Embassy Suites by Hilton Chicago Lombard Oak Brook

Reviews 3

AU

Austin Wyman

We stayed here for 5 weeks between selling our old house and buying our new one. And let me tell you, this is one serious Jekyll-and-Hyde hotel. Sunday night through Friday morning, its lovely. Mostly business travelers, very quiet. Free breakfast is better quality than I expected; free drink selection during happy hour will disappoint beer snobs (only Bud Light or Michelob Amber Bock), but hey, its free. Then Friday night rolls around and all hell breaks loose. For some reason they drop their room rate to $109 on the weekends; Im sure Hilton Corporate likes that they sell out every room and thats why this is allowed to continue. The low rate attracts people who want to hole up in a hotel room with friends and get drunk (and let someone else clean up the mess tomorrow) while letting their children run wild throughout the hotel. The end result is an absolute madhouse - hundreds of children running in packs like wild dogs, screaming, hitting every button on the elevator... Its like the whole building transforms into a giant contest to see who can be the most neglectful parent. When asked, the parents say "theyre not unsupervised; the oldest child is in charge", and the oldest child is 12, has 8 other kids in tow, is in the front of the group as they run around the floors as fast as they can, and isnt paying any attention to the crying 3-year old at the back who cant keep up. Theyre all in bathing suits because the parents probably expected them to stay in the pool all night, but inevitably some kid has an accident and the pool has to be closed down, leaving them to roam free because their parents couldnt care less. (We didnt find out about the pools ongoing "sanitary challenges" until after we had already been using it nightly and I had developed a skin infection in both armpits resulting in huge, painful pimples that eventually leaked pus. Thanks, Embassy Suites! Im just glad it wasnt Legionnaires Disease!) If tickets/arrests for child neglect were a lucrative source of revenue, the Village of Lombard could station a few cops here and never have to collect taxes of any kind, ever again. You might ask, "whats wrong with just retreating to your room and ignoring it"? Not possible. Their parents are in the room next door partying with family and friends, the smell of weed pouring out every time they open the door, hysterical laughter coming through the walls and keeping you awake until 3am. We had to complain on 4 different occasions. First time, they moved us to a corner room, which got a little less of the atrium noise. Second time, they threw in the "premium" wifi which they normally charge 10.99 per day for, but it proved no better than the regular wifi we already had for free; still couldnt stream anything on AppleTV with it. The other two times they sent security up to tell people to keep it down, which worked great for about two minutes until security went back downstairs. I feel bad for the employees (esp. Joshua, he took great care of us!) who have to police this nonsense, have regular clients complaining to them, and cant do much about it. If I ran the place, Id dump the weekend rate, but I have a feeling they dont have that option. I cant give them a 1-star review because the majority of the week the place is just fine. But its so bad on the weekends I know Ill never be staying there again. If youre a business traveler, staying for a weeknight, youll have no problems. Its a great place to crash and get free breakfast before your morning meeting/flight. If youre considering a weekend stay, Id strongly advise against it. Youll get no sleep, be disrespected by strangers kids (and get told off as though youre the problem if you say anything to the parents), and wish youd gone somewhere else.

PE

Peggy Maguire

Worst Hilton property Ive ever been to. I arrived during the happy hour, checked in, and went over to the bar area. After making a small plate of snacks, I went to scoop out some dip only to find a bug floating in it. Later, I ordered their pulled pork sliders; big globs of fat all through out, such that I gave up trying to eat. Went back to the room, turned on the TV and I had audio but no picture. The front desk sent someone up; fixed it, and 10 minutes later, the picture went out again. I tried to sign onto the internet. Unlike most Hilton properties in the suburbs, they charge for internet here. However, as a Gold member, I should be able to have this for free, right? I try and try to sign on to the Internet but it keeps rejecting my sign on attempts. I call the front desk to explain the latest issue. The girl at the front desk asks my room number, pulls up the room and says I shouldnt have to pay for the internet, that it comes with the room. I ask her how since I cannot seem to sign in. She talks me through clicking on the Pay for Internet feature, has me choose the $12.95 for 24 hours plan, says not to worry as I wont really be billed. It works and I am on the internet. Find out they have my last name spelled wrong on the reservation, which is probably why I could not sign in under the Honors tab. Next morning, I sign onto the internet in the same manner I was instructed to do, then go down to breakfast. Ask for bacon at the cook to order, and am served overcooked burnt mostly black bacon. I pick up a powdered donut and make a bowl of oatmeal. Sitting down at my table, I find that the donut is frozen. I turn to the oatmeal to find that room temperature or less. I give up and just make toast. I go to the coffee urns for a cup of coffee. There are 2 regular coffee urns. As I fill one cup, the urn runs out. Turn to the second urn and that runs out too. Between the 2 urns, I cannot get even one cup of coffee. I go to work, return back at the end of the day, and get on the internet. The icing on the cake - I wake up this morning to find a bill slid under my door - charged for 3 days worth of internet even though I only stayed 2 days, and even though I was told I would not be charged at all.

AS

Ashley Olsen

We got there and first tip that it was going to be a cluster was that we had to wear a wristband which at any other hotel never had. We were told it as for access to the pool and for the food. About an hour later we started noticing groups of people coming in, not checking in but going up to rooms. They brought their families. No wristbands, but overtook the pool making us leave with our 3 kids. The rest of the night it was clear as day there were party rooms. We counted 20 people walking in and out of a room within a few mins. Police were actually called at one point by the hotel for people sharing the wristbands. Kids running through the halls, strangers coming through the back door. Woke up this morning went down for breakfast, was wearing long sleeves and got questioned if I had a wristband. Showed it got my food and went back to the room. Passed 2 tables with people with no wristbands eating though. A few hours later my brother in law and mom went down, most of the food was gone and they had to wait for more to be brought out. When they came back up I went and looked over the rail and again tables of people with no wristbands with plates and plates of food. Leaving was a complete nightmare. Besides the fact they need more then 3 elevators, with all the EXTRA guests you have to wait 5 mins before even being abe to get one. Finally we got one and as we were loading a group of 5 girls with NO wristbands, heading down to the pool, literally cut in front of and pushed my 4 year old nephew out of the way to try to get on. No parents around. There is obviously an issue they are trying to monitor with the use of wristbands but its a mute point when nothing is really done. We will never be back there.

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