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Recent guest reviews

Very clean , they answer the phone and took care of what I ask immediately even they were very busy . Because the city has so many street closed we couldn't take uber but we were available to walk and and enjoy the willis tower .

Rooms were old and dated. TV was small with bad reception.

My room had a nice view of Lake Michigan.

Very poorly insulated. Lots of noise from both outside and inside (hallway, other rooms). No thermostat in the room, you can only choose to have the air blowing or not. Horrible pot smell coming in the room from other rooms/hallway.

The lobby was super nice but then everything else like elevators, hallways and rooms were pretty outdated!! But it was a great location in regards of things to go do around the hotel

Air conditoner did not work properly. Was too hot during the night.

This was once one of the greatest hotels in the country. It has lost some of its shine, but it is still a good place to stay. The location is within walking distance of some of the top attractions in Chicago, such as the Field House museum, the cloud, art museum, Lake Michigan and Grant Park. There is a train station nearby that can help take you to the rest of the city. The hotel is a little dated but everything was clean. The neighborhood can be noisy, especially on the weekends, but that is because there is a lot going on in the surrounding area.

Great Location. Views from our lakeside room were gorgeous. Room was spacious and bed was comfortable.

The lake view from the 14th floor was amazing and worth paying the extra money. Whilst the room was adequate the hotel itself is quite dated.

Walking into this property we were in absolute awe. The reception area is gorgeous. The room itself was nice. Very large. Lots of space. Good size bathroom. The hallways to get to the rooms were the only problems we encountered. They were very dark and dingy and not as clean as the other areas of the hotel.

Rooms and common areas need big investment to bring up to standard

Great value for location. Property is old, so the adjoining room with small children didn't give much privacy. Also, it seemed the room was cleaned but not stocked. No coffee cups and only decaf available. No water bottles (but a note about "free" water). Housekeeping knocked on our door about an hour after we checked in to clean, and then again before we checked out in the am.

The Congress will always have one of the best views in the city, and is wonderfully close to the Museum Campus and Park. It is what they charge for, it is what keeps them in business. There is real effort at making a modern, elegant experience that just highlights how elderly the facility is, how much the staff are disconnected from the idea of delivering elegance, and that they do not have a sense of contribution for their effort. Both check in and out led to interactions with staff whose attention was difficult to get and impossible to maintain. A deposit was charged at check-in which I’ll get back - eventually (7-10 days after checkout was stated), which would have been a reasonable timeframe a decade ago. Security was present, and friendly, but primarily uninformed so it took time to identify why there was a bunch of men gathered around each door. Parking information was a challenge to find, valet was “temporarily” unavailable for my stay and the Official lot was effective but brusk. I left a day early, and given the strictness of the policies I suspect I delivered their preferred experience. A room that was fully paid for without an occupant.

Perfect location for walking to Millennium Park, Grant Park and the Art Museum

This is an older building, with alot of character. The rooms don't have microwaves, but there are 2 on the main level for people to use. The bed pillows were lumpy, but I brought mine from home, so that wasnt a problem for me.

Front desk was nice. Restaurant staff was disoriented.

South Michigan Avenue Chicago IL

Hotel highlights

  • Walking distance to Art Institute of Chicago and Millennium Park
  • Free WiFi and wired Internet in rooms and public areas
  • Onsite dining
  • Fitness center

Located in Downtown Chicago, Congress Plaza Hotel is next to popular attractions like Columbia College Chicago and Museum of Contemporary Photography. This 3.5-star hotel has 870 guestrooms and offers conveniences like 2 restaurants, free in-room WiFi, and a gym.


Dining

This hotel is home to 2 onsite restaurants, perfect for a quick bite to eat. Savor a meal from the comfort of your room with room service, or get a quick energy boost at the coffee shop/cafe. Full breakfast is offered for a fee weekends from 6:30 AM to 11:00 AM.


Rooms

Guests can expect TVs with cable channels, along with free WiFi and wired Internet. Bathrooms offer deep soaking tubs, hair dryers, and free toiletries. Other standard amenities include sitting areas, refrigerators, and coffee makers. Housekeeping is available on request.


Property features

Guests of Congress Plaza Hotel enjoy a gym, free WiFi in public areas, and meeting rooms. Self parking is offered for USD 62.00 per night. Multilingual staff at the front desk are standing by 24/7 to help with securing valuables, concierge services, and luggage storage. Additional amenities include conference space, a business center, and express check-out.

Room options

Standard Room, 2 Double Beds

2 Double Beds | Sleeps 4

Standard Room, 1 King Bed, Lake View

1 King Bed | Sleeps 2

Standard Room, 2 Double Beds, Lake View

2 Double Beds | Sleeps 4

Accessible Standard Room, 2 Double Beds

2 Double Beds | Sleeps 4

Guest reviews for Congress Plaza Hotel

Everyone (67) Couples (40) Family (41)
5
Everyone

By on Sep 24, 2023

Review comment responded on Sep 26, 2023

Thank you for staying at Congress Plaza Hotel

5
Everyone

Very clean , they answer the phone and took care of what I ask immediately even they were very busy . Because the city has so many street closed we couldn't take uber but we were available to walk and and enjoy the willis tower .

By , from Inver Grove Heights on Sep 22, 2023

Review comment responded on Sep 23, 2023

Thank you for staying at Congress Plaza Hotel

3
Business Business

Rooms were old and dated. TV was small with bad reception.

By on Sep 19, 2023

Review comment responded on Sep 19, 2023

Thank you for staying at Congress Plaza Hotel

4
Business Business

My room had a nice view of Lake Michigan.

By on Sep 18, 2023

Review comment responded on Sep 18, 2023

Thank you for staying at Congress Plaza Hotel

1
Family with small children

Very poorly insulated. Lots of noise from both outside and inside (hallway, other rooms). No thermostat in the room, you can only choose to have the air blowing or not. Horrible pot smell coming in the room from other rooms/hallway.

By on Sep 11, 2023

Review comment responded on Sep 12, 2023

Thank you for staying at Congress Plaza Hotel

3
Friends

The lobby was super nice but then everything else like elevators, hallways and rooms were pretty outdated!! But it was a great location in regards of things to go do around the hotel

By on Aug 13, 2023

Review comment responded on Aug 13, 2023

Thank you for choosing Congress Plaza Hotel

5
Everyone

By on Aug 12, 2023

Review comment responded on Aug 14, 2023

Thank you for staying at Congress Plaza Hotel

4
Everyone

By on Aug 4, 2023

Review comment responded on Aug 5, 2023

Thank you for staying at Congress Plaza Hotel

3
Everyone

Air conditoner did not work properly. Was too hot during the night.

By , from Elgin on Jul 30, 2023

Review comment responded on Jul 31, 2023

Thank you for staying at Congress Plaza Hotel

4
Family

This was once one of the greatest hotels in the country. It has lost some of its shine, but it is still a good place to stay. The location is within walking distance of some of the top attractions in Chicago, such as the Field House museum, the cloud, art museum, Lake Michigan and Grant Park. There is a train station nearby that can help take you to the rest of the city. The hotel is a little dated but everything was clean. The neighborhood can be noisy, especially on the weekends, but that is because there is a lot going on in the surrounding area.

By on Jul 28, 2023

Review comment responded on Jul 28, 2023

Thank you for choosing Congress Plaza Hotel

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