Big Old Hilton
This hotel prides itself on being a long time fixture in Chicago. It's proud of the fact that it was the largest hotel in the world when it was originally built. So, that kind of says it all. It's older, and it's big. There wasn't anything blatantly wrong with my room, or the hotel property, but age and size is also means it's not on a par with more recently constructed properties.
My room was basic,it was obviously remodeled at one time, but the fixtures and furnishings were dated. To be fair, it's an older historic building so the interiors aren't going automatically contemporary, but the room felt and looked like the 70s.
There's a big computer screen on the desk which provides access to a lot of information on hotel and Chicago. OK in concept, but it replaces the hotel directory of services you usually find on (or in) the desk, and it wasn't all that easy to use. It took me a long time to hunt and peck through the various menus looking for information on internet connectivity in the room. I only went searching through the online directory after I had turned the room upside down looking for an actual directory around the desk to explain how to use the ethernet cable coming out of the wall and laying across the desk. Come to find out after 15 minutes of searching the online directories that the cable has been deactivated, and it's only wifi in the room. Now, if it's only wifi .... why would you have a cable coming out of the wall and on the desk? When you're done with the online directory you can turn off the screen, but it's pretty unattractive to be looking at a big dark flat scree television AND a dark 15" blank terminal screen too.
Meeting rooms seem to come in two sizes, really big, or really small. This is surely more the fault of our meeting planner and not the hotel, but our breakout rooms were cramped and ill equipped for the unseasonably warm weather. The hotel had already switched to winter settings, so heat was the only option, and in lieu of that we had to have maintenance open windows for us which caused the room to be too cold - with no in between.
The staff was always pleasant and helpful when they were there. When the three people in my party checked in at 8:00 on a Monday night we found the front desk had over 10 check in positions but only 1 person behind the counter.
This is a big hotel, with big meeting facilities (ballrooms) and prides itself on holding big gatherings - so you can get a little lost (literally and figuratively) if you're not part of one of those gatherings. Not the end of the world, but just be prepared.