Embassy Suites Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile

511 N Columbus Dr, Chicago, IL 60611, USA

Address:	511 N Columbus Dr, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
Phone:	+1 312-836-5900
Site:	embassysuites3.hilton.com
Rating:	4.3

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 4

Peter Hoyt

Wasnt such a great experience for me. Cons first: They overcharge you at least $50 a night for "incidentals" then refund you the money after "10 or so" days if "nothing incidental comes up". I am not kidding... they easily get $5000 - $10,000 a day in money they can invest and then return to you with no interest. Apparently legal in Chicago. Then, my room didnt face the interior lobby, but rather a wall in a hotel corner. My outside view was just construction. Even though everyone else in my group got rooms at higher levels, mine was on the sixth floor and way too close to the street noise outside (and in the lobby!). There was also a strange noise that kept coming and going at about 10-second intervals that sounded like someone was vacuuming the floor in the room next door... except there wasnt a room next door on that side. The air-conditioner had a motion sensor and seemed to only work while I was walking around. It was always warm when returning to my room, and no air flow at all which made sleeping feel hot. A fan would have helped a lot. You could hear people in other rooms talking through the A/C vents in the wall. I dont know if they were above or beside me. Even though the main lobby is on the fifth floor, there were no stairs from the sixth floor to the fifth floor, so I had to trek all the way around the lobby to the elevators to ride up or down one floor. PROS: Awesomely big rooms (suites) that were immaculately clean. Lots of extra big soft towels, and actual overhead lights in the rooms. The water pressure was good and the amenities were excellent. The TVs were large and high-quality, although they had ads embedded in the channel guide which Ive never seen before. One TV did "seize" on the hotels ad-channel, but unplugging it and plugging it back in seemed to fix the problem. The breakfast was awesome too, with a made-to-order fresh chef line, and a line for a pre-made hot buffet, and a cold-buffet/continental-style with anything you could want. The food (and coffee) was always kept full and fresh. The best "free" breakfast Ive ever had at a motel. Too bad there arent enough seats for people to sit in the lobby. They also had a free cocktails venue every night with four free drinks per person. Naturally the bartenders skimped on the good stuff, but it was still an enjoyable time with the group. The snacks that were served at cocktails were marginal, although the hummus was good. Again, not enough seating. The staff were helpful, polite, and friendly. Thats it, my honest review. Edit: Reply to management reply: You have a great motel, and from what Ive read, its quite possible for damages to occur due to children and older "children". So the "incidentals" charge may simply be good business practice based on years of experience at your location. I dont know, and the room was booked for me by the office. The part of the stay that was insulting to me personally was getting placed in a room that the front desk knows is a very noisy room (maybe the noisiest in the hotel?) with absolutely nothing to see from any window. Having to "demand" a better room gets tiresome after 30 years of business travel. Who do you think would have appreciated a quiet view of the lake more: the teenagers, or the tired old guy? Those details are what bring travelers back. Peace.

Leanne Zuzich

We booked this hotel based on its location to my brother who lives north of the city. First the parking situation was a mess!! The lot at the hotel was full after being told we could park there ($43.00 self park) so we had to circle the block & try to locate the Ogden parking plaza ($37.00) which is basically across the street (on the E Illinois St side of the hotel)- poorly marked & there is construction going on so its easy to miss. We ended up having to park on the opposite side of the hotel for $27.00 (for 3 hrs). Upon our arrival (5:15pm CST) our room was not ready (check in time 4pm) was just told they could hold our bags & we could do enjoy the evening reception, they would text us when the room was ready. For a family with children who have been traveling all day this was the LAST thing we wanted to hear. The evening reception was extremely crowded & loud. The lobby was a mess with popcorn on the floor that was being served. After waiting a while with no text I went to the concierge desk to inquire about our room, after getting our information again she said she had a room ready for us (equally as frustrating- if you had a room ready why were were never texted etc) Once we got to our room for the most part everything was ok. The room location & size was nice. The pillows are terrible along with the water pressure in the showers. The elevators were slow & the evening reception & breakfast lines were long. The staff at the front desk we less than average. Made no attempts to rectify, compensate or adjust for the issues listed above. The hotels staff (breakfast attendants, house keeping etc), were really friendly & pleasant. There was one lady I never caught her name, at breakfast she acknowledged & spoke to every member of my family ever time we were getting something for breakfast. We typically stay in Hilton Brand hotels, but there was nothing about this hotel specifically that would make me choose it over the other hotels in the area.

ethan castilla

The rooms are great but the service is terrrible if u plan on getting breakfast here you might as all forget that. U stand in a long line and when you get up to get food they either never refill it the food is cold or there closing the doors on you. We had drink vouchers and we stood in line waiting for are drinks and the bar closed at 7 we were in line for 35 mins and even if you had been waiting in the line right when it turns seven they have security guards come and escort all the people that had been waiting in line before 7! And tell them sorry the drink vouchers are no longer can be used it is seven! And all the people that had been waiting didnt get there drinks! Its the same thing with the breakfast! To continue on my awful exsperience they dont clean the pool room at all I was there for four days and the same garbage from the first day was there on the last day there were puddles of water everywhere! Lastly another bad experience was when I had been waiting for the elevator two employees come from behind passing an older lady running into a kid and passing me how rude. One other thing I had called down for a cab the valet had said its all ready we go down on time and come to find out that are cab wasnt there and they couldnt find one. So we had to take my 80 grandma out in the cold and get are own cab. How Ive seen this hotel work is terrible its very disrespectful exspecially for the price we pay! Would not recommend this hotel for familys!!!!!!! Ps you run your services til every guest is served well not this hotel!

Maria SOSA

Not very happy. I checked in hours before my room became available which was fine I was told I would get a txt when my room was available. When I did receive the txt I was at the beach and after much sun was happy and ready to go to the hotel. Upon arrival I saw there was a line at the register side and the concierge just had one person. I asked the "hotel ambassador" which line I had to go since I had already checked in earlier he pointed and said I could skip the registration line and go to the concierge line. Once the lady saw me she told me I was supposed to go to the registration line but that was she would help me but really she was supposed to take the next person. By this time I was a little annoyed and asked what she wanted me to do - she did end up helping me. After I was given my key cards and info I went to my premium room (4kids and my mother). I specifically wanted a premium room and opted to pay more assuming Id get better everything. Well my room key did not work....I walked back downstairs was given a new set of key cards and was told about the wifi password and premium goodies in my room which I was t told about earlier. This time going back upstairs already bad taste in my mouth, frustrated and impatient try my new key cards AND AGAIN they do not work! I had to wait for security to come open my room. I told the security person I wanted to talk to a manager...............NEVER did the manager ever come speak to me. I was not happy at all and I feel like I wasted my money and could have stayed elsewhere.