Suite Home, Chicago
We've visited Chicago several times & know the city pretty well, for tourists. For this trip, I was looking to stay north of the river. We don't really care about being in the midst of the Mag Mile, especially when you consider how walkable the city is. If you're not a walker, the city has great public transport to get you where you want to be.
I used TripAdvisor to narrow down my choices & decided this Hilton Suites might be a good fit. I was not disappointed. Check-in was smooth, good customer service. Might not seem like a big deal for some people, but it really matters - for such a tall building, elevators were quick & there are plenty, which reduces wait time. Room was clean & I'm really picky. I did have an issue with an outlet at the bar area of the living space, but, it certainly wasn't a deal-breaker. Bedroom area of room was mostly absorbed by the king sized bed, but the suite style kept me from feeling too claustrophobic. Not the biggest suite in a hotel I've ever had, but certainly roomy enough. And, let's be honest, if you are in Chicago, you're really not there to just sit in a hotel room. Again, I've been to Chicago several times & have had the pleasure of staying in some very high end hotels & once in one that was a bit sketchy. This Hilton Suites was one of my favorites, as far as function & comfort. One little hitch before the trip, when I made an attempt to get info from the concierge, that didn't go too well, but some hotels don't really excel at that kind of service. If you need that, look elsewhere.
Understand the restaurant/bar is not operated by the hotel. I wanted a cup of coffee - like in a real mug, not paper - to take to my room & they wouldn't allow that. However, the next evening, they were happy to let me take a glass of wine to my room. I wrote that off to the server. Figured I caught one guy in a bad mood & the other guy in a good mood. There is a coffee shop with very basic snacks available, and the Hancock Building has a nice little deli in the plaza, if you need more options.
Hancock Building is on the corner & part of the view, if you're on that side of the hotel. I really like the location of the hotel, but if you want to be actually -ON- Michigan Avenue, this hotel is about a block off. This location is more convenient to The Gold Coast & Old Town areas, while still giving you access to The Mile. Oh, and if you have never been to Chicago & think you are going to drive into the city & park your car at your hotel, I hope you've done your homework. I get frustrated when I hear people complain about how much it costs to park downtown. Really?
This is a good solid choice for your get-away to Sweet Home, Chicago.