Chicago's Essex Inn

We lost some of our personal items when we checked out while the bellperson took them to the garage. the hotel told us that they have no idea about it. it is unsafe I believe.

The Essex Inn is a dirty, smelly and disgusting hotel. You need to wear your shoes to bed to avoid stepping barefoot on the floor in the morning. The restaurant is dark and dingy, which matches the character of the food. Avoid this hotel at all costs.

The website and reviews made this sound like a four star hotel- it wasn't. The lobby and check-in area was dingy and the staff was unhelpful and unfriendly. Parking cost almost as much as the hotel and it didn't mention it on their website. Wireless internet was expensive and there was no hub to plug in my internet cable. Our shower was broken and only would spray halfway and the rest of the water ran out of the bottom faucet and the temp control was broken as well- it was either scalding or cold. When we asked the desk for directions to the nearest train or bus they had no clue and weren't helpful. Upon checkout it was packed and they only had 2 luggage carts for the whole hotel so we had to wait a long time and the man was rude to us and also unhelpful and disappeared with our stuff. When we went to get our car they mixed up our tags so our car was sitting parked in the garage exit for twenty minutes. Their ATM was broken as well. I hope to never stay there again.

Hot day in April, and the whole hotel's heating and air conditioning system is on a season cycle. So the rooms air conditioners would not work since they were still on a winter cycle. Cracking open a window (that is as far as they would go) was very noisy and made little difference in the heat. Older hotel building, slow drains, very small bathrooms and sleeping areas. Great pool area, the kids loved that. And extremely close to the museums and many, many other attractions. Would not stay there again, pay a little extra and get a nicer room.

I was in town for a funeral and I must say my stay was less than pleasant. The beds were HARD my daughter and I tossed and turned all night long, the bathroom was small and OLD! We were woke up around 6:30 in the morning to what appeared to be hammering on the walls, the maid banged on the door at 8 am to see when we were checking out. The food at the restarant was awful to put it lightly will NOT stay there ever again! Plus parking for ONE NIGHT in THEIR parking deck was almost $40!! Not impressed planning a trip again soon but will not be at that hotel!

The room was so hot we had to turn off the heater and open windows - it was 19 degrees outside and more comfortable outside our room than inside. The restaurant is closed for renovation and that wasn't mentioned anywhere on their website. The walls are very thin, and it felt like we were never alone because of all the other conversations in other rooms. Definitely won't return - and we visit Chicago 5-6 times a year, so I'm back on the hunt for a hotel I can depend on for quality service and facilities.

We were suppose to have a nonsmoking floor but it reaked of smoke. The shower trickled out and the none of the drains worked so you told a shower in water shin deep and the sink to brush your teeth overflowed when you used it. I called to have someone. One look at t and thy never did. When I asked about it at checkout they were like too bad you alreadyed prepaid for your room. it says they have a restaurant onsite but it was closed. The pool was less than desirable and freezing cold. Overbid is added to a place I will never stay at again!!!!!

Dirty Windows. Very Small Bathroom and tight sleeping area. Expense parking.

THE LOCATION IS FANTASTIC FOR FAMILY BASED ACTIVITY...BUT THERE WERE SOME ISSUES AS TO THE AIR QUALITY OF THE ROOMS ..WAS RATHER DUSTY...AND HAD A STALE SMELL...NOT OVER-POWERING..BUT PRESENT TO THE POINT OF TASTING IT. ONE POINT I FIND FRUSTRATING..IS THE COST FOR PARKING YOUR VEHICLE AT THE HOTEL...I UNDERSTAND THAT IS SOMEWHAT A NORM CONSIDERING INNER CITY LOCATION...NONE THE LESS..I THINK THE $37.00 A NIGHT IS EXCESSIVE.

No WiFi, unless you paid for it in 24 hour increments. No hotel info in the room. Website said room service, yet no menu. TV had strange channels, yet no directory to find where any station was. Not all the staff was unfriendly, only one particular woman at check-in, that's always a great way to start out a vacation! Had to pay for valet parking, with no alternative. Cannot control your own room temperature, it is set by the hotel! We picked the Essex because we stayed before, I guess we forgot all the negative features. We won't stay there again.