablecloth seafood restaurant Riva. You'll also find a beer garden with live music; Joe's Be-Bop Cafe & Jazz Emporium, a Southern-style barbecue restaurant with live music that is run by Joe and Wayne Segal of Jazz Showcase fame; and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. & Market, a casual family seafood joint. Summer is one long party at the pier, with fireworks on Wednesday and Saturday evenings.The Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows may sound incredibly dull, but decorative art aficionados shouldn't miss this remarkable installation of more than 150 stained-glass windows set in illuminated display cases. Occupying an 800-foot-long expanse on the ground floor of Navy Pier, the free museum features works by Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, John LaFarge, and Louis Comfort Tiffany.Navy Pier hosts a variety of conventions and trade shows, including an international art exposition in May, pro-tennis exhibitions, and a flower and garden show. There's something for everyone, but the commercialism of the place might be too much for some people. If that's the case for you, take the half-mile stroll to the end of the pier, east of the ballroom, where you can find a little respite and enjoy the wind, the waves, and the city view, which is the real delight of a place like this. Or unwind in Olive Park, a small sylvan haven with a sliver of beach that lies just to the north of Navy Pier.You'll find, moored along the south dock, more than half a dozen different sailing vessels, including a couple of dinner cruise ships, the pristine white-masted tall ship Windy, and the 70-foot speedboats Seadog I, II, and III. In the summer months, water taxis speed between Navy Pier and other Chicago sights.Allow 1 hour.
DuSable Museum of African-American History
The DuSable Museum is a repository of the history, art, and artifacts pertaining to the African-American experience and culture. Named for Chicago's first permanent settler, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, a French-Canadian of Haitian descent, it is admirable not so much for its collections and exhibits as for the inspiring story behind its existence. Founded in 1961 with a $10 charter and minimal capital, the museum began in the home of Dr. Margaret Burroughs, an art teacher at the city's DuSable High School. In 1973, as a result of a community-based campaign, the museum took up residence in its present building (a former parks administration facility and police lockup) on the eastern edge of Washington Park. With no major endowment to speak of, the DuSable Museum has managed to accumulate a respectable collection of more than 13,000 artifacts, books, photographs, art objects, and memorabilia. Its collection of paintings, drawings, and sculpture by African-American and African artists is excellent.In 1993, the DuSable Museum added a 25,000-square-foot wing named in honor of the city's first and only African-American mayor, Harold Washington. The permanent exhibit on Washington contains memorabilia and personal effects, and surveys important episodes in his political career. More recent is a permanent exhibit called Blacks in Aviation, which celebrates the achievements of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen and features such items as the flight jacket of Major Robert H. Lawrence, the nation's first African-American astronaut.The museum also has a gift shop, a research library, and an extensive program of community-related events, such as a jazz and blues music series, poetry readings, film screenings, and other cultural events, all of which are presented in a 466-seat auditorium. Allow 1 to 2 hours.
SpringHill Suites by Marriott Chicago O'Hare
SpringHill Suites is Marriott's moderately priced all-suites lodging designed for the guest who wants spacious and functional accommodations with the extras of a full-service hotel. Studio suites are up to twenty-five percent larger than traditional hotel rooms and feature separate living and sleeping areas. The living room is furnished with a large well-lit work desk and ergonomic chair, lounge chair and ottoman, sofa sleeper, television, two-line dataport telephone plus pantry area equipped ...
Courtyard by Marriott Chicago Downtown
The Courtyard Chicago Downtown is the ultimate choice for any guest seeking the soul of Chicago. Nestled in cosmopolitan downtown Chicago at Hubbard and State Streets, the hotel is a haven of urban sophistication no longer seen as the sole pleasure of business travelers, but as a vacation destination for all. We offer guests the opportunity to experience the character of this great city in a moderately priced, casually elegant atmosphere. Distinctive amenities include luxuriously oversized ...
Howard Johnson Inn Downtown Chicago
The Howard Johnson Inn Downtown Chicago is a Quality Excellence President Award winner and a Gold Medal Award Property. Howard Johnson Inn-Downtown Chicago is an ideal destination for both leisure and business travelers who are opposed to tall buildings and high prices. Located in the Historic River North Gallery District, we are just blocks away from the Magnificent Mile Shopping area, Water Tower Mall, John Hancock Observatory and Navy Pier. Our hotel is convenient to both the Red and Brown ...
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Most recent user reviews
Highly recommended for hotel to downtown
Anonymous
The best dim-sum around here is 'Won-Kaw' restaurant. If you want to stay on shoestring budget, let's order by taking out from the restaurant. This hotel also provides plastic dishes, forks in the living room.
At first, my friend tried to find the hotel which is not far from subway but it has to be on budget. We ended up with this hotel. Chinatown in Chicago is totally different from what I expected. It's very clean and well-organized. We can walk to the red line 'Cermak-Chinatown' station with less than 300 metres. The best advantage of this hotel is that they provide the large living room in the first floor to be the place for socializing with others. And also they provide computers and a printer in this room for customers. Only thing I would like to request is that they should have common toilets in the first floor too. All in all, I'll definiely return to this hotel if I have a chance to be back in this windy city.
Friendly Staff
Anonymous, Orlando, FL
1. It is nearby Subway Station. You can take a subway from airport to that hotel. It is very convenience. 2. Chinese restaurant are nearby to hotel. Findind food to eat is easy.
The staff in hotel were so helpful. When we ask them questions or help, they response to it quickly. This hotel lobby has microwave, hot water , plastic forks and plates for guests to use. If you have some food to reheat, you just ask them. It is very courtesy to our needs. This hotel's location is very good. If you want to take subway to Downtown chicago, you just walk 5 minutes to Subway station and take 7 minutes subway to Downtown. It is very easy to do. Also, if you want to find chinese food to eat, you just walk 3 minutes from hotel, you can have many choices. Most of chinese food are cheap. So, Staying in this hotel enables us to have an enjoyable trip.
Good for Low Maintenance Travelers
Emily, Philadelphia, PA, 2007-03-12
One short SUBWAY drive to downtown and other parts of the city! So easy to get everywhere.
The Chinatown Hotel was a GREAT hotel to stay in if you were planning a visit to Chicago. Good for travelers who are just planning to sleep in the hotel. VERY VERY CLEAN! Literally two blocks from the subway, this hotel is so convenient to people who do not have a car (which I DO NOT recommend if you're visiting the city). The room had a queen sized bed and a bathroom with a shower (no bath). There was a TV, closet (with extra blankets in it), a desk, a coffeepot, and a phone.
Good for short stay
Anonymous, Lincoln, NE, 2007-02-24
If you consider your budget, this may be a good hotel in the downtown area. The location is very good--close to CTA red line and a lot of excellent Chinese restaurants. Hotel staffs are friendly.
Good for a cheap stay
Rong, Baltimore, MD, 2006-11-06
A lot of good Chinese food around, cheap Dim Sum
The hotel is very clean and cheap, they even have free high speed internet. but they don't have elevator. Location is only 2 mins walk to the subway.
Not enough bang for your buck
Anonymous, St Louis, MO, 2006-09-24
Just a few blocks away are some great authentic chinese restaraunts. Great service and great food.
The Chinatown Hotel was not at all what I expected. For the price, the rooms were outrageously small. If you plan to spend any time in your hotel room, do not stay here! There was hardly any room for anything but the bed and television. At least it was clean.
What a dump.
Anonymous, Springfield, IL, 2006-07-17
the China Town experience.
The China Town hotel was a mistake on my part to stay in. First, there is no parking to be found in this part of Chicago at all. I ended up having to park at the Hyatt a mile up the street and then taking a taxi into the hotel. When I got to the hotel I had to put a ten dollar deposit on my key, not a big deal, but kind of strange none-the-less. The room had a hole in the wall and the beds were, well... a joking... I though I was going to fall through mine... they were junk. There was no key to get into the place when you leave in the night and then come back. I had to ring a buzzer and waight for the guy sleeping in the back room behind the front desk to come let me in... not a nice place to be hanging around outside waiting for someone to let you into your hotel. If I had to do it over again I would have stayed somewhere else.
Review
Antony, Los Angeles, CA, 2006-07-14
Chinatown Restaurants
no expectations!
James, 2006-06-07
it's chinatown, go out and eat!
This is NOT a great place to stay. NO onsite parking, period. I was advised by the desk manager to find something close on the street, there is repeat NO parking at this hotel although a pay lot is available 2 blocks away. No dining facilities period. This is chinatown, you hungry you go out. Dubious neighborhood. I was advised by the policeman in his car not to wander out at night. Daylight is fairly safe but be in by nightfall. Even the cops go in pairs. Homeless, Homeless, Homeless. Expect to be panhandled each block. I walked the mile to McCormick center at 7 am and back at 4 pm, ended up hiring a semi sane homeless person just to walk with me. I am 6'1" 230, and still got hassled each day. internet access is by cat 5 cable in the room however you must reprogram your computer to connect and then the transient voltage spike enede up costing me two hours of geek time to replace my modem. Bottom line, pay more go elsewhere!
Should be condemned
Jennifer, 2006-05-22
The man at the front desk could not find the (only) key to my room. Eventually he found the key, and I went to my "non smoking" room and noticed a large ashtray in the hallway directly outside my door. A sign in the room advised guests to take valuables with them when leaving the room because the hotel is not responsible for loss. The lock on the door did not look secure. There was no air system in the room, and the next morning I realized there was no hot water in my room.
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