Congress Plaza Hotel

Dated hotel but the rooms are kept clean, updated flooring and really nice bedding. Fantastic location downtown, less than a mile walking distance from Museum Campus.

Love the Congress. So glad it’s back from the decade long worker’s strike.

Bartender, Chris was very nice!

It was good! The building seem outdated and might not be the most modern same with the rooms but it was fine.

The hotel itself is a piece of Chicago history and has a classic old-world character that newer hotels can't replicate. My room was clean, comfortable, and exactly what I needed after long days exploring the city. Staff were professional and helpful throughout my stay. The trade-off is that this is an older property. Some areas feel dated and could benefit from modernization. If you're expecting a luxury hotel with the latest amenities, this may not be the best fit. That said, the value, location, and historic atmosphere more than made up for it. I spent most of my time experiencing Chicago rather than sitting in a hotel room, and for that purpose, the Congress Plaza was an excellent choice. Pros: Outstanding location, historic character, walkability, value, helpful staff. Cons: Some rooms and common areas show their age. I would stay here again.

They held my bags for me after I checked out! Everyone was very kind as well.

Excellent location across from the Buckingham fountain in Grant Park and one block from the Metra. Beautiful historic lobby greets you, hallways on the upper floors are dated with old carpet and wallpaper, however the room was very nicely updated with modern finishes. Loved the mixture of historic and new, and our 10th floor room with a park/lake view was wonderful. See Cris at the hotel bar and ask for a Buckingham Old Fashioned, you won't be disappointed.

The air conditioning was not working well. The coffee machine was in poor condition. I noticed some bugs on the bedsheet. I'm not certain whether they were bed bugs, but it was concerning. The listing stated that self-parking was included. I assumed this meant the hotel had on-site parking, but there was no parking available at the property. Fortunately, the hotel staff were helpful and directed me to a nearby parking facility. After I had already completed the booking, Expedia sent a notification stating that the hotel did not have parking and that overnight parking would cost around $65. This information should have been clearly disclosed before the booking was confirmed, not afterward. The listing also indicated that breakfast was included. I interpreted this to mean complimentary breakfast, but at check-in I was informed that breakfast was not free and that I would need to pay for it. Overall, I am disappointed with the inaccurate information provided on Expedia regarding parking and breakfast. These details significantly influenced my booking decision. This experience has been a lesson learned, and I will think twice before using Expedia for future hotel reservations.

Truly awful check in experience with a rude staff member. She was unfriendly (actually rude, unhelpful, and entirely unsuited to working on a front desk. Happily her colleague took over after she first couldn’t find the reservation, then could only find a smoking room. The room itself was very poor: dated and stale smelling thanks to a musty aircon unit on the floor (which an engineer attended to turn off). I think some parts of the hotel have been refurbished so I assume they’re far better, but I was unlucky. I absolutely wouldn’t stay here again despite the decent location.

The fire alarm system starts beeping at the middle of the night and no one to replace the battery. The bath tap was rusty. No microwave.

Broken toilet.

This will always be my go to place to stay in downtown Chicago. Fantastic location, clean and great staff.

Very comfortable bed and room. Will stay at this hotel again. Close to many attractions on the Loop.

Good location, our shower didn't have much pressure but we managed, we will definitely be back. Bed was comfortable. Air was nice and ice cold lol

No parking spot as mention, you need to find a public parking spot and pay extra $40 for 24h

First, the parking is not accessible through the building. It was raining when we arrived. The parking is a regular open lot that is $62 and nothing special. You cannot enter the building from the parking lot. We had to walk over a block in the rain carrying all our luggage. Next, when we stepped off the elevator the whole 12th floor reeked of pot. The wallpaper is peeling, the paint is chipped, the carpet feels damp and musty. There are huge gaps around the doors to the rooms letting in tons of light and sound from the hall. Finally the rooms are so loud. Even on the 12th floor you hear everything from the street and everything from surrounding rooms. Our neighboring rooms decided to come in at 3 am drunk and rowdy. I called security and they came up and the neighbors quieted for maybe 5 minutes and then started right back up until 6 am. This was a horrible stay. The only good thing about this hotel is where it is located. However, I would NEVER choose to stay here again.

Not recomended

Todo fue excelente la verdad

We bought out own fan & still didn’t help

Bathtub had stains in it, and hey clearly need to refurbish because it looks permanent. The hotel is run down on the inside. Location is nice though.